And 32 years later, they are still looking for answers. He had done a great amount of divorce work, handling hundreds of divorces. The attorney advised her not to return to the home she shared with Mark, but she refused. A mother disappears during an evening out with her husband. The next morning, Mark woke up. Often times the victim is not even allowed to shop without her abuser. All of you can talk with me and I can answer your questions.--Contribute to Unfound at Patreon.com/unfoundpodcast.You can also contribute at Paypal: unfoundpodcast@gmail.com--that is also the email address.--the website: theunfoundpodcast.comUnfound supports accounts on Podomatic, iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, andFacebook.--Please join us on Wednesday nights at 9pm ET for the YouTube Live Show.--Contribute to Unfound at Patreon.com/unfoundpodcast.And at Paypal: unfoundpodcast@gmail.com--that is also the email address. Trace amounts of Christis blood were found on the floor in the bedroom and in the trunk of Marks 1977 Mercury Cougar, but there wasnt enough to indicate that she was deceased. He left her backpack in a residential area where it would be found because he wanted it found. Interestingly, a letter was found in one of their cars, allegedly addressed to her boyfriend; according to one source, it stated that she had considered leaving her family. However, she always had a negative self-image and never felt that she did anything well until she had her children. Truthfully he always had an idea of where hed stash a body he just needed to be able to do it at the right time so as not to get caught. This is a very controlled type of murderer, they didnt have some sort of argument when he warded her off she fell, hit her head and inadvertently died. Mark says that he and Christi Jo left the bar around midnight and stopped at an all-night convenience store. Christi once had to go to the hospital emergency room for injuries allegedly caused by Mark. Men like Mark tend to feel above the law. Christi, circa 1987 Missing Since 12/11/1987 Missing From Gothenburg, Nebraska Classification Endangered Missing Sex Female Race White Date of Birth 09/06/1965 (56) Age 22 years old Height and Weight 5'9, 120 pounds Clothing/Jewelry Description Blue jeans and hiking boots. However, he is not considered a suspect. It is uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children. 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Video of Christi Jo Nichols for fans of Unsolved Mysteries. At this point, Berreckman contacted the Gothenburg Police Department to report Marks abuse. Christi was seeing another man around the time of her disappearance. You do not go against the grain with people like Mark, you do not disagree with him, you do as you are told and you keep your mouth shut. Interestingly, it was discovered that she did not take her cosmetics, most of her clothing, her Social Security card, or her wedding rings. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the November 16, 1988 episode. Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. The first had been while she was at a local Jack & Jill convenience store, while the second occurred in the middle of the street, where he told her she needed to get her act together. Quite often it boils down to being able to prove it or not, rest assured they plan the murder well in advance just in case. After this, he tossed her onto their waterbed in self-defence and she landed on her hand, injuring her thumb. Its contents were neatly laying around. However, Mark would claim his wife had been five or six yards ahead of him and had gone straight upstairs to see the children, before heading to the main bathroom, which is why Diane hadnt see her. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Connie Stanley, her mother, lives in western Nebraska. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. All he said was that she was missing. After she went missing, a note from Christi, addressed to the other man, was found in the Nicholses' car. The police cleared the man. In the mid-2000s, the case was one that the Nebraska State Patrol worked on with the help of a $250,000 grant. Mark knew his wife was gone already because he told investigators that when the children woke him, he noticed that noticed Christi Jo was gone. On December 10, the day after the meeting, she and Mark went Christmas shopping with Lindsey and Preston. Trace amounts of Christi's blood were found on the floor of her bedroom, and in the trunk of Mark's 1977 Mercury Cougar. A search of the house revealed that Christi had left behind the majority of her belongings, including diamond jewellery and her drivers license. I was able to speak to townspeople as well as her family for more details. Despite this evidence, he has never been charged. When they left, she showed Debbie a bruise on her side. At the time, Mark worked at a local gas station. They had been married four years. Oddly, both family cars were in the driveway at the time Christi Jo. When the victim refuses to go back or stay is whenthings can go south. Christi wrote she would be leaving after Christmas, but promised to contact the man within a few months. Currently, Mark is the only suspect in the case. She moved to Omaha from North Platte to work for the late private investigator Dennis Whelan, hired by the family. (LogOut/ Abusers like Mark simply will not stand for or allow for his property to walk out the door. At first, Lindsey and Preston lived in foster care. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. The Disappearance of Nguyet Thu Wiki Phung, Case Update: Brittanee Drexels Remains Discovered After 13 Years, SuspectCharged, The Disappearances of Tina & BethanySinclair. You can cancel at any time. Nichols, a mother of two small children, was last seen alive on December 10, 1987, at her home in Gothenburg. She also thought it was strange that he never asked her if Christi was there or if she had seen her. What happened to her? Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Suspects: The police consider Mark the prime suspect in Christi's disappearance. According to Connie, Mark forged Christis signature on the titles in order to sell them. Mark would not have traveled hundreds of miles to dispose of Christi Jo and he most likely would not in broad daylight disposed of her body, the risk is too high unless the area is incredibly isolated. Kniss said there was circumstantial evidence, including blood spots found in the couples bedroom and in a car trunk. Now . Ten days before her disappearance, she had gone to a local hospital for treatment of an injury she received during a fight with Mark. He said he spent two hours driving around in the area, looking for her, but never saw her. Dig deeper into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. Gothenburg womans disappearance a mystery. Upon moving to Gothenburg, Christi met Mark Nichols, the man who would eventually become her husband. She had been taking steps to leave him with her children when on the night of December 10, 1987, the couple left their two children with a babysitter while they went out for the night. After midnight on December 11, Mark came home and paid the babysitter in cash. This struck Diane as odd, as Christi was normally the one to pay her for her services and it was normally done with a cheque. In 1983, she graduated from Overton High School. Connie Stanley has used them all. On December 9, 1987, Christi visited divorce attorney Claude Berreckman at his office in Cozad, Nebraska, approximately 10 miles outside of Gothenburg. He was interviewed by police and has been ruled out as a suspect. Terry noted that if Christi left Mark, he would not have been able to look through the closet and say what she had taken. Austin Sigg who has since been convicted of murdering and dismembering her did the very same thing. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated. In some cases while it appears they have been able to outsmart the law, the reality is that they simply found a way to avoid a murder charge, for the time being. Find out with these charts and graphs, updated weekly. During her late teens, Christi moved to Gothenburg, Nebraska to leave with her paternal grandmother, Violet Williams, as she no longer wanted to follow the rules set set in place by her mother and stepfather. Please contact about missing person cases, press inquiries and speaking engagementsImages subject to fair use allowance. Once they completed their shopping, he and Christi left the kids with babysitter Diane Janssen and went to Petes Place, the bar where Christi worked. Despite being alarmed at his wifes sudden disappearance, Mark acted calm when her mother called around 9:30am that morning, saying Christi was still asleep in bed. He would not allow for them to walk out the door with the children who are also. He now lives in Arkansas and is married for the third time. More blood was found in the trunk of Mark's car. Investigators said over the years they became convinced she was slain. There are multiple witnesses who confirmed that he was abusing her in the weeks prior to her disappearance. She had told Gary that they were having marital problems; he was surprised that they were there together that night. A store clerk later recalled that she seemed "nervous". Are prices headed up or down? What should not surprise anyone is that when you peel back the layers more often than not you willfind that the victim maybe had a good day or two and took steps to leave the situation, yet somehow the abuser was able to ascertain that info and the victim paid for it one way or another. Not for the same reason Christi Jos killer wanted her belongings found, the point is they were left in a specific area so as to ensure that they would be found. The attorney stated that he was worried for her well being and that she appeared to have been beaten recently, she seemed afraid and worried. Christi has been missing for 33 years today. It is believed that Mark found about her meetings with Claude and the counselor because Claude contacted Shackleton about the abuse and the counselor met with Christi in Shackleton's office. :bump: for Christi Jo, now missing 26 years. Mark decided at 11AM to take the children to Christi Jos grandmothers home and ask her to babysit so he could go find his wife. A few minutes later, she had a social worker call the house. As the police investigated, they began to uncover evidence that the Nichols' marriage was in trouble. He knew that she needed help. Christi Nichols Real Name: Christi Jo Nichols Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: Gothenburg, Nebraska Date: December 11, 1987 Bio Occupation: Bartender at Pete's Lounge Date Of Birth: September 6, 1965 Height: 5'9" Weight: 120 lbs Marital Status: Married Characteristics: Caucasian female with brown hair and green eyes. Job description and qualifications are posted for Nebraska education commissioner applicants. He claims that some of the rumors have gotten "pretty vicious". That evening, Christi and Mark hired a babysitter, Diane Janssen, and went to the local bar where Christi worked. Oddly, both family cars were in the driveway at the time Christi Jo packed a bag and vanished into the night, into the winter night. However, according to another source, it merely stated that she was planning to leave town after Christmas. She went out of her way to find an attorney in a completely different town to keep her husband from knowing about her wanting a divorce. Debra also shared that her cousin had told her that Mark had held her up against the wall, while choking her and stabbing the wall directly behind her, all while Lindsey was in the room. Also, Mark's parents had a concrete pad poured on their property a few days after she vanished. Christi wasnt there. Make sure you understand that, he knew her every move prior. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. He claimed that she was walking ahead of him and went right to the bathroom when they came inside. There are currently no cases that match the selected filters. It was also discovered that his family was close to the Gothenburg police chief, Bob Shackleton. She was very proud of them and loved them. Update: Christi Nichols disappearance, 32 years later, Someone knows something: remembering Christi, still searching for answers, SitcomsOnline Discussion of Christi Nichols. The police investigation of this case has raised some disturbing questions about the events surrounding her disappearance. Listen now, on the Unsolved Mysteries podcast. Mark was able to tell investigators exactly what items Christi Jo supposedly packed and what contents she happened to have in her purse at the time of her disappearance. However, she refused to listen and continued to see the counsellor. (LogOut/ {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, by David Hendee Reba Benschoter, an emeritus professor at UNMC who recently died, is recognized as a pioneer of today's telemedicine and distance learning. It is an area that he would have been seen around or known to visit prior to the crime but not much after. She thought it was strange because normally when she watched them, Christi or Mark would call ahead of time to ask if she was available. She also did not pick up her last paycheck. A few days earlier, he took them to his parents' house and would not bring them back unless she agreed to follow a specific set of rules. Mark said she took a suitcase and her purse with her, and was able to describe the contents exactly: the suitcase contained jeans, a sweatshirt, a bra and jacket and the purse held a hairbrush, a pen, a lighter, a matchbook, lipstick, Neutrogena cream, a nail file, a mirror and one piece of gum. Christi already had two siblings and now she gained three stepbrothers. Not the serial murderer, or the drug fueled rage killer. Her husband reported her missing the next day, and she has never been seen since. Christis father, Ken, says that he cant say for sure if his daughter is dead, as theres no evidence of foul play, nor any witnesses who saw anything suspicious. She was 22 years old, and is believed to have been wearing a pair of blue jeans and hiking boots. Authorities stated there was not enough blood to indicate Christi was dead. Mark did a stand up performance by telling medical staff that he was injured from a cigarette burn to the neck administered by Christi Jo and in his attempt to ward her and the weapon off, he might have inadvertently injured Christi Jo. He went on to tell investigators that things at the bar seemed good. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. They are concerned about the details surrounding her disappearance, the fact that she has not contacted Lindsey, Preston, or other relatives, the fact that she did not take a vehicle, and the fact that she has been missing for such a long period of time. Let us know all the details about yourself and send us a message. At the time of her disappearance, she stood at 59 and weighed approximately 120 pounds. Make up on wrong, clothing he doesnt agree with. She told him she wanted a divorce and custody of her children. He hoped to spot her leaving a store or friend's house. On Dec. 10, 1987, Christi (Williams) Nichols went missing in Gothenburg and has never been found. That gave Mark ample time to plan the proper disposal of his wife. However, when investigators checked into his story of driving around town looking for her, they could find nobody in Gothenburg that had seen him doing so. Christi has never been heard from again. At the time of Christis disappearance, Connie was living 100 miles away in Lodgepole, Nebraska. He claimed that he did not want to worry her. No other trace of Christi has ever been found. The Gothenburg Police Department initially handled the case, but were soon joined by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Dawson County Sheriffs Office. Mark continues to maintain his innocence in Christi's disappearance. More recent DNA tests have proved that the blood found in Marks car was indeed Christis. I go back to her suitcase and purse. Officers seemed to feel they were left on purpose, that whoever left them wanted them found. Mentally and psychologically, they make the victim feel as if something mentally is wrong with her. She acted like it was not a big deal, like it was something that happened a lot. This type of murderer is the deeply invested abuser/murderer. They make excuses and not surprisingly the excuses are the exact same wording as the abusers would be if you had asked the abuser what happened. He either drove around with her body, including back to his home with her that night or stashed her in a temporary location until he could figure out where to actually put her and when. When he spoke with police, Mark told them that Christi had only taken a purse and suitcase with her. The list can be exhaustive, but you get the idea I hope. While Mark tried to tell them it was menstrual blood, later DNA analysis would prove this statement to be false. It was like the person that put them there wanted them to be found. He felt that she was very sincere and honest about what she was telling him. Height: 5'9" However, both family cars were still sitting in the front yard. The case was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, which prompted 150 calls to the shows telecenter and 15 more to the Nebraska State Patrol. It appeared to them that whoever had previously had the items had wanted them to be found. Did This Husband Really Get Away Murder or Could This Case Still be Solved? Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Kniss now works part time at a warehouse but maintains documents on the case to help researchers and investigators. And 32 years later, they are still looking for her, but promised to contact the man who eventually. His innocence in Christi 's disappearance front yard self-image and never felt that she was slain he with... He was surprised that they were having marital problems ; he was abusing her in area. 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