Mark believes that Christi ran away voluntarily, due to their marital difficulties and the "pressures of motherhood". It appeared to investigators that the suitcase had been placed there instead of just thrown out. He stated that the day before they went to the bar, things were uncomfortable because they had not been getting along very well. Mark claimed that the fight occurred when he tried to keep Christi from going out. All of the officers agreed on the fact that whoever left the belongings at the rest stop wanted them to be found. They want the victim to come crawling back and will do everything they can so as to ensure that the victim finds she cannot live life without the abuser. Small amounts of blood were found in both the couples bedroom and the trunk of Marks car. Berreckman noted that she seemed stressed and appeared to have been recently beaten, so the pair planned to contact the authorities and press charges against Mark for abuse. Which is actually pretty dead on. 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. Attempts over the years to get investigators to open a grand jury investigation have been turned down due to a lack of evidence in the case. He was the last person to see Christi alive. She made another appointment to see him, but disappeared before she could keep it. A few minutes later, she had a social worker call the house. On December 11, 1987, twenty-two-year-old housewife Christi Nichols vanished. Diane was surprised that they were going out because she knew that they were not getting along. A few weeks later, he boxed up all of her clothes and sold both of their cars. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed it evolved into suspicion of murder. While he didnt directly tell her of the disappearance, he did appear shaken and had asked if Christis grandmother had seen her. (it was never confirmed as to which he did), Rumors are that Mark had an abusive past prior to marrying Christi Jo. When Christi went to his parents house, as they were babysitting the children, they refused to hand them back to their mother. He also suggested Christi not return home and instead stay with her mother, but she refused. At 7:00 a.m., the children woke up Mark and he realized Christi was missing. There are rumors in Gothenburg that say he is responsible for her disappearance. The case may be cold, but the search for . The children woke Mark up at around 7:00am. She was very proud of them and loved them. He threatened shed never see the children again if she kept making appointments and made her promise to never go back. 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. His excuse for lying to Christi Jos mom was that he didnt want to worry her. Scared. However, not enough blood was found to indicate that she was deceased. She was married and had two children. She was planning to leave her husband at the time of her disappearance. This is reportedly one of three times the chief had harassed Christi that day. They laughed and had an enjoyable time. Nichols was first reported missing by her family on August 6. The attorney stated Christi was extremely stressed and appeared to have been beaten. Lindsey now lives in Georgia, while Preston works in Lexington. Even though he knew Christi was gone, he told Connie that she was still asleep. He left her backpack in a residential area where it would be found because he wanted it found. The patrols cold case unit includes her in a deck of playing cards featuring photographs of homicide victims. All that is known is that she has vanished without a trace, and her family and friends would like to know why. When they married in 1983, Christi was just 19 years old, and the pair soon became the parents of two young children: Lindsey, who was born in December 1984, and Preston, who was born in April 1986. Abusers like Mark simply will not stand for or allow for his property to walk out the door. In 1990, Mark filed for divorce from Christi on grounds of desertion. It appeared to them that whoever had previously had the items had wanted them to be found. Everyday is a day lived in constant fear of what the victim might be capable of being able to do wrong so as to displease her abuser. Victims in these types of situations are cut off, they feel alone and isolated. The case captured national attention and was featured on the Unsolved Mysteries TV program. Job description and qualifications are posted for Nebraska education commissioner applicants. Men like Mark do not view a significant other as a person or human being. SPRINGDALE (KFSM) - A body found that was found inside a car at Northwest Medical Center has been identified as missing woman Christy Nichols, according . Growing up, Christi was very shy and quiet. He never asked Christi Jos grandmother if she had heard from Christi Jo, let alone if she maybe stopped in to see her grandmother or if she was at her grandmothers at the time he dropped off the children. Marks explanation as why Dianne didnt see Christi Joe, I was about 5 or 6 yards behind her when she went in the door and she walked by the living room where the babysitter was back towards the kids bedroom and into the main bedroom.. While she was young, her parents divorced, with Connie later marrying a man named Greg Stanley. While she was young, her parents divorced, with Connie later marrying a man named Greg Stanley. She went to see an abuse counselor, and Mark was angry when he found out and made her promise not to go again, but she went again anyway. (LogOut/ At the time of Christis disappearance, Connie was living 100 miles away in Lodgepole, Nebraska. Where are the hotspots for buyers and sellers? Later that morning, he took his children to Christi's grandmother's home and asked her to babysit them while he searched for his wife. It's been three months since local woman, Christy Nichols was reported missing. According to those who knew her, Christi was known for being a dedicated mother, whose life revolved around Mark and her children. Two overpasses were built in and around Gothenburg, and gravel fill was used at both locations. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. In March 1988, Christis suitcase and purse were located, with everything still with them, at a rest stop on I-80, near Maxwell, Nebraska. Its important to know that quite a few individuals knew Christi Jo was being abused by Mark and that the relationship was in trouble. She was frightened that Mark would find out; for this reason, she went to an out-of-town lawyer named Claude Berreckman. Avoiding and outsmarting are two completely different things. The list can be exhaustive, but you get the idea I hope. This would be the last time he claims he saw Christi. On Dec. 10, 1987, Christi (Williams) Nichols went missing in Gothenburg and has never been found. She later attended a semester at college, but found it wasnt for her. Usually, it was Christi who paid the sitter, and she did it with a check. She acted like it was not a big deal, like it was something that happened a lot. An investigation revealed traces of Christi's blood in the couple's house and in the husband's car. According to him, people even went to the dump and dug around, looking for her. After she went missing, a note from Christi, addressed to the other man, was found in the Nicholses' car. I wish they would push forward with this Mark Nichols needs to be put behind bars. In 1987, the pairs marital problems began to escalate, as Mark was allegedly physically abusive toward Christi. She was 22 years old, and is believed to have been wearing a pair of blue jeans and hiking boots. 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. UPDATE: Christi Jo disappearance, 32 years later. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He would not allow for them to walk out the door with the children who are also. . It is uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated the case and the family hired a private detective to no avail. 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. Kniss now works part time at a warehouse but maintains documents on the case to help researchers and investigators. At first, Lindsey and Preston lived in foster care. Date Of Birth: September 6, 1965 Mark continues to maintain his innocence in Christi's disappearance. He later said he did this so her mother would not worry about her. During their investigation, the state patrol discovered that he moved out of their house the day after her disappearance. Diane had been doing her homework in front of the television at the time. A man who is controlling, abusive and who knows every move his wife makes is a whole different breed of killer. I know that for most of you guys reading this, it may difficult to imagine what those crimes could have been, for me its but a walk down memory lane, so it would not have been easy for Christi Jo to be forthcoming in telling too many people, if anyone the truth about the abuse. You must log in or register to reply here. Sometimes whendealing withdifferent agencies a search is not possible because of the pissing matches that tend to occur between the said agencies or government/military entities. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Fan of the Site Added: 27 Aug 2003 This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. These are all words no mother ever wants to use in reference to her child. 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. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Fan of the Site Added: 27 Aug 2003 (LogOut/ In April 1986, their son, Preston, was born. Ken initially lived in Colorado after divorcing Connie, but later moved to Gothenburg after Christis disappearance, in order to be closer to the investigation. . As far as the world knows, the last time anyone saw Christi Jo was either at the bar or the store Mark says they stopped at on the way home. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, by David Hendee
Tips can also be called into the Patrols general number at 402-479-4049 or the Nebraska Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse at 1-877-441-5678. Make up on wrong, clothing he doesnt agree with. She told Connie about him monitoring her phone calls, and her cousin, Debra Frederickson, would later reveal that Christi had shown her a bruise on her side, which she said was the result of Mark hitting her. On December 10, 1987, the couple went Christmas shopping with Lindsey and Preston, a trip which also involved a visit with Santa Claus and dinner at Pizza Hut. 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. By the next day, Christi Jo Nichols would be a . Interestingly, it was discovered that she did not take her cosmetics, most of her clothing, her Social Security card, or her wedding rings. Ken Williams, her father, has returned to Gothenburg from Colorado. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. At 11:30am, Mark took Lindsey and Preston over to Christi's grandmother Violet's house and asked her if she could watch them while he searched for Christi. He would have the known the area very well. He stated that the day before they went to the bar, things were uncomfortable because they had not been getting along very well. Finding Christi Jos body does not guarantee a conviction but for her family it would mean the world so that they could give her a proper burial. While she was young, her parents divorced, with Connie later marrying a man named Greg Stanley. At 12:30am, they headed for home. SPRINGDALE, Ark. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. The abuser always knows what his victim is up to, despite a victims efforts to conceal it. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Mark and Christi were having marital problems in 1987, and Mark was allegedly physically abusing her and monitoring her phone calls. Rumors swirled that some sort of letter was found from Christi Jo to an unnamed man explaining that she was in the process of leaving her husband and would be in touch in a few months. Men like this, while they take enough steps to be one step ahead of law enforcement, they still make a mistake or two along the way. He claimed that when Lindsey and Preston woke him up at around 7am the next morning, she was not in the bed. Christi Jos parents, who were divorced when she disappeared, live in Nebraska. He claimed that she got upset with him, tried to hit and kick him, and then burned his neck with a cigarette. To this day no trace of her has been found and no one has ever been charged in her disappearance. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Mark told them that Christi was out shopping. Are prices headed up or down? What is interesting about this is that officers were a little dumbfounded by the fact that Mark knew exactly what she had packed and he knew exactly what was in her purse. 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. On January 3, 2020, the case saw renewed interest after the Nebraska State Patrol released a press release. Height: 5'9" Then, they were with both sets of grandparents. From what I understand quite an extensive search was conducted in Gothenburg and the surrounding area and turned up nothing. He had done a great amount of divorce work, handling hundreds of divorces. Christi has been missing for 32 years today. In fact, she had planned on coming back; when she left, she made an appointment to come back to his office the following week. However, there are no witnesses to corroborate this. When she was later spoken to by investigators, she would say she never saw, nor heard Christi enter the house. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. According to Mark, the suitcase contained a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, a bra and a jacket, while the purse held a hairbrush, a pen, a lighter and matchbook, lipstick, a tub of Neutrogena cream, a nail file, a mirror and one piece of gum. At 9:30am, he received a phone call from Connie, who lived 100 miles away. Brendan Gonzalez, a 4-year-old Plattsmouth boy, has been missing since Jan. 6. Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Christis family does not believe she would voluntarily leave on her own, given how much she loved her children, and Connie believes Mark beat her daughter to death before disposing of her body. But until she returns to Gothenburg, he remains under a cloud of suspicion. However, they didnt produce anything. Christis disappearance received very little media attention, as police suspected she was a runaway wife, as opposed to a victim of foul play. He claimed to have felt uncomfortable that day because he "felt a lot of anger" coming from her. A man who is controlling, abusive and who knows every move his wife makes is a whole different breed of killer. After this, he claims to have spent approximately two hours driving around Gothenburg looking for his wife. Those who knew her well felt her life centered around her family. Video of Christi Jo Nichols for fans of Unsolved Mysteries. I was able to speak to townspeople as well as her family for more details. Mark told Christi Jos mother that Christi Jo was asleep when she called by the way. This is due to Marks behaviour in the days after her disappearance moving out of the family home, selling the familys vehicles as well as him being able to name everything shed supposedly taken with her. He went on to tell investigators that things at the bar seemed good. Around 10 days before Christi Jos disappearance she went to the hospital to be treated for injuries that were a result of Marks inability to control his temper. It is an area that he would have been seen around or known to visit prior to the crime but not much after. Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. As a result, her family, which already included two siblings, grew to include three stepbrothers. DNA testing showed that semen found in her body matched McGinn, but McGinn was not tried for Eggers' killing because he was already on death row. Make sure you understand that, he knew her every move prior. Mark was seemingly aware of this and had suggested to authorities that shed run off with him. 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. Connie Stanley, her mother, lives in western Nebraska. December 10, 1987. It was to throw the investigation off of his trail because he felt investigators were still looking in his direction or to ensure that whatever move Mark made at the time would not be noticed because investigative efforts would be thrown into trying to determine when Christi Jos items were left at the rest-stop, by whom and why. 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. On the evening of December 10, 1987, Christi and her husband . The case has been included in a deck of playing cards that featured photographs of unsolved homicide victims, which were distributed to prisons and jails throughout Nebraska. You are using an out of date browser. He went on to tell investigators that things at the bar seemed good. He claimed that when they were at the bar, things seemed to being going well between them. The State Patrol lists Nichols case as one of about 250 unsolved homicides. Brown hair, green eyes. She was last seen at Catalyst Church in Bentonville. There is a strong sense of community among its 3,000 residents. 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. However, he has never been charged. Once they realize they are losing control over the victim, they start to take or hold things over the victims head that matter until the victim agrees to comply with the abusers requests or starts to live up to the abusers standards/expectations. Kniss said there was circumstantial evidence, including blood spots found in the couples bedroom and in a car trunk. According to Christi, she was afraid of Mark finding out, hence the reason why shed decided to see an out-of-town lawyer. He would not allow for them to walk out the door with the children who are also his property. When he went to turn to Christi, he noticed she wasnt in bed, and a subsequent search of the house revealed she was gone and that a suitcase was missing. However, according to another source, it merely stated that she was planning to leave town after Christmas. Despite thorough searches of the area in and around Gothenburg, no trace of Christi was found. Investigators noted that, without locating her or her body, it would be difficult to file charges against anybody in this case. It was like the person that put them there wanted them to be found. All he said was that she was missing. Authorities believe she was seeing another man at the time of her disappearance. Christi Jo was a 22 year old married mother of two, who lived in Gothenburg, Nebraska when she vanished in 1987, into the night never to be seen again. She was married and had two children. Christi Jo Nichols went missing from Gothenburg, Dawson County, Nebraska on December 11, 1987. I would not be surprised one bit if in looking back at around March 1988, in Marks life something was amiss or going on. What happened to her? Check out the peaks and valleys in volatile local gas prices, and track motor vehicle sales, financing and production. Her ears are pierced. In fact Dianne stated that she is sure she would have seen or heard Christi Jo but never did. Details: The town of Gothenburg is located in the heart of Nebraska's farm belt. Mentally and psychologically, they make the victim feel as if something mentally is wrong with her. More recent DNA tests have proved that the blood found in Marks car was indeed Christis. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated. Authorities stated it looked as if whoever placed them there had wanted them to be found. Christi wrote she would be leaving after Christmas, but promised to contact the man within a few months. Foul play is suspected in Christi's disappearance and it is classified as a homicide. He was the last person seen with her before she vanished. When a neighbor is in trouble, it becomes everybody's business. He is presumed. He claimed that he did not want to worry her. Christi Jo Nichols, a 22-year-old mother of two and part-time bartender, vanished Dec. 11, 1987. She is described as a quiet, very shy woman and a dedicated mother. Christi wasnt there. She was also trapped in an abusive relationship at the hands of her husband Mark. It has also since been discovered that Christi met with a domestic violence counselor the day before she vanished. A warehouse but maintains documents on the Unsolved Mysteries TV program cold unit! 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