She was married and had two children. Townspeople speculated that her body was buried in the local railroad overpass or entombed in some other construction project or rural area. In March 1988, Christis suitcase and purse were located, with everything still with them, at a rest stop on I-80, near Maxwell, Nebraska. After she explained certain abuses that she had been subjected to and showed a bruise on her arm, they decided to call the authorities and report certain crimes that had taken place. According to Christi, she was afraid of Mark finding out, hence the reason why shed decided to see an out-of-town lawyer. These details suggest to them that foul play may be involved in this case. She and her husband, Mark Nichols, ate supper at Pizza Hut with their infant daughter and son, took them to see Santa and then home to a baby sitter while the couple played pool at the bar where Christi Jo worked. As the police investigated, they began to uncover evidence that the Nichols' marriage was in trouble. A blood stain the size of a saucer was found in her and Mark's bedroom shortly after her disappearance. 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. The area surrounding Gothenburg has been searched extensively. JavaScript is disabled. According to Mark they ate dinner at Pizza Hut with their infant daughter and son, took them to see Santa and then home to a babysitter while the couple played pool at the bar where Christi Jo worked. At 1:37pm, Mark filed a missing persons report with the Gothenburg police department. It was also discovered that his family was close to the Gothenburg police chief, Bob Shackleton. 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. The case may be cold, but the search for . This case has since stalled. It is not known what Christi's state of mind was when she left Claude's office. Diane had babysat for the couple numerous times and was surprised to see them going out, given she knew they werent getting along. She later attended a semester at college, but found it wasnt for her. 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. Her suitcase, along with her purse was found at a rest stop near Maxwell in 1988. He would not allow for them to walk out the door with the children who are also his property. 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. Details: The town of Gothenburg is located in the heart of Nebraska's farm belt. Townspeople also speculated that she was buried in the local railroad overpass or entombed in one of the various construction projects that were occurring at the time. Due to the couples deteriorating marriage, she wanted to divorce Mark and gain full custody of the children. More recent DNA tests have proved that the blood found in Marks car was indeed Christis. Christi Jo Nichols was a 22 year old from Gothenburg, NE. Her ears are pierced. Nichols, a mother of two small children, was last seen alive on December 10, 1987, at her home in Gothenburg. More often than not the words mentally-ill, bipolar or manipulate are tossed at a victims feet in an attempt to make the victim feel as if sheis the problem, that she hassome sort of mental disorder and isincapable of being alone, taking care herself or of the children, she cant be trusted etc. 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. She and her husband, Mark Nichols, ate supper at Pizza Hut with their infant daughter and son, took them to see Santa and then home to a baby sitter while the couple played pool at the bar where Christi Jo worked. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. This was not the first time Christi had seen Dr. Shackleton. After she went missing, a note from Christi, addressed to the other man, was found in the Nicholses' car. You do not argue, question or do something he does not approve of. Her family has shared their criticism over the way the investigation has been handled, saying they feel it could have been solved if police had taken it more seriously from the beginning. It has also since been discovered that Christi met with a domestic violence counselor the day before she vanished. She acted like it was not a big deal, like it was something that happened a lot. Mark claimed that it was menstrual blood, but an analysis determined that this was not true. She has a scar above her left eye and a scar on her abdomen. (LogOut/ Prior to her disappearance, Christi told Connie that Mark was monitoring her phone calls. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. a bag and vanished into the night, into the winter night. Christi Jo was seen by a doctor who had seen her before and who stated that Christi Jo was not that forthcoming with information, and acted pretty scared. Her disappearance turned into a controversy that continues to this day. Weight: 120 lbs You must log in or register to reply here. Mark took a polygraph about her disappearance in 1987, but the results were inconclusive. He claimed that he did not want to worry her. Updated: 8:46 PM CDT April 27, 2022 CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas A man's body was found in Flour Bluff on Monday, prompting an investigation by the Corpus Christi Police Department. Ten days before her disappearance, she had gone to a local hospital for treatment of an injury she received during a fight with Mark. The family of Christi Jo Nichols is hoping that someone, somewhere knows the truth about her disappearance. Diane had been doing her homework in front of the television at the time. Officer Terry Ahrens was put in charge of this case. The attorney advised her not to return to the home she shared with Mark, but she refused. Often times victims in these situations will develop substance abuse problems as a way to escape mentally from the constant fear, the abuse, the hateful, hurtful words spoken, as well as both the physical and mental pain they endure. That evening, Christi and Mark hired a babysitter, Diane Janssen, and went to the local bar where Christi worked. Abusers like Mark simply will not stand for or allow for, property to walk out the door. According to Mark, the pair had gotten into an argument after hed asked her to stay home for the night, which resulted in Christi hitting and kicking him and burning his neck with a lit cigarette. The babysitter later stated she did not believe Christi came home with her husband, but Mark said Christi was there and the babysitter simply never saw her. Carol also felt that she was not telling her everything about the cause of the injury. Dr. Carol Severeid Shackleton said that Christi had come to the emergency room, complaining of a sore thumb. Real Name: Christi Jo Nichols Authorities stated it looked as if whoever placed them there had wanted them to be found. Christi left behind all her other belongings, including her diamond jewelry and driver's license, and she never picked up her last paycheck from the bar where she worked part time. Make up on wrong, clothing he doesnt agree with. Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Change). Christi Jos suitcase was discovered along Interstate 80 near Maxwell three months after her disappearance. He was the last person seen with her before she vanished. The pair spent between five and 10 minutes speaking, and Mark paid her in cash. On the evening of December 10, 1987, Christi and her husband . An investigation revealed traces of Christi's blood in the couple's house and in the husbands car. One rumor that I have not been able to confirm is that Christi Jo did report to the attorney certain aspects of the abuse that resulted in the attorney making a telephone call to authorities to report certain crimes that had been taken place. Austin Sigg who has since been convicted of murdering and dismembering her did the very same thing. On the evening of December 10, 1987, Christi and her husband Mark went out for a night on the town. Just after 12:00am on December 11, 1987, Mark and Christi left the bar and stopped at an all-night convenience store. More blood was found in the trunk of Mark's car. Kniss now works part time at a warehouse but maintains documents on the case to help researchers and investigators. As a result, her family, which already included two siblings, grew to include three stepbrothers. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. A note was found in her car, where shed written that she would be leaving after Christmas, but had promised to contact the unnamed man within a few months. He has denied any wrongdoing. Its been said that during one point while Mark interviewed with Unsolved Mysteries, he actually giggled while discussing that he heard people suspected he chopped Christi Jo up and put her into garbage bags, then dumped at the local dump. The hope was that it would help produce leads that could help resolve Christis disappearance. However, he is not considered a suspect. 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. Uncovered is where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts can learn from and teach others. Within days of her disappearance, he had moved out of their house, sold both their cars, and boxed up her clothes. However, she refused to listen and continued to see the counsellor. However, she was worried about supporting herself, as she didnt have any money of her own. 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. Help us add more information to this case. This is one of those "we basically know who was behind her disappearance, but lack evidence to convict", unfortunately. He said that they began seeing each other because "she was lonely and needed someone to talk to". Authorities stated there was not enough blood to indicate Christi was dead. Brown hair, green eyes. Recent DNA tests have proved that the blood found was indeed Christi's. Christi was very open with her family regarding Marks behaviour and had confided that she wanted to leave her husband, but wasnt sure how. Both cars were at the home at the timeof her disappearance. Christi Jo Nichols isn't the only missing person in the state who authorities believe to be dead. He was the last person to see Christi alive. While she was young, her parents divorced, with Connie later marrying a man named Greg Stanley. 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. He felt that she ranked in the "top five" of being the most distressed, upset, and nervous of his clients. Violet hopes and prays that she is still alive, but if she is deceased, she would like to know where she is so that she can be given a proper burial. Christi has been missing for 35 years today. A major construction project of the state Department of Roads was underway at the time of Christi's disappearance. There have been a lot of things that have not rung true, and to him, it does not appear like a normal missing person's case. A search of the house revealed that Christi had left behind the majority of her belongings, including diamond jewellery and her drivers license. 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. Job description and qualifications are posted for Nebraska education commissioner applicants. Marital Status: Married All he said was that she was missing. 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. Dig deeper into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. Christi Jo Willliams (Nichols) was last seen alive Dec. 10, 1987, when she left her children at home with a babysitter for an evening out with her husband, Mark. Authorities believe she was seeing another man at the time of her disappearance. However, that didnt stop rumours spreading, which stated that the pair were having trouble. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He was interviewed by police and has been ruled out as a suspect. They were later returned to Mark, and Connie said she hardly got to see them, due to his influence. Diane thought it was strange that he paid her with cash, because Christi normally paid her with a check. On December 12, 1987, Mark moved out of the couples home. According to. Investigators interviewed the man and he has been ruled out as a suspect in Christi's case. In fact Dianne stated that she is sure she would have seen or heard Christi Jo but never did. Christi Jo Nichols is the queen of hearts. Debbie feared for Christi's safety and told her that she needed to get help from someone. Alone. Christis DNA is available for comparison, should a body be found, but her dentals and fingerprints are not on file. Mark believed that she was planning on running away, while Connie believed that she was planning to fight for the custody of Lindsey and Preston. In the eyes of the abuser: Victims do not and Cannot seek escape from men like Mark! On January 3, 2020, the case saw renewed interest after the Nebraska State Patrol released a press release. Mark came home after midnight the next day, and payed the babysitter with cash. Both Christi Jos suitcase and purse were found in March of 1988, at a rest stop in Maxwell, NE about 30 miles west of Gothenburg NE. 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. :bump: for Christi Jo, now missing 26 years. 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. Examining the world of solved and unsolved cases. Gothenburg womans disappearance a mystery. There is a strong sense of community among its 3,000 residents. Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. According to Mark, Christi went to bed immediately after Diane left. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. his car, his home. The State Patrol lists Nichols case as one of about 250 unsolved homicides. At 11:30am, Mark dropped the children off at Violets house and asked her to watch them while he looked for Christi. Christi Jo Nichols was a 22 year old from Gothenburg, NE. Christi Jo Nichols was born on September 6, 1965 in Overton, Dawson County, Nebraska to Connie Stanley and Ken Williams. Even though he knew Christi was gone, he told Connie that she was still asleep. Christi Nichols is the wife of Mark Nichols of Gothenburg, Nebraska and the mother of two children, who vanished on December 11, 1987. He would not allow for them to walk out the door with the children who are also. He claims that he would not have hurt her because he was not a violent person. Authorities stated it looked as if whoever placed them there had wanted them to be found. Investigators said over the years they became convinced she was slain. Two overpasses were built in and around Gothenburg, and gravel fill was used at both locations. 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. Two days prior to Christi Jos disappearance she consulted with an attorney in a different town, inquiring about a divorce and stated she wanted full custody of her children. Change). Christis disappearance received very little media attention, as police suspected she was a runaway wife, as opposed to a victim of foul play. It appeared to investigators that the suitcase had been placed there instead of just thrown out. Despite thorough searches of the area in and around Gothenburg, no trace of Christi was found. In March 1988, three months after Christi's disappearance, her suitcase and purse were discovered in a roadside rest area thirty miles west of Gothenburg. And why, after 19 years, has no trace of the teen ever been found? 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. She also keeps track of family members. 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. Maybe an area he spoke about with friends; land that he was able to get on that he shouldnt have been on etc. If they feel they are losing control they will do something so as to bring that needed balance back into the picture. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. He most likely wouldnt have shot her or stabbed her to death in his car or home, and most definitely would not kill her in such a way that a huge amount of blood would have been lost on any of his property, i.e. Check out the peaks and valleys in volatile local gas prices, and track motor vehicle sales, financing and production. Dinner cooked wrong, laundry not put away to his specifications, bed made wrong, kids too loud, a family pet misbehaving or not doing what he wants it to do or act how he wants it to, not wanting to have sex when and how he wants it. Extensive ground searches were conducted, but nothing was found. 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. Dale Nichols asked for prayers for the familyin a post a on Facebook: Example video title will go here for this video. Despite this evidence, he has never been charged. She was last seen at Catalyst Church in Bentonville. (LogOut/ There are currently no cases that match the selected filters. Please contact about missing person cases, press inquiries and speaking engagementsImages subject to fair use allowance. Ken initially lived in Colorado after divorcing Connie, but later moved to Gothenburg after Christis disappearance, in order to be closer to the investigation. She was also trapped in an abusive relationship at the hands of her husband Mark. She also thought it was strange that he never asked her if Christi was there or if she had seen her. A few minutes later, she had a social worker call the house. 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. Suspects: The police consider Mark the prime suspect in Christi's disappearance. Those with information regarding the case are asked to contact the North Platte Office of the Nebraska State Patrol at 308-535-8047. All of the officers agreed on the fact that whoever left the belongings at the rest stop wanted them to be found. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). It is uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children. On December 10, the day after the meeting, she and Mark went Christmas shopping with Lindsey and Preston. An investigation revealed traces of Christi's blood in the couple's house and in the husbands car. You are using an out of date browser. Police shared that it looked like the items had been deliberately placed, as opposed to thrown from a vehicle. Men like Mark tend to feel above the law. She made a follow-up appointment but never made it. Christi Jo Nichols, a 22-year-old mother of two and part-time bartender, vanished Dec. 11, 1987. Its been extremely hard, Kniss said Monday. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The overall consensus from the town to the investigators who looked at this case is that Christi Jo is in fact dead. 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. 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. The Disappearance of Nguyet Thu Wiki Phung, Case Update: Brittanee Drexels Remains Discovered After 13 Years, SuspectCharged, The Disappearances of Tina & BethanySinclair. Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionBlue jeans and hiking boots. Christi Jo Nichols was born on September 6, 1965 in Overton, Dawson County, Nebraska to Connie Stanley and Ken Williams. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I was able to speak to townspeople as well as her family for more details. SPRINGDALE (KFSM) - A body found that was found inside a car at Northwest Medical Center has been identified as missing woman Christy Nichols, according . He said he spent two hours driving around in the area, looking for her, but never saw her. Not one individual! 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. Mark claimed that the fight occurred when he tried to keep Christi from going out. Often times the victim is not even allowed to shop without her abuser. She couldn't trust anyone for help. Mark says that he and Christi Jo left the bar around midnight and stopped at an all-night convenience store. Contrary to popular belief long before the victim ever thought of leaving, the abuser developed a plan just in case it got to that point. He moved out of the home pretty quickly after Christi Jo vanished, got rid of all traces of her and has since remarried, from what I understand twice. Christi and her husband of three years, Mark Nichols, left their two children with a babysitter and went to a bar in Gothenburg, Nebraska on the evening of December 10, 1987. The doctor on duty, Dr. Carol Shackleton, saw her and noted how scared she seemed to be of Mark, speaking low and refusing to make eye contact, as he was just outside the door. Diane was surprised that they were going out because she knew that they were not getting along. She would later become a private investigator herself in order to follow up on leads related to the case. Her husband totally did it but how can following a trail or trails from the rest area back to an unknown murder scene prove it? When the victim refuses to go back or stay is whenthings can go south. Update: Christi Nichols disappearance, 32 years later, Someone knows something: remembering Christi, still searching for answers, SitcomsOnline Discussion of Christi Nichols. Growing up, The Gothenburg Police Department initially handled the case, but were soon joined by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Dawson County Sheriffs Office. In April 1990, Mark divorced Christi. Interestingly, it was discovered that she did not take her cosmetics, most of her clothing, her Social Security card, or her wedding rings. According to Diane, Mark arrived home between 12:30 and 1am. That gave Mark ample time to plan the proper disposal of his wife. I go back to her suitcase and purse. Kniss said Lindsey, now 27, lives in Georgia and Preston, now 26, works in Lexington. Her husband reported her missing the next day, and she has never been seen since. 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. Mark told Christi Jos mother that Christi Jo was asleep when she called by the way. 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. After having spent around 2 hours driving around searching for his wife Mark decided to go to the police and at approximately 1:37pm 12/11/1987 he reported his wife Christi Jo Nichols missing. It is not known if either area was ever searched. Dead. December 10, 1987. 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. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. The abuser always has an inventory of what the victim has and doesnt have, he always knows what the victim plans, doesnt plan, where she is or will be. In fact, she had planned on coming back; when she left, she made an appointment to come back to his office the following week. At 12:30am, they headed for home. He claimed that when they were at the bar, things seemed to being going well between them. 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. I would not be surprised one bit if in looking back at around March 1988, in Marks life something was amiss or going on. 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. 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. He went on to tell investigators that things at the bar seemed good. Such a sad and awful story. Christi has been missing for 34 years today. Listen now, on the Unsolved Mysteries podcast. 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The police investigation of this case has raised some disturbing questions about the events surrounding her disappearance.

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