When Christi went to his parents house, as they were babysitting the children, they refused to hand them back to their mother. Mark gave himself away the very moment that he told investigators what Christi Jo packed and took with her, he put the cherry on top when he told investigators what she had in her purse. Some people close to the case, including her father, Kenneth, have speculated that she may have been dumped in the gravel fill, as it was uncovered at the time. Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionBlue jeans and hiking boots. What happened to her? An investigation revealed traces of Christi's blood in the couple's house and in the husbands car. In 2013, Claude Berreckman passed away at the age of 80 years old. Terry noted that if Christi left Mark, he would not have been able to look through the closet and say what she had taken. My heart goes out to people all over the country when I hear about somebody missing. 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. Christi was described as very shy, quiet and smart when she was growing up. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Fan of the Site Added: 27 Aug 2003 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. When they came home, their babysitter left. Christi wasnt there. 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. My latest article is about Christi's disappearance. At 9:30am, he received a phone call from Connie, who lived 100 miles away. A constitutional amendment introduced in the Nebraska Legislature Friday would give voters the opportunity to eliminate the State Board of Education. The overall consensus from the town to the investigators who looked at this case is that Christi Jo is in fact dead. The family wanted Dawson County and state law enforcement officials to open a grand jury investigation of the case but were turned down for lack of evidence. According to Diane Janssen the couples babysitter, Mark arrived home between 12:30 and 1:00 in the morning. Investigators noted that, without locating her or her body, it would be difficult to file charges against anybody in this case. At 11:30am, Mark dropped the children off at Violets house and asked her to watch them while he looked for Christi. Alone. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated. Living with this type of individual is risky for any partner because the abusermust be in control of everything. Learn how your comment data is processed. Ken initially lived in Colorado after divorcing Connie, but later moved to Gothenburg after Christis disappearance, in order to be closer to the investigation. You can cancel at any time. 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. (it was never confirmed as to which he did), Rumors are that Mark had an abusive past prior to marrying Christi Jo. The Gothenburg Police Department initially handled the case, but were soon joined by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Dawson County Sheriffs Office. Our goal is to crowdsource the more than 200,000 unsolved cases of the murdered and missing. Maybe an area he spoke about with friends; land that he was able to get on that he shouldnt have been on etc. 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. Men like Mark do not view a significant other as a person or human being. 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She also said that she planned to leave him the day after she vanished; Connie believes that he killed her before she had the chance. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. She said that she and Mark had gotten into an argument and that he had thrown her around. But until she returns to Gothenburg, he remains under a cloud of suspicion. Just after 12:00am on December 11, 1987, Mark and Christi left the bar and stopped at an all-night convenience store. 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. He left her backpack in a residential area where it would be found because he wanted it found. Afterward, McGinn was connected to the 1992 rape-murder of 19-year-old Christi Jo Eggers. Check out the peaks and valleys in volatile local gas prices, and track motor vehicle sales, financing and production. Mark told investigators it was menstrual blood, but analysis proved this statement was untrue. Christi already had two siblings and now she gained three stepbrothers. Currently, the case is classified as a homicide and foul play is suspected. She was married and had two children. That is why the suitcase and purse were left and why he wanted them to be found. 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. She made another appointment to see him, but disappeared before she could keep it. Did This Husband Really Get Away Murder or Could This Case Still be Solved? Christi Jos suitcase was discovered along Interstate 80 near Maxwell three months after her disappearance. However, she was worried about supporting herself, as she didnt have any money of her own. Kniss said her nieces husband lives and works in Hastings. It is uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children. Debbie had visited her while she was working at a bar. He later claimed that the rumors of him beating her up were not true. Her mother, Connie, remembered that she was a good student and was well-liked. Not the co-dependent type, who ended up in an abusive relationship where they abuse each other. They have all of the answers regardless of whether or not they have been asked the questions. The police cleared the man. 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. She was very proud of them and loved them. For all intents, Christi Jo was in fact dead prior to Mark arriving home between 12:30 and 1:00am. Debbie feared for Christi's safety and told her that she needed to get help from someone. Dead. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed it evolved into suspicion of murder. 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. She told him she wanted a divorce and custody of her children. He giggled as he stated something along the lines They actually went up and searched the area. *I personally never viewed the episode myself.*. Debbie asked how it had happened. Trace amounts of Christi's blood were found on the floor of her bedroom, and in the trunk of Mark's 1977 Mercury Cougar. 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. A few days later, he packed up the familys belongings and sold both their cars. 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. Let us know all the details about yourself and send us a message. He knew that the amount of blood found in the car and home were not enough to indicate someone had sustained a serious bodily injury, so the ability to hide her body so well that no one could find it is of high importance to him and killers like him. He also suggested Christi not return home and instead stay with her mother, but she refused. On January 3, 2020, the case saw renewed interest after the Nebraska State Patrol released a press release. Despite the evidence against him, he has never been charged in her disappearance, presumably due to the lack of a body. 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. According to Mark, he sensed a lot of anger coming from his wife. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Mark told investigators it was her menstrual blood, but analysis proved this statement was untrue. Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Mark came home after midnight the next day, and payed the babysitter with cash. Mark took a polygraph about her disappearance in 1987, but the results were inconclusive. Her mom, Connie Stanley, continues to desperately seek for answers. 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. 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. The cause and manner of Nichols death is still under investigation, according to police. Private detective believes woman met with foul play, Family Says Help Needed To Search For Missing Woman, Television show could develop leads in case of missing Gothenburg woman, Only husband believes wife lives a year after her disappearance, Case of missing Gothenburg woman remains unsolved mystery (Page 1), Family Wants Grand Jury to Investigate Disappearance, State patrol tries again to find missing woman, Gothenburg woman's disappearance a mystery. House dirty, he got in trouble at work or someone is upset with him and its her fault. Soon after, their daughter, Lindsey, was born. Both cars were at the home at the timeof her disappearance. Men like Mark tend to feel above the law. Ken Williams, her father, has returned to Gothenburg from Colorado. 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. As such, her family spearheaded the search for her, distributing posters and asking people to call in with any information as to her whereabouts. 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. A few weeks later, he boxed up all of her clothes and sold both of their cars. You want the guilty to be brought to justice.. Date: December 11, 1987, Occupation: Bartender at Pete's Lounge 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. (LogOut/ 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. Jo Nichols was a 22-year-old mother when she disappeared 20 years ago today. Diane thought it was strange that he paid her with cash, because Christi normally paid her with a check. Interestingly, it was discovered that she did not take her cosmetics, most of her clothing, her Social Security card, or her wedding rings. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. SPRINGDALE (KFSM) A body found that was found inside a car atNorthwest Medical Center has been identified as missing woman Christy Nichols, according to the Springdale Police Department. This is reportedly one of three times the chief had harassed Christi that day. Christi has been missing for 34 years today. There are currently no cases that match the selected filters. The last time he claimed to have seen her was at 2am, when he went to sleep beside her. Due to the couples deteriorating marriage, she wanted to divorce Mark and gain full custody of the children. Christi Joes cousin Debra stated that she personally saw bruises on Christi Jo and that Christi Jo acted like it was normal for Mark to abuse her and that it really wasnt that big of a deal. According to the police however contrary to what Mark said, no one in town could recall seeing Mark driving around searching for his wife that day. 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. The list can be exhaustive, but you get the idea I hope. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. (LogOut/ Those with information regarding the case are asked to contact the North Platte Office of the Nebraska State Patrol at 308-535-8047. In the early 2000s, DNA testing confirmed that it was hers. 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. Despite this evidence, he has never been charged. 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. 1) The primary (and only) theory in the case, and one both investigators and Christis family hold, is that she met with foul play, likely at the hands of Mark Nichols. She found it odd, as Christi was the one who usually payed her and . He has denied any wrongdoing. Its been extremely hard, Kniss said Monday. He is the type thatsleeps with one eye open if you catch my drift. Christi Jo Nichols was a 22 year old from Gothenburg, NE. Lab tests confirmed that it was in her handwriting. Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, by David Hendee Rumours began in regards to his abusive tendencies, but Mark denied all accusations, claiming Christi was the instigator and any injuries she suffered were the result of him protecting himself from her. Make up on wrong, clothing he doesnt agree with. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. 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. He claimed that she got upset with him, tried to hit and kick him, and then burned his neck with a cigarette. They laughed and had an enjoyable time. By the next day, Christi Jo Nichols would be a . The case may be cold, but the search for . A man who is controlling, abusive and who knows every move his wife makes is a whole different breed of killer. In addition, Brown County officials suspected McGinn in the rape-murder of 12-year-old Sherri Newman. Nobody in town reported having seen him do this, however. 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.. At 12:30am, they headed for home. Mark and Christi were having marital problems in 1987, and Mark was allegedly physically abusing her and monitoring her phone calls. Kniss said Lindsey, now 27, lives in Georgia and Preston, now 26, works in Lexington. When her suitcase was found three months later, he was "somehow" able to list everything that ended up in it. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed it evolved into suspicion of murder. Please contact about missing person cases, press inquiries and speaking engagementsImages subject to fair use allowance. Connie got temporary custody of Lindsey and Preston after her daughter went missing, but a judge placed them in foster care after four months. | Arctic Arkansas, How bad will winter be this year? Killers like this typically, unless they are on a planned trip with the spouse, dont travel great distances to kill, they kill in one area, generally close to or at home and travel away from home but not to far, to dispose of the body. Christi was very open with her family regarding Marks behaviour and had confided that she wanted to leave her husband, but wasnt sure how. 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