A mother from California who hasn’t been seen since May 2024 is now thought to have been killed.
The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 14 press release that they have found “persons of interest” in the disappearance of Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain but are not releasing their names “due to the ongoing nature of this investigation.”
Police have “determined Nikki is a victim of Homicide,” the sheriff’s office said.
On a GoFundMe page, Nikki’s family said that the last time they heard from the mother of four was just after midnight on May 18, 2024. Before that night’s events, Nikki texted her family that she was at a hospital in Redding, California, because her brother-in-law was getting sick.
Based on Nikki’s text messages, the fundraiser says that she and her mother-in-law left the hospital together in a white Chevy Tahoe. After taking her mother-in-law to her home on the Indigenous reservation Redding Rancheria, Nikki went back to her own house.
Nikki texted just after midnight to say she was on her way back to her mother-in-law’s house to return the car. Her family says they haven’t heard from her since.
There are six brothers who love Nikki, and she is also the mother of four children with her husband Tyler McCain. This is what the fundraiser says.
According to NBC News, The Redding Record Searchlight, and KRCR-TV, Tyler, Nikki’s husband, was facing four felony abuse charges at the time of her absence. These charges were related to an alleged domestic violence case involving Nikki. His charges were brought against him in December 2023, and he pleaded not guilty before NBC News.
KCKR-TV says that the case against Nikki’s husband was dropped by the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office in July 2024 because she could not testify against him.
“I hear what the people are saying about Nikki Cheng McCain’s need for answers and justice.” “I understand how you feel and how frustrated you are,” District Attorney Stephanie A. Bridgett wrote at the time in a Facebook post. ”
At a news conference on March 10, Tyler talked about his wife’s disappearance in public for the first time.
“We miss you.” Tyler told KCKR-TV, “I don’t really know what to say.” “I’m sorry to everyone, but especially my kids.” My family and my wife’s family. “I’m just here to help, so I want to do whatever I can,” he said.
Someone in a red truck may have picked up a man near Highway 36 in the western part of Tehama County, near the R Wild Horse Ranch or the Beegum Gorge bridge between May 18th and May 25th, 2024. The sheriff’s office wants the public’s help to find this person.
The police said they are giving a reward of up to $30,000 for any information that helps them find Nikki. If you know anything about this case, please email [email protected] or call (530)-245-6135 to reach the sheriff’s office’s Major Crimes Unit.
