Then, they were with both sets of grandparents. He claims that some of the rumors have gotten "pretty vicious". Very few men could look into a womans closet no matter how many years theyve been together and be able to tell you what might be missing, even fewer men could tell you the exact contents of what a woman has in her purse. Mentally and psychologically, they make the victim feel as if something mentally is wrong with her. But until she returns to Gothenburg, he remains under a cloud of suspicion. Afterward, McGinn was connected to the 1992 rape-murder of 19-year-old Christi Jo Eggers. 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. In fact, she had planned on coming back; when she left, she made an appointment to come back to his office the following week. 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. I would love to get more attention for her case. At 9:30am, he received a phone call from Connie, who lived 100 miles away. (LogOut/ He stated that the day before they went to the bar, things were uncomfortable because they had not been getting along very well. Jessica Ridgeway. 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. Mark is the only suspect in her case. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. Foul play is suspected in Christi's disappearance and it is classified as a homicide. According to Mark, Christi went to bed immediately after Diane left. According to Diane Janssen the couples babysitter, Mark arrived home between 12:30 and 1:00 in the morning. She was doing her homework in front of the television and did not remember seeing Christi. Connie Stanley, her mother, lives in western Nebraska. Police shared that it looked like the items had been deliberately placed, as opposed to thrown from a vehicle. I go back to her suitcase and purse. The pair spent between five and 10 minutes speaking, and Mark paid her in cash. Our goal is to crowdsource the more than 200,000 unsolved cases of the murdered and missing. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated. 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. According to Mark, he sensed a lot of anger coming from his wife. Mark moved out of the house the day after his wife's disappearance, and a few days after that, he packed up all their belongings and sold both the family's vehicles. Two days before she disappeared, Christi met with a divorce attorney. 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. This would be the last time he claims he saw Christi. If alive, she would be 54 years old. 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. 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. Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The next morning, Mark woke up. Not the serial murderer, or the drug fueled rage killer. The police investigation of this case has raised some disturbing questions about the events surrounding her disappearance. In fact Dianne stated that she is sure she would have seen or heard Christi Jo but never did. 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. He said that they began seeing each other because "she was lonely and needed someone to talk to". Despite this evidence, he has never been charged. On January 3, 2020, the case saw renewed interest after the Nebraska State Patrol released a press release. All he said was that she was missing. I wish they would push forward with this Mark Nichols needs to be put behind bars. A mother disappears during an evening out with her husband. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Created by: Fan of the Site Added: 27 Aug 2003 The attorney advised her not to return to the home she shared with Mark, but she refused. Christi already had two siblings and now she gained three stepbrothers. However, he is not considered a suspect. 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. He is presumed. 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. Connie got temporary custody of Lindsey and Preston after her daughter went missing, but a judge placed them in foster care after four months. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed it evolved into suspicion of murder. While Christis case has since stalled, it remains open, with the Patrols cold case unit having worked on it on and off throughout the years. This is one of those "we basically know who was behind her disappearance, but lack evidence to convict", unfortunately. Men like Mark tend to feel above the law. The move brought her to a town located within the heart of Nebraskas farm belt, which had within it a strong sense of community. On December 10, the day after the meeting, she and Mark went Christmas shopping with Lindsey and Preston. Men like Mark tend to feel that they can outsmart the law, again, that they are above the law in some way. Christi left behind all her other belongings, including her diamond jewelry and . 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. Christi Jo Nichols, a 22 year old mother of 2, disappeared on December 11, 1987 from the small town of Gothenberg, in Dawson County Nebraska. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Ken initially lived in Colorado after divorcing Connie, but later moved to Gothenburg after Christis disappearance, in order to be closer to the investigation. It is not known what Christi's state of mind was when she left Claude's office. Christi was in an abusive relationship and had been treated in an emergency room for injuries weeks before she disappeared. Christi once had to go to the hospital emergency room for injuries allegedly caused by Mark. I would not be surprised one bit if in looking back at around March 1988, in Marks life something was amiss or going on. She has a scar above her left eye and a scar on her abdomen. They learned that Christi had been seeing another man. My heart goes out to people all over the country when I hear about somebody missing. As the police investigated, they began to uncover evidence that the Nichols' marriage was in trouble. Mark believes that Christi ran away voluntarily, due to their marital difficulties and the "pressures of motherhood". (LogOut/ Kniss said the family would like answers. Christi wasnt there. In April 1986, their son, Preston, was born. After that, they were sent to live with him. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed it evolved into suspicion of murder. Date: December 11, 1987, Occupation: Bartender at Pete's Lounge Its been extremely hard, Kniss said Monday. Connie does not believe that she ran away because she never would have left them. The not knowing is very frustrating. What was found in both the suitcase and purse were exactly as Mark initially told investigators she had packed and had in her purse at the time she vanished. Christi Jos suitcase was discovered along Interstate 80 near Maxwell three months after her disappearance. 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. He always knew that if he ever had to, this would be the area he would dispose of a body. And 32 years later, they are still looking for answers. In March 1988, Christis suitcase and purse were located, with everything still with them, at a rest stop on I-80, near Maxwell, Nebraska. The list can be exhaustive, but you get the idea I hope. It was not for the purpose of giving the family false hope or anything. She has pierced ears and two scars (one over her left eye, and one on her abdomen.). She also keeps track of family members. Christi has never been heard from again. On December 9, two days before Christi vanished, she went to an attorney to begin divorce proceedings. On December 12, 1987, Mark moved out of the couples home. When interviewed about Christi's disappearance by reporters for the Unsolved Mysteries television show in 1989, Mark said the only time one of their arguments escalated into violence was when Christi had hit and kicked him and burned his neck with a cigarette after he asked her to stay home one night, and he tossed her on the waterbed in self-defense and accidentally injured her in the process. You can cancel at any time. 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. A man who is controlling, abusive and who knows every move his wife makes is a whole different breed of killer. In the early 2000s, DNA testing confirmed that it was hers. Men like Markare clever, manipulative, misleading and always seem to be able to have a reason and answer for why or how something happened. Small amounts of blood were found in both the couples bedroom and the trunk of Marks car. Debbie feared for Christi's safety and told her that she needed to get help from someone. Also, Mark's parents had a concrete pad poured on their property a few days after she vanished. Christi Jo Nichols was a 22 year old from Gothenburg, NE. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Christi Jos parents, who were divorced when she disappeared, live in Nebraska. Claude felt that when she was in his office, she was not panic stricken to the point that she would run or leave. Christi has been missing for 32 years today. See more. 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 attorney stated Christi was extremely stressed and appeared to have been beaten. Last updated January 22, 2020; three pictures added. Losing is not an option to men like Mark. No other trace of Christi has ever been found. And why, after 19 years, has no trace of the teen ever been found? He knew that she needed help. 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. She told him she wanted a divorce and custody of her children. She found it odd, as Christi was the one who usually payed her and . By the next day, Christi Jo Nichols would be a . Authorities believe she was seeing another man at the time of her disappearance. On the evening of December 10, 1987, Christi and her husband . So she decided to drop out. He hoped to spot her leaving a store or friend's house. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. It is not known if either area was ever searched. However, there are no witnesses to corroborate this. Now . 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. She said that she and Mark had gotten into an argument and that he had thrown her around. She is described as a quiet, very shy woman and a dedicated mother. 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. They were later returned to Mark, and Connie said she hardly got to see them, due to his influence. She was 22 years old, and is believed to have been wearing a pair of blue jeans and hiking boots. You must log in or register to reply here. Kniss said there was circumstantial evidence, including blood spots found in the couples bedroom and in a car trunk. When she was later spoken to by investigators, she would say she never saw, nor heard Christi enter the house. Christi Jo Nichols, a 22-year-old mother of two and part-time bartender, vanished Dec. 11, 1987. The hope was that it would help produce leads that could help resolve Christis disappearance. At 11:30am, Mark dropped the children off at Violets house and asked her to watch them while he looked for Christi. Decks were distributed to prisons and jails across the state and are posted on the patrols website in hopes of producing tips or leads that might be a missing link in solving a case. 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. After midnight on December 11, Mark came home and paid the babysitter in cash. He went on to tell investigators that things at the bar seemed good. She was last seen at Catalyst Church in Bentonville. Since Christi vanished, no one, relatives or friends, have had any contact with her. 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. Dig deeper into the stories you've heard before, and encounter many others you haven't, in ways that actually help. When Mark found out, he was "furious" and told her that she would not get to see Lindsey and Preston again unless she stopped visiting the counselor and stopped talking about the abuse. Bumping for Christi, today is her birthday. 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. She also did not pick up her last paycheck. Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. SPRINGDALE, Ark. The overall consensus from the town to the investigators who looked at this case is that Christi Jo is in fact dead. According to Connie, Mark forged Christis signature on the titles in order to sell them. Within days of her disappearance, he had moved out of their house, sold both their cars, and boxed up her clothes. 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. Mark told investigators it was her menstrual blood, but analysis proved this statement was untrue. Not one individual! Investigators no longer believe that Christi vanished voluntarily; they are now investigating this case as a probable homicide. He stated that the day before they went to the bar, things were uncomfortable because they had not been getting along very well. Find out with these charts and graphs, updated weekly. Images also acquired from CharleyProject.org, directly from the clients of Unfound Podcast or created by Unfound. 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. Her body and car were discovered in the parking lot of Northwest Medical Center in Springdale on September 13. The case may be cold, but the search for . December 10, 1987. 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. Prior to her disappearance, Christi told Connie that Mark was monitoring her phone calls. That is why the suitcase and purse were left and why he wanted them to be found. Injured. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. 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. Mark claims the last time he saw Christi Jo was 2am December 11, 1987. 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. They laughed and had an enjoyable time. 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. In the eyes of the abuser: Victims do not and Cannot seek escape from men like Mark! More blood was found in the trunk of Mark's car. 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. 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. Characteristics:Caucasian female with brown hair and green eyes. It appeared to investigators that the suitcase had been placed there instead of just thrown out. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. House dirty, he got in trouble at work or someone is upset with him and its her fault. Scared. (LogOut/ 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. 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. 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. Where are the hotspots for buyers and sellers? 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. The Gothenburg Police Department initially handled the case, but were soon joined by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Dawson County Sheriffs Office. However, that didnt stop rumours spreading, which stated that the pair were having trouble. 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. At 2:00am, Mark went to bed. This was the last afternoon she would spend with her family. 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