Nikki McCain homicide investigation began as missing person case: Here were the key events
The status of the high-profile case involving Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain has been changed from missing person to homicide, according to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office announced that based on evidence and interviews, detectives believe someone killed the 39-year-old mother of four.
The sheriff's office declined to answer a list of questions that the Record Searchlight emailed Monday in the wake of last Friday's announcement that investigators were ruling her disappearance a homicide.
Family members have said they last heard from McCain on May 18, 2024. These are the key events in the days and months that followed.
Read more: 19 disappearances that are still without answers in Redding, Shasta County
Read more: Unsolved homicide cases linger in Redding, Shasta County
The last time anyone in Nikki McCain's family heard from her was on May 18, 2024, according to the sheriff's office. She sent a text message to her sister at 12:35 a.m. on May 18, according to Brian Fitzgibbons, director of operations for the Kingsman Philanthropic Corp., which has been working with Nikki McCain's family and is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information about the case.
Family members of Nikki McCain file a missing person's report with authorities and the Redding Police Department starts the investigation.
The Shasta County Sheriff's Office, which has taken over the missing person's case, announces law enforcement found McCain's 2002 pewter-colored Chevrolet Avalanche in western Tehama County. But the sheriff's office does not say specifically where the pickup was located.
News of McCain's truck being found came a week after her family reported they last had contact with her.
At a rally at the Shasta County Courthouse, McCain's family members and friends intensify their support for the missing woman.
Some 200 people show up to demonstrate, while in court her husband had charges, filed against him in December 2023, were dismissed. Supporters said they were upset that charges were dismissed against Tyler McCain.
Superior Court Judge Daniel Flynn said he was required to dismiss the charges because Saelee McCain could not be found to appear in court.
Also, a billboard went up along northbound Interstate 5 in Anderson that says, 'HELP FIND NIKKI CHENG SAELEE-MCCAIN.' The Redding Rancheria says it paid for the billboard.
The Rancheria also said it is working with a local nonprofit dedicated to finding missing persons to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to McCain's safe return.
A group from Miami, Florida, is among the parties that teamed up to increase the reward amount for information that leads to finding Nikki McCain to $30,000.
Kingsman Philanthropic Corp. conducts recovery operations for missing and exploited women and children, according to its website.
The Florida group joined the Redding Rancheria and Shasta County Secret Witness to offer reward money, each in the amounts of $10,000.
Tyler McCain is accused of violating a criminal protective order. The order was related to a domestic violence case against him that prohibited him from having firearms or ammunition.
McCain was arrested the night of July 30 when a Shasta County sheriff's deputy pulled him over for an alleged traffic violation.
When deputies searched his vehicle, they allegedly found ammunition, the sheriff's office said. He was booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of violating the terms of the protective order and for driving on a suspended license. McCain later posted bail and was released.
For a second time, friends and family of Nikki McCain gathered in front of the Shasta County Courthouse in a show of support for the missing woman.
The rally drew about two dozen people, far fewer than the more than 200 people who gathered at the courthouse in July.
Similar to what happened during the July demonstration, the show of support coincided with McCain's husband, Tyler McCain, who was in court for unrelated traffic-related cases.
McCain did not participate in either of the rallies for his wife.
Nikki McCain's family and other relatives hold a press conference at the Shasta County Emergency Operations office in Redding.
"The Shasta County Sheriff's Office provided us a platform to speak to the public, to remind everyone that she is still missing and the case is still being investigated," said Kaye Ford, McCain's sister.
After not attending the two rallies at the courthouse last year, Tyler McCain speaks at the event.
Four days after the family's press conference, the sheriff's office makes a surprise announcement that after nearly a year of investigating it as a missing person's case, they now suspect Nikki McCain was the victim of a homicide.
The sheriff's office made the announcement after spending much of the same day searching McCain's house on Olinda Road in Anderson. Officials also said the FBI and Homeland Security agents are assisting in the investigation.
Authorities didn't specifically say why the status of Nikki McCain's case was changed from missing person to homicide or what triggered last Friday's search of her house.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He's part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Nikki McCain homicide case in Shasta County: A timeline of events
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