We simply hope this story has a happier ending…
The particulars within the disappearance of 33-year-old Nikki Alcaraz, often known as Nikki Cunningham, has struck an all too acquainted be aware for many who comply with lacking individuals instances. The Tennessee mother of 1 left from Nashville on a cross-country journey along with her boyfriend in early May, in keeping with her sister. She was certain for Orange County, California, the place she was supposed to go to household — however she hasn’t been seen or heard from in weeks. Her sister Toni instructed native outlet KNRN-TV on Sunday that Nikki final texted her on May 8, saying she was in Arizona. Then… nothing. For three weeks. Toni lamented:
“Then I didn’t hear anything else after that Monday morning. I talk to her almost every day, so I am scared something happened to them.”
A girl on a highway journey along with her boyfriend goes lacking? If you’re already seeing eerie similarities to the early days of Gabby Petito‘s disappearance, simply wait…
Related: Roberta Laundrie’s Full ‘Dispose Of A Body’ Note Revealed
It seems Nikki and her boyfriend, Steven Tyler Stratton, had been stopped by police on the highway after a report of a home dispute — similar to Gabby and Brian Laundrie. According to the bodycam footage from the May 8 encounter in Torrance County, New Mexico, it’s painfully related. An eyewitness instructed police he noticed Nikki on the bottom, along with her boyfriend hitting her. Stratton, who had blood on his face, instructed them he was the one attacked. But Nikki had the witness on her facet, in addition to some fairly upsetting bruising throughout her physique.
At first Nikki says she need to press expenses. But after a couple of minutes chatting with the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office deputies, she alters her thoughts. Neither of them press expenses. Despite Stratton having a warrant out for his arrest over a parole violation, he isn’t arrested — they’re merely pushed to completely different places. It’s a fairly upsetting watch:
Toni instructed KNRN her sister Facetimed her after the incident, and it was clear she’d been assaulted:
“Her eye was already turning black and you could tell she was beat up pretty bad.”
Followers of the Petito case will acknowledge means too many similarities there. They had been additionally stopped, by the police in Moab, Utah, and let go. Those cops are actually the defendants in a wrongful loss of life swimsuit after Brian went on to homicide Gabby simply weeks later of their journey.
Obviously Nikki’s household had no intention of leaving her there alone, or — even perhaps worse — with Tyler. Toni defined that one other member of the family drove to New Mexico to select her up and produce her to California. Things didn’t work out that means:
“That morning when they were supposed to leave, she told him that she had to go back and find Tyler because she had a bad feeling, and so he left without her.”
That was May 6. Two days later, Nikki contacted Toni once more, by textual content. At this level, that was the final time she heard from her sister, with whom she spoke every single day. Toni instructed the outlet:
“I am scared something happened to them, whether they got in another fight or if they crashed her Jeep somewhere.”
The couple had been in a black 2013 Jeep Wrangler, license plate BGL3539. They additionally had a canine with them.
In an odd replace, it appears Nikki did make it to California. She was noticed in surveillance footage at a Walmart in Redding, CA, on Saturday. This needs to be excellent news, save for 2 massive issues. First, California is a BIG state. And Redding is in NorCal, nowhere shut to her household in Orange County. We’re speaking a roughly 12-hour drive. She could also be in Cali, however she’s virtually as far-off from the OC as she was when she was in New Mexico.
The second problem? What she was noticed doing was odd…
According to Amanda Sanders, a longtime buddy chatting with The US Sun, she was seen promoting her cellphone:
“She used one of those cell phone kiosk things in a Walmart to sell her phone. From what I gather, the guy that watches the footage and stuff […] recognized her from the news and called the police.”
Why would she be promoting her cellphone? After disappearing, she’s eliminating the a method she was contacting her household? That has some awfully disturbing connotations. That’s one of many causes these kiosks require you to scan your ID and fingerprint. Hence Nikki being “found.”
Innerestingly, it does appear she’s nonetheless with Tyler. According to Sanders, the person standing subsequent to her within the footage is certainly her man:
“I’ve seen people online saying it isn’t him. But his natural hair color is like a medium brown with some red in it. So looks like his natural hair color and he hasn’t shaven. And his body language in the pictures is right.”
Inneresting. Is the whole lot truly OK? Or is one thing darker happening right here? If it’s all high-quality, why not communicate to her household?
Well, it appears, a minimum of, she has been discovered. According to the Redding Police Department, at round 4:30 p.m. PST, whilst this submit was being written, Nikki was contacted by the Eureka Police Department. She is now now not thought-about lacking, legally.
And in an important replace, since then, NewsNation spoke with Nikki’s brother, who confirmed she has now lastly reached out to them as effectively! Phew! Such nice information.
We might by no means perceive what occurred in these three weeks, why the mother selected to ghost her household. But a minimum of now they know she’s alive and protected. We mentioned we hoped Nikki’s story would have a happier ending than Gabby’s — now we’re simply pleased her story isn’t over but.
If you or somebody is experiencing home violence, assist is out there. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or textual content START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.
[Image via Law&Crime Network/YouTube/Nikki Alcaraz/Facebook/Gabby Petito/Instagram.]