A missing California mother who allegedly planned to divorce her husband before she mysteriously vanished last year is a victim of homicide, police revealed Friday in a shocking update on the 10-month investigation.
Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain was last heard from on May 18, 2024, 10 days after she texted loved ones about her plans to end her 15-year marriage with husband Tyler McCain.
A missing person’s report filed for the mother of four on May 22, 2024 was upgraded to a homicide investigation, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office announced.
“Based on evidence gathered, information learned from interviews and the fact that none of Nikki’s family members have heard from Nikki since May 18th, 2024, detectives have determined Nikki is a victim of Homicide,” the sheriff’s office said.
Officials executed multiple search warrants throughout the case and have identified several “persons of interest,” in the suspected killing.
Police have not publicly identified the people due to the “ongoing nature of the investigation.”
A team that included the sheriff’s office, the FBI, and agents from Homeland Security served a search warrant on Friday at the last known residence of Saelee-McCain before she was reported missing.
The property on the 17000 block of Olinda Road in Anderson, Calif. had multiple cars in the yard surrounded by a gated fence, according to street view photos.
Police are looking for the driver of a red colored truck that picked up an adult male in the rural community of Platina, Calif., between May 18 and May 25, 2024.
The area is located 45 miles southwest of the Anderson house.
Officials have not filed any charges in the case and have interviewed Saelee-McCain’s family, friends and acquaintances for information.
The mother of four messaged family members about her desire to leave her husband, who had been charged with felony domestic violence. McCain was on trial for felony abuse charges against his wife.
Saelee-McCain claimed her husband had “intended to kill her.”
Tyler McCain was accused by his wife of tying her up and viciously beating her over three hours inside their home. He was never named a suspect in her disappearance.
Chloe Saelee recalled not recognizing her sister in the hospital after the alleged assault.
Saelee revealed last year that police had been called to their home multiple times because McCain had become increasingly violent since the pandemic.
Saelee said her sister was looking forward to her new life, in a new home and winning her children in the divorce.
“She was really excited. She was looking at furniture for a new place and she was ready to leave Tyler and divorce him for good,” Saelee told the US Sun.
“She was really confident and determined – and she was ready to take those next steps, finally,” she added.
On March 10, McCain spoke out for the first time since his wife vanished.
“I haven’t been in the public eye and … I haven’t done very well with it” McCain told KHSL. “I apologize to everyone, especially my children, my wife’s family and mine as well.”
The charges against McCain were dropped after his wife’s disappearance.
He had pleaded not guilty to the attack, claiming that his wife got her injuries from a fight with someone else.
Officials are offering a combined reward of up to $30,000 for information that leads to the location of Saelee-McCain.
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