Christi Jo Nichols, Mark Nichols - What Happened After the "Unsolved Mysteries" Episode

By: Shane Lambert

The missing person case of Christi Jo Nichols was profiled in the hit television show "Unsolved Mysteries" back in 1988. Christi Jo Nichols, as presented in the show, was a mother who disappeared from Gothenburg, Nebraska while contemplating a divorce from her physically abusive husband.

If you watched the episode online and are wondering what happened with the case, then this article is for you. 

In the episode of "Unsolved Mysteries," the husband, Mark Nichols, claimed that he awoke one morning and saw that Christi wasn't beside him in bed. His side of the story is not presented as particularly credible in the episode.

This was Season 1 of the series and Episode 6 of that season, according to my research on the show. It originally aired on November 16th, 1988. The episode had the following synopsis in the November 16th, 1988 edition of The Evening Sun in Baltimore Maryland:

Unsolved Mysteries. Season 1. Episode 6. 16 Nov 1988, Wed The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) Newspapers.com

Christi Jo Nichols went missing on December 10th, 1987. She was 22 years old at the time. The first instance of journalism I found on the case was dated February 8th, 1988 in the Lincoln Star Journal (page 9). Much of this article is based on information from that newspaper source.

Mark Nichols is cited in the article.

08 Feb 1988, Mon Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) Newspapers.com

According to the journalism that I reviewed, this case was not solved as of October 29th, 2006. I found an article in the Lincoln Journal Star for that date where she was included among the cold cases for the state of Nebraska.

29 Oct 2006, Sun Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) Newspapers.com

Here are some interesting details that weren't covered in the Unsolved Mysteries episode, probably because they weren't known at the time. Firstly, Christi's "blood was found in the trunk of her husband's car and on the floor of their bedroom" (Lincoln Journal Star/Page 1/August 24th, 2003). However, there wasn't enough blood to build a murder case. Mark Nichols said that a drop of blood found in the bedroom was menstrual blood, however, "tests proved" that it was not.

There was also some lye stolen from a local farm at about the time of her disappearance. Lye is a substance that can be used to destroy human remains (Lincoln Journal Star/Page 1/August 24th, 2003). Whether this theft should be connected to the case is not clear. Also, Mark Nichols divorced Christi Jo Nichols in April 1990, claiming that he and the three children were abandoned.

24 Aug 2003, Sun Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) Newspapers.com

The "Unsolved Mysteries" episode covered the discovery of Christi's luggage. The luggage and other items were found "at a rest stop near Maxwell in March 1988." Furthermore, if Christi left on her own volition, then there is a question as to why she didn't take her paycheque, her tips from her job, or his driver's license.

There is journalism that suggests that there may have been another man in Christi's life. However, this man was ruled out as a suspect.

The babysitter that is in the "Unsolved Mysteries" episode claimed in the 2003 Lincoln Star Journal article that she had not been questioned in the case since 1988.

At the time of writing (December 17th, 2021), this missing person case was still unsolved. Christi Jo Nichols has an active profile at NamUs, where she is #MP4677. You can click the link to exit to her NamUs profile if you want further updates. If the profile is still active, it would strongly suggest that the case has not been solved.