MISSING WIFE--Christi Nichols Case

[kadrmas15]

Rob Page and Mark Nichols, two guys who also should be behind bars for murder. However like with Marfeo, the police I am sure thought both these guys did it but didnt arrest them because there was no body and it would be hard, almost impossible to make charges stick. As someone stated earlier, apperantly Nichols is re-married and rasing the two kids he had with Christy. I am sure Rob Page is re- married as well. You could tell that the Peoria Police thought Page did it but there wasnt a whole lot they could do without a body. I am just trying to imagine how these murders took place even. Mark Nichols left the bar with Christy around midnight, that is when Christy was last seen. Mark was home by 1 I think. So he had about an hour's time, probably less than that even to kill her and get rid of the body. Rob Page's case is just so strange. I am kind of surprised they never found Pam's body. Although with Christy, Mark probably ditched her in some woods or buried her in a field in Nebraska and in some of those woods years can go by probably without someone walking in them.

[wiseguy182]

You had a lot of good points in your last couple of posts there, kadrmas15. Given what the segment said about Stephen Marfeo's behavior, he seemed like the type that would have planned this out over more of a long run as opposed to Mark Nichols. Stephen seemed to have a pretty quick and hot temper.

I think that Christy probably told Mark the night she disappeared that she was going to leave him, and probably wanted to do it at a location where there would be many people around (the bar), so that if Mark did take it hard, he would have to watch what he said/did or else he would get thrown out of the bar/arrested. My theory is that Mark made it seem in the bar that he accepted it, then coaxed her out of the bar and then killed her. Yet the strange thing is, Mark seemed to have gotten away with it despite being inexperienced and having only one hour (from 12 to 1 as you said) From what I've heard about Nebraska, it's pretty sparsely populated with miles on end of fields, so that's probably why Christy's body hasn't turned up. Mark probably had many choices as to where to dump the body.

As far as Rob Page remarrying goes, I wouldn't be suprised if he had remarried. The psychic interviewed in the segment said that in her vision she saw Rob and another woman burying Pam's body in a remote field. That was probably the woman Rob wanted to hook up with.

[kadrmas15]

That is actually a pretty good theory wiseguy. I agree that I think Christy told Mark at some point on the night she disappeared that she wanted a divorce and he probably acted at first like he had taken it well and so she probably lowered her guard and then when they left the bar he probably took her out to the country and killed her. He most likely killed her by strangling her. It was just the way he acted and the little things that happened involving him that made me think he killed his wife. There was the story of Mark's that he was driving around looking for Christy during the day yet no one recalled seeing him driving around. He moved out of the house the day after her disapperance and within weeks had sold both their cars. He also had boxed up her clothes within weeks of her disapperance. Also how he was able to list all the contents of the suitcase she had taken with her when she had supposedly left. Also how the suitcase was thrown out in such a way like the person that threw it out wanted it to be found. Mark and Christy's marriage was well known to have lots of emotional abuse and at times physical abuse. Mark also was a classic example of an abusive husband. How during his interview on UM he made it sound like Christy brought any abuse onto herself. Also how he downplayed the abuse. Everytime he would say he wasnt a violent person and that he had nothing to do with his wife's disapperance he would always shake his head or he would look down. The police know he did it, he knows he did it, and most people think he did it. However without a body he will never be charged. His kids are now in their early twenties and he has got away with murder.

As for Stephen Marfeo, I agree the guy seemed like he had a hot temper. But he was smart and he looked to be in great shape, very strong. Why he killed Doreen is unknown. That case was just so strange. The letters that Marfeo probably sent to police were unusual, very odd. Also Rob Page, he just couldnt keep his fake story straight. But he also knew without a body he would never get charged.

[DarkDante]

^ He's also sweating non-stop like the pig that he is. I also believe Mark killed his wife for many of the same reasons kadrmas15 mentioned. I think at some point during the night Christy took a hard stance with Mark and told him she went to a lawyer earlier in the week and was going to persue a divorce.

I don't think it was a pre-meditated crime, I think Mark just flew into one of his rages perhaps fueled by alcohol or whatever and either killed her on purpose or just started beating her about and killed her in the process. Christy was sort of waifish to begin with and Mark from what I remember was a pretty big guy so a few severe blows from him could have possibly done christy in.

If it was a pre-meditated crime, Mark Nichols would have done a much better job establishing an alibi and just been a lot more prepared then he was in the hours and later days following his wife's disappearance. I'm positive he killed her and was either helped to to discard the body or buried her somewhere.

[kadrmas15]

Well if Mark would get arrested and charged I dont think he would be charged with 1st degree murder. Mainly because I dont think it was pre meditated either. 2nd degree murder I believe is where there is intent but not pre meditation. He maybe would only get what Greg Webb got and get manslaughter. Still that would be better than nothing. I was also researching Stephen Marfeo. As we all know he was a suspect pretty much from the beginning of the investigation into his wife's disapperance. Just the little things about how he didnt report his wife missing for over two days after her disapperance. About how on the day of March 29th, 1990 which was the day his wife disappeared he took an hour and a half lunch break instead of the usual 20 to 30 minute lunch break that he usually took. About how in June of 1990 the letters that got sent to the Johnston, Rhode Island Police were written about Marfeo in the 3rd person. They found out later they were typed on a typewriter in his mother's house. When they confronted him about the letters it was at that point Marfeo hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating in the investigation. Marfeo was a suspect until the end, the police actually had him under survilleance until his death. I read this little tidbit on the net, here it is in quotes. "On the evening of July 31, 1999 police received calls of possible shots fired in the area of 103 Homewood Avenue. When the police arrived they observed Salvatore Puleo, 53, sitting on a stone wall adjacent to his property, bleeding from facial wounds from a firearm and in shock. In a vehicle still running in his driveway was his female friend, Laura Vincent, 38, dead from several bullet wounds to her head. Ms. Vincent's ex-boyfriend, Steven Marfeo, 44, of Johnston became an immediate suspect. The next morning his car was located in a secluded area some three-and-one-half hours from North Providence. In it was Mr. Marfeo's body with what was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and a suicide note stating that he was responsible for the shooting of Mr. Puleo and Ms. Vincent due to jealousy and rage." Hmm, does this sound familiar like when he hired two private investigators to follow Doreen around because he thought she was having an affair? Doreen had supposedly quit her job not because she was suffering from emotional issues but because she wanted to work to save her and Stephen's marriage. Also in his suicide note which he had addressed to his mother, he wrote that he felt guilty about Doreen's disapperance and that he had crossed to the dark side and that he had lived 9 years longer than he should have.

[wiseguy182]

I found it weird that Stephen would confess to shooting his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, but wouldn't confess about Doreen. Why not confess about Doreen also, especially when he was about to kill himself. Weird. I also found it weird that he would hire a private investigator(s) when there was absolutely no reason to. I believe that he thought Doreen was cheating on him, but she probably wasn't. When the segment said that in the first letter, the writer had stated that Doreen got promotions due to her sexual prowess as opposed to her skills, yet no one at the office had any idea about it, that kind of sealed the deal for me as far as Stephen being guilty. I figured he did it at that point. I've known a couple of guys that are like him in the sense that they always think they're women are cheating on them. They haven't committed murder, of course, but every man that comes in contact with their women, regardless of the situtation, they think they're hitting on them. It's extreme jealousy. I also believe Stephen wrote the letters, I can't see anyone else having a motive to, if Doreen wasn't having an affair.

I also think Mark Nichols selling the cars, moving out of the house and boxing up all of Christy' clothes is very suspcious. By doing that, it's almost as if he knows she isn't coming back. Yet how would he know, unless he murdered her and knew she wasn't coming back. I think Rob Page did something similar to this as well.

[unsolved88]

After watching the segment again, I think Mark seems intoxicated during the interview. What does everyone else think? I wouldn't be surprised if he was.

[kadrmas15]

Well he could have been drunk, Mark seemed to me he was one of these blue collar heavy drinker types. But like I said, I think Mark did it. I dont think he planned it out because as others have said here if he did plan it out he could have came up with an alabi and a better story. But I just view it as too much of a coincidence that Kristi would disappear just two days after visiting a divorce lawyer. I think Mark would probably get charged with 2nd degree murder and I am surprised they never did charge him. I honestly think they could have got a conviction even without a body. There was aggrevating factors there, the prior domestic abuse, and other circumstancial evidence that I think could have got a conviction. I also think had he been charged he probably would have pled guilty. I think if he was charged now they would probably sentence him on the lower end of 2nd degree murder. He would probably be sentenced from 15 to 35 years in prison. Heck they could probably even offer him a plea bargain, of pleading to manslaughter and he would probably do 5 to 15 years and be out. What does it for me is not just the stuff I already mentioned. Mark sold the family cars within weeks probably because he knew there blood evidence in one of them and wanted to get rid of it. He also moved out of the house the day after Christy's disapperance and boxed up her belongings because as wiseguy said, he was acting like she wasnt even coming back but if he had not murdered her how would he know that? Also the suitcase that was found near the rest stop about 30 miles west of Gothenburg. It looked like it had been planted there in a way to make it look like a struggle had taken place. Also Mark being able to tell not only the suitcase that was taken but also everything in inside the suitcase, I believe the detective assigned to the case said Mark listed all the items one by one. I could tell the detective thought he did it and probably wanted to arrest h im but knew the D.A. would not press charges for fear of Nichols being acquitted. But I can tell you if her body surfaced Nichols would most likely be arrested within hours. Does anyone know what happened with this guy? I read somewhere on here that he re-married a number of years ago. His and Christy's kids I beleive would now be 20 and 22 years old. From what I heard in the segment I know Christy would not leave to start a new life without her children. She was murdered, no doubt about it.

[DJ_Foxx]

Honestly when I first saw that episode, I thought he was kinda "special" or "slow". Please forgive me. But anyway, after watching it again, I think that he did plan it out, Christy's disappearance and murder. I think it's possible he knew about her meeting with the lawyer out of town because maybe he either had her followed or followed her himself. I think the night out was a way for Christy to let down her guard with him....getting her vulnerable enough to kill her elsewhere.

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by DJ_Foxx

Honestly when I first saw that episode, I thought he was kinda "special" or "slow". Please forgive me. But anyway, after watching it again, I think that he did plan it out, Christy's disappearance and murder. I think it's possible he knew about her meeting with the lawyer out of town because maybe he either had her followed or followed her himself. I think the night out was a way for Christy to let down her guard with him....getting her vulnerable enough to kill her elsewhere.

You know I got the same impression of Mark Nichols, that he was of low intelligence. I'm not sure if I agree that it was planned out though. I am suprised that as disgusted as Christi seemed to be with him and the whole marriage that she agreed to go out with him that night. I think they may have had a fight about something possibly on the way home (there wasn't any mention of anyone at the bar seeing them fight while they were there). Maybe in the argument Christi even mentioned she was filing for divorce and he snapped. As slow as Mark seemed to be on the segment I'm suprised that if he killed her (which I think he did) he put her body somewhere where it could not be found. I believe there was even blood found in his trunk but it was too small to test.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

I'm with y'all on this one: Mark seems to be pretty darn guilty of something...

I've made this joke before, but I've lived with a few boyfriends in my day, and while I recognize husbands and boyfriends are different, I would be willing to bet my bank account that if I went missing, my boyfriend/husband could NOT tell police what clothes I had taken with me. I'd be lucky if they could tell authorities what I was wearing on the date I went missing...

[kadrmas15]

Well actually, I think it may be possible that Mark was intoxicated during the segment. Either he is slow mentally or he was drunk or under the influence of medications or something during that segment, he just seemed impaired.

Mark Nichols I also believe did in fact murder his wife although it does amaze me how in about an hour time frame, not even that, that he would have had to bury the body he could do so in a place where to this day, nearly 20 years later, it has not been found.

I do also agree with Crystaldawn in that while we both believe Mark Nichols did murder his wife, we also agree that he probably didnt plan it. I just think if he planned it things would have worked out differently than they did. I Think that they went out drinking that night, an argument started after they left the bar, Mark accidently killed Christy or at least didnt plan it out.

I do think even if charges were filed that a first degree murder conviction against Mark Nichols would be a long shot, I dont even know if an indictment would be possible on that. I would say at best they could get a 2nd degree murder conviction against Nichols which in Nebraska I believe carries 20 to 40 years in prison.

However I think with as much time as has passed on the case, they would probably let him plead down to manslaughter or he maybe would even get found guilty of that by a jury instead of the murder charge.

[wiseguy182]

I'm always shocked at the number of missing people that never turn up. Makes me wonder if every county in the union has some type of bottomless pit or something that we're not aware of.

[3rd.eyesight]

While watching this case tonight I had some interesting second sight type insights. I think that what happened is that Christy and Mark went out that night and that Christy was in unusually good spirits because she finally felt like she had some control back in her life. She had seen the lawyer two days before the dissapearance and had made report of some of the abuses she had endured. I think that Mark took her good mood as a form of acquiecence to their relationship and the "fooling around" at the bar made him feel like he still had the power. I have the impression that in the car, on the way to the convenience store Christy and Mark got into an argument because he wanted to have sex and she couldn't stand the thought of it and confessed that she was leaving him. In a fit of "passion" as it were, Mark struck Christy, and being intoxicated and not being able to control his strength or his anger, killed Christy while they were in the car. I think Mark panicked and put Christy in the trunk of the car and returned home where he paid the babysitter and then after she left, he took the next few hours to pack Christy's suitcase and formulate his plan. The next day, after dropping his children off at their grandmother's house, during the timeframe where he "took a couple of hours to drive around town looking for her" but no one saw him, he drove somewhere secluded (I see a quarry or somewhere he could submerge her body) and disposed of Christy. He then drove around and found a rest-stop where he discarded her suitcase and belongings.

I hope that this case is solved soon. These are just some psychic impressions I received while watching the case in 2009.

[VikingsGal]

I've made this joke before, but I've lived with a few boyfriends in my day, and while I recognize husbands and boyfriends are different, I would be willing to bet my bank account that if I went missing, my boyfriend/husband could NOT tell police what clothes I had taken with me. I'd be lucky if they could tell authorities what I was wearing on the date I went missing...

I agree with you on the fact that is was suspicious that he knew the entire contents of her suitcase. I have been married a while and no offense to my hubby but there is no way he would know what was in my suitcase. He know about my contact lens stuff cause I can't travel without that stuff but that's about it.

But if it WAS an accident why didn't he just report it as an accident?