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Shasta County, California – A missing persons case that has haunted Northern California for nearly a year has now turned into a homicide investigation. Authorities confirmed last week that the disappearance of Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, a mother of four who vanished in May 2024, is now presumed to be the result of foul play.
Saelee-McCain was last heard from on May 18, 2024. Her family reported her missing four days later when they could not reach her at her home in Anderson. Since then, detectives with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office have conducted exhaustive searches, executed numerous warrants, and interviewed family members, friends, and community members who may have insight into her whereabouts.
On March 14, law enforcement, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, served another search warrant at her home. After reviewing evidence from that search and other investigative leads, authorities determined that Saelee-McCain’s disappearance and presumed death constitute a homicide.
“Since the initial investigation, detectives have worked tirelessly to locate Nikki and determine the events leading to her disappearance,” the sheriff’s office stated in a press release.
Though authorities have identified persons of interest, they have not released names, citing the active nature of the case. However, they are seeking public assistance in identifying the driver of a red truck that may have picked up a man along Highway 36 between May 18 and May 25, 2024. The specific area of interest is near the R Wild Horse Ranch and the Beegum Gorge bridge in Tehama County.
Saelee-McCain’s disappearance is complicated by a disturbing legal backdrop. At the time she went missing, her husband, Tyler McCain, was facing felony domestic abuse charges. The case against him was dismissed last July because Saelee-McCain was unable to testify. McCain, who had remained largely silent since his wife’s disappearance, spoke publicly for the first time at a press conference on March 11.
“We miss you,” McCain said, his words captured by local station KRCR. “I don’t really know what to say.” He apologized for staying out of the public eye and acknowledged that he has struggled to cope with the situation.
“I apologize to everyone, especially my children. My wife’s family, mine as well,” he said. “I’m just here in support, so anything that I can do, I want to do that.”
The search for answers continues, with authorities offering a $30,000 reward for any information that leads to Saelee-McCain’s whereabouts. The FBI is now assisting in the investigation, bringing federal resources to the case.
For those who may have information, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 530-245-6135.
