The spouse of Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, a Shasta County woman who was declared dead 10 months after she went missing, has been accused of her murder.
Tyler McCain was taken into custody on Wednesday morning and is currently being held without bond at the Shasta County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday for an arraignment at 1:30 p.m., according to Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett, who made the announcement during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Tyler McCain is being charged with murder and domestic violence. Bridgett mentioned that authorities think McCain killed his wife to stop her from giving testimony in a domestic violence case she had filed against him in December 2023.
If found guilty, McCain might receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Although Nikki McCain's body has not been discovered, the District Attorney's Office stated that California law does not necessitate locating her body to establish the crime of murder.
Bridgett stated: "It is not necessary to have a person's body in order to pursue a murder charge. Although her body has not been found, we have received substantial evidence that confirms Nikki's death and shows that Tyler McCain is the one who killed her."
A criminal charge in the case is scheduled to be submitted on Thursday, she stated, with prosecutors asserting they have enough evidence to accuse Tyler McCain of his wife's murder.
The murder charge features an enhancement stating that the crime was committed with the intention of stopping Nikki McCain from testifying in a domestic violence case from December 2023, which was still ongoing when she disappeared in May 2024.
Bridgett stated that her office dropped the domestic violence charges in July 2024.
"Several individuals expressed frustration when the initial charges were dropped," Bridgett mentioned, as it might have seemed that Tyler McCain had avoided consequences for the domestic violence allegations. However, prosecutors aimed to avoid jeopardizing the investigation, she explained.
A secret source shared a report with law enforcement stating that Tyler McCain confessed to murdering his wife on May 18, 2024, as per officials.
The enhancement "raises the murder charge from a 25-year sentence to life in prison without the chance of parole," stated Bridgett, who noted that all the charges are being refiled.
"If we had proceeded with the domestic violence case in 2024, we wouldn't have been able to establish that case without Nikki McCain's testimony," said Bridgett.
Tyler McCain is dealing with more charges.
In May 2024, just after his wife disappeared, a search warrant was granted for the McCain family residence, resulting in allegations of unlawful firearm and ammunition possession following the issuance of a criminal protective order, according to Bridgett.
In May 2024, Tyler McCain faced charges of forgery following an attempt to deposit a joint check from the U.S. Department of the Treasury just after a search warrant was issued, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Bridgett mentioned that in April 2025, Tyler McCain was pulled over after tossing objects out of his car's window. He was discovered carrying a California driver's license that had been partially burned, which belonged to Nikki McCain.
A total reward of up to $30,000 remains available for anyone who gives details that help locate Nikki, according to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. Individuals with any relevant information are encouraged to reach out to the Major Crimes Unit by calling 530-245-6135 or emailing MCU@shastacounty.gov.
Michele Chandler reports on dining, food, public safety, and other topics for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Story tips can be sent to 530-338-7753 or mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom's dedication to public service journalism bysubscribing today.
This piece first was published on Redding Record Searchlight:UPDATE: Spouse taken into custody and charged with the killing of Nikki McCain