Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos

Kristi Lynn Nikle

Nikle, date, approximate 1996
Date Missing 10/03/1996
Missing From
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Female
Race
White
Date of Birth 11/08/1976 (45)
Age 19 years old
Height and Weight 5'3 - 5'4, 101 pounds
Medical Conditions Nikle suffers from a mild mental mental disability. Although socially capable, she has the mental capacity of a ten-year-old.
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue/green eyes.
Details of Disappearance Nikle was last seen in downtown Grand Forks, North Dakota on October 3, 1996. That night she went out and played bingo with a friend, and reportedly won $500. She has never been heard from again. Her father reported her missing one week later, on October 10.
It's uncharacteristic of Nikle to leave without warning or to be away from home for longer than a night or two. Police originally believed she left of her own accord, but now foul play is suspected in her disappearance.
There is some speculation that Nikle might have become a victim of a serial killer of mentally disabled women. The man suspected, Floyd Todd Tapson, was once the supervisor of several group homes for developmentally disabled individuals, including one Nikle had frequented.
In 2003, Tapson was convicted of kidnapping, raping and shooting a mentally handicapped Montana woman. She survived; he was sentenced to 75 years in prison. Tapson was allegedly seen in a car with Nikle two days after she disappeared. She had also bragged about having a boyfriend named "Todd."
When questioned about Nikle's disappearance in prison, Tapson denied any involvement in her . However, he has not been ruled out as a suspect and authorities stated his story was inconsistent and some of what he told the police was later proven to be untrue.
He was also considered a possible suspect in the disappearance of Carla Anderson, a mildly mentally disabled woman who vanished from Minnesota in 1987, but he was cleared from that after being interviewed by investigators.
Shortly before her disappearance, Nikle had told the police about two neighbors who had been selling drugs. Her father thinks her disappearance may have been retalitation for her information, but there is no evidence to support this.
No one has been charged in connection with Nikle's disappearance; her remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Federal Bureau of Investigation
612-376-3200
Other
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Doe Network
The Grand Forks Herald
NamUs
The Bemidji Pioneer

Missing Person Photos

A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2 to 5 percent of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. A number of organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and images of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.

Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Case Updates with Photos