CA NIKKI CHENG-McCAIN: Missing from Redding, CA - 17 May 2024 - Age 39 *ARREST*

Northern California mom of four still missing after several months, disappears amid abuse claims​

Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, 39, has not been seen or heard from since May 17, according to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and Redding Police Department. Cheng-McCain is a Redding resident and a mother of four young children. Her vehicle, a 2002 Chevy Avalanche, was found abandoned in a remote location in Tehama County on May 25.

Cheng-McCain is Asian and described as being 4 foot 11 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Her disappearance came days after her husband, Tyler McCain, was arraigned on felony domestic violence charges against her, according to KRCR News. Because Cheng-McCain did not show up to court for the follow-up trial hearing, the case was dismissed.

On July 19, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett told Action News Now, “Without Nikki Saelee McCain’s presence, we simply cannot go forward and risk what would be the likely outcome of a ‘not guilty’ verdict.” Tyler McCain was accused of corporal injury to spouse, false imprisonment by violence, criminal threats, and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.

A recent episode of Crime Stories With Nancy Grace featured Cheng-McCain’s sisters, Kay Saelee and Chloe Saelee, who said they are very close. The sisters told Nancy Grace the last time they spoke with their sister was in a family group-text chat on May 17.

Chang-McCain’s last message to one of her sisters, Chloe Saelee, reportedly said she was driving her mother-in-law’s vehicle back to the McCain home near the Win-River Casino – the opposite direction of where hear vehicle was found.

According to A News Cafe, two fires have been reported at or near the McCain residence after Cheng-McCain went missing. The fires, named by Cal Fire as Olinda Fire and Yolla Fire, happened in July and allegedly destroyed vehicles that belonged to the McCains. A News Cafe reported that Tyler McCain was cited for starting the Olinda Fire, and the Yolla Fire is still under investigation.

Anyone with information on Cheng-McCain’s whereabouts is advised by law enforcement to contact Shasta County Sheriff’s Office at 530-245-6540. Tips that lead to her could be eligible for an award of up to $30,000.


Media - NIKKI CHENG-McCAIN: Missing from Redding, CA - 17 May 2024 - Age 39

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Judge holds Tyler McCain to answer on all charges, including murder, felony domestic violence – Shasta Scout

Tyler McCain is accused of killing his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, last year to prevent her from testifying against him on felony domestic violence charges. On Tuesday, a judge maintained that murder charge against him, as well as 11 other counts, including multiple felony domestic violence...

shastascout.org

Judge holds Tyler McCain to answer on all charges, including murder, felony domestic violence​

Tyler Scott McCain’s murder charge has been upheld by the court. After more than two weeks, McCain’s preliminary hearing came to a close Tuesday. The Honorable Judge Thomas L. Bender announced around 5 p.m. that McCain will be held to answer on all 12 charges levied against him by the Shasta District Attorney’s Office.

Those charges include a special allegation that he killed his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, in order to prevent her from testifying against him last year on a number of felony domestic violence charges, which were dropped in mid-2024 when she disappeared but have since been reinstated. Those charges include corporal injury, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, criminal threats and false imprisonment.


Judge Bender’s ruling that McCain must answer to all charges in the case does not prove the defendant’s guilt, only that the court has determined that there’s a reasonable basis for believing he could have committed the crimes he’s accused of. When the case goes to trial, McCain will face a jury of his peers who will be tasked with determining whether they are certain, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he’s guilty.

The case will move forward to an arraignment on Oct. 7 where the defendant will be asked to plead to his guilt or innocence. He will continue to be held at the Shasta County Jail without bail.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Trial date set in Tyler McCain murder case tied to wife Nikki McCain's death

Updates on the murder trial of Tyler McCain, accused of killing his wife Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain.

www.redding.com

Trial date set in Tyler McCain murder case tied to wife Nikki McCain's death​

A jury trial in the murder case of Tyler McCain on charges that he killed his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, has been set for Nov. 18.

Tyler McCain repeated his not guilty plea to the charges during a court appearance on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in Shasta County Superior Court.

The department and judge for the upcoming trial are both yet to be determined, the Shasta County District Attorney's Office said on Tuesday.


The Shasta County man has been charged with one count of murder and a special circumstance that the murder was committed with the intent to prevent testimony. He is also charged with domestic violence charges including corporal injury to a spouse, false imprisonment, criminal threats and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://www.redding.com/story/news/crime/2025/11/10/tyler-mccain-advancing-to-trial-for-murder-of-his-wife-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain/87195926007/

Tyler McCain advancing to trial for the murder of his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain​

Court proceedings are moving forward in the case of Tyler McCain on charges that the Shasta County man killed his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain, last year following an incident of domestic violence.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled to take place in Shasta County Superior Court on Wednesday. On that date, a judge will be assigned to oversee the trial, which is scheduled to begin on Nov. 18.

Tyler McCain is charged with his wife's slaying and a special circumstance that the murder was committed to prevent his wife from providing testimony in a domestic violence case she filed against him.

Tyler McCain has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Judge postpones murder trial of Tyler McCain in Nikki McCain killing

The murder trial of Tyler McCain in the killing of his wife Nikki McCain had been scheduled to begin next week in Shasta County Superior Court.

www.redding.com

Judge postpones murder trial of Tyler McCain in Nikki McCain killing​

The murder trial of Tyler McCain, scheduled to begin next week in Shasta County Superior Court, will likely be delayed until 2026.

During a trial readiness hearing held Wednesday, Nov. 12, Superior Court Judge Adam Ryan granted the defense attorney's request for a postponement and on Dec. 16 will revisit the issue of when to schedule the jury trial.

Michael Borges, McCain's defense attorney, said in court on Wednesday he needed more time to prepare for the trial, given the copious amount of testimony that has been presented so far and that he continues to receive.

Borges asked to postpone the trial until March 17, 2026.

In requesting the delay, Borges told Ryan he received 4,500 written pages of material from the Shasta County District Attorney's Office, which is prosecuting the case, including several thousand pages received in the past 30 days.

Shasta County Assistant District Attorney Sarah Murphy told the judge she had more than 100 witnesses subpoenaed for the trial and anticipated six to eight weeks of testimony.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Judge sets Tyler McCain trial for March – Shasta Scout

The jury trial was supposed to start last month, but it got pushed back after a request from McCain’s lawyer.

shastascout.org

Judge sets Tyler McCain trial for March​

A trial date has been set for the case against Tyler Scott McCain, the man charged with killing his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain.

More than a year after Saelee-McCain went missing, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tyler McCain for her murder this past August. The filing against him includes 12 charges and multiple special allegations, including one that he killed his wife to prevent her from testifying against him in court over domestic violence charges.

The jury trial was supposed to start on Nov. 18, but it was postponed last month at the request of McCain’s lawyer, Michael Borges, who asked for more time to prepare for the case given the abundance of documentation provided by the prosecution. Today, after some back and forth between Borges and the case’s judge, Shasta Superior Court Judge Adam B. Ryan, the trial date was set for March 17, 2026.

Attorney Sarah Murphy from the Shasta District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case on behalf of the people of California, expressed concern for the March 17 date, saying that Borges is already representing another large case at that time.

Judge Ryan questioned Borges, saying he felt the attorney hadn’t provided enough reliable information to prove the trial date needed to be moved back so far. But after Borges said that March 17 is the “soonest date I could have,” Judge Ryan agreed to it.

A trial readiness hearing will be held on March 11 to ensure both parties are prepared for the trial.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Trial delayed again for Tyler McCain, accused of killing wife whose body not found

Tyler McCain’s murder trial has been delayed again, pushing the case into late August.McCain is charged with killing his wife, Nikki Saelee McCain, in March 202

krcrtv.com

Trial delayed again for Tyler McCain, accused of killing wife whose body not found
Tyler McCain’s murder trial has been delayed again, pushing the case into late August.

The jury trial had been scheduled to start next week, but on Wednesday it was postponed until August. The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office said the defense attorney filed a motion to continue because he is currently engaged in another murder trial and would have been unavailable.

McCain is now scheduled for trial readiness on Aug. 19, 2026, at 8:15 a.m. in Department 21. His jury trial is scheduled to start Aug. 25, 2026, at 9 a.m.