Missing man’s family asks the public to help find him
By Ashley Broughton The Salt Lake Tribune
Date September 6, 2004 Page:B4 Section: Utah
It’s been nearly three months since Wanda Schmitt or anyone else has heard from her little brother, Jeffrey Dale Nichols.
If he were irresponsible, flighty, prone to unexplained departures to escape the pressures of life, Schmitt’s alarm bells might have only now just begun to chime.
But instead, they have been shrilling for weeks.
“It really is a mystery, what happened to him,” said Schmitt, of New Glarus, Wis. “We knew immediately something was wrong.”
Police call Nichols’ disappearance “unusual” and are investigating.
Nichols, 41, was last heard from on June 8 as he was driving from his home on Parleys Way to meet his ex-wife and 7-year-old son for breakfast at a restaurant near 4500 S. State St.
Nichols’ ex-wife told authorities he went to the wrong location that morning and the two exchanged phone calls, Schmitt said.
Wanda Schmitt is trying to publicize the case of her brother Jeffrey Nichols, a missing Salt Lake City air traffic controller who has vanished under suspicious circumstances.
Eventually, about 6:50 a.m., Nichols reportedly told his ex-wife, “I can’t do this now. I have to go.”
“That’s the last anyone heard from him,” Schmitt said, except for an 18-second phone call to a car dealership, most likely a wrong number.
Nichols’ truck, a white 2000 Ford Ranger, was towed July 17 after it was found near 4800 South and State Street. Schmitt said police have asked her not to disclose the truck’s location because of the ongoing investigation. Police said the truck was impounded on private property and is now in their possession.
Nichols’ bank accounts and credit cards have been untouched, according to statements forwarded to his family.
He has not contacted his girlfriend, who reported him missing on June 9, relatives or co-workers at the Salt Lake City International Airport, where he worked as an air traffic controller. His friends there believe he never would have chosen to walk away.
The most telling factor is his failure to call his son, Sam. The two were close and spent several days together each week, Schmitt said. “He loved that little boy.”
In September 2002, Nichols moved to Chicago to begin training classes related to his job, but months later asked to be transferred back to Utah, Schmitt said. “He wasn’t going to be that far from Sam.”
Nichols, originally of Virginia, and his wife recently settled a bitter divorce, which was final in November 2003, but the two shared joint custody of their son. Nichols had plans to build a new home with his girlfriend, Schmitt said, and had planned to take a trip to Wisconsin in late June. “Things were going good,” she said.
Nichols’ ex-wife and son reportedly have since moved to Arizona.
She and other relatives believe the circumstances surrounding
his disappearance are suspicious and are trying to raise awareness about it.
The majority of missing adults disappear on their own, police have said, and investigating such cases can be difficult and time-consuming.
But “the whole thing is odd,” said Salt Lake City police Detective Phil Eslinger. “It’s not the general, run-of-the-mill [miss- ing-person case], but then again, it’s not the super ‘whodunit’ thing, either. It’s quirky.”
He stopped short, however, of calling Nichols’ disappearance suspicious. “Some accusations are suspicious. The case as a whole would be better classified as ‘unusual’ at the moment.”
He would not elaborate further, citing the ongoing investigation. Nichols’ relatives, meanwhile, plan to erect two billboards in the Salt Lake City area with Nichols’ picture and information, and have set up a Web site, http://www.helpfindjeff.com. In addition, family members are working on setting up a $10,000 reward, Schmitt said.
“You hold out hope,” she said, adding a Salt Lake detective told her, “For your sake, I hope he did walk away.” I hope he did, too, but I think someone did something to him. He is unable to get in touch with us, or he would.”
Schmitt, her stepmother, Ann Nichols, and a friend were in Salt Lake City earlier this week to clean out Nichols’ apartment. “It was extremely difficult,” she said. “We called ourselves ‘Jeff’s Angels.’
She does not believe Nichols would have disappeared of his own accord. He had plenty of paid leave time from work if he wanted to sort something out.
“I understand that it happens,” she said. “I just don’t believe it did.” She believes someone must have seen something or have knowledge about Nichols’ disappearance.
Nichols is described as being 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing about 195 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at 799-3000 or e-mail family members at helpfindjeff@yahoo.com.
aebroughton@sltrib.com