Featured Image Credit: Torrance County Attorneys Office
Topics: Domestic Abuse, News, US News
Ali Condon
Topics: Domestic Abuse, News, US News
A woman who had been reported missing after being involved in an alleged domestic dispute with her boyfriend has been found by police.
Nikki Alcaraz disappeared earlier this month while on a road trip from Tennessee to California with her boyfriend Steven Tyler Stratton.
Shortly after harrowing bodycam footage showing the aftermath of the alleged domestic dispute was made public, Redding Police in California confirmed that Nikki had been found safe.
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A statement from the police department read: "On May 30, 2023, at around 4:30pm, the Redding Police Department learned Missing Person Nikki Alcaraz was contacted earlier today by the Eureka Police Department and found to be safe.
"The Redding Police Department has been in contact with the Moriarty, New Mexico Police Department and confirmed Nikki is no longer considered a missing person.
"The Redding Police Department would like to thank our allied agency partners who assisted with efforts to locate Nikki."
UNILAD has contacted Eureka Police Department and Redding Police Department for comment.
Police had come across Nikki and Steven on May 4, shortly before her disappearance, when they pulled the couple over in New Mexico after receiving a 911 domestic violence call.
Officers had received a report that indicated Nikki had been assaulted by her partner, though both were eventually let go after Steven claimed he had also been hit and both declined to press criminal charges.
However, Nikki's sister Toni Alcaraz grew concerned when she didn't hear from Nikki after receiving a text from her on May 8.
She filed a missing persons report in New Mexico, where Nikki had last been seen.
Authorities working on the case stated that 'due to a history of domestic assault', it was believed Nikki was in danger.
Later on in the investigation, New Mexico deputies released bodycam footage of their interaction with Nikki and Steven before she was reported missing.
In the footage, a witness speaks to police while Nikki, who has marks on her skin stands beside him. Initially, she tells police she wants to press charges.
"I’m done. I’m over it. I want his a** f**king put in jail. I’m over it," she tells the officer.
Later, Steven, who was seen with blood on his face, can be heard telling an officer: "We're having issues because there's a lot of stuff going on... mental issues with her."
When asked if Nikki had been diagnosed with anything, Steven replied: "I haven't ever seen Nikki act like this before. I don't want to get her in trouble or anything, but she's been blacking out off of like one or two beers and hitting me for the past two months."
According to the incident report, both Nikki and Steven say the other hit them unprovoked.
It states that deputies eventually 'determined that both parties were mutual combatants while traveling down the interstate.'
The two ultimately decided against pressing charges and were separated by authorities, who dropped them off to different places.
Torrance County Sheriff David Frazee has since told the Daily Beast that the actions of the two deputies who responded to the call are now being investigated to determine if any policies were violated by letting the couple go.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence 24 hours a day to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247