Trevor Nichols, a young soldier and father of a 2-year-old son, disappeared in November shortly after he supposedly left on a New York Amtrak train for a two-week leave. Yet, questions remain as to whether he ever actually got on the train.
Erin Nichols, Trevor’s mother, told Nancy Grace that her son was frustrated the last time she spoke to him on November 15, 2017. He had recently received orders to transfer to Fort Riley, Kansas, which was halfway across the country from his toddler son, who lives in Springfield, Ohio, with Trevor’s wife, who had recently asked him for a divorce.
However, Erin pointed out that Trevor, who was in the 10th Mountain Division, 1st Brigade Combat Unit with the Army, had never before left on his own for this long without at least checking in with her, and there was nothing that indicated to her that he was suicidal or that he would ever go AWOL. Erin also said she didn’t think her son would leave his own son willingly.
“He was really frustrated. He was packing up all of his things from the apartment and everything that was left in the apartment was from his estranged wife and his infant son. Lucas was just over a year old.”
Trevor left behind his cellphone, military identification, and driver’s license in a Fort Drum apartment he was scheduled to clean out and move from prior to his two-week leave. His passport was not found, but Dr. Brian Russell, psychologist and host of Investigation Discovery’s “Fatal Vow” series, explained that even if Trevor brought his passport along with him, there would be a record of him leaving the country.
So far, not only is there there is no record of Trevor leaving the country, there isn’t a readily-available record that he even got onto the Amtrak train at all. Erin indicated that the military police haven’t explained to her what’s going with her son’s case, including whether they have any proof of a train ticket purchased.
Gage Gonzales, one of the friends who supposedly saw Trevor at the train station, called Erin a few days before Trevor had been reported missing, explaining he couldn’t find Trevor and that the soldier left behind his identification cards and cellphone. According to Gonzales, he went Trevor’s apartment on the morning of November 15 but couldn’t find him.
A few days later, Gonzales called Erin again and told her he located Trevor, after Trevor’s wife noticed debit card activity in the Watertown, New York, area. Gonzales reportedly told Erin her son didn’t want to talk to her or anyone else. Erin found that odd since she she had just spoken to Trevor earlier in the week and he seemed fine. Erin explained that she’s always been close to Trevor and she couldn’t imagine why he wouldn’t give her a quick call before boarding the train.
According to private investigator Brenda Paradise, whose been helping Erin find answers, there is no ticket or record of any kind that shows Trevor got on the train, at least as far as she could find. Paradise told CrimeOnline that it’s possible he could have used a fake identification, but she didn’t have the authority to search the train station’s surveillance camera footage.
“I don’t believe it for one minute,” Sheryl McCollum, director of Atlanta’s Cold Case Investigative Research Institute said. “Is any of his luggage missing from the apartment? Why these three friends? Were they friends or acquaintances? There’s something very, very wrong with this story.”
Meanwhile, conflicts between Erin and Trevor’s wife has caused a rift so strong that the two aren’t speaking to each civilly, which in turn, has caused a large communication gap during a critical time. Nancy Grace explained that with Trevor missing, now is the time for the families to come together and share any and all tips and information possible.
“This isn’t the time for unreturned phone calls and nasty texts,” Grace said.
CrimeOnline spoke with Trevor’s wife, who said she hasn’t heard or seen from Trevor since November. She said she has no idea where he is or why he left to begin with. However, she did explain where his last debit card transaction came from.
“The last time he used his debt card was in Watertown and Pulaski, New York, to get money out of the bank account. He was then last seen being dropped off at a train station in Syracuse, and buying a train ticket that was going to Cleveland, Ohio. Past behavior shows that is his only train station he ever goes to and is where his parents pick him up at.”
She explained that Trevor’s MPS agent provided the information to her. However, she doesn’t have any physical proof of a purchased train ticket.
Trevor stands 6-feet-2-inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds. He has brown hair, hazel eyes, and a small scar on right forearm. Anyone with any information is urged to contact 911, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office at937-328-2560, or PI Brenda Paradise at 907-795-5292.
Editor’s Note: After Erin appeared on “Crime Stories,” Trevor’s wife contacted CrimeOnline and explained that she too, received a message from Gonzales, who claimed that he and friends “found” Trevor at an Amtrak train station and tried to “get him to stop.” Gonzalez also stated, “whatever happens, it’s all on him.”
[Feature Photo: Trevor Nichols/Family Handout]
