Rhonda's mother doesn't believe a word of Nichols' story, saying the insurance was all his idea and that Nichols, the day trader, had an ulterior motive. That's the first thing I did when I got there. Stephen Nichols: She's never been off drugs since the age of 12. Peter Van Sant: Why didn't you tell them back in the day that suicide was something she was contemplating? He'd need an extra day to arrange for the ankle monitor required for Nichols' release. Do you want to stay up to date of all the news about News videos? Head in order to nichols rhonda castro verdict was that context are heading next week in bus accident happen, when you believe is a fall. Suggesting that Rhonda Casto chose to jump to her death from Eagle Creek Trail. And sh -- that's why she was on the prescription medications. They dated three years and had a little baby girl together. ", Stephen Nichols: I was tellin' my daughter "This is our new life. Julia Simmons: I started to cry. So he decided to get a roommate, who turned out to be Rhonda's mother, Julia Simmons. Stephen Nichols: If I waited over a year to go to trial, I probably had a zero-percent chance. He seems like a jerk, but I fail to see evidence that he pushed her. But she's the deepest, funniest person I've ever met. Stephen Nichols: You're 100 percent certain this guy is gonna die. She was taking Tae Kwon Do. Center Address: 1 Bethel Valley Road Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Mail Stop: 6016 Bldg: 5600 | Room: D335 Contact: nicholsss@ornl.gov +1-865-341-0429. She says she has leaned on her faith that one day she will be reunited with her daughter, who she says is watching over her and Ava. By sharing her insights on human behavior, deception and the truth. When I'm really, really sad, I just -- I close down. Julia Simmons: I just busted out crying. Prosecutor Carrie Rasmussen: Was this immediately investigated as a murder? Relief for homebuyers as bill slashing Stamp Duty until 2025 is passed by the Lords and will become law. Stephen Nichols: We planned on getting married in the summer. I wanted my daughter back. Nichols got a job teaching English to Chinese businessmen. A fast and unbiased roundup of whats happening in the world today. My daughter will be nudging me and we'll be back to normal." You would have to look into how many times in her past she committed suicide. She had dance lessons. Bail was set at $2 million. (The Hood River County, Oregon, District Attorneys Office, which brought the charges against Nichols, declined to comment.). Judge John Wolf: What is your plea to the charge of criminally negligent homicide? He's just said that to get sympathy. [Laughs] she knew that for a reason. Colburn says Rhonda had grown unhappy and that the relationship had taken a dangerous turn. Prince and Princess of Wales pay tribute to Auschwitz survivor Zigi Shipper, who dedicated his life to Keep calm and carry on! I won't let him screw us up again. And she goes, "I used to come up here with a bottle of vodka and a bag of weed." So I said, "OK.". But this case is not about belief, it's about the facts that can be presented to a jury at trial. She also said that her daughter had been wanting to get out of the relationship with Nichols for a long time. When she says Rhonda said/did one thing that Stephen disagrees with, I believe she is the one who is lying and hes being truthful. But Rhonda's autopsy would show that she only had traces of marijuana as well as prescription drugs for anxiety and depression in her system. Nichols and Casto first became romantically involved in 2005 - when he was 30 and she was 20 - after Simmons introduced the two while renting a room in his three-bedroom condominium in Portland. 28 episodes. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled a three-hour police interview with him after his arrest was inadmissible. It was a challenging one because of the shady characters on both sides of the story. And in the depths of the Great Depression, Cleveland had the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run.On September 5th, 1934, a young beachcomber made a gruesome discovery on the shores of Cleveland's Lake Erie: the lower half of a female torso, neatly severed at the waist. But having now admitted to inappropriate behavior with a 13-year-old girl, pleading to having sex with Rhonda's underage sister and playing a role in Rhonda's death, Nichols' chances of regaining custody of his daughter are in jeopardy. While not saying it in so many words, Stephen Nichols' mind games manage to drop a bombshell. What you're saying is she jumped. Peter Van Sant [holding a photo of Rhonda]: Tell me about this. And I liked China. Figures and Tables. He has American nationality, believes in Christianity, and is Caucasian because he was born in the United States. What do you believe? Stephen Nichols: I had been there before. Nichols, 41, formerly from Bend and Portland, pled guilty to two counts of sex abuse in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor. My name is Rhonda.". I had hypothermia. 'Everything about her was impressive,'Nichols said of Casto in 2015. Rhondas mother cashing the grandaughters death benefit checks seems also fishy to me. Exactly! Nichols has denied any responsibility for Castos death. Peter Van Sant: Did she take a step and her feet went out in front of her? Three months after Stephen Nichols' arrest in 2015, his attorney, Mike Arnold, took his own investigative team up the Eagle Creek Trail where, he believes, Rhonda Casto slipped and fell to her death. She was so happy, Nichols tells PEOPLE. But prosecutors knew their case against Nichols could fail. It seems a dangerous word game. If your sig other wants to climb a mountain, tell them to go by themselves ! It's not justice. Renee tracked her accuracy publicly for 7.5 years, and was 95% accurate, whereas the average person is 54% accurate. Over the next two days, Arnold set out on a frantic mission to gather the 10 percent needed in cash to free his client. Casto died while she was. While she doesn't track her cases anymore due to limited time, she still shares her opinions with the public when time allows. By 2013, four years had gone by and no charges had been filed against Nichols. Occams razor. And then, just when we thought this story had come to an end, our interview with Nichols took a turn into the surreal. Stephen Nichols: She had gained quite a bit of weight from having our daughter. Peter Van Sant: This Rhonda sounds like somebody who doesn't care much at all about you. I cant tell if he is lying. The man accused of pushing his girlfriend off a cliff to her death in 2009 has admitted he was having sex with her underage sister. Stephen Nichols: I turn around and I look at her and my tongue pretty much hit the floor. They went hiking in Oregons Columbia River Gorgea place of stunning beauty and unforgiving cliffs. Stephen Nichols: Again, something I'm not going to comment on. And Julia Simmons claims Rhonda made a chilling statement to her just before the hike. Casto in a still from tonight's mysterious examination of her death Rhonda had a premonition and joked to her family way back in 2009, telling them told them her partner and father of her. Police began looking into Nichols' involvement in Casto's death early in the investigation, and charged him with murder in 2015. Back in Oregon, it was like a dream -- one that had come true for Rhonda's loved ones. Julia Simmons: He did try to push his wife over a balcony in China. Stephen Nichols: There's definitely a lot more to the story. Peter Van Sant: And what were you sensing from Rhonda? Nichols eventually agreed to split the money with Casto's mother and with the estate of his daughter. She goes, "I'll be fine." I am not a fighter. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Stephen Nichols: Well I held her. Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities/AP, 'He Is Either Going to Give Me a Ring or Throw Me Off a Cliff,' a Mom Allegedly Said Before Fatal Hike, Oregon Man Accused of Pushing Girlfriend Off a Cliff to Her Death Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charges, Mom Was Told Daughter Overdosed in February. I dont know that Stephen will be convicted, but Im really anxious to see if he does! Abesada-Terk, Guillermo. It is like a slap in the face for me and a slap on the hand for him, Simmons says. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Rumors of a relationship between Nichols and Casto's sister have been swirling for several years, but this is the first time that he has confirmed them. So strange lady and her daughter Rhonda saw dollar signs when they met Stephen. But this week the 42-year-old has walked free. (Read more hikers stories.). Now Police Say Boyfriend 'Internally Decapitated' Her, 'People Magazine Investigates' : Inside Decades-Old Disappearances of 5 People Along the Snake River, 4 Years After Wash. But in 2017, Stephen Nichols broke that silence. And I can say I had absolutely nothing to do either directly or indirectly with her falling off. I do. But Nichols says Rhonda was acting strangely. Nichols said that he met Melanie about three months after meeting Casto, and that he knew she was underage when he had sex with her. Still firmly believing Nichols is a murderer, Rhonda's mother Julia was allowed to address the court. Nichols was reportedly a person of interest early in the investigation, but was not arrested until 2014. He sat down and spoke to "48 Hours" about the day Rhonda Casto died. Bungling helicopter pilot blows over stadium roof injuring eight, Vanessa Feltz says BBC bosses 'don't value older presenters', BBC Breakfast celebrates forty years of hilarious bloopers, Royal Family will find it 'impossible' to compromise with Sussexes, Ken Bruce will be joining the Greatest Hits Radio family in April, As it happened: UK Government blocks Scotland's new gender law, Russian pro-war fanatic warns Britain could be 'wiped off the map', Extinction Rebellion douse the Home Office building in black paint, Motorists slowly drive down snowy hill in treacherous conditions, Russian marksman flees Ukraine to reunite with wife before being shot, Harrowing moment woman begs father not to kill himself, Kamala opts out of kneeling with Biden for Warriors photo op. Just days after Casto's death, investigators also began questioning the father's account. Is Stephen Nichols about to admit something? (AP Photo/Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities via AP, file), Police Remove Hair, Mattress Covers From Kohberger's Apartment, Troopers Chase 13-Year-Old Driver for 16 Minutes, PA: None 'More Deserving' of Life in Prison Than These 3, Cops: Man Tried to Pull Bikini Barista From Drive-Thru, Prosecutors: Brian Walshe Made Chilling Google Searches, Feds Won't Seek Death for Shooter Accused of Killing 23, Man Allegedly Killed His Entire Family. I wo n't let him screw us up again District Attorneys Office, which brought the charges Nichols! With a bottle of vodka and a slap on the prescription medications dangerous turn reportedly! Weed. dream -- one that had come true for Rhonda 's loved ones average is... Filed against Nichols could fail here with a bottle of vodka and a bag of.. 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