Scott Weinberger

Vancouver, Washington, not to be confused with Vancouver, Canada, is a suburb of Portland just north of the Columbia River.

Vancouver, Washington, not to be confused with Vancouver, Canada, is a suburb of Portland just north of the Columbia River.

let alone murders that grab national headlines, inspire a call to action, and galvanize an entire movement.

let alone murders that grab national headlines, inspire a call to action, and galvanize an entire movement.

Online, Nikki was confident, genuine, and incredibly talented. But off camera, Nikki's life wasn't always the picture of stability and acceptance.

Online, Nikki was confident, genuine, and incredibly talented. But off camera, Nikki's life wasn't always the picture of stability and acceptance.

Nikki's parents were divorced, and so most of the time, she lived with her father while her mother dealt with some of her own issues. However, Nikki's mom was also her biggest fan, and the two of them stayed in touch daily.

Nikki's parents were divorced, and so most of the time, she lived with her father while her mother dealt with some of her own issues. However, Nikki's mom was also her biggest fan, and the two of them stayed in touch daily.

Recently, Nikki had been going through her own struggles with narcotics, a battle her mom knew all too well. So when her phone calls and texts went unanswered, it was a cause for serious alarm. Here's prosecutor Colin Hayes.

Recently, Nikki had been going through her own struggles with narcotics, a battle her mom knew all too well. So when her phone calls and texts went unanswered, it was a cause for serious alarm. Here's prosecutor Colin Hayes.

Four long, anxious days of searching passed before her mother decided that it was time to contact the police.

Four long, anxious days of searching passed before her mother decided that it was time to contact the police.

Investigators did what they could, but interviews with Nikki's friends and searches of places that she frequented, they all turned up with no leads to her whereabouts. Additionally, there was no reason yet to believe that a crime had occurred.

Investigators did what they could, but interviews with Nikki's friends and searches of places that she frequented, they all turned up with no leads to her whereabouts. Additionally, there was no reason yet to believe that a crime had occurred.

Behind her self-confidence and street smarts, Nikki was still vulnerable. And the reality was that transgender people are four times more likely to be victims of violent crime than cisgendered, which meant that the longer Nikki was missing, the more her life could actually be in danger.

Behind her self-confidence and street smarts, Nikki was still vulnerable. And the reality was that transgender people are four times more likely to be victims of violent crime than cisgendered, which meant that the longer Nikki was missing, the more her life could actually be in danger.

With that phone now in the hands of the Digital Evidence Crimes Unit, investigators now had a better chance of creating a timeline for the night she went missing. And as it turned out, Nikki had indeed left a digital breadcrumb.

With that phone now in the hands of the Digital Evidence Crimes Unit, investigators now had a better chance of creating a timeline for the night she went missing. And as it turned out, Nikki had indeed left a digital breadcrumb.

According to friends, the time of the message exchanged coincided with what they said the time was that she left the house alone.

According to friends, the time of the message exchanged coincided with what they said the time was that she left the house alone.