Law&Crime Sidebar - She Looks Terrified’: Brother of Missing Tennessee Woman Nikki Alcaraz Speaks Out

Episode Date: May 30, 2023

 Nikki Alcaraz and her boyfriend, Tyler Stratton, went missing earlier this month just days after getting into a heated fight in New Mexico. The Tennessee couple was on a cross-country road trip to visit Stratton’s family in California when they disappeared. Alcaraz was last spotted selling her phone in a California Walmart during Memorial Day weekend but has not been heard from since May 8. The Law&Crime Network’s Angenette Levy breaks down everything we know so far about the missing couple with Alcaraz’s brother, Josh Alcaraz.LAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergWriting & Video Editing - Michael DeiningerGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa Bein & Kiera BronsonSUBSCRIBE TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Court JunkieObjectionsThey Walk Among AmericaDevil In The DormThe Disturbing TruthSpeaking FreelyLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. As I was driving by, I seen her on the ground. Okay. I seen that dude over there, slap her or punch her in the face. The family of a Tennessee woman reports her missing, fearing she's in grave danger as she suffers a black eye on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend. Her brother talks with us about the search for his sister. Thanks for joining us for Law and Crime Sidebar podcast. I'm Ann Janette Levy. Nikki Alcarez's family is desperate to find her. They say the last text was sent from her phone back on May 6th.

And speaking of her cell phone, over the weekend, security cameras, captured Alcarez at a Walmart in Redding, California. She was in front of an eco-ATM machine that allows you to sell your cell phone on the spot. That was on May 27th. Her boyfriend, Tyler Stratton, was standing next to her. And it's Tyler Stratton that has Nikki's family so concerned. Her family and one of her best friends tell me that the relationship has a history of domestic violence. The couple left Tennessee for a trip to California in Nicky's Black Jeep Rangler earlier this month. A sheriff's report from Torrance County, New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque states that on May 4th, a man saw Tyler hit Nikki in the face on the side of a road. Tyler also told the deputy that he and

Nikki had been drinking and that she had also hit him. The two went their separate ways with neither pressing charges, although at first the report said that Nikki did want to press charges. Her family hasn't heard from her since earlier this month. Here is some of that body camera video from the May 4th incident in New Mexico. Hello, ma'am. What's going on? I'm a truck driver. That's my truck right there.

As I was driving by, I seen her on the ground. Okay. And I've seen that dude over there slapper or punch her in the face. Yeah. How's it related to you? We've been together for 16 years.

Okay, husband, wife or boyfriend, girlfriend? Wait for the girls. Okay. Do you want to press charges? Yeah. I do. I just pulled over and make sure she's okay. Ellis, sir.

Hello. Put your hands behind you back. Stay seated. Put your hands behind you back. Okay. So what started to fight? Oh, I don't have a hole. Why were you hitting her?

I did. See what a pride on me? You guys were in a mutual combatant? No. Okay, let me put you in the car. I'll get this thing straight down. You can watch the rest of the body camera video on Law and Crimes YouTube channel. The case has reminded many people, including me, of Gabby Petito's case.

She was the young woman who traveled cross-country with her boyfriend Brian Laundry in 2021. Police in Moab, Utah, responded to a domestic violence incident involved. the two. Gabby, to many, minimize the situation, as many domestic violence victims do, after someone reported seeing Brian hit her. Brian Laundry choked Gabby to death. Her body was later found in the Grand Teton National Park. Brian Laundry took his own life. After a manhunt for him, his body was found in a swampy area near his parents' home in Northport, Florida. The foundation Gabby's parents created in her memory is now helping Nikki Alcarez's family in their search for her. Joining me to discuss Nikki Alcarez's disappearance is her older brother, Josh Alcarez.

Josh, thanks so much for joining us for Sidebar. We appreciate you making the time. Yeah, thanks for having me. First off, tell me, what is your concern here with Nikki and Tyler Stratton? It's our understanding they've known each other for many years. The relationship has a history of domestic violence. And obviously, you all haven't heard from her since early May. Right.

I don't even know where to start with what's concerning about that. Obviously, there was a domestic incident in New Mexico. They were traveling to California. She should have been there weeks ago. Nobody's heard a word from her since. So there's a lot going through my mind. At least as of now, I know that she's been spotted and that's reassuring on some level. Let's put those photos up on the screen.

This was May 27th. She was seen at an eco ATM. That's a machine that's kind of like an ATM. You can submit your cell phone, sell it, get cash on the spot. And Tyler Stratton is seen standing next to her. Yeah, almost hovering over her. From what I've seen in the picture, she looks terrified. She looks like she's in really bad shape, having a hard time.

Also, with his warrants and being a known criminal offender, I guess you'd say, we don't really know whose phone she was selling. It could have been something that he was forcing her to sell because he doesn't want to scan his ID anywhere. It's, you know, there's a lot of questions. I know he has a warrant out for his arrest on kind of a charge unrelated to your sister in Tennessee. I think it's on a theft charge.

What is his criminal background? I don't know a whole lot about that. I know he's been in and out of jail in and out of rehab um he currently is skipping bond on a couple of counts in davidson county which is nashville and cheatham county our hometown is it unlike your sister to disappear like this absolutely you know she um she has a bit of a free spirit she she does like to go on kind of last minute road trips and camping trips and, you know, that kind of thing. And sometimes she'll be out of contact for two or three days,

but we always are aware of it and know where she is. And, you know, we, she lets us know ahead of time, hey, I might not have service for a few days. So this is just, it's, there's nothing, I'm sorry, I can't find the words. It's very out of character for her, yes. And she has two children, one, a daughter with Tyler Stratton, from what I understand, and then a younger child with her ex-husband.

Is that right? Right, right. Who's caring for the children right now? Mostly my family, my parents, my sister, I'm helping. Everybody's doing what they can. How are the children doing? They miss their mom. We've done our best to protect.

them from the full gravity of the situation. The older child obviously has more understanding and we were kind of afraid that she would find something online, so we've had to be more open and honest with her about that. The younger child is, he just doesn't understand where his mom is. Yeah, I can understand that because of his age. But you know, what would you say to Nikki if she happens to see this? I mean, this show airs in so many different formats. If she could hear you right now, what would you say to her? I'd say, we miss you, Nikki. You know, we're not going to stop looking for you until we find you.

You can call. Find a way to get in contact with anybody, and if you need help, we will be there to help you. Has there been any license plate reader information from her vehicle in the California? You know, California's a big state, obviously. No, not yet. Okay. We have been in contact with the Reading law enforcement since the siding. The detectives there are helping, you know, they're following up on tips,

and they actually just went to check out a Jeep that somebody had reported seen in their neighborhood and it wasn't them. But every tip counts, you know, hopefully eventually we'll get the right one and find her. Josh, tell us a little bit about the Jeep. It's a black Jeep Wrangler. Right. It's four doors, has a hard top on it, a sticker that says Mama Tried on the back, the back window. And it has Tennessee tags, blue license plate. I'm not sure of the plate number, but it's pretty, it'll stand out. Do you feel like she's under duress in this situation? Or do you feel? I mean, I know that there was a domestic violence.

Okay. Right. Tell me why. After seeing the pictures, you know, I know Tyler has a history of being physical with her, but never to the extent, not that I'm excusing the prior happenings, so to speak, but the pictures that I've seen from New Mexico are very disturbing. And then after seeing the footage from the cell phone kiosk, she does not look like she's in a good place at all. She looks scared. She looks tired. She looks like she's in trouble.

Do you feel like you're getting good cooperation from law enforcement in California and in New Mexico? Obviously, she's no longer in New Mexico. We are now, yes. In the beginning, not so much, not at all. I feel like they were kind of sweeping it under the rug or blowing it off, you know. But now that it's gained some media attention and people are sharing it on social media and, you know, it's kind of putting a little more pressure on them. They've been great ever since. I know that the Gabby Petito Foundation shared a poster asking for help and finding Nikki.

And to a lot of people, this kind of, unfortunately, sadly reminds them of Gabby Petito's case. obviously we don't want this to end that way no we don't there are a lot of similarities in the way that it was handled by the police in the beginning and the fact that we just haven't heard anything you know luckily for us we do know that she was still alive as of Saturday they've been a big help though they've they're great with the emotional support helping us with the media and they set up a Facebook page and it's great to have them on our side. Yeah, and it's, you know, some good work that they're doing in Gabby's memory to honor her

and to help other victims of domestic violence. If anybody sees, if anybody sees Nikki, Josh, what should they do? Contact the law enforcement immediately. I wouldn't necessarily approach them. We don't know what Tyler is capable of. I would just call the police. Is there anything else you'd like to add, Josh, about your sister? I mean, she's your little sister. You're the big brother. I'm sure you feel very protective of her.

Right. It's what makes this extra difficult. You know, Nikki's, she's a great person. She's full of life. Very kind of happy go lucky. Nobody's a stranger. Everybody loves Nikki. That's just how it's been.

whole life since she was a baby. We just want her home or safe. Well, and we hope, we hope that she does come home safe and that you all hear from her. Even just a phone call would probably be very welcome. Right. Just want to hear her voice. Know that she's okay. Well, Josh, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time. And we hope that you guys hear from Nikki very soon. Thank you. That's it for this edition of Law and Crime Sidebar Podcast. You can listen to to and download sidebar on Apple, Spotify, Google, and wherever else you get your podcast. And of course, you can always watch it on Law and Crimes YouTube channel. I'm Anjanette Levy and we will see you next time. or Spotify.