Poughkeepsie cold case: Remains of JoAnn Nichols found behind false wall

The skeletal remains of JoAnn Nichols, a 55-year-old teacher who vanished in December 1985, were discovered in 2013 behind a false wall in her Poughkeepsie, New York, home.

For nearly 30 years, investigators believed Nichols had either run away or become despondent following the death of her son. Her husband, James L. Nichols Jr., had reported her missing after she failed to attend a hair appointment. Following James Nichols' death from natural causes in early 2013, a contractor cleaning the basement discovered the remains inside a sealed container hidden behind a wall.

The Dutchess County Medical Examiner identified the remains via dental records and ruled the death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head. Police identified James Nichols as the primary suspect, though no charges could be filed due to his death.