A new court date has been established for Tyler McCain, accused of murdering his wife, Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain.

McCain is confronting 12 charges, along with numerous special allegations. Notably, one claim suggests he killed his wife to prevent her from testifying against him in domestic violence proceedings. Originally, the jury trial was slated for November 18, but McCain’s attorney, Michael Borges, requested additional time due to the extensive documentation provided by the prosecution.

Shasta Superior Court Judge Adam B. Ryan has now rescheduled the trial for March 17, 2026. A pretrial readiness hearing is slated for March 11 to confirm that both sides are fully prepared.

Currently, Nikki remains missing and is presumed dead.

According to Redding Police Detective Jeremiah Kessinger, Nikki frequently communicated with her sister, Chloe Saelee, through text messages. There was consistent communication until May 19. Nikki last spoke to family members on May 18, but failed to respond to a message from Chloe the following day.

Nikki told Chloe about domestic violence in the relationship, and McCain went so far as to point a gun directly at Nikki and threaten to kill her and her family members.

In court, Detective Maul played an audio recording of Nikki McCain describing being assaulted by her husband, Tyler McCain. The recording was done in a hospital emergency room, where Nikki showed up to give the police a statement.

Nikki says, “He pushed me on the ground. And he started hitting me. He was just enraged; he was so angry.”

Nikki estimates the attack lasted three hours. Tyler McCain has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Additional Guests

• Kaye Ford  – Nikki’s sister
• Chloe Saelee – Nikki’s sister

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo: Family Handout]