In February 2015, nearly six years later, Nichols was arrested and charged with killing Casto accused of pushing her off a 100-foot cliff so he could collect a $1-million life insurance policy. But Arnold would need more than luck. Stephen Nichols says this is how the tragedy unfolded: they were heading down the trail, Rhonda is in a great mood and jokingly she had put a towel around her shoulders and was calling herself Supergirl. Nichols was reportedly a person of interest early in the investigation, but was not arrested until 2014. He wasn't around as much. She had dance lessons. Many Git commands accept both tag and branch names, so creating this branch may cause unexpected behavior. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled a three-hour police interview with him after his arrest was inadmissible. And she goes, "I used to come up here with a bottle of vodka and a bag of weed." And on the eve of his trial, a defiant Nichols is convinced there will be many more happy days ahead. And you agreed to a plea deal in this case , Stephen Nichols: Yeah, that was [sighs] -- that one definitely -- I was in the wrong on that one in terms of sending the photo. 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. reason is this.. first person on video to link provided see more here said she was incredible athlete, very strong coupled with video of the trails as well as images looked up yes dangerous but no reason Id expect someone to fall let alone someone comfortable in their body. Prosecutors don't agree and want a jury to see a picture taken by Rhonda showing red marks left from an alleged physical encounter with Nichols. For more on Castos sudden death and the investigation that followed, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick this weeks issue, on newsstands Friday. Give the relationship a few years, a severe economic downturn, trapped in relationship by having a baby, and a girlfriend who doesnt like you but wants a ring. And sh -- that's why she was on the prescription medications. That was his story in 2015, when Nichols was forbidden by his attorney from discussing details of Rhonda's deadly fall with "48 Hours"". One important piece of evidence against Nichols is records that indicate he had increased Casto's life insurance policy to $1million several months before the incident. I cant shake the feeling that hes being manipulative, particularly when he says he cried at the funeral and when he denies ever threatening her. Abernethy, Amy. Carrie Rasmussen [in court]: What the state has to prove in this case is the defendant did a criminal act. Her friends described her relationship with Nichols as volatile, and her mother says she was considering ending things with him before she died. Home My Books Judge John Wolf: And to the charge of coercion? I am not sure. ', Stephen Nichols, the man accused of pushing his girlfriend Rhonda Casto, right, off a cliff to her death in 2009, has admitted he was having sex with her underage sister at the time, Nichols, then 34, had been dating the 23-year-old mother aspiring model for about three years and the couple shared a nine-month-old daughter Ava, In an interview being aired Monday Casto's mother Julia Simmons, pictured, said: 'He told Melanie that she was a dead ringer for her sister, and that the baby would forget her mother within just a matter of a short time and that they could be a family - the three of them', When asked presented with the idea that Nichols killed one sister to be with the other, he responded: 'Well you can believe whatever you want'. Stephen Nichols: Uh-huh. Melanie Casto. He also received an honorary D.H.L. Stephen Nichols: You're 100 percent certain this guy is gonna die. Over the years, Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans have played beloved characters on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives. I'll just say that. 'She was going to move out, but she was trying to get up the courage to do it,' Simmons said. It all started 11 years earlier when a stunning 20-year-old woman knocked on Nichols' bedroom door at his home just outside Portland, Oregon. She was learning to play the piano. Nichols, 41, formerly from Bend and Portland, pled guilty to two counts of sex abuse in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor. I doubt that. [Laughs] I'm not gonna answer that. Nichols packed up and headed to Wuxi, about 75 miles from Shanghai. He has appeared in many other films including, Merchants of Venus with Michael York and Beverly D'Angelo, Cover Me, with . Stephen Nichols: She did fall off. She goes, "I have dreams all the time." Stephen Nichols: She asked me if anything ever happened to her would I promise to take care of her daughter. Found inside - Page 1456. The Real Story with Maria Elena Salinas | Watch Full Episodes & More! I made my way back to the car and called 911.. Since this broadcast last aired, Stephen Nichols publicly admitted to having sex with Rhonda's younger sister, Melanie. Mike Arnold: When you have a case where someone's falsely accused, you can't really separate yourself from work and home life. An investigation into Rhonda's death was immediately launched and a memorial was held. Stephen Nichols: [Laughs] That part I'm not gonna take you through, because she did fall off, and I can say I had absolutely nothing to do, either directly or indirectly, with her falling off. And she loved her family. I won't let him screw us up again. Stephen Nichols: No. Nichols told CBS's 48 Hours that the couple took up hiking after Ava's birth because the aspiring model wanted to lose the baby weight. Three years into their relationship, Rhonda and Nichols -- living together but not married -- became parents. So I said, "OK.". The little girl murdered as she clutched her father's hand: Dad was found 'cradling' his three-year-old 'Incel' killer's eight-minute reign of terror: Chilling footage shows Plymouth gunman Jake Davison wielding Pictured: Five-year-old girl knocked down and killed by a takeaway delivery driver as her devastated mother 'I've seen grittier performances in lost episodes of Crossroads': HENDRY DEEDES says Keir Starmer is Cut taxes now or the Tories will lose the next election, senior Conservative MPs tell Jeremy Hunt as Crowning jewel: Kim Kardashian buys Princess Diana's iconic amethyst-and-diamond cross necklace at auction Thrifty Kate strikes again! Nichols would be extradited to Oregon and his daughter would be sent to live with Rhonda's family. On top of that, the claims from the other people didnt mean much in regards to whether or not Stephen may have killed her- they were just claims of him saying something to her that wasnt very nice. At "48 Hours"' request, Stephen Nichols has kept a video diary while out on bail, Stephen Nichols [video diary]: Today I had my first court appearance. People can reach whatever conclusion they want. Rhondas mother cashing the grandaughters death benefit checks seems also fishy to me. She knew she wasn't livin' past the age of 25. I think it took prosecutors so long to take the case to trial because they dont have as much evidence as theyd like. He used you to hurt me. He played the part of Steve Johnson (Patch) on the soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1985-90; after that, he had a stint on General Hospital as Stefan Cassadine from 1996-03. Who is Scott Reeves married to? Tessa Simmons: I loved having a niece. The case, already years in the making at the time of Nichols arrest in 2015, had encountered multiple legal obstacles as his prosecution proceeded. So I wld scrap her testimony, but theres plenty of motive even w/out it. I just answered the questions that they asked. I wanted my daughter back. Stephen Nichols is a Director of Athletics at California State University San Marcos based in San Marcos, California. (Successful day traders dont move to China to teach English, either.) I dont really get angry.. Stephen Nichols: She says, "I desperately need to lose weight, because they want to use me as the Maria Sharapova lookalike model." Read 11 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. She was so happy, Nichols tells PEOPLE. But this case is not about belief, it's about the facts that can be presented to a jury at trial. March 16, 2009 23-year-old Rhonda Castro and her boyfriend Steve Nichols set out the day of March 16 to hike a Eagle Creek Trail. I love Rhonda. He claims that didn't happen, but something else did. I dont think she knew much about her daughter at all because she didnt care to. Stephen Nichols: We wouldn't argue at all. And Julia Simmons claims Rhonda made a chilling statement to her just before the hike. Relief for homebuyers as bill slashing Stamp Duty until 2025 is passed by the Lords and will become law. Peter Van Sant: Do you believe that Stephen was in love with Melanie? Stephen Nichols: I had a three-bedroom condo and the other two rooms were just empty. Money-wise he treated her like a princess., But, Sconce says, the relationship was tumultuous.. Mom Drove Wife and Kids Off Cliff, the 'Hart Family Murders' Remain Chilling, Minn. There's just a footprint. She's angry with you. 'I had hypothermia. A little over two months and she was fluent in Mandarin. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. When you need me I am waiting.". It's a theory that could support Nichols' new suggestion of suicide. Stephen Nichols: And I asked her "Are you OK hiking on this trail?" Peter Van Sant: So when Stephen is telling us that they were planning their future together and everything was great and it was a lovey-dovey relationship, is he lying to me? Stephen Nichols: She had gained quite a bit of weight from having our daughter. Instead of catching his connecting flight to Oregon, Nichols says authorities separated him from his daughter. They went hiking in Oregons Columbia River Gorgea place of stunning beauty and unforgiving cliffs. Computational Scientist, Computational Fluid Dynamics. Peter Van Sant: Was there a large skid mark on the -- on the path where she had slipped and went off? In 2019, the wealthiest daytime soap stars had net worths ranging from $8 million to a whopping $200 million, according to Fame10. She told me he spoiled her, says Castos friend Jen Sconce. So to me, that's a justified -- I don't wanna say homicide, but I mean, technically, it is a homicide. California had the Zodiac Killer. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. So wish us luck. Stuart W Nichols, 95. Occams razor. Steve Nichols confirmed that he was having a relationship with Rhonda Casto's sister Melanie in an interview withMaria Elena Salinas of Investigative Discovery's The Real Storyset to air Monday. If it was simply for loneliness he cldve had a friend move in, not some strange lady hed never met. Peter Van Sant: Did you put Rhonda out of misery that day? Obit Calls Him a Loving Dad, Girl, 16, and Her Baby Were Running From 'Massacre' When Killed, Remains Found in Search for Missing 4-Year-Old, Cops: Darius Miles Supplied Gun Used in Murder, Brian Walshe to Be Charged With His Wife's Murder, Qantas Flight Issues Mayday Call Over Pacific, HS Football Players Hospitalized After 300+ Push-Ups at Practice, 'What Happens in the Ladies Room Stays in the Ladies Room', Canada's New Booze Guidelines May Be 'a Bit Shocking'. And she goes over. She showed no emotion at all when talking about her daughter. Mike Arnold [with cash in hand in front of bail machine]: Presumption of innocence, ladies and gentlemen. - CBS News, Do not sell or share my personal information. Picture: Investigation Discovery In the episode, Investigation Discovery reporter Maria Salinas puts it to Nichols that he had sex with Melanie. Stephen Nichols: I decided when I got to China, this is a whole fresh start. He decided to start a new life in a new land. I didn't wanna do that. Jessica Colburn: She was in therapy. But I've never physically hurt anyone. Nichols, then a 30-year-old day trader in Portland, Oregon, soon began tutoring Casto, who was taking college courses, and their relationship escalated. Julia Simmons: I just busted out crying. Julia Simmons: He had lost a bunch of money the year before. She is a scientifically tested and studied expert. I have no idea why she sent those. F--- all the past. I fully expected to spend the rest of my life with her, I have never done anything to harm her. Please note because this is blog is over a decade old some information has been lost in the multiple transitions between platforms. Jessica Colburn | Rhonda's friend: Yes. Greta Thunberg is seen LAUGHING with relaxed German riot cops who seem happy to Scotland Yard backs move to strip rapist police officer David Carrick of his 22,000-a-year pension. Julia Simmons: I think she was attracted not so much to his looks, but to his his -- what he had. I have nobody. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. She became the focus and the center of her life. Stephen Nichols was accused of pushing his fiance to her death off a dangerous hiking trail in 2009. Though Nichols says he doesnt remember much about what happened, he does recall Casto running along the narrow trail with a towel over her shoulders, like Superwoman, and he says he witnessed her fall. 5,751 following. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 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. I was like, "F--- America. Abu-Khalaf, Maysa. Didn't run to his parents the first person to whom he went was Melanie. olive tree children ministries; teaching blog; about our ministry; salvation prayer; contact us Rhonda Casto, the single mother who died after falling from a cliff while hiking, is the newest topic of CBS' 48 Hours. She was going to move out, but she was trying to get up the courage to do it. When asked presented with the idea that Nichols killed one sister to be with the other, he responded: 'Well you can believe whatever you want. 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