Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"I know and I can say that Nicole could not have done this. The home she was living in, we just feel it wasn't a great place for our children to have been loved." — Carlos (Alexa's father)
"The medical examiner makes their rulings based on what's in front of them. And that's it. They don't look at the totality of the crime scene, the circumstances surrounding the death, things like that." — Ashley Flowers (Host)
"Project Absentist was created to help families by quote serving as a liaison between the family's law enforcement media and the public end quote." — Ashley Flowers (Host)
This episode details the tragic case of Nicole Olson and her two daughters, Alexa Montez and London Bribiescas, found deceased in their South Central Texas home. The initial 911 call from Charles Wheeler, Nicole's boyfriend, suggested a murder-suicide, with him claiming Nicole had killed her daughters before taking her own life. However, inconsistencies and a lack of definitive evidence from the outset, coupled with the friends' and fathers' insistence that Nicole would never harm her children, immediately cast doubt on this theory. The investigation faced challenges due to limited public information, with law enforcement keeping many details closely guarded.
As the investigation progressed, evidence emerged suggesting a pattern of emotional abuse in Nicole's relationship with Charles. Friends reported instances of control and isolation, and Nicole had reportedly been planning to move with her daughters. Despite this, investigators initially found no signs of forced entry or struggle, and preliminary findings aligned with the murder-suicide theory. However, autopsy reports later confirmed homicides for Alexa and London, while ruling Nicole's death a suicide, a finding that did not satisfy the families or law enforcement, who continued to investigate other possibilities, including the involvement of a stranger.
The case became mired in delays, lack of communication with the families, and the designation of Charles as a "person of interest" without further public explanation. The involvement of the FBI and the acquisition of new technology, such as the "Burla" device for vehicle data, offered potential breakthroughs, but the investigation remained open and unresolved for years. Civil suits filed by the fathers against Charles alleged he was responsible for leaving the children in harm's way, pointing to specific text messages and unanswered 911 calls as critical details. The episode concludes with the case being handed over to a cold case detective, leaving the families still seeking definitive answers and justice.