Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

Kara Nichols missing since Oct. 9 was believed to be coming to Denver for work
Lingerie model was last seen in Colorado Springs
Posted: 11/01/2012

(http://media.thedenverchannel.com/photo/2012/11/01/kara-nichols_1351805770553_320482_ver1.0_320_240.jpg)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A woman from Colorado Springs was believed to be headed to Denver for work in early October, but hasn't been heard from since.

According to El Paso County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Joe Roybal, Kara Nichols, 19, was last seen in Colorado Springs. She was normally in regular contact with her family and friends and was last seen on Oct. 9, but has not been heard from since Oct. 10.

Roybal said investigators are concerned her disappearance could be suspicious.  They issued an alert for her on Thursday.

 ::snipping2::

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/kara-nichols-missing-since-oct-9-was-believed-to-be-coming-to-denver-for-work

(http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/69/80/6980391e30032903b0ac675972ff39cb.jpg)

http://www.examiner.com/article/missing-teen-kara-nichols-family-on-right-track

Her Model Mayhem link: 

http://www.modelmayhem.com/2629622


From her photos it appears she would also do nudes.  I'm afraid she ran into a bad person.   ::MonkeyNoNo::

Deputies: Missing aspiring model may be exploitation victim

Published November 21, 2012



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –  A 19-year-old aspiring model from Colorado missing since October may be the victim of a subculture that exploits would-be models, authorities said.

Kara Nichols was last seen on Oct. 9 in the Colorado Springs area. Investigators say she was believed to be traveling to Denver for employment purposes, but authorities are concerned her disappearance could be suspicious

 ::snipping2::

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/21/deputies-missing-aspiring-model-may-be-exploitation-victim/

PUBLISHED: 23:51 GMT, 21 November 2012

Police hunt two women after 19-year-old model vanishes and is 'feared to have been abducted'
Kara Nichols vanished on October 9 on her way to work in Denver

 Officers are searching for two unnamed brunettes who were among the last seen with the teen
 They believe she's been targeted by crime group that exploits wanna-be models

 Ms Nichols hasn't used social media or her cell phone since she disappeared, which police say is 'uncharacteristic'

Police are hunting two women they think may be linked to the disappearance of an aspiring teen model who vanished last month.
 
Kara Nichols, 19, went missing after leaving her Colorado Springs home on October 9 and was last seen with a brown-haired woman who detectives believe may have information about the young woman's whereabouts.
 
On Tuesday, El Paso County Sheriff's Office called the case suspicious, adding that Ms Nichols may have been exploited by an individual or group claiming they could further her modelling career.
 
'Even if this young lady has no information, just the simple fact that she could tell us how they parted, what her parting words might have been, could be huge,' El Paso County Sheriff's Detective Cliff Porter told ABC News.

Police are also seeking a second brunette who they said associated with Nichols, however they would not elaborate on the nature of their relationship or frequency of their contact.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/21/article-2236603-1627DE16000005DC-297_634x805.jpg)

 ::snipping2::

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236603/Kara-Nichols-missing-Police-hunt-women-case-missing-model-19-believe-abducted-organised-crime-group.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Kara Nichols: Police Seeking Two Women for Questioning in Teen Model's Disappearance (VIDEO)

Nov. 21, 2012

Police in Colorado investigating the disappearance of 19-year-old aspiring model Kara Nichols are now looking for two women who were last seen with Nichols before she vanished.
 
El Paso, Colo., County Sheriff Terry Maketa said Tuesday that Nichols, who disappeared after leaving her Colorado Springs home Oct. 9, spent much of that day in the company of a brown-haired woman, who although is not a suspect, is a person of interest in the case.
 
"Even if this young lady has no information, just the simple fact that she could tell us how they parted, what her parting words were, could be huge," El Paso County Sheriff's Detective Cliff Porter said.
 
Police are also seeking a second woman, also with brown hair, who they said associated with Nichols. They're not sure about the nature and frequency of their contact but said they believe that someone who has knowledge of the modeling world could have information about Nichols, or the two women.
 
 ::snipping2::

http://abcnews.go.com/US/kara-nichols-police-seeking-women-questioning-teen-models/story?id=17780397#.UK1bH6pbb-V

Kara's image is in both of these ads  ::MonkeyEek:: Wonder if they stole the image off of her Model Mayhem or if she was taken by a ring that targets models?

iT'spL@YT!Me
 views: 5087
by 702hotgirl on Nov. 25 2012, 2:53 pm
 City: Las Vegas
Hey...I'm Star--
I'm the ONE you have been
looking for!
I love to cater to upscale
 ::snipping2::
Edit to remove link.  MB
Escourts in College
Date of Post: Tue September 25th, 2012
Im new in town and im looking to have some fun. Ill only be here for tonight so hurry and call me Naomi
Edit to remove link. MB

I've edited out the links back to the sites.  Please don't link to them.   The photos within them are inappropriate for viewing here.   Suffice to say, they are soft porn.  MB

Sorry Muffy.  I thought it would be ok to post the link as they are the same images she had in her model mayhem account Klass linked to above.  Sorry to cause you extra work. 

Kara Nichols update: Missing model may be victim of Colorado sex traffickers, police say
Posted: 9:00 AM Nov 27


DENVER - Investigators confirm to 7NEWS they are following up on new leads in the search for Kara Nichols, an aspiring model from Colorado Springs.

El Paso County Sheriff's investigators wouldn't say what the leads were, but the developments come nearly a week after the 19-year-old's family came forward pleading for the public's help finding their daughter.

 ::snipping2::


There aren't reliable statistics on victims because they're within what is called a "hidden population." Experts and law enforcement officials admit it is a big and growing problem in Colorado. In fact, a study is currently underway in the area to get a better gauge of how many victims there are.

This year alone, Prax(us) has helped 70 people in Denver who are coming out of the trafficking or exploitive situations.

The FBI even has an investigative squad focused on investigating cases of child exploitation in Colorado.

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/kara-nichols-update-missing-model-may-be-victim-of-colorado-sex-traffickers-police-say

Northern Rose, I see what you're saying and I should have explained, but from experience, I've found sometimes sites like the ones you linked back to and some others have may photos or  ads that go beyond even the photos initially seen.   ::MonkeyEek::  When monkeys start linking back to some of those sites, mods or Klaas have to check each link and hopefully catch anything that's inappropriate.  And lemme tell ya, there's been a few shots we don't want to see here.  They showed the real deals!!  :smt103  Keep in mind too that some sites are security risks for your computer.  So yeah, I like to really limit links to that stuff.  Thank you for understanding.  ::bee::

Missing Colorado teen's photo turns up in Las Vegas escort ad
Posted:   11/28/2012 09:20:46 PM MST
Updated:   11/28/2012 09:56:39 PM MST

A photo of Colorado Springs teen Kara Nichols turned up on a Las Vegas website offering escorts, but it was not posted by the missing 19-year-old, the El Paso County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday evening.

"We have no confirmation that she is in Vegas." El Paso County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Joe Roybal told the Colorado Springs Gazette.

The picture of the aspiring model used on the adult services website was previously available on the Internet, officials said.

 ::snipping2::

http://**/recommended/ci_22086905

I may get rotten  ::bananadance:: 's thrown at me, but she is 19...what if she is doing what she wants to be doing? I know---then again, what if she isn't......... sad either way.

Kara Nichols Missing Update: Colorado Teenager Model Photo Found on Website, Victim of Human Sex Trafficking? [PHOTOS]
Dec 01, 2012 10:39 PM EST

A 19-year-old Colorado teen model named Kara Nichols was reported missing less than two months. Recently, photos of the teenager was found on a Las Vegas escort service website. This may provide clues for the police investigation to find the young aspiring model.

The erotic photos that were discovered were taken down from the website and there has been no more confirmed reports about Nichols being in Las Vegas.

"We had not seen those photos. Those are not in her bedroom. I don't know if they are a Photoshopped situation or not," Michelle Bart said representing Nichols' family. "Unfortunately, this has definitely shaken the family quite a bit, that somebody would be this vicious."

 ::snipping2::

http://www.mstarz.com/articles/6711/20121201/kara-nichols-missing-update-colorado-teenager-model-photo-found-website-human-sex-trafficking.htm

How a missing Colorado teen ended up on a Vegas escort site
Dec 5, 2012 (3:11 p.m.)
 
If cameras steal our souls, then the Internet sells them  I’m talking about Google Images sharing my fifth-grade class picture, among other humiliations. When images post—however, wherever and in spite of privacy settings and site agreements—they can be vulnerable to public outing and even repurposing without our knowledge.

A sad example is 19-year-old lingerie model Kara Nichols, who’s been missing from her Colorado town since early October. When her face was discovered on a Vegas escort site, authorities thought she might be here, but it turns out the portraits were used sans her permission. “In speaking with authorities from the Las Vegas area, they say that it’s quite common for escort businesses to simply shop around on the Internet and find photos like that,” Lt. Jeff Kramer of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office told Colorado news station KRDO.

 ::snipping2::

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/dec/05/how-missing-colorado-teen-ended-vegas-escort-site/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/09/kara-nichols-missing_n_4072637.html

Model Kara Nichols Has Been Missing For One Year, Family Offers Reward For Any Information
The Huffington Post  |  By Matt Ferner   
Posted: 10/09/2013 3:39 pm EDT

One year ago today, 19-year-old Colorado Springs model Kara Nichols disappeared on her way to Denver for a modeling photo shoot. She hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Investigators told 7News that tips continue to come in regarding Nichols, some as recently as last week, but many have not proved fruitful.

Despite the lull in new information in the case, Nichols' family continues the search hoping she will be found alive.

"It has been one year since our beloved daughter Kara Nichols went missing from her residence in Colorado Springs, and our family is bracing for another holiday season without her," Paul and Julia Nichols, parents of Kara, wrote on the "Help Us Find Kara Nichols" Facebook page Wednesday.

"We will never give up hope of finding Kara," the parents added. "Someone, somewhere, knows what happened and we are begging that person to leave a tip with the El Paso Co. Sheriff’s Department."

Nichols' parents are offering a $1000 reward for information leading to answers in the disappearance of their daughter, who would now be 20-years-old.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, then 19-year-old Kara Nichols was last seen on Oct. 9, 2012 in Colorado Springs after leaving for work in Denver.

Police said Nichols was traveling to Denver for a modeling job with two unidentified women. It is unclear if she arrived and her current whereabouts are a mystery.

One of the women traveling with Nichols was interviewed by the police, but her name has not been released. Authorities are still looking for the second woman.

Attempts by authorities to reach Nichols via her cellphone -- the last call from Nichols' cellphone was at 11:45 p.m. the day she went missing -- or to determine the phone's location have been unsuccessful, Sgt. Joe Roybal told The Huffington Post.

 ::snipping3::

Kara Nichols is a white female, 5'8" tall, 120 pounds, with blond hair and green eyes. Anyone with information about Nichols’ whereabouts should call Detective Cliff Porter at (719) 520-7227.

http://blogs.gazette.com/crimeroundup/2013/10/09/search-continues-for-kara-nichols-one-year-after-disappearance/

Search continues for Kara Nichols one year after disappearance
Published: October 9, 2013, 10:12 am, by Andrea Sinclair

(http://blogs.gazette.com/crimeroundup/files/2013/10/Kara-Nichols-+-parents-300x225.jpg)
Kara Nichols and her parents

Kara Nichols, 20, disappeared exactly one year ago, last seen in her home in east Colorado Springs. Her family and friends, as well as  the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office have continued searching for her and although tips have kept coming in, nothing has panned out.

 ::snipping3::

Kara Nichols was 19 when she disappeared, last seen by her roommates at their home on the 6700 block of Mission Road, off Galley Road and Platte Avenue. On the evening of Oct. 9, last year, she told her roommates that she planned to go to Denver, but investigators have said that she did not take her purse or money with her. Her cell phone went completely dark after that and she hasn’t been heard from or seen since.

Anyone with information about Kara Nichols’ whereabouts can call El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Detective Tammy Gugliotta at 719-390-5555 or email TIPS@nwcave.org or findkaranichols@gmail.com.

For more information, visit www.KaraNichols.org.

http://www.krdo.com/news/family-renews-pleas-for-answers-one-year-after-daughters-disappearance/-/417220/22357456/-/14fupctz/-/index.html

Family renews pleas for answers one year after daughter's disappearance

Chris Loveless, Digital Content Director , c.loveless@krdo.com
Joe Dominguez, Weekend Evening Anchor/Reporter, j.dominguez@krdo.com
POSTED: 03:09 PM MDT Oct 09, 2013  UPDATED: 05:42 PM MDT Oct 09, 2013

COLORADO SPRINGS -

It has been one year since loved ones have heard from Kara Nichols.

The then 19-year-old left her home in Colorado Springs on Oct. 9, 2012 for a modeling job in Denver. She never came back. The last call on Nichols' cellphone was recorded at 11:45 that night.

 ::snipping3::

In July, Nichols' parents announced a $1,000 reward for information leading directly to Kara's whereabouts.

Kara Nichols had an online modeling profile on the site Model Mayhem and had become involved in drugs and prostitution before she went missing. Investigators have said that they believe foul play may be involved in the disappearance.

A former teacher of Nichols' won't give up hope she'll see her friend again. Dina Wood called Nichols funny, smart, artistic and well spoken.

"She would be at my desk all the time," said Wood. "I was not easy on her. I was tough because I could see the potential."

Wood believes her former student was targeted by sex traffickers and taken but thinks Nichols is smart enough to survive an ordeal like that.

"Unfortunately, so many good young women do go missing and we find them, they are the miracles like Elizabeth Smart and the women in Cleveland," said Wood.

https://www.facebook.com/HelpUsFindKaraNichols

 ::MonkeyNoNo::

http://gazette.com/parents-of-missing-colorado-springs-woman-shocked-over-recording-from-el-paso-county-sheriffs-office/article/1520725#vqvjkAEmDjxzQ4f8.99

Parents of missing Colorado Springs woman shocked over recording from El Paso County Sheriff's Office

By Lisa Walton, lisa.walton@gazette.com - • Updated: May 30, 2014 at 6:54 am • 25

The parents of Kara Nichols, a 19-year-old Colorado Springs model who went missing in 2012, say they are in disbelief over a recording released by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office earlier this week that suggests the initial investigator brushed off the case.

In the 50-minute recording, a man identified as patrol deputy Cliff Porter is confronted in by Undersheriff Paula Presley, Law Enforcement Bureau Chief Al Harmon and Sheriff Terry Maketa about statements he made in the Nichols case.

Porter was taken off the case after a couple of months, but he came under fire after statements he made to his replacement were reported to his superiors. He repeated those statements in meeting apparently recorded in March.

"I said you know ... maybe somebody would finally just say, look, this is a cold case, this girl is probably dead, we're going to work the leads but we're going to shelve this thing, and we won't overreact every time Mr. Nichols comes in," the man says in the recording.

 ::snipping3::

On Thursday, Julia and Paul Nichols released a statement in response to the recording and Porter's lawsuit.

"The fact that Deputy Porter has the gall to use our daughter's case as a way to cover his own ineptitude is infuriating," their statement read.

Julia Nichols said the recording indicates that Porter mishandled the case - something they believed all along.

"In the first few weeks, we were wondering why he wouldn't respond to our calls, and when he did, he seemed very cynical, very negative about the possibility of finding our daughter alive," Julia Nichols said Thursday. She said the family's requests to meet Porter were dealt with reluctantly.

A new detective was assigned to the case in February 2013, she said. But she believes the case has gone cold, and criticizes the Sheriff's Office for being ineffective.

"You just wonder what else has gone on. You wonder how many other victims have been treated like this," Nichols said. "It just re-victimized a family who's already suffering."

Porter's attorney, Erin Jensen, said his client would not comment on an open missing person's investigation.

http://www.koaa.com/news/mother-of-missing-woman-speaks-out-after-sheriff-s-office-releases-interview-amid-controversy/

 21 hours 6 minutes ago by Kelsey Kennedy
Mother of Missing Woman Speaks out After Sheriff's Office Releases Interview amid Controversy

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office released an old audio recording of an interview done with Deputy Cliff Porter, who has filed a complaint of abuse and sexual favoritism against the sheriff.

During the 50-minute long interview, Porter was questioned about some controversial comments he made about the investigation into Kara Nichols. She was last ween in October of 2012.

The recording is very upsetting to Kara's family. Her mother, Julia Nichols, says Deputy Porter was disengaged from the beginning, refusing to take their calls or meet with the family.

"He was very dismissive," she says. "He made assumptions such as he immediately thought that our daughter was dead and told us so without having done much investigative work."

Porter says in the recording he was frustrated with lack of leads to follow up on.

"Look, this is a cold case. This girl's probably dead. We're going to work the leads, but we're going to shelve this thing, and we won't overreact when Mr. Nichols comes in."

Nichols says the recording is simply heartbreaking.

"To learn now that he complained about our concerns, the natural concerns of a family when a person goes missing, is more than appalling."

She says once the case was transferred to another detective, her family was kept informed and treated with respect. Julia is holding out hope that Kara will be found.

 ::snipping3::

Julia says the department contacted her family on Wednesday to ensure they are still actively following leads to find Kara.

Looks like the sheriff's in hot water too.   ::MonkeyNoNo::

http://www.koaa.com/news/el-paso-county-commissioners-vote-unanimously-to-ask-maketa-to-resign/

 May 29, 2014 3:12 PM by Eric Ross, David Randall
El Paso County Commissioners vote unanimously to ask Maketa to resign

UPDATE: The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to ask Sheriff Maketa to resign.  Maketa will have to decide if he leaves office or not.  They cannot force him to do so.

EL PASO COUNTY - County commissioners are meeting Thursday morning.  On the agenda, is a discussion about how to handle the accusations against El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa.  Sheriff Maketa had been under investigation by the commissioners after allegations that he promoted under qualified female staff members to key positions after becoming romantically involved with them.  The commissioners removed themselves from the investigation after retaining outside counsel.

Many of these accusations came to light after an EEOC complaint was filed by three members of the EPCSO command staff. Those staff members were placed on leave shortly thereafter. The Sheriff's Office denies that there is a connection between the commanders being placed on leave, and an employment complaint.

 ::snipping3::



http://www.koaa.com/files/Statement.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/HelpUsFindKaraNichols/photos/a.437580099628883.116610.433766176676942/892900550763500/?type=1&theater

Thankful her family finally has answers.  Rest in peace, Kara.  ::MonkeyTears:: ::MonkeyAngel::

Justice for Kara!  ::MonkeyAngel:: ::justice2nj2::

https://gazette.com/news/crime/potential-remains-of-kara-nichols-found-one-suspect-arrested-in-connection-with-disappearance/article_4b747fee-8937-11ec-a2c4-c7ddadc3de7a.html

Possible remains of Kara Nichols found, 1 suspect arrested in connection with disappearance
Hugh Johnson hugh.johnson@gazette.com Feb 8, 2022 Updated 6 min ago

One man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the disappearance and death of 19-year-old Kara Nichols, who was reported missing nearly 10 years ago, officials with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office announced at a press conference Tuesday.

Joel Hollendorfer, 46, was arrested after female remains were found in the 9600 block of Burgess Road Monday, Sheriff Bill Elder announced. The Coroner's Office tentatively identified the remains as Nichols on Tuesday.

According to Elder, deputies found critical, new information upon conducting another interview with a witness as part of a routine cold case review. Based on a new lead from the information gathered, a team including the Federal Bureau of Investigation's evidence and response team and deputies with the Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant where the remains were found.

 ::snipping3::

She was found approximately 15 miles from where she lived and was last seen.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/kara-nichols-remains-discovered-10-years-after-disappearance-joel-hollendorfer-arrested

19-Year-Old’s Remains Discovered Decade After Disappearance, Suspect Arrested
COLD CASE CLOSED
After the sheriff’s office re-interviewed a key witness, a search warrant led to remains at the rural home of a suspect, who has been charged with murder.

Blake Montgomery
Reporter/Editor
Published Feb. 08, 2022 7:40PM ET

The remains of a 19-year-old who went missing a decade ago were found this week, Colorado authorities said on Tuesday.

Kara Nichols’ remains were discovered in the rural Black Forest area while police executed a search warrant at the home of a suspect, El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder said at a Tuesday press conference. Joel Hollendorfer, 46, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and felony evidence tampering in connection with Nichols’ disappearance. The sheriff’s office did not describe Hollendorfer’s relationship to Nichols. The identification of the remains was preliminary, Elder said, and the coroner’s office would be conducting a more thorough investigation before making an official announcement, though Elder said his office felt confident in the findings.

Nichols was reported missing on Oct. 14, 2012. Her brother Terry had been the last person to see her alive, five days earlier, according to the sheriff’s office. An aspiring model who lived in Colorado Springs, she had been en route to Denver when she disappeared. She told her friends she was traveling for a photoshoot. Nichols had a history of heroin use and had just come out of rehab, her father, Paul, told police at the time.

“There’s nothing anyone can say to bring Kara back, but we hope recovering Kara’s remains will bring closure and comfort to her family,” said Leonard Carollo, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Denver.

After “dozens of search warrants” and “leads that spanned the U.S. and Europe,” the cops were led to Hollendorfer’s home after re-interviewing a key witness in the case with the help of the FBI, the sheriff said, calling the case a “long and difficult road.” The investigation remains ongoing.

 ::snipping3::

https://www.facebook.com/EPCSheriffsOffice/posts/309544214532999

EPC Sheriff's Office
Posted 1 hour ago

Arrest Made in Kara Nichols Case

19 year-old Kara Nichols was last seen by a family member on October 9, 2012. She was last seen leaving the 6700 block of Mission Road located in Unincorporated El Paso County. Her family reported her missing on October 14, 2012.

Mid-January of 2022, a cold case review was being conducted on this case. A witness was located and interviewed. There was critical information given in that interview which provided a significant new lead. Based on that lead, on February 7, 2022, a search warrant was obtained and a team of El Paso County Sheriff's Office Detectives and Specialists alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Evidence Response Team were deployed to the 9600 block of Burgess Road. That search lead to the recovery of female human remains.

On February 8, 2022, the El Paso County Coroner's Office has tentatively identified the victim as Kara Nichols.

Joel Hollendorfer was arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail on charges of 2nd Degree Murder and Tampering with Physical Evidence, his mugshot is attached.

There have been hundreds of hours worked on this case, dozens of search warrants executed, and numerous leads which have come in over the duration of this case spanning across the United States and Europe.

These types of cases are complex and difficult to solve. It is imperative to use every resource available. This is accomplished through the relationships we have built with our law enforcement partners, to include the FBI, the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office, as well as many others. We would like to extend our gratitude to these agencies for their time, effort, and resources.

They understand the importance of finding justice for victims of violent crime.

We would like to recognize and applaud the tenacity and the dedication of the El Paso County Investigations Division.

Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Kara Nichols.

If anyone has any information on this case, you are urged to contact the Investigations Tip Line at 719-520-6666.

 ::MonkeyNoNo:: ::MonkeyTears::

Justice for Kara!  ::justice2nj2::

https://www.fox21news.com/top-stories/authorities-kara-nichols-remains-were-found-in-a-horse-grave-on-hollendorfers-property/

Authorities: Kara Nichols’ remains were found in a horse grave on Hollendorfer’s property

by: Paige Weeks, Lauren Scharf

Posted: Feb 10, 2022 / 12:52 PM MST / Updated: Feb 11, 2022 / 05:46 AM MST

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. — FOX21 has obtained more information about how 19-year-old Kara Nichols’ remains were found ten years after she mysteriously disappeared.

Kara Nichols was last seen on Oct. 9 by her roommates. On Oct. 14, 2012, Kara’s father, Paul Nichols, contacted the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) and told authorities his daughter was missing. During that conversation, Nichols told authorities his daughter had a history of heroin use and had recently been in rehabilitation.

Investigators later learned Kara was working as an escort and had recently created advertisements for her services. As authorities continued to investigate, they were able to retrieve Kara’s cellphone records, which included conversation between her and Joel Hollendorfer.

Those texts indicated Hollendorfer hoped to meet Kara for her escort services. When authorities later asked Hollendorfer about those messages, he admitted to talking with Kara, but denied ever meeting her in-person.

In addition to text messages and phone calls, investigators were able to track Kara’s last known location thanks to AT&T Mobility Usage data and phone towers. Through that technology, authorities discovered Kara travelled from Galley Road all the way to Burgess Road – specifically, 9665 Burgess Road – where Hollendorfer and his parents lived.

In October 2014, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the home and property. EPSO deputies, members from NecroSearch International, Colorado Bureau of Investigations, the Colorado Springs Police Department Metro Crime Lab, and several cadaver dogs searched the property.

During that time, investigators interviewed Joel’s mother, Betty Hollendorfer, who suggested that authorities search the property across the street. When authorities released four cadaver dogs onto that property, each dog headed toward one specific spot. There, investigators found an area that had been “systemically excavated, and it was apparent that roots were dug up at the site and a hole had been dug approximately the perimeter size of a human body.”

Yet, no human remains were found.

For the next nine years, the case remained cold. But that changed in January 2022 when Joel Hollendorfer’s wife, Kristina Palmer (Hollendorfer) spoke to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

During that conversation, Palmer told authorities Hollendorfer admitted he accidentally killed an escort he hired several years ago and had buried her body on his parents’ property on top of an old horse grave.

Palmer also told authorities she believed Hollendorfer’s parents knew about the murder and were covering for their son.

On Feb. 7, 2022, Hollendorfer was taken into custody on an unrelated warrant. During an interview with authorities, Hollendorfer again denied ever meeting Kara and said he had nothing to do with her death.

However, when authorities asked Hollendorfer to identify the location where several family horses had been buried, he pointed out a specific spot and described it as a “dry patch with a high spot” and insisted that nothing was buried there.

But, when authorities asked Hollendorfer’s mother about the same spot, she said that was where her favorite horse was buried.

On Feb. 3 (I think that's a typo and they meant the 8th), authorities visited the spot that was originally flagged by cadaver dogs a decade ago. There, three feet down, they found a black garbage bag. Inside were human remains. Those human remains were later confirmed to be Kara Nichols.

Authorities now believe Hollendorfer picked Kara up near Mission Road in order to have consensual sex near his parents’ home. Sometime during their encounter, Hollendorfer strangled Kara until she died. He then took her to his parents’ property where he buried her.

To read the full affidavit, click here: https://www.fox21news.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2022/02/22CR7141.pdf

Hollendorfer has been booked into the El Paso County Jail on bonds totaling over one million dollars. He is expected to be in court on Feb. 17, 2022.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact EPSO’s Investigations Tip Line at 719-520-6666.