A popular and beloved Ohio reporter found shot to death on Monday morning was apparently killed by her own uncle.
Cleveland.com reports Nikki Delamotte, 30, died inside a Perrysburg Township, Ohio, trailer on Sunday night. According to authorities, Nikki went to the Friendly Village mobile home park to visit her uncle, in an attempt to reconnect with him following her maternal grandmother’s death. The uncle, identified as Robert J. Delamotte, 67, was the brother of Nikki’s father.
According to the Lucas County Coroner’s Office, Nikki was shot in her chest, side, and forehead. The suspect then shot himself once in the head, causing fatal injuries. Authorities found a Ruger .380 and a Taurus .38 revolver inside the trailer; the .38 revolver was used in the killings.
Nikki's death is also a stark and useful reminder that the work of one committed and resourceful reporter can truly touch the lives of many. https://t.co/bYolor9WmS
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) November 16, 2018
“My mind is still racing because there’s still the ‘why?’” Nikki’s mother, JoAnne Ullman, said on Wednesday. “How could anything like this happen to my beautiful baby? Nothing makes sense in this world at this point.”
Nikki, who worked as a culture reporter for cleveland.com, had little contact with her uncle after parents divorced numerous years ago. Ullam told the outlet that Nikki had positive childhood memories of her uncle and planned to go to a local sports bar with him to watch a football game and reconnect.
The grieving mother also said Nikki had pulled out several childhood photos of her uncle and brought the pictures with her when she left to meet up with Dellamotte.
Aside from a few traffic infractions, Delamotte didn’t have an apparent criminal history. Authorities indicated they were never called to his trailer for any previous issues. Neighbors reportedly said he lived alone in the trailer and rarely had visitors over.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Chris Quinn, an editor at cleveland.com, remembered Nikki as a kind person with “the highest ideals.”
“Nikki represented the highest ideals of what we do, the very best of who we are. She told the stories of people our audience would not otherwise meet. More than anything, she was kind, in an age when we need kindness. She never failed to leave an impression. Our hearts ache tonight at the loss of our dear friend and colleague.”
Another cleveland.com editor, Troy L. Smith, wrote, “I envied her strong will. I respected her writing skill. I adored her soul.”
So far, authorities have not released a motive in the senseless tragedy.
The story continues to develop. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Nikki Delamotte/Facebook]
