“I wish she was here, and I wish she could experience all the things that life has to offer still,” Colten Winder told “Dateline.”
It’s been nearly six months since his mother, 53-year-old Nicole “Nikki” Winder, vanished in Brazos County, Texas, on Feb. 25.
Since then, Colten and the rest of Nikki’s family have been searching for answers and holding on to hope they will one day see her again.
Nikki Winder grew up in Bryan, Texas, and spent most of her life in Brazos County.
Her eldest son, Colten, describes her as a “firecracker.” He says she is loud, fun and always giving back — the kind of person who would “give you the shirt off her back.” He told “Dateline” she regularly invited people who were not family to holiday gatherings, making sure no one spent Christmas or Thanksgiving alone.
Colten says Nikki was a devoted mother to him and his younger brother, Coy. He says Nikki had been a single mother since he was 6; she never missed their games and did everything possible to ensure he and Coy had what they needed.
Throughout her life, Nikki faced significant health challenges. She had several back surgeries, and during Colten’s senior year of high school, she was diagnosed with renal cell kidney cancer.
“She didn’t tell anybody,” Colten said. “She didn’t want to scare us.” His mother has been in remission since 2014.
In December, months before she went missing, Nikki was diagnosed again — this time with skin cancer. But she “never stopped fighting, never,” Colten said.
That same determination now drives Nikki’s family as they continue to search for answers.
“We’re never gonna stop fighting till we find her and get justice for her,” Colten vowed.
Colten says he last spoke to his mom on Feb. 24. The next day, he called her. “She didn’t answer,” he said. He wasn’t worried initially since he figured she may have been busy at work. Nikki worked in home healthcare. “I really didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
Later that day, still unable to reach his mom, Colten became increasingly concerned. Then his uncle called and said the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office had reached out about Nikki’s truck, which had been found on fire. Colten says he followed up with the sheriff’s office, which confirmed the information about the truck and informed him that Nikki was nowhere to be found. “They didn’t know any other details,” he said.
The next day, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook page asking for help locating Nikki. “Nikki was last seen at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in the 19000 block of FM 974 in Brazos County, Texas,” the post states. “At approximately 4:00 p.m., a vehicle on fire was located in the same area and was later confirmed to be Nikki’s vehicle—a white 2025 Chevy truck with black rims.” Authorities believe the fire was arson and the sheriff’s office later shared on Facebook that the vehicle was found on an oil pad site on FM 974 north of Highway 21.
On March 1, the sheriff’s office shared an update in Nikki’s case. “Since she was reported missing, search efforts have been conducted every day, and those efforts remain ongoing,” the post reads. They also thanked the nine agencies and organizations that assisted in the searches.
On March 5, the sheriff’s office asked residents in the area to check for video or photos from the area where Nikki was last seen. “Even the smallest detail could be important to our investigation,” they wrote.
On March 13, authorities released additional information on Facebook, along with key images from security footage. One was Nikki’s truck, and the other was a utility task vehicle (UTV). “We are trying to identify the driver or owner. It is unknown if this vehicle is connected to the case, but the operator may have seen something that could help,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
Following the release of that image, investigators gathered additional information about the UTV. On May 8, the sheriff’s office shared a case update requesting the public’s assistance in “locating a 2014 Polaris Ranger XP 900, believed to be connected to the disappearance of Nicole “Nikki” Winder.” They also released footage of the Polaris “traveling on FM 974 at approximately 3:20 PM on February 25, 2026.” The UTV is green, and the last four digits of the VIN are 7827.
On May 27, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office provided another update regarding Nikki’s case, posting that the day after Nikki went missing, investigators “located blood in a driveway around FM 974, on the property where Nikki had last been seen.”
Samples of the blood were submitted for forensic testing. “Laboratory results have now confirmed that the blood recovered from that location belongs to Nicole ‘Nikki’ Winder,” the update reads. “The amount of blood recovered reflects a serious injury.”
“The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are considered highly suspicious,” the sheriff’s office stated. They shared that they were still investigating the UTV and asked that “anyone who has seen this Polaris being moved, transported, stored, or otherwise observed at any point on or after February 25, 2026, to contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately.”
“Dateline” spoke with the Brazos County sheriff’s public information officer, Deputy Nathan Dennis, who shared that the department has searched thousands of acres and numerous properties in connection with her case. They’ve deployed drones, K-9 teams, third-party search organizations, search parties and a helicopter. Those efforts have not located Nikki.
On June 17, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office posted that search warrants had been executed “at two properties in the 19000 block of FM 974” in April, and that the Polaris was “among the items sought.” The UTV was not located during those searches.
Deputy Dennis says locating both the Polaris and whoever was driving it is still “very high” on their priority list. They’d like to “be able to put that puzzle piece kind of together” and see if that person had any role in Nikki’s disappearance.
“Our investigators are still talking, doing interviews, following up on information that comes in,” Dennis said. Investigators have considered multiple scenarios for what might have happened to Nikki in February. “We can’t say anything’s off the table.”
Dennis says the sheriff’s office has not publicly identified a suspect. “Because this remains an active investigation, we cannot discuss whether any particular person has been identified or considered a suspect by investigators,” he said. “I understand that it’s, you know, can be frustrating because there’s not a lot of information that we can share.” The priority remains resolving the case and finding Nikki. “We owe Nikki and her family answers — and our community.”
Nikki’s son Colten hopes people continue to talk about his mom and share information about her case. “Don’t stop saying her name,” he said. The family now wears bracelets that say “Justice for Nikki.” Members of the community have also started wearing the bracelets.
“Be her voice,” Colten said, “‘cause she doesn’t have a voice anymore.”
Nikki is described as 5’7”, 130 lbs., with green eyes and blond hair. She was last seen wearing a dark gray shirt and pink pants.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Nikki Winder, please contact the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office at 979-361-4900 or Brazos County Crime Stoppers at 979-775-TIPS (8477). Tips can be submitted anonymously. Crime Stoppers is also offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the recovery of the Polaris UTV.
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