Popular Cleveland reporter, 30, killed by uncle in murder-suicide, authorities say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nikki Delamotte was found dead inside a trailer with the body of her uncle who she recently reconnected with, a report said. (Facebook)
A popular Cleveland reporter found shot to death Monday inside a trailer with her uncle was killed by her relative in a murder-suicide, investigators said Wednesday.
Authorities determined Robert J. Delamotte, 67, shot Nikki Delamotte, 30, several times before he killed himself at his mobile home in Perrysburg Township, Ohio, according to Cleveland.com. Nikki Delamotte was a culture reporter for the website. The two were found dead Monday.
Nikki Delamotte died of multiple gunshot wounds and Robert Delamotte died of a single gunshot wound, the Lucas County Coroner’s Office said, according to Cleveland.com. Perrysburg police said Robert Delamotte shot his niece once in the head, once in the chest and also in the side.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police said they are investigating Nikki Delamotte's death as a homicide.
“My mind is still racing because there’s still the ‘why?’” Joanne Ullman, Nikki Delamotte’s mother, told Cleveland.com. “How could anything like this happen to my beautiful baby? Nothing makes sense in this world at this point.”
Two handguns owned by Robert Delamotte were recovered at the scene – a Ruger .380 and a Taurus .38 revolver. The revolver was used in the murder, police said.
Nikki Delamotte recently traveled to Wood County to reconnect with her father’s brother following the death of her maternal grandmother. She met up with her uncle last month and the two made plans to meet up again Sunday at a bar to watch football, Ullman told Cleveland.com.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“So she was going to go over and they were going go to some neighborhood bar and watch the game,” Ullman told Cleveland.com.
Ullman reported the 30-year-old reporter missing Monday after she didn’t get a response to text messages. Someone also reached out to Ullman on Facebook and expressed concern about Nikki, Cleveland.com reported.
Ullman said she went to the trailer and found her daughter’s car with her cell phone and wallet inside. Police soon arrived at the scene and confirmed two bodies were inside the residence.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s with heavy hearts we report the tragic death of Nikki Delamotte, a popular culture reporter with @clevelanddotcom. Nikki was found shot dead in a suspected homicide Monday in Wood County,” Cleveland.com tweeted.
Fox News' Katherine Lam contributed to this report.