NOTE: Much more on the Nikki Alcaraz/Steven Stratton case — a national panic of which this reporter was not aware — at this Google News search.

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Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On May 30, 2023 at approximately 7:15 a.m., Officers from the Eureka Police Department (EPD) were dispatched to the 100 block of 4th Street on a report of a missing person, Nikki Michelle Alcaraz, who had been spotted at this location on May 29, 2023.

It has been reported that Nikki Alcaraz had been on a road trip from Tennessee to California with her boyfriend, Steven Stratton. On May 9, 2023, an alleged domestic violence act occurred between Alcaraz and Stratton in New Mexico. The investigating agency released both Alcaraz and Stratton after investigating the incident. Several days later, both Alcaraz and Stratton left the area together and had not been seen since. This led to a missing person report being filed on Alcaraz in New Mexico.

EPD officers investigated the sighting in Eureka and were able to confirm that both Alcaraz and Stratton were still together and had been at the location.

On May 30, 2023 at approximately 2:25 p.m., a citizen phoned EPD and advised they had seen the vehicle associated with Alcaraz and Stratton traveling south on Broadway. Officers were dispatched to the vicinity and located the vehicle parked at Pacific Plaza. Both Alcaraz and Stratton were contacted inside the vehicle. Alcaraz and Stratton cooperated with officers. Alcaraz told officers that she was okay and didn’t need any assistance. A check on Stratton revealed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of Tennessee with full extradition. Stratton’s warrant was for failure to appear on a theft related offense. Stratton was taken into custody without incident and transported and booked at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.

Alcaraz was provided information on local resources and released from the scene. The reporting agency in New Mexico was notified of the contact with Alcaraz.