Utah — 2000
For nearly twelve years, no one knew who the woman was.
Her remains had been found in an isolated field near the Great Saltair, close to the shores of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Investigators had a skull, a collection of bones, clothing, and a few personal items—but no name.
Locally, she became known as “Saltair Sally.”
It would take more than a decade before investigators finally discovered the truth: she was Nikole Kistina “Niki” Bakoles, a young mother from Washington state.
But identifying her was only the beginning.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain unanswered.
A FREE-SPIRITED YOUNG WOMAN
Nikole Bakoles was born on August 23, 1980, in Washington state.
Those who knew her remembered a creative and independent young woman. She enjoyed writing poetry, painting, and other artistic pursuits. She also loved being a mother.
In 1998, Nikole moved to Utah with her boyfriend, Joel Chaudoin. The couple eventually had a daughter.
But their lives became increasingly difficult.
Nikole and Chaudoin lost custody of their child, and around the same period, Nikole was reportedly dealing with legal problems and facing eviction from her apartment.
Her relationship with her family also became distant.
Then, in March 2000, Nikole was reportedly seen for the last time.
She had been involved in an argument with Chaudoin. According to his account, he left after the dispute and never saw her again.
Nikole’s family did not immediately realize that something terrible might have happened.
They believed she may have simply needed time away while dealing with the problems in her life.
By the time a missing-person report was filed in 2003, years had already passed.
THE WOMAN IN THE FIELD
On October 8, 2000, two duck hunters made a disturbing discovery near the Great Saltair concert venue.
Scattered across a field were human remains.
Investigators recovered a skull with waist-length blond hair, along with 26 additional bones. Nearby were pieces of clothing, including a shirt, as well as a blue choker necklace.
But there was no identification.
No confirmed name.
No family waiting for answers.
For the next twelve years, the woman remained a mystery.
Authorities eventually began referring to her as “Saltair Sally.”
A 12-YEAR SEARCH FOR HER NAME
The breakthrough finally came in 2012.
Investigators turned to forensic technology to learn more about the unidentified woman.
One of the techniques used was stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry, or SIRMS. By examining the chemical signatures preserved in her hair, investigators were able to develop clues about where she had spent time before her death.
The results suggested that she had traveled between Utah and the Pacific Northwest during the months before she died.
That information provided investigators with an important geographic connection.
Further DNA testing eventually connected the unidentified remains to the Bakoles family of Washington state.
After years of uncertainty, “Saltair Sally” finally had a name.
On August 7, 2012, authorities publicly announced that the remains belonged to Nikole Kistina Bakoles.
She had been missing for years.
And now her family finally knew what had happened to her—but not how she died.
AN IDENTITY, BUT NO ANSWER
Identifying Nikole did not solve the mystery.
The specific cause of her death has not been publicly released, and the case remains classified as an unsolved homicide.
Then came another disturbing development.
In 2012, someone claiming responsibility for Nikole’s death reportedly contacted authorities through an anonymous, untraceable telephone call.
But the caller did not provide investigators with enough information to establish what actually happened.
The identity of the caller remains unknown.
THE LAST MONTHS OF NIKOLE’S LIFE
Investigators have continued examining Nikole’s movements during the period surrounding her disappearance.
Authorities have questioned Joel Chaudoin, who was serving a prison sentence in Washington for unrelated crimes when police interviewed him in 2012.
However, he has not been named a suspect in Nikole’s death.
Investigators have continued asking anyone who may have encountered Nikole—or Chaudoin—between January and June 2000 to come forward.
Those months may hold the missing pieces of the case.
Where was Nikole?
Who was she with?
And what happened between the time she disappeared and the moment her remains were discovered near the Great Saltair?
“SALTAIR SALLY”
Nikole’s story eventually became intertwined with the folklore surrounding the Great Salt Lake.
Some people have claimed to see the apparition of a woman near the southern shores of the lake, and local stories have associated these sightings with the unidentified woman once known as “Saltair Sally.”
These reports are part of local folklore and have never established what happened to Nikole.
Her story also reached television.
The paranormal series Ghost Adventures featured the Great Saltair in an episode titled “The Great Saltair Curse,” which aired in July 2021. The episode explored the venue’s history and local beliefs about paranormal activity in the area.
But behind the folklore is a very real woman whose family spent years without knowing what became of her.
THE CASE THAT STILL HAS QUESTIONS
Nikole Bakoles was no longer “Saltair Sally” after 2012.
She had her identity back.
But an identity is not the same thing as justice.
More than two decades after her remains were discovered, important questions surrounding her death remain unanswered.
Who was responsible?
Why was Nikole killed?
Who made the anonymous call claiming responsibility?
And does someone still know what happened to her during those final months of her life?
Nikole was a daughter.
She was a mother.
She was an artist who loved poetry and painting, and a young woman whose life was cut short before her story could unfold.
For twelve years, the world knew her only as Saltair Sally.
Today, her name is known.
Her killer is not.
This story is based on publicly available information and reported facts. It has been independently written and presented for informational purposes. Images, if any, belong to their respective owners.