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Megan Nichols, a 15-year-old girl from Illinois, went missing in the summer of 2014.
She left a handwritten note saying she never wanted to be found, and her cell phone had been wiped clean—indicating that the disappearance was neither accidental nor entirely unaccompanied. Within hours, her boyfriend, 18-year-old Brody Murbarger, returned home alone, immediately arousing suspicion among her family and police.
As the investigation progressed, authorities found Megan’s blood in Murbarger’s car during a forensic examination in 2017, further compounding the case. Subsequently, police recovered Megan’s body in a shallow grave the same year. An autopsy confirmed that Megan had died of suffocation, which was a homicide by intent.
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Megan's story is presented in an upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered titled The Note. The episode begins with a preview titled "Megan Nichols left a note she never wanted to be found," which shows the emotional and serious background of the case.
The episode is set to make its debut on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at 9 pm ET, on the Oxygen Channel.
The true story behind Megan Nichols' murder explored
As per Missinginillinois's reports, Megan Nichols was reported missing on July 3, 2014, when she mysteriously disappeared from her home. The note she left behind said she wanted to stay away from her family, and her mobile phone was completely wiped clean. This led to the suspicion that she had intentionally disappeared, but her young age and the circumstances kept the investigation skeptical.
As per the same report, the investigation soon turned to her boyfriend, Brody Murbarger, who was last seen with Nichols before she disappeared. Murbarger returning alone the next day was a big clue to the investigation.
Authorities investigated Murbarger's actions and analyzed statements he made that did not match the events. Despite the lack of testimony and evidence, suspicions continued to grow.
According to Attorney General Kwame Raoul, three years later, in 2017, forensic experts found Nichols' blood in Murbarger's car—the decisive evidence that determined the course of the case. This breakthrough was possible due to efforts that included re-examining previously collected evidence and using advanced forensic technology.
The postmortem report confirmed that Megan had died of suffocation, and it was ruled a homicide. The body was in such a bad condition that the time of death and other circumstances could not be ascertained, but it became clear that this was not a case of suicide but a premeditated murder in which her boyfriend's role was clear, as per the reports.
Court proceedings in Megan Nichols' murder explored
According to KFVS 12, Brody Murbarger, 27, was tried on charges of first-degree murder on October 3, 2022. The prosecution presented DNA and blood evidence, as well as investigation reports on Murbarger's activities and motives. All of this information matched the timeline of Megan's disappearance and death in 2014.
Following a trial, Murbarger was found guilty and given a 50-year prison sentence on October 13, 2022. According to the reports, the accused was intimately involved in the crime, and Megan's death was determined to be a premeditated murder based on the evidence that was presented in court.
What began as the disappearance of Megan Nichols led to years of investigation and forensic analysis. The sequence of events, the presence of evidence, and the accused's behavior determined the course of the case.
The evidence against Brody Murbarger, such as Megan's blood and tests on his car, proved decisive in the case.
Viewers can get more details on Megan Nichols's murder case in an upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, which will air on the Oxygen Channel at 9 pm ET.
