Cleveland.com reporter Nikki Delamotte was found dead Monday near Toledo, the victim of a suspected homicide. The 30-year-old and her uncle were found dead inside the uncle’s trailer at a mobile home park in Perrysburg.
Before joining the website as an arts and culture reporter in 2016, Delamotte contributed to Cleveland Scene for three years, working with Editor-in-Chief Vince Grzegorek.
“For all the stories that she did, all the events she went to, all the people that she connected with, there was no one like her around town for arts and culture and music and just supporting people trying to be creative,” Delamotte says. "And lifting them up.”
Delamotte calls her death “senseless” and a loss for Northeast Ohio.
“She was someone that – in conversation with her, and when she went out and sought stories and did reporting – it was a lot of listening. And a lot of asking questions,” Delamotte says. “And that’s because she wanted to know what was going on with people. ‘Tell me your story.’ And the degree of openness and empathy that she displayed, professionally and personally, was amazing.”
Delamotte’s uncle, 67-year-old Robert Delamotte, was a resident of Perrysburg Township.
Authorities have not said what happened. Detectives say they’re investigating it as a homicide.
Delamotte's mother told Cleveland.com that her daughter had planned to visit her uncle Sunday. She was reported missing Monday.
Cleveland.com reports Delamotte wanted to reconnect with her father's brother after having little contact with his family since her parents divorced.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
