CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — The search for a man wanted for killing his wife the day after Christmas in Charlotte County is over after deputies say they found his body.
Fidel Fletcher, 46, was wanted for the Dec. 26 murder of his wife, Nicole Gates in Port Charlotte. According to Sheriff Bill Prummell, Gates' two young daughters witnessed the "horrific" crime.
At the time, deputies and U.S. Marshals believed Fletcher may have fled to the Tampa Bay area in either Hillsborough or DeSoto counties. A combined $8,000 reward from both agencies was being offered for information leading to his arrest.
Fast forward to Jan. 19 when deputies say they were called to the woods near Guild Street after a body was found by an area resident. Deputies say immediate identification wasn't possible due to the state of decomposition the body was in.
Following an investigation from the major case unit, authorities were able to positively identify the body as Fletcher and released the news on Tuesday. Evidence found at the scene suggests Fletcher took his life but an official cause and manner of his death are still pending, deputies say.
Authorities say the case will be closed but recognize this "outcome does not bring justice" to Gates' family and loved ones. Still, Prummell said he hopes this "at least brings closure."
“I know that this outcome does not bring justice to the friends and family of Nicole, but I hope that it at least brings closure," Prummell said in a statement. And to the children who witnessed this horrific incident, I offer my deepest sympathies and this message: Please do not lose sight of what your mother would have wanted for you. Honor her by living a good life and by being a beacon for others who may one day be hurting as you are now. Charlotte County is with you.”
Last week, 10 Tampa Bay reporter Hannah Dineen spoke with Gates' sisters, who live in Ohio. They said Gates, lovingly called "Nickie," was warm and affectionate and moved to Florida for a fresh start with her daughters.
Her sisters explained Gates' husband died in 2022, leaving her in a "vulnerable state." Her sisters said Gates moved to Port Charlotte in 2023 to be closer to her father. Soon after, she met and quickly married Fletcher.
Fletcher was reportedly undocumented and had a history of sexual assault and domestic violence charges.