2 years after Nikki Anderson vanished in Minnesota, her sister's quest for answers continues

Twenty-four months after Nikki Anderson disappeared without a trace in Dakota County, Minnesota, her sister says her family is left with no answers and plenty of questions.

"Our mother just passed away on Christmas Day never finding answers to knowing what happened to her daughter," said sister Autumn Lehrke.

Anderson, who was 56 when she went missing from her Randolph Township residence on July 6, 2024, had been undergoing chemotherapy, fighting a two-year battle with breast cancer. Investigators say she left behind her phone, wallet, glasses and medications.

Lehrke remains convinced her sister was abducted. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at her ex-boyfriend's home shortly after her disappearance. He was, at one point, a person of interest.

Lehrke says she's disappointed by the lack of progress in the investigation, so she's hired a private investigator named Tom Tracy.

"The information that I received primarily was just by going down and interviewing. I probably interviewed 50 people," Tracy said.

Through Tracy's work, Lehrke says they've uncovered several new locations to search, and people have been filling the tip lines with leads. But as those tips have come in, Lehrke says they seem to be ignored.

"Most of them feel like they didn't get calls back, or if they did get a call back their information was dismissed," Lehrke said.

But Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko says there's no evidence Anderson was abducted.

"It's been a top priority for us in the last two years," Leko said.

He says they've investigated more than 240 tips over the past two years.

"Those tips are received, they're not falling on deaf ears," Leko said. "We are following up with every single one of them. Some of them lead us to nowhere, some of them might be a part of the puzzle."

"I think they're doing a good job," Tracy said. "I just think that they're kind of hesitant to use some of the information I've provided."

And Lehrke isn't done holding out hope.

"Keep her story alive and try to get some answers and hopefully we can find her this summer," Lehrke said.

The sheriff's office is offering up to $50,000 as a reward for information on Anderson's case. Anyone with information is asked to call its tip line at 651-564-9097, or submit a tip here.