20/20 Podcast: "The Last Strike (Revisited)"

ABC News | Original Air Date: December 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This gripping episode of 20/20 revisits the chilling true crime story of Chad Ensel, whose tragic death on a subzero North Dakota night in January 2020 unraveled a complex web of murder, arson, and betrayal. Through an intricate mix of investigative interviews, legal proceedings, security footage, and exclusive jailhouse commentary, listeners are taken step-by-step through the criminal conspiracy, investigation, and courtroom aftermath in the murder of Chad at the hands of his wife, Nikki Ensel, and her secret lover Earl Howard.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bismarck Setting & Chad’s Life

• Context of Small Town North Dakota
  Descriptions underline the unique, isolated, and brutally cold environment of Bismarck, setting the stage for the close-knit nature of the community.
  • "Bismarck is a great community. It's the biggest small city. Everybody knows each other…” (09:00)
• Chad’s Background
  Chad Ensel is presented as a friendly, energetic North Dakotan, beloved by friends and co-workers, and deeply involved in the local bowling and racing communities.
  • “He always had a smile on his face. Just really bubbly, kind of an energetic guy.” (28:15)
  • His penchant for social activities and sense of community ultimately play a role in how quickly his disappearance is noticed.

2. Discovery of the Crime

• The 911 Call
  Nikki Ensel calls 911 reporting smoke and inability to enter her home, sounding frantic and distraught.
  • "Nikki is very frantic on the 911 call...she can't get into the home...believes that he's inside." (06:25)
• Initial Investigation and Suspicion
  The scene suggests potential suicide — liquor bottles, burnout propane heater, shotgun — but investigators are immediately uneasy due to inconsistencies.
  • “Where the shotgun was placed from where the body was… that was odd.” (14:40)
• Discovery of Arson
  Accelerant-detection dog “Webster” confirms presence of ignitable liquids, and two distinct fires (bedroom and furnace) are discovered, raising suspicion of arson and homicide.
  • “We have two separate fires in this house...not believing any are accidental fires whatsoever.” (51:05)
  • “Webster, you’re something else.” (55:10)

3. Piecing Together Chad’s Final Days

• Timeline via Security Footage
  • Nikki is shown moving personal items out of the home with Earl Howard while Chad bowls (31:25–35:15).
  • Nikki claims to be staying at a hotel due to furnace issues, but records show Earl Howard booked the room and they arrived together after a romantic trip.
• Nikki’s Deceptions
  • Nikki paints Chad as an abusive alcoholic, unsupported by any acquaintances or friends of Chad.
  • “She had brought up pictures...but investigators didn’t find one person that said anything bad about Chad.” (67:10)

4. Revelation of the Love Triangle

• Earl Howard Identified
  • Nikki tries to downplay their relationship, calling him a “family friend,” but surveillance shows affection and intimacy.
  • “They're hugging or kissing at Walmart, which is contrary to what Nikki has said.” (77:50)
• Financial Motive
  • Nikki took out new renters’ insurance (effective mere days before Chad’s murder), and Chad held over $600,000 in life insurance policies naming Nikki as beneficiary.

5. Police Interrogation & Nikki’s Evolving Story

• Multiple Versions
  • Nikki furnishes shifting explanations for their actions that night — from retrieving medication, to doing dishes, to inventing a “mystery man” in the house.
  • “My story changes so many different times that none of them are really consistent.” (127:00)
• Police Realizations
  • Investigators see through Nikki’s fabrications, concluding she played an active role in planning and executing the crime with Earl.

6. The Arrest and Confession

• Earl on the Run, Then in Custody
  • Earl Howard is eventually apprehended at the US-Canada border and, after initially lawyering up, delivers his version: Nikki shot Chad, he returned to set the fire.
• Earl’s Admission
  • “She came back out after that. We left. On the way back to the hotel. She said, she shot you, Chad...” (120:10)
  • “Later that day, Earl says he returns to the house to burn the evidence, including Chad Ensel's body." (122:20)

7. Trial & Verdict

• Nikki’s Defense: Silence and No Strategy
  • No opening statement, no witnesses, no defense, focusing only on sowing doubt about Earl’s role.
• Key Evidence
  • Surveillance, financial records, insurance policies, and the lie-ridden police interrogation are central to the prosecution's case.
• Jury’s Decision
  • Nikki is found guilty of all charges: conspiracy to commit murder, arson, and evidence tampering. (145:30)
• Earl’s Plea Deal
  • He pleads guilty to conspiracy charges (but not murder) and is sentenced to 21 years.

8. Jailhouse Interview – Nikki’s Perspective

• Nikki maintains her innocence, denying pulling the trigger or planning the killing, but admits to shifting stories.
  • “The charges I have are conspiracy charges... I’m still waiting for the prosecution to show me where the plan is.” (151:20)
  • “Nikki, did you shoot your husband Chad? No. Did you plan for Earl to shoot Chad? No.” (151:55)

9. Sentencing and Aftermath

• Emotional Impact on Chad’s Family
  • Victim impact statements convey grief and anger.
    • “The hurt and the pain at the loss of my son Chad is unbearable. It is a wound that will never heal.” (158:35)
  • Nikki is sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.
• Themes & Reflection
  • Motive: Greed and the illusion of a perfect crime.
    • “In one word, I’d say greed. She wanted the money. Greed. And she thought she was truly smarter than everybody else in the room.” (162:40)
  • The case leaves lasting scars on all involved and demonstrates the unraveling of what the conspirators thought was a foolproof plot.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Community and Weather
  “It can be 30 below with 50 below wind chills...It keeps the riffraff out, but really doesn’t.” (10:15)

• On the Crime Scene
  “It almost felt like it robbed light from your flashlight, like you just couldn’t get it bright enough to really see.” (24:40)

• On Chad’s Character
  “He just wanted to be friends. He was a really good bowler...Nothing but strikes—and I never wanted to bowl against him.” (29:10)

• On Nikki’s Changing Stories
  “She says that she was at the house to retrieve some items, and while she was at the house, there was a mystery man in the house with Chad.” (112:20)

• Police Confront Nikki’s Lies
  "You've been lying to me the whole time, Nikki. You have. Did you lie to me of this? No, that's not true. Nikki." (83:40)

• On Insurance Motive
  “Someone buys a policy, and the next thing you know, their loved one is a goner. Dam giveaway.” (138:10)

• Jailhouse Interview – Nikki’s Denial
  "I'm still waiting for the prosecution to show me where the plan is...I didn't leave that whole area. There's no doubt about it. Not lying about it...My story changes nine times. It sounds like it." (151:36–153:50)

• Emotional Closure from Chad’s Family
  “She gave Arabia a life sentence. There’s nothing that can make any of us right. No matter how much jail time she gets.” (160:15)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 06:25 – Frantic 911 call and initial discovery
• 14:40 – Suicide theory and investigators’ doubts
• 24:40 – Scene recreation and early evidence
• 51:05 – Identification of arson and use of accelerant
• 77:50 – Security footage exposes Nikki’s relationship with Earl
• 112:20 – Nikki tries to introduce a “mystery man” to police
• 120:10–122:20 – Earl’s confession: post-murder actions
• 138:10 – Insurance policy motive revealed at trial
• 145:30 – Guilty verdict delivered
• 151:20–153:50 – Exclusive jailhouse interview and Nikki’s shifting story
• 158:35 – Emotional statements from Chad’s family at sentencing
• 162:40 – Reflection on the case’s motive and meaning

Flow and Tone

The episode interweaves cold, bleak imagery of North Dakota winter with the warmth of Chad’s memory, contrasting sharply with the chilling calculation of the crime. Through methodical and sometimes raw step-by-step narration, the podcast maintains the direct, investigative tone typical of 20/20, sharing the voices of investigators, family, and ultimately, Nikki herself.

Summary

“The Last Strike (Revisited)” masterfully reconstructs a small-town murder wrapped in insurance, betrayal, and failed cover-up attempts. Through thorough reporting and emotional testimony, the episode brings listeners inside both the criminal act and its personal consequences, revealing the tangled motives and mistakes that led Nikki Ensel and Earl Howard to prison—and left Chad’s family searching for solace. The episode stands as a stark reminder that even a painstakingly planned crime can unravel under the weight of community, investigation, and the truth itself.