Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is making new efforts to help solve Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases. Now, the federal agency is using forensic technology to help reunite the remains of Native Americans with their families and tribal nations.

A high school student named Stephanie Bearstail died on the Wind River Reservation on Mar. 4. While the cause of her death is still under investigation, people are marching in Riverton this weekend to demand justice.

The new liaison positions will serve as the face of communication when it comes to working with local, state and federal partners and agencies on the issue.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Crisis is an ongoing issue of national concern. Now, tribes are hoping new measures will get bipartisan support in Congress to help tribal law enforcement solve these cases.

The Federal Communications Commission launched a new missing and endangered persons code for its nationwide Emergency Alert System. It will allow law enforcement to send out messages about missing adults to the public through phones, TV and the radio. The code is part of efforts to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis throughout the country.

Earlier this year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a data collection project to gather more information about missing and murdered cases involving Native Americans throughout Wyoming. Over a 90-day period, the agency received 35 tips, including four homicide cases and three missing persons cases. They’d all been previously reported to law enforcement and investigated already.

May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). This Sunday, there will be a march in Riverton to honor the day and promote action to address a crisis that’s close to home for many.

The Wyoming Legislature passed a bill this year funding a five-year forensic genetic genealogy pilot program. The technology is essentially a reverse 23andMe and could help bring closure to unsolved cases throughout the state.

In 2020, Congress passed the Not Invisible Act to help address the Missing and Murdered Persons Crisis. The bill formed a federal commission made up of tribal leaders, federal agencies, families, and survivors, who were tasked with developing recommendations on how best to address the crisis. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice responded to these recommendations in early March.

While Indigenous people make up just three percent of Wyoming’s population, they continue to be the victims of homicides and go missing at disproportionately higher rates than white residents. New data shows that homicide rates have slightly decreased since 2019, but homicide rates for Native people are still five times higher than they are for white people in the state.