In 2023, a 28-year-old Pascua Yaqui woman, Wilma Acosta, embarked on an exciting new chapter by moving to Portland, Oregon, filled with hope and the promise of new beginnings. But just a few months later, she vanished, leaving her family, friends, and community devastated and searching for answers. Sources: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/sou…

We’re excited to be back! We Are Resilient returns with more MMIP stories, and Sgili Queens is ready with fresh spooky and pop culture episodes. Catch both starting December 1 on Apple, Spotify, and more!Av We Are Resilient

Melissa Montoya, 42, was of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and in 2001 was living with her boyfriend in Colorado, about about 30 minutes for her hometown of Dulce, New Mexico on the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation. On March 9th, 2001 during an evening out Melissa vanished without a trace. Sources: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna164088 https:…

Shauntae Marshall, 26, is a member of the Navajo Nation in Albuquerque, New Mexico who went missing in June 2024. Her family desperately needs help to find her. Sources: https://mmip.nmdoj.gov/dashboard.htmlAv We Are Resilient

In August 2022, 28-year-old Whisper Sellars was shot to death outside a saloon in Montana. Two years later, her killer finally had his day in court and Whisper’s family and friends finally received justice. Sources: https://www.krtv.com/news/crime-and-courts/del-orrin-crawford-found-guilty-for-deadly-martin-city-shooting https://flatheadbeacon.com/…

According to the National Inquiry in Canada, Indigenous women are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing than any other women in Canada, and 16 times more likely than Caucasian women. This statistic is especially terrifying when the world learned that in 2022 a serial killer targeting Indigenous women was captured in Winnipeg. Sources: h…

In April 2024, 36 year old Utahnna Bearcomesout was out on drive with her husband and daughter in Fort Washakie, Wyoming when a tragic turn of events cost her, her life. With her husband behind bars, her family and friends are desperately seeking justice. Sources: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/06/10/hes-not-sorry-family-of-slain-woman-says-as-a…

Delema Sits Poor was just 12 years old when she disappeared from Pine Ridge, South Dakota in February 1974. She and another twelve-year-old girl left Delema's home walking a back road from Oglala to Manderson on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Her friend turned back to head back home, Delema did not. She was never seen again. Sources: Delema Lou…

In October, 2010, 32 year old Sumi Gail Juan, a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, disappeared without a trace. Her story, mirroring similarities with another Hoopa Valley woman, further highlights the prevalence and complexities of the MMIW crisis that is happening in Northern California. Sources: https://www.equatorinitiative.org/wp-content/upload…

On October 20, 2020, one day before her 18th birthday, Jalajhia Finklea of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was last seen getting into a rental car driven by a Florida man near her mother’s home in New Bedford, MA. She was never seen alive again. Sources: Missing Mass. Teen Jalajhia Finklea Was Pregnant: Police Report – NBC Boston Pregnant teen, 18, fou…

In 2017, the body of 21-year-old Ci’Lina Deloney was found on a Comanche Country Road in Oklahoma. Known to her family and friends as CiCi, her murder remains unsolved and her family struggles with getting CiCi’s story heard. Sources: Family seeks answers for Ci'Lina Deloney's death (kswo.com) Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation looking for lead…

Michelle Elbow Shield, age 26, went missing on September 27, 2023. It is believed she was in the Sioux Falls, SD area and was last seen. Michelle has light brown eyes and brown hair. She is 4' 10" and weighs approximately 100 pounds. Michelle also has tattoos, one is a butterfly on her left ankle, an infinity symbol on her left arm with the names M…

In April 2023, the body of 16-year-old Ruby Sky Montelongo was discovered in a vacant lot in Covelo, California. Her death came three weeks after the death of 20-year-old Round Valley Man. With the rates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous people skyrocketing in Northern California, Round Valley Indians Tribes have declared a state of emergency. Sou…

Esther Wolfe, a 25-year-old South Dakotan woman was shot and killed on February 21st 2024, in what news reports have called a public execution. Her story prior to her death had been one with filled unimaginable pain and overcoming the most harrowing of circumstances. Sources: https://www.blackhillsfox.com/2024/02/28/states-attorney-esther-wolfe-dea…

In February 2024, 52-year-old Brian Steven Smith, a South African man residing in Alaska, was convicted of the savage killings of two Alaskan Native women, Kathleen Henry and Veronica Abouchuk. The grim particulars surrounding their demise are chilling and profoundly unsettling. Listener discretion is advised. Sources: https://law.alaska.gov/press/…

She was called Mighty Mia. In 2007, at 18 years old, she was embarking on her freshman year of college at the University of Arizona and excited about the new chapter in her life. A member of the Navajo Nation, Mia had dreams to become a doctor and return to her tribe to help her people. She never got that chance. Sources: https://tucson.com/news/bl…

Bryanna Rayne Ducheneaux Clown was 22 years old and on the cusp of doing great things in her community in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, however, her promising young life was cut short in October 2023 and her family is demanding answers. Sources: https://kbhbradio.com/women-from-eagle-butte-found-dead-near-terry-peak/ https://www.blackhillsfox.com/2023…

In 2020, the body of Susanna “Sue Sue” Norton, 30, was discovered in an ex-Alaskan Mayor's house, beaten and strangled. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be homicide. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's the same property where two years earlier the body of 25-year-old Jennifer Kirk was found. There have been no arrests made in eith…

In 2018, the body of 25 year old Jennifer Kirk was discovered an ex-mayor’s property in Alaska with police swiftly closing the case declaring her death a suicide. Her family believes otherwise as Jennifer had allegedly been involved in a tumultuous relationship with the ex-mayor’s son. Sources: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2023/11/2…

Four years ago, on New Year's Day in 2020, Selena Not Afraid, 16, vanished at a rest stop in Big Horn County, Montana. Her body was discovered almost three weeks later in a field less than 1 mile from the rest stop where she was seen. We are revisiting her story, as her death was ruled accidental from hypothermia, yet the circumstances around her d…

In August 2021, Mercedes Hernandez, 19, was killed in a senseless act of gun violence in Milwaukee, WI. The man who shot her, 21-year-old Renzo Rascon-Gamboa, has eluded custody and remains on the run. Rascon-Gamboa has been allegedly spotted in Veracruz, Mexico. If you know of Rascon-Gamboa’s whereabouts, please contact the Milwaukee Police Depart…

On September 10th, 2001 the body of 15-year-old Jessie Marie Twilight Song Crooks was found 5 miles from her home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. To this day, her case remains unsolved. Anyone with information on the murder of Twilight Song Crooks is encouraged to call the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 1-270-842-1633. Sources: Facebook Help still n…

On Tuesday, November 21, 2023 the Cherokee Indian Police Department, FBI, and BIA made an arrest in connection to the murder of 26 year old EBCI enrolled member Marie Walkingstick Pheasant. It’s been 10 years since her body was found inside a burned vehicle on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina with no arrests or charges. We have been waiting fo…

Today's episode is different. We had the opportunity to look back on past cases and talk about what we've learned over the last two years of hosting We are Resilient. What have we learned? There's still so much work to be done.

On May 5th, 1987, 24-year-old Christine Lester left her home in Arizona to go shopping and was never heard from again. It would be 36 years after her disappearance that her family would receive the news that her remains were discovered on a rural road in California. We have an update on Jamie Yazzie, a young mother who went missing in Arizona in 20…

Your favorite “We Are Resilient” podcast hosts are here with a brand new podcast! We talk, laugh and ramble on about all things Indigenous and spooky! Follow us @sgiliqueenspodcastAv We Are Resilient

In April 2015, 30-year-old Jessie Waters' lifeless body was discovered just off Hwy 18 just south of Oglala in South Dakota. Even though her life was marred by domestic violence, there are still no arrests made in connection with her death, and her family is still seeking justice. Sources: https://indianz.com/News/2019/01/28/native-sun-news-justice…

In February 1979, Mona Lisa Two Eagle was last seen leaving her home on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota only to be found two weeks later murdered in a field. Her family is still seeking justice. If you have any information regarding the murder of Mona Lisa Two Eagle please contact the BIA OJS MMU at 1-833-560-2065. Sources: MOU 2022 F…

In May 2016, 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother were playing together on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, New Mexico, when a man they didn’t know — drove up in a van and offered them a ride home. The events of that day led to Ashlynn’s abrupt and violent end, calling attention to the jurisdictional issues surround…

On October 3rd, 2016, Larissa Lone Hill, 21, texted her cousin that she was leaving the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota to head over to Rapid City with two male friends. She has not been seen or heard from again. Larissa has brown hair and brown eyes. Her nickname is Rissa, and she may use the first name Lisa. She has identifying tattoos tha…

On September 19th, 1984, two Indigenous girls from South Dakota were kidnapped as they were hitchhiking along a highway in Wyoming. While one of the girls survived, 12-year-old Sharon Baldeagle has never been seen or heard from again. Sources: Sharon Baldeagle | International Missing Persons Wiki | Fandom Judge Dismisses Murder Charges in Missing G…

In July 2023, Candace McCulley Kehoe, a 26-year-old from Claremore, Oklahoma, lost her life at the hands of her abusive ex-husband. As we dive into her story, we are reminded that domestic violence is a common theme regarding MMIW. Her story not only highlights just how broken our court system is but how little support and protection these women ha…

In July 1989, Stacy Bigwitch, 21, of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was shot and killed by her boyfriend after they got into an argument during a night out with friends. Her killer was arrested and sentenced, but was justice truly served? Rest in peace, Stacy. For links to information found for this episode: https://www.newspapers.com/article…

Eternity Flying Horse, 13, and Nevaeh Braveheart, 14, both tragically lost their young lives to senseless acts of violence. Although their murders were unrelated and happened within a year of each other (2021-2022), we cannot overlook the fact that their deaths bear similarities. Sources: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/10/20/2130188/--Justic…

Tasha Lewis, 29, was reported missing by her family in March 2021, only for her body to be discovered days later at the bottom of a mesa in Thoreau, Arizona. Police ruled her death accidental. However, her family is adamant that authorities overlooked several key factors that point to her death being a homicide. To stay up to date on Tasha’s story …

In October 2016, 34-year-old Freda Jane Knowshisgun planned to take her children trick-or-treating on Halloween 2016. Instead, one seemingly ordinary trip to the store led to her mysterious disappearance. Freda’s physical description was as follows: American Indian woman, 5’5” tall, approximately 150 pounds, waist-length brown hair that was always …

Esmeralda 'Kit' Mora is a non-binary Indigenous person who uses the pronouns they/them and is a descendant of the Penticton Indian Band in British Columbia, Canada. They were reported missing in Omak, Washington, in April 2022. Their disappearance is listed as suspicious, and their family firmly believes they know who is responsible or at least kno…

On September 4th, 2021, 38-year-old Karyn Blue Bird-Mesteth succumbed to her injuries at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD, after she was found beaten the day before. While her cause of death has been classified as undetermined, her family is still seeking answers. Sources: https://www.keloland.com/news/investigates/aunt-wants-closu…

18-year-old Madeline 'Maddie' Bills, affectionately known as Maddie B by her friends and loved ones, was a high school senior in Moore, Oklahoma, who was just days away from graduating with honors and a 4.0 GPA when her life was tragically cut short in April 2023. As we dive into her case, please remember that these women and girls are more than th…

Kristen Huntington, 30, was reported missing on January 10th, 2020, in Fairbanks, Alaska. The discovery of her body days later would unravel details about her violent relationship with Eric Rustad, whose lengthy history of domestic violence would culminate in Kristen's eventual murder. Sources: https://www.webcenterfairbanks.com/content/news/More-d…

Mika Westwolf was 22 years old when, in March 2023, she was struck and killed by a car while walking home along a highway on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. The fatal crash report was listed as an accident, but her family and friends believe otherwise. They know who did it, yet there are no charges in connection to her death. Mika needs…

The Alaska Victimization Survey, every five years, asks respondents whether they have experienced sexual violence, violence from an intimate partner, or both. The survey performed in 2020 found that nearly half of adult Alaska women — 48% — have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Robyn Gray, a 29-year-old woman from Fairbanks,…

In August of 2016, Sherry Wounded Foot of the Oglala Sioux Tribe was found beaten unconscious outside the Lakota HOPE Ministry building in Whiteclay, Nebraska. She died 12 days later; not only does her family believe that Sherry's life could've been saved, but they also believe that law enforcement did not take her case seriously. To this day, Sher…

In April 1992, the body of Mary Catherine Haymond, 34, of Bryson City, NC, was found shot to death in the home she shared with the man who killed her. We found minimal information about Mary Catherine; if you have anything you would be willing to share about who she was, please email us at weareresilientpod@gmail.com. Sources: https://www.newspaper…

***It’s 2023 Call to Action Week for MMIW and we need your support in seeking justice for our stolen EBCI sister - Marie Walkingstick Pheasant*** Please join us in writing a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations calling for further investigation into Marie Walkingstick Pheasant's death. Below you will find a prompt you can use and the addr…

In January 2021, EBCI-enrolled members 29-year-old Jessica Calhoun and her five-year-old daughter Ah-Yo-Ka of Cherokee, NC, died tragically less than a mile from their home in a car accident that has since been determined intentional. With their killer behind bars, her family desperately awaits a trial and sentencing, and justice for Jessica and he…

Ella Mae Begay disappeared from her home in the Navajo Nation near the Arizona-New Mexico border on June 15, 2021. According to the FBI’s web page on Begay, Begay’s truck — a gray or silver Ford F-150 — was seen leaving her property in Sweetwater, Arizona, the morning of her disappearance and has not been seen since. If you have any information reg…

In June 2018, Jermain Austin Charlo, an enrolled with the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation in Montana, was 23 years old when she vanished one night in June 2018. Even with years of documented domestic abuse, her case remains unsolved, and she is still missing. Anyone else who has seen Charlo is asked to contact the …

On April 3rd, 2023, the body of Linda Mary Beardy, a 33-year-old mother from Lake St Martin First Nation, was spotted by staff at the Brady landfill in Winnipeg, Canada. The investigation is ongoing, and we’ll follow her case as more information becomes available. Winnipeg Police are asking the public to call the homicide unit at 204-986-6508 or Cr…

Ricarda Tillman-Lockett was born on the Winnebago Indian Reservation and was a member of the Winnebago Indian Tribe of Nebraska when, at 18, she left Sioux City, Iowa, for the big city. Four years later, in February 2007, she would leave work one day and never be heard from again. While her family believes they know who might have the answers to he…