Dozens of tips, but no progress yet in FBI efforts on missing and murdered indigenous people

FBI Assistant Special Agent Leonard Carollo answers questions about an effort to collect data on missing and murdered indigenous people during a news conference at Fort Washakie June 11, 2024. (Katie Klingsporn/WyoFile)

by Katie Klingsporn, WyoFile

FORT WASHAKIE — Although the Federal Bureau of Investigation has received numerous reports in the 90 days since launching a targeted effort to collect data on missing and murdered indigenous people in Wyoming, the agency 'made no breakthrough.

“At this time, our outreach and collection efforts have not resulted in the identification of any previously unknown cases,” the FBI said. said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Leonard Carollo during a press conference Tuesday.

The agency received 35 tips through a dedicated hotline and email account created for the MMIP initiative and heard from eight law enforcement agencies, Carollo said. FBI agents also worked with the tribal business councils of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes and held in-person sessions on the sprawling Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, home to more than 60% of the state's indigenous residents.

“Any tips that were reported to us as part of these efforts were previously reported through appropriate law enforcement channels,” Carollo said.

The effort is far from over, he continued.

“We will continue the dialogue between tribal communities and federal and local law enforcement,” he said. “Justice is our shared goal and we will continue to investigate and advocate on behalf of victims on the Wind River Indian Reservation. »

History

Less than 3% of Wyoming residents are Native American. But about 12% of homicides were committed against Native people in 2022, according to a 2023 Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center report.

Momentum to address the MMIP crisis has been building nationally in recent years, including in Wyoming, where local and state initiatives range from creating a task force to reporting on a website of missing people and a new alert system. Much of what has been identified as a barrier relates to jurisdictional issues.

The FBI, which is the lead agency investigating such serious crimes on the reservation, launched its own initiative in February to gather more information about missing and murdered people in the state. The initiative aimed to compile a comprehensive list of cases involving Native Americans as well as resolve cold cases.

Thirty-five tips were received during the three-month rollout, but not all were relevant to the goal of the initiative, according to the FBI.

Of these 35 cases, four homicides and three cases of missing persons were identified. All seven had already been reported through the proper police channels, Carollo said. He declined to discuss these cases in detail.

“However, we are evaluating them to make sure they have been thoroughly investigated,” he said.

Challenges

At the press conference, Carollo discussed issues complicating MMIP cases, including distrust of law enforcement.

“We recognize that in the past, tribal members have not always been comfortable with law enforcement in general and the FBI in particular,” he said. “We recognize these historical barriers and the ongoing generational trauma that exists in tribal communities. »

Some investigations conclude that no crime was committed. Even when the agency thoroughly investigates a case, he said, it can remain unsolved. And “sometimes we think we know who committed this crime, but there is not enough evidence for prosecutors to seek an indictment or file charges.” Prosecutors have an ethical obligation to take such steps only if they believe they can convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a high standard. »

Missing juveniles are often discovered to be runaways, Carollo said.

As of Tuesday, some 17 people from Fremont County were listed as missing on Wyoming's missing persons page, the most of any county in the state. Six were minors.

All of these situations are understandably difficult for families, he said.

Carollo considers the fact that people showed up, called and texted the FBI as proof of the initiative's success, he said. He expects it will take more time and effort to continue to strengthen the relationship between the agency and the booking community.

“We want to receive all the information people have,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding missing and murdered Native Americans can contact the FBI via the hotline 307-433-3221 or by email at [email protected].

This article was originally published by WyoFile and is republished here with permission. WyoFile is an independent, nonprofit news organization focused on the people, places and politics of Wyoming.