Missing and murdered Indigenous people featured in Dateline NBCs Missing in America and Cold Case

May 2024 · 27 minute read

Dateline has put together the still-unresolved cases of some of the missing and murdered Indigenous people we have covered in our digital series, Dateline: Missing in America and Cold Case Spotlight, in the hope of bringing continued awareness to their cases and to get answers for their loved ones.

If you know someone who is missing or have a cold case you would like Dateline to feature, submit it here

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Jemini Posey

21-year-old Jemini Posey, a member of the Spirit Lake tribe, was last seen on January 7, 2024, in Fort Totten, North Dakota. Her sister, Jade Frier, told Dateline she last saw Jemini on January 3 back at their mother’s home in Devil’s Lake. 

Jade said it is extremely unusual for her sister to just disappear. “She wouldn’t just up and leave,” she stressed. Jemini would never leave her 8-month-old daughter, Amani, either. On Thursday, January 11, Jemini’s mother reported her missing.

Jade said the family has received help from their entire community. “We had cops, firefighters, community members, local -- other people coming in from off the reservation,” Jade said. “We searched off the reservation.”

But there was no sign of Jemini.

The FBI is investigating Jemini’s case. Dateline reached out to them for the latest update on the investigation but was told it was an active investigation and they could not comment at this time.

Jemini is 4’7” and weighs 120 lbs. She has an infinity sign on her right ankle and I-XIII-MMXX on her right collarbone.

Anyone with information about Jemini’s disappearance is asked to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Nevaeh Kingbird

15-year-old Nevaeh Kingbird was just a freshman in high school when she was last seen in Bemidji, Minnesota on October 22, 2021. According to her mother, Teddi Wind, Nevaeh had mental health issues and had been having a hard time in the months before she vanished.

Two of her friends had died by suicide in 2021 — one in April, the other a week before Nevaeh was last seen. Teddi told Dateline Nevaeh had run off before and was initially listed as a runaway. “She’s bipolar, so she would get in her manic stage — sometimes she would take off on me,” she said. “But she would always keep contact with me.” 

Detective Dan Seaberg of the Bemidji Police Department told Dateline that Nevaeh had been at a friend’s residence on the evening of October 22 and that is where her phone was found. She has not been active on any social media since, which is out of character for the teen. “We did some ground searches, drone searches, and canine searches in the immediate area where she was last seen,” Det. Seaberg said. But they did not find anything of note. 

In June 2023, Dateline covered Nevaeh’s case in season 2 of our “Missing in America’’ podcast. Nevaeh is 5’4” and weighs around 120 lbs. At the time of her disappearance, she had hair past her shoulders that she dyed jet black on one side with a blonde streak. Nevaeh has a scar above her left eyebrow. According to Nevaeh’s family, she may have been wearing a red sweatshirt with a Chicago Bulls logo on the front. 

The “Bring Nevaeh Kingbird Home‘’ Facebook page posts updates and information about the case. Detective Seaberg told Dateline officials have no evidence of foul play but encourage anyone with information on Nevaeh’s whereabouts to call the Bemidji Police Department at 218-333-9111. 

Willis Derendoff

34-year-old Willis Derendoff was last seen on November 10, 2020, at the Extended Stay America hotel near Airport Road in Fairbanks, Alaska. He had traveled there from Huslia, Alaska in October of 2020 on vacation. His mother, Gladys, told Dateline that she spoke to Willis on the phone the day he disappeared.

He told her he didn’t feel well and that he was going to take a COVID-19 test the next day. According to Gladys, he was also planning to get a new phone, since his was broken at the time. Willis had also lost his ID and his debit card before his disappearance. Gladys told Dateline that she traveled from Huslia to Fairbanks shortly after hearing of her son’s disappearance. She said she stayed there for eight months, organizing search parties almost every single day and using Facebook to rally community members from both Huslia and Fairbanks to participate in searches. Other members of the family also traveled to Fairbanks to help look for Willis, staying for different amounts of time to participate in the searches. Gladys said she has received donations from friends and family, community members, businesses, and corporations across Alaska, and used the money to finance lodging, car rentals, and gas cards for people involved in the searches. 

The family has about $12,000 left over from the donations which, according to the family, is being used as a reward for information that helps solve Willis’s case. The family runs a Facebook page called “Searching for Willis Derendoff” that has 2,500 members. 

Willis is between 5’7” and 5’10” and weighed about 160 lbs. at the time of his disappearance, with dark hair and brown eyes. He would be 37 years old today. The Alaska State Troopers Non-Emergency Dispatch line confirmed to Dateline that Willis’s case is still open. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 451-5100.

Kimberly Iron

Kimberly Iron, 21, left her Billings, Montana home on September 22, 2020, leaving her three children behind with their grandparents in Hardin, Montana.

Kimberly grew up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana with her family, but for most of the prior year, she had been staying in Billings. On September 22, she contacted her father, Curtis Iron, from Las Vegas, Nevada and from Oxnard, California, saying she was upset and needed money to get home.

But Curtis told Dateline that Kimberly never gave him her exact location and would go silent for days. He said the calls that were made were brief and that his daughter was always on speakerphone. She told him she was OK, but he didn’t believe her. Each time he would try to call the numbers back, he said they were disconnected.

Kimberly last contacted her father, who lives on the Crow Indian Reservation, on October 6, 2020. No one has seen or heard from her since.

A missing persons report was filed with the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office in Hardin. Captain J. Middlestead told Dateline that Kimberly’s disappearance is being investigated and is considered an active missing persons case.

“We need to know that she’s OK,” Curtis told Dateline. “Her kids are missing her so much and just want her back home. We have hope… Just gotta hold on to that.”

Kimberly is 5’2”, weighs approximately 126 lbs., and has brown eyes and light brown hair. She also has a small scar between her eyes.

Anyone who might have information on Kimberly’s whereabouts is asked to call the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office at 406-665-9780. Her case number is #20-01288.

Florence Okpealuk

33-year-old Florence Okpealuk was last seen on West Beach in Nome, Alaska on August 31, 2020. According to Florence’s sister Blaire, a witness saw Florence leaving a tent on the beach at 4:00 p.m. Blaire told Dateline she found Florence’s shoes and jacket left outside that tent. The Nome Police Department enlisted the help of the Alaska State Troopers and the FBI to aid in the search.

Search efforts have included mini-submarines, helicopters and private citizens. In 2022, the Nome Police Department conducted a search using cadaver dogs. In 2023, Chief William Crocket of the Nome Police Department told Dateline that Florence is still considered a missing person. He added that the department is unsure if foul play was a factor in her disappearance, suggesting that the vast nature and wildlife in Nome can be blamed for many deaths. “We’re essentially looking for a body at this point, and the body will tell us what happened -- hopefully,” he said. He noted that the department is becoming “increasingly less and less optimistic” that they will be able to find her. 

Florence is 5’2”, 142 lbs., with black hair and eyes. She has no scars, marks or tattoos. It is unknown what she was last seen wearing or which direction she was headed when she left the tent on the beach. If you have information about Florence’s disappearance please contact the Nome Police Department at (907) 443-5262.

Kaysera Stops Pretty Places

18-year-old Kaysera Stops Pretty Places vanished on August 24, 2019, in Hardin, Montana. Her body was found five days later on August 29, less than a mile from the Crow Reservation where Kaysera grew up. 

Every day since Kaysera’s death, her heartbroken family has worked tirelessly to find answers, and justice for what they believe is her murder. They’ve held rallies, vigils, calls to action, spoken on panels, called on federal leaders to step in — and every day, they say her name: Kaysera.

“Our family has had to advocate for ourselves each step of the way. And we’re still fighting to hold law enforcement accountable to investigate her murder,” Dr. Grace Bulltail, Kaysera’s aunt, told Dateline

In a report released in August 2021, Big Horn County Attorney Jay Harris references witness statements from four people with firsthand knowledge of the last time Kaysera was seen.

The county attorney wrote that the statements are not “fully consistent,” but generally describe a series of events culminating in an argument outside of a Rangeview Drive residence at about 3 a.m., involving Kaysera and three other people, a 17-year-old girl, a 19-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man.

According to the report, one of Kaysera’s relatives told investigators that Kaysera had been hanging out at the house on Rangeview Drive, and a person who lived there bought her alcohol.

Witness statements detailed in the report claim the argument prompted a nearby homeowner to activate their car alarm in order to disperse the group. They fled in different directions. Kaysera was seen running toward the backyard where her body would later be discovered. The location is in close proximity to where the person who bought her the alcohol lived, the report states.

There is no available evidence to show if Kaysera was in contact with anyone after she was seen going into the backyard, according to the report, and the exact circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain under investigation.

An autopsy report outlined in the county attorney’s report revealed “no evidence of injury or natural disease. Toxicology testing of blood detected the presence of ethanol. Although no neck injuries were detected at autopsy, an asphyxia cause of death cannot be excluded. At this time, the cause and manner of death are classified as undetermined. Cause and manner of death may be reclassified in the future if additional information becomes available.”

In 2020, the investigation into Kaysera’s death was referred to the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. However, according to the report, “only a review of evidence and no additional investigative efforts were conducted due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.”

The family runs the “Justice for Kaysera” Facebook page and JusticeForKaysera.org to bring awareness to her case and post updates. They are offering a $30,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Kaysera’s death. 

“This keeps happening to our people, over and over,” Kaysera’s aunt Grace said. “Nothing is going to change unless we speak up, unless we keep fighting. It’s draining, emotionally and physically. But we can’t give up. We have to keep saying Kaysera’s name. All their names. They won’t be forgotten.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at (406) 258-4810. The public can also submit tips to the family through their attorney at http://www.pipestemlaw.com/kaysera-stops-pretty-places/ 

Sabrina Rosette

Sabrina Rosette, a 33-year-old mother of two, was murdered at Tl’esqox (Toosey Reserve) First Nation near Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada, on June 8, 2019.

Williams Lake RCMP responded to a community member’s driveway that evening to find Sabrina with a knife wound to her side. Despite life-saving efforts, she died at the scene.

Sabrina’s sister, Liz Rosette, told Dateline she saw her earlier that morning, driving around with a man they both knew. The same man, whose name has not been released by police, was taken into police custody at the scene. He was later released without being charged. No one has been arrested or charged with Sabrina’s murder.

Police investigated two crime scenes at the time, the area where Sabrina’s body was found, as well as “Lover’s Leap,” a popular party hangout. But details of any evidence found at either location have not been released.

Police told Dateline that the case remains a priority investigation and that they are fully committed to getting answers for the family and making sure those responsible are held accountable.

Sabrina’s sister and their father, Alfred Jack, say the tragedy has divided their community on the reserve, but they continue to plead for answers while staying brave for Sabrina’s sons, who are now ages 6 and 16.

Sabrina was described by her family as an easygoing, kind soul with a sense of humor that could brighten anyone’s day. She was also a hard worker, who fought fires and assisted with flood patrol on the reserve. Her sister added that Sabrina was very determined to do her very best in all aspects of her life.

And now her family is determined to do their best to never let Sabrina be forgotten.

Anyone with information about Sabrina’s case is urged to call the Williams Lake RCMP at 250 392-6211 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Aubrey Dameron

Aubrey Dameron, a 25-year-old citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was last seen leaving the home where she lived with her family on the outskirts of Grove, Oklahoma, in the early morning hours of March 9, 2019. Aubrey’s mother reported to police that she woke up around 3:30 a.m. and saw Aubrey leaving the house. Aubrey was reported missing when she failed to answer calls or return home.

Her purse and medication had been left behind. Aubrey’s aunt and uncle, Pam Smith and Christian Fencer, told Dateline they found out from a friend on Saturday, March 16, 2019, that Aubrey was missing. They fear that as a transgender Native American woman, their niece may have been the victim of a hate crime. The family has found national support from Indigenous groups who have joined them in raising awareness of Aubrey’s case. Aubrey’s case originally belonged to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, but in July 2020, the Supreme Court issued a ruling regarding Native American reservations which meant the case would now be investigated by tribal police and the FBI. Both agencies have more resources than the sheriff’s office. 

Shannon Buhl, Director of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, told Dateline his team has had to make up for lost time in what his office is investigating as a homicide. In 2022, Aubrey’s case was featured in season 1 of the podcast series Dateline: Missing in America. Shannon Buhl, Pam Smith and Christian Fencer spoke with Andrea Canning. Aubrey is described as being 5’10” and weighing about 150 lbs. She has two tattoos: a triquetra symbol on her back and the word “Shorty” on her upper left arm. Anyone with information about Aubrey’s case is asked to call the FBI at (918) 664-3300 or the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service at (918) 207-3800. 

Jermain “Liz” Morigeau

Jermain “Liz” Morigeau, also known by the name Jermain Charlo, was last seen in the early morning hours of June 16, 2018, in Missoula, Montana.

Detective Guy Baker with the Missoula Police Department told Dateline in 2018 that the 23-year-old had been seen with an acquaintance she knew very well, who dropped her off in the vicinity of Orange and South 5th Street between midnight and 1 a.m., in the general area where she lived. The detective declined to name the acquaintance, who among others has been questioned, to protect the integrity of the investigation.

“There’s a couple different investigative aspects we are looking at,” Detective Baker told Dateline at the time. “I believe she is the victim of a criminal act. I don’t know if it’s homicide, sex trafficking, or kidnapping. But aspects of the investigation have led us to believe those are the options.”

Jermain is Native American and described as being 5’9” and weighing about 130 lbs. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt with a brown Under Armour sweatshirt, cowboy boots, and a baseball cap with three trees on it.

If you have any information on Jermain’s whereabouts, call the Missoula Police Department at 406-552-6300. 

Khadijah Britton

Khadijah Britton, 23, a Round Valley tribal member, was last seen at a residence in Covelo, California, on Friday, February 8, 2018, when witnesses say she was abducted and forced into a car at gunpoint by her ex-boyfriend, Negie Fallis.

Fallis has never been formally charged in connection to Khadijah’s disappearance, but Mendocino County Sheriff Matthew Randall says he is considered a person of interest. He is currently serving time at a state prison on unrelated charges.

In February 2021, Mendocino County Sheriff Matthew Kendall, along with the San Francisco Division of the FBI announced a renewed effort to seek information from the public. A reward of $120,000 is being offered for information that leads to Khadijah’s whereabouts.

Khadijah’s grandfather, Ronnie Hostler, is 79 years old and continues to search for her as he pleads with the public to come forward, hoping to one day bring peace and closure to their family.

Anyone with information about Khadijah’s whereabouts is urged to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office at 707-234-2100.

Olivia Lone Bear

Olivia Lone Bear, a 32-year-old mother of five, vanished from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, in New Town, North Dakota, on October 24, 2017. She had been out with friends at the Sportsman’s Bar, and was last seen leaving the bar in a teal Chevy Silverado 2500 HD LT.

Her brother, Matthew, told Dateline in 2018, that it did appear Olivia came home after leaving Sportsman’s, adding that family members later found her cell phone, wallet, and money at her home on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. In the home, the family also found the items of clothing Olivia was last seen wearing.

After Olivia hadn’t responded to phone calls for two days, her family reported her missing to authorities, which sparked several widespread searches of the reservation and much of western North Dakota. On July 31, 2018, Olivia’s truck was discovered submerged in Lake Sakakawea on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Her body was in the passenger seat, with the seat belt securing her in place. An autopsy was conducted and a cause of death was ruled undetermined.

The FBI is seeking more information in this case and is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the identification of those responsible for Olivia’s disappearance and death. Anyone with information is urged to call 800-CALLFBI (800-225-5324) or file tips at https://tips.fbi.gov.

Chynelle Lockwood

19-year-old Chynelle Lockwood went out for a walk in St. Michael, Alaska, on the evening of July 10, 2017. She never came home. 

Her mother, Yvonne Lockwood, who lives in Anchorage, told Dateline she wasn’t sure exactly what her daughter’s plans were on July 10, but she did know Chynelle was going out for a walk that evening. “I was telling her not to go by herself. And she said she’ll call me when she come back,” Yvonne said. “She never came back.” 

Chynelle’s body was found on the beach the following day.

According to Alaska State Troopers (AST) Communications Director Austin McDaniel, troopers were notified that a body had been found on the beach in St. Michael at around 6:30 p.m. on July 11. “A member of the community called troopers after locating the body,” McDaniel said. “State troopers responded with a village public safety officer and village police officer.”

McDaniel told Dateline that the State Medical Examiner’s Office was able to positively identify the body as Chynelle Lockwood. “The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Lockwood’s death was due to ‘drowning of undetermined etiology due to submersion in ocean water under unknown circumstances,’” McDaniel told Dateline. He added that while Chynelle’s death is “considered a homicide,” the manner of death was undetermined. 

McDaniel also said 75 people were interviewed over the course of AST’s investigation, and that “a member of the community was identified as a suspect.” The findings were sent to the Alaska Department of Law which “has declined to prosecute the charges that AST referred,” McDaniel said. “There are no further investigative measures that can be taken to increase the likelihood of prosecution,” he stated, adding that the case has been closed.

Dateline reached out to the Alaska Department of Law and received a statement from Communication Director Patty Sullivan. “This matter was thoroughly reviewed by the Department of Law. That review of the investigation resulted in a determination that there is insufficient evidence at this time to file charges in this matter,” she said. “If at any time in the future we receive new, additional information related to this case, we will evaluate the additional evidence to decide whether it is appropriate to bring charges.”

Yvonne Lockwood hopes someone will come forward with that additional information needed. She told Dateline that when it comes to getting answers for Chynelle, she feels like she’s shouting into a void. “I’m knocking on the door, but nobody’s answering,” Yvonne said. 

If you have information about this case, please contact the Alaska State Troopers at 907-269-5511. 

Ashley Loring Heavyrunner

Ashley Loring Heavyrunner, also known as Ashley Loring, was only 20 years old when she disappeared from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana on June 5, 2017.

She was enrolled in Blackfeet Community College studying environmental science.

Her family began their own search efforts and two weeks after Ashley was last seen, the family received a tip. Someone had seen a young woman running from a vehicle on U.S. Highway 89 on the reservation the night Ashley disappeared.

Her sister, Kimberly Loring, said they gathered to search the area, which she described as being desolate. During the search, at the northern edge of the reservation, Kimberly and a family friend discovered a tattered sweater and a pair of red-stained boots. The family is certain that the items belong to Ashley, adding that the sweater was identified by an eyewitness who told the family it was the same as the sweater Ashley was wearing the night she disappeared.

Kimberly told Dateline that the sweater and boots were handed over to law enforcement for DNA testing, but added they have still not received any results.

In 2018, Kimberly appeared before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. to speak about her experience and what she believes was the mismanagement of evidence she says she witnessed from law enforcement in her sister’s case.

In 2020, the documentary “Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible” spotlighted the Blackfeet Nation Boxing Club which opened its doors to girls, teaching them how to protect themselves and fight for their lives.

The documentary refers to a common saying in Native American communities, “When an Indigenous woman goes missing, she goes missing twice — first her body vanishes and then her story.”

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Robyn Broyles, told Dateline in June 2021 that “the BIA, the Office of Justice Services, Missing and Murdered Unit did receive some recent tips related to the case that officers followed up with, but those did not result in any new information.”

Ashley is described as being 5’2” and weighing about 90 lbs. at the time of her disappearance. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She would be 24 years old today.

A walk is held in Browning, Montana every year in honor of Ashley and other missing and murdered Indigenous people.

Anyone with information on Ashley’s case is asked to call the Salt Lake City FBI — which covers Utah, Montana and Idaho — at 801-579-1400 or 800-CALLFBI or tips.fbi.gov.

Emily Morgan

On August 26, 2016, 23-year-old Emily Morgan, a Choctaw tribal member, was found dead in Bache, Oklahoma. Her friend, 24-year-old Totinika Elix, was also found murdered. Both mothers and Oklahoma natives, the women had only met each other a few months earlier.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating their murders. Public Information Officer Brook Arbeitman told Dateline in an email that “Morgan and Elix were both last seen in McAlester, Oklahoma on August 26, 2016, at 11:15 p.m.” He said their bodies were found on “East Highway 271 in Bache, Oklahoma.” Arbeitman told Dateline Emily’s 2012 Ford Fusion was found in “front of a vacant home and the homeowner checking on the property saw the car and called the Sheriff’s Office.”

Officer Arbeitman said the “case is still actively being investigated,” and that their office “will continue to follow every lead in pursuit of justice for Emily and Totinika.”

On June 5, 2018, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation posted that “OSBI special agents have conducted numerous interviews, collected evidence, and served several search warrants in an effort to solve these horrific crimes.”

There have been no named suspects or persons of interest in the murders.

Emily’s mother, Kim Merryman, told Dateline that believes she knows who the killer is and it’s just a matter of time before the case is solved. “Somebody’s gonna say something someday,” Kim said.

Totinika’s mother, Twanna Brown, said she, too, believes justice will be served, it just might not be now. “Whether it’s here on earth or judgment day with the Lord, it’s gonna be served,” Twanna said.

Anyone with information about the murders of Totinika Elix and Emily Morgan is asked to contact the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation at 800-522-8017. 

Kent Jacobs

On March 10, 2002, one week before his 42nd birthday, Kent Jacobs disappeared.

A member of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, Kent was special needs and the eldest of five siblings. His sister, Jackie Jacobs, told Dateline that when Kent disappeared, her family’s “world went from full color to black and white.” 

The weekend Kent disappeared, his mother picked him up from the group home where he lived. It was Friday, March 8. He was going to spend the weekend at home with his family. On Sunday, March 10, Kent went out for a walk. Jackie told Dateline that Kent would often go on walks alone but always came back. “He had a curfew and he knew that every Sunday he would be going home at a certain time,” Jackie said. “That was part of his routine.”

When he didn’t return from that walk, he was reported missing by his family. 

They spent Kent’s 42nd birthday searching for him. “We assembled at the local fire department with local law enforcement, community members, and family,” Jackie told Dateline. “People in kayaks, people on four-wheelers, people walking, people on bicycles.”

They didn’t find anything. 

The Cumberland County Police Department is assigned to Kent’s case. Detective Patrice Bogertey told Dateline the case is an open investigation and the department is still searching for Kent. “The problem with the people that have been missing for so long is it’s hard to locate witnesses,” Det. Bogertey said. “But I’m sure there’s somebody out there that knows something that happened to him.”

In 2023, Dateline featured Kent’s disappearance in season 2 of our Dateline: Missing in America podcast series. In the podcast, Josh Mankiewicz talked to two of Kent’s other siblings, Keith Jacobs and Kim Baber, and Nan Trogdon, a retired detective who worked Kent’s case for five years. Nan believes that Kent’s case can still be solved. “Somebody somewhere knows what happened. It’s still not too late to come to the sheriff’s office. Tell what you know,” she said. 

Anyone with information regarding Kent’s case is also asked to contact the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at 910-323-1500 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8447). 

Sherryl Lynn Jacquot

Sherryl Lynn Jacquot was last heard from on July 3, 1999, when she called her mother from an unknown number in Arkansas to let her know she’d come by her house in Oklahoma City to pay back some money she had borrowed the previous week. She never made it, and hasn’t been seen since. Her Datsun pickup truck is also missing.

The week before she vanished, when Sherryl showed up to borrow money, her mother and sister found her to be in pretty bad shape, family told Dateline. They said she had cuts on her back and feet, which Sherryl said she had gotten when she stumbled and fell onto a glass-top table during an argument with her boyfriend at their home in Stilwell, Oklahoma. She refused to go to the hospital.

Sherryl’s daughter, Lindsey Long, who grew up mostly in Pennsylvania with her father’s family, was 14 when her mother disappeared. They had drifted apart in recent years, Lindsey told Dateline. But on the very day Sherryl vanished, Lindsey said she tried to reach out to her mother by phone and got no answer. She is still looking for answers.

“Someone took away my mom. She wasn’t there for my proms, my wedding or the birth of my child,” Lindsey said. “I’ve felt the loss for so many years. I just try to live in the now. We’d just like to find her so we can put her to rest.”

The Facebook page “Missing: Sherryl Lynn Jacquot — Stilwell, OK” was created to bring awareness to Sherryl’s case and as a place for tips to be shared.

At the time of her disappearance, Sherryl was 5’8”, weighed about 125 lbs., had black hair and brown eyes, a Harley tattoo on her left forearm and a Harley wings tattoo on her right hip. She is of Native American descent. She would be 65 years old today.

Anyone with information that could help solve Sherryl’s case is asked to call the OSBI Cold Case Unit at 405-330-6724, or by email at cold.case@osbi.ok.gov.

Monica L. Bercier Wickre

Monica L. Bercier Wickre vanished on April 7, 1993, after being out with friends at a bar called The Body Shop in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she lived.

Monica was born and raised in Belcourt, North Dakota on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation.

That night, she caught a ride with a couple she knew and a man she did not know. It was the last time she was seen alive.

On June 16, 1993, her badly decomposed body was found by a passerby in a canoe in the James River just outside of Aberdeen. Her killer has never been caught.

The family is offering $10,000 to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Monica’s killer.

The family continues to bring awareness about Monica’s case with the Justice4Monica Facebook page in the hope that someone will come forward with information that may help solve it. A billboard was placed on Dakota Street in Aberdeen, South Dakota in June 2020.

Monica’s case is of many mentioned in Savanna’s Act or the #MMIW Act, which reforms law enforcement and justice protocols appropriate to addressing missing and murdered Native women. An initial version of the bill passed the U.S. Senate on December 6, 2018.

The bill was named after Fargo, North Dakota resident Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was murdered in August 2017, and is just one name that represents the horrific statistics regarding abuse and homicide of Indigenous women.

Monica’s daughter, Tonya Hertel, told Dateline she often wonders why stories of Native women aren’t given the attention they deserve and said she hopes by sharing her mother’s story and continuing to fight for justice, it will give others hope to be a voice for the voiceless.

“For so long I felt like I didn’t have a voice,” Tonya said. “But today, I feel like I have a voice. And I feel like a voice has finally been given to my mother.”

Anyone with information about Monica’s case is asked to call the Brown County Sheriff’s Office at 605-626-7100.

Susan Poupart 

29-year-old Susan Poupart was last seen at a house party in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin on May 20, 1990. Susan, a mother of two, was living with her sister at the time, and was reported missing days later when she hadn’t returned home. 

 Susan’s daughter, Alex Poupart, told Dateline that she was only 3 years old when her mother went missing. 

Alex said as she got older, she heard more about her mother’s case, “We mostly, like, heard rumors. It was always rumors that she was abducted from that party.” 

According to Alex, the gathering on May 20, 1990, was a going away party for the younger brother of one of Susan’s friends and multiple people saw her leaving with two men.

Sheriff Fath of the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that story. Witnesses say that they left the party between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. Sheriff Fath also confirmed that the two men told officers that they had all gotten into an argument and dropped Susan off. The sheriff said the men, whom he identified to Dateline as Robert Elm and Joseph Cobb, “are still probably our main people of interest because they have not been able to prove that they were not involved in her disappearance.” He said that Elm and Cobb have been interviewed by the sheriff’s office numerous times. Dateline attempted to contact both Elm and Cobb for comment but was not successful. 

After six months of searching, Susan’s remains were found by hunters in Price County. “It was ruled a homicidal death,” Sheriff Fath told Dateline. But, he noted, “There wasn’t enough of the remains for the pathologist to make a specific cause.” 

The sheriff told Dateline that the crime lab field response team came, too. “We did find clothing. We found her lower jaw bone which -- we were able to identify it through a forensic dental examination,” Sheriff Fath detailed. “And I think there was trace evidence that the crime lab recovered.”

And even though more than three decades have passed, Sheriff Fath vows that he won’t forget about Susan Poupart’s case. “I’m confident that there’s people in Lac du Flambeau that know what happened,” he said. “They just have not come forward. That’s what we need, is -- we need that tip. We need that assistance from the community to solve this case.”

If anyone has information regarding Susan’s case, please call the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office at 715-479-4441. You can also leave an anonymous tip on the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office app or tip411 line.

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