MMIPWindRiver.org - 2025 Overview

Overview of the MMIP Crisis in Wyoming and the Wind River Indian Reservation

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis continues to disproportionately affect Indigenous communities in Wyoming, where Native people—comprising about 3% of the state's population—face homicide rates up to eight times higher than white residents and represent nearly 20% of missing persons cases. The Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), home to the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes in Fremont County, is a hotspot, accounting for half of the state's Indigenous missing persons reports. Data gaps, jurisdictional challenges, and inconsistent reporting persist, but 2025 has seen incremental progress, including a new state law mandating faster database entries and FBI efforts to reopen cold cases using forensic genetic genealogy (FGG). The Wyoming MMIP Task Force, established in 2021, continues to drive data collection and awareness, with their next meeting scheduled for October 23-24, 2025.

Key 2025 reports include the Indigenous Victims of Homicide and Missing Persons in Wyoming: 2025 Update (released January 2025 by the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center and Division of Victim Services) and the FBI Denver's 2024 Investigative Review (summarized in May 2025). These draw primarily from 2024 data, as comprehensive 2025 figures are still emerging as of October 1.

Homicide Statistics

Indigenous people in Wyoming experienced a homicide rate of 23.2 per 100,000 in 2024 (five-year average), compared to 2.9 for white residents—an eightfold disparity. This makes homicide a leading cause of death for Native women aged 10-34, at 10 times the national average for Indigenous people. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) estimates 4,200 unsolved MMIP cases nationwide, with advocates suggesting the true figure is higher due to underreporting.

Wind River Specifics: The majority of Native American homicides over the past decade occurred on or near WRIR, primarily involving Native victims and offenders. Gunshot wounds were the leading cause of death, with intoxicants (e.g., alcohol, drugs) as a major contributing factor in most cases. Examples include a 2017 WRIR homicide (victim found in a suitcase) and a 2019 kidnapping-execution in Riverton/WRIR, both leading to federal prosecutions with lengthy sentences.

Missing Persons Statistics

In 2024, 105 unique Indigenous individuals were reported missing in Wyoming, representing 19% of all 546 missing persons cases statewide—despite Natives being only 3% of the population. This resulted in 151 entries to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), with the BIA logging 65 cases on reservation land. Indigenous people remained missing for an average of 11 days (twice the 6-day average for white residents), and cases were less likely to receive media coverage unless resolved fatally.

Wind River Specifics: Approximately half of Wyoming's Indigenous missing persons cases in 2024 stemmed from WRIR. The FBI's public outreach (February-October 2024) yielded eight tips but no new missing persons cases; however, it identified a lead in a 1969 WRIR cold case, now reopened for FGG analysis. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is piloting FGG on a "handful" of cases with $150,000 state funding, though no major breakthroughs yet.

Recent Developments and Reports (2025)

Legislative Progress: Senate File 114, passed February 27 and effective July 1, 2025, requires law enforcement to enter missing persons reports into state and national databases within eight hours of notification. This addresses prior delays, especially for adult cases, and aims to reduce resolution times.
Task Force and Training Efforts: The MMIP Task Force met in May 2025 to discuss compiling a WRIR-specific list of cases, emphasizing storytelling and honoring victims beyond statistics. Tribal liaisons from Gov. Mark Gordon's office are leading trainings on child abductions, dating violence, stalking, and multi-jurisdictional alerts. A June 2025 interim committee meeting in Fort Washakie highlighted trust-building and sovereignty-respecting partnerships.
FBI Initiatives: The 2024 review (publicized May 2025) focused on 10-year homicide trends and public tips, confirming no new unsolved cases from outreach but advancing cold case tech. A 90-day tip line (early 2024) received 35 tips, including four homicides and three missing persons—all previously known.
Awareness Events: May 2025 featured MMIP Awareness Day events, including a 5K Prayer Run/Walk on WRIR. The 2022 documentary Who She Is (on WRIR's MMIP crisis) won a Heartland Emmy in July 2025.

Notable 2025 Cases on Wind River

August 29: 21-year-old missing person found deceased on WRIR; investigation ongoing.
September 14: 12-year-old Stoni Tillman (Northern Arapaho) reported missing from WRIR.
Late September: 15-year-old Myakoda Guina reported missing; community prayers ongoing as of late September.

For the most current case updates, resources like the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) or the Wyoming DCI are recommended. The crisis underscores systemic issues like jurisdictional overlaps on WRIR, but ongoing collaborations offer hope for improved outcomes.