Washington Launches Cold Case Unit for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

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A new Washington law will create a cold case unit focused on investigating unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people.

Signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday, House Bill 1177 aims to bring justice and closure to Native American and Alaska Native families, some of whom have been waiting decades for answers on what happened to their loved one.

"Victims are not alone. The cries of their loved ones are no longer unheard," said bill sponsor Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, who was born in Southeast Alaska and is part Tlingit and part Aleut.

The cold case unit, which will be housed in the state Attorney General's Office, will assist federal, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in investigating unsolved cases involving Indigenous people, who are disproportionately targeted by violence. The unit will prioritize help to jurisdictions with limited resources.

In addition to investigators, the unit will include an advocate who will maintain regular and confidential communication with families of victims, using culturally appropriate and trauma-informed practices, and serve as a go-between for families and law enforcement.

Proponents of the new cold case unit say it is a step toward thawing historical mistrust and fear in Indigenous communities toward the police and courts systems.

The new cold case unit was a major recommendation brought forward last summer by the Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & People Task Force, which was created by the office in 2021.

"Thanks to the work of the task force, my office will be the first Attorney General's Office in the country with a cold case unit dedicated to seeking justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and people," Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement.

The task force also pushed for the creation of a new emergency alert system for missing Indigenous people, similar to Amber Alerts for children and Silver Alerts for older adults.



Launched in July, the new Washington State Patrol alert system was activated more than 30 times within the first six months. Of the 22 people found alive, at least four were found as a direct result of the alert, Crosscut reported.

For decades, Native American advocates and experts have sounded the alarm on the disproportionate levels of violence, sexual assault, homicides and disappearances experienced by Indigenous people, and particularly by women.

"I can't say why it took so long for the rest of the country or our state to recognize we matter," Lekanoff said. Across the country, "there are thousands of women we still don't know what happened to them, they're still missing."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2018, homicide was the sixth-leading cause of death for Indigenous women and girls ages 1 to 44. For Indigenous men and boys, it was the third-leading cause of death.

Washington has one of the highest number of cases of missing or murdered Native American women and girls in the country, according to a 2018 report by the Urban Indian Health Institute. Researchers at the time identified 45 cases in Seattle, the highest number among the cities it reviewed, though advocates and experts say it's likely an undercount.

A review by the Attorney General's Office in 2022 found at least 113 unsolved homicide cases involving an Indigenous victim, or about 5% of recorded unsolved homicides. Indigenous people represent about 2% of the state's population.

The office noted the disparity is likely "much more significant," since many cases involving Indigenous victims may be inaccurately reported, or not reported at all.

As of April, 134 Native American people are missing in Washington, the majority from Yakima County, according to the State Patrol.

"It's a crisis, and we're finally able to take small, positive steps here in Washington state," Lekanoff said.