{"id":39242,"date":"2022-07-27T19:38:49","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T01:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/fbi-assembles-177-active-cases-of-indigenous-people-missing-from-n-m-and-navajo-nation\/"},"modified":"2022-07-28T01:38:49","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T01:38:49","slug":"fbi-assembles-177-active-cases-of-indigenous-people-missing-from-n-m-and-navajo-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/fbi-assembles-177-active-cases-of-indigenous-people-missing-from-n-m-and-navajo-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"FBI assembles 177 active cases of Indigenous people missing from N.M. and Navajo Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Federal
Federal and state officials look on as Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge at the Albuquerque FBI Field Office, announces the first official list of missing Native Americans in New Mexico and across the Navajo Nation. (Shaun Griswold\/Source NM)<\/span>Shaun Griswold \/ Source NM<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Walcie Downing was last seen in 1956. Her case is the oldest on the list. Brittney Clinton, Clark Lanaya and Jimmy Owens were last seen a few days ago, on July 14. They are the latest additions.<\/p>\n

According to the FBI, 177 Native Americans are missing from New Mexico and the Navajo Nation.<\/p>\n

The FBI\u2019s list of missing Native Americans in New Mexico and across the Navajo Nation can be seen below and at www.fbi.gov\/mmip<\/a>. People with information about any case are asked to contact their local FBI office. Anyone who wants to add a person to the list is to contact local police.<\/p>\n

The FBI\u2019s list, released Monday, comes from a lengthy review of existing law enforcement databases tracking missing cases involving Native Americans. The FBI spent six months compiling the information.<\/p>\n

The majority of the cases were reported within the last five years, though there are some from the 1970s through the 1990s. But a case like Downing\u2019s that goes back more than 60 years shows the scope of systemic failure when it comes to finding justice for missing or murdered Native Americans in this region, and across the country.<\/p>\n

One-hundred and seventy-seven. That number is key in part because it\u2019s the first time law enforcement found some agreement about how many active cases exist.<\/p>\n

After an examination of all agencies that keep files on missing Native American cases in this area, the FBI consolidated the information into a single database to determine there are 177 active cases in the state and from the Navajo Nation.<\/p>\n

That number does not include open murder investigations or cold cases.<\/p>\n

Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives rose through social media posts \u2013 #MMIW #MMIWR \u2013 into federal policy. And as the public pressure grew, law enforcement explained that inconsistent reporting between police agencies did not allow them to understand exactly how many people this affects. Community groups agreed, lifted the issue, and asked when and how information-sharing and paperwork problems could be resolved so more relatives could be brought home.<\/p>\n

In an attempt to address inconsistencies when missing persons reports are filed, the FBI said its new database will be a centralized and easier way for all law enforcement \u2013 local, state, tribal and federal \u2013 to submit the information.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to make this clear that it\u2019s not a finished product. It\u2019s only a starting point,\u201d said Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge at the Albuquerque FBI Field Office.<\/p>\n

Bujanda announced the new database flanked by federal and state officials. New Mexico Secretary of Indian Affairs Lynn Trujillo said it\u2019s a solid starting point in determining how many people are missing.<\/p>\n

Trujillo (Sandia\/Taos\/Acoma) administers the New Mexico MMIWR Task Force. The group has long called for a centralized database where all law enforcement agencies file cases of people who\u2019ve gone missing. In May 2022, the task force released an action plan that highlights issues caused by police agencies not communicating with one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will help us better understand the depth of the crisis here in New Mexico, which is something that the task force found in their report, in the beginning of their work,\u201d Trujillo said. \u201cWe still did not understand how many people are truly missing here in the state of New Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n

Families seeking answers have reported instances of cases jumping between agencies, or worse, situations where police are unable to determine who has jurisdiction on a case. This wastes valuable time in the immediate hours after a person goes missing.<\/p>\n

Staffing in rural police departments is another issue \u2013 one that leaves local police to rely on federal resources when they are available.<\/p>\n

Families reporting missing relatives sometimes wait days before an officer responds to file an initial report. Follow-up reports, when they happen, can take weeks, months or even years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the reason why we started, because that number was so inconsistent. And everyone was doing the right thing,\u201d Bujanda said. \u201cThey were collecting missing data on individuals to try to find these individuals, but the problem is we weren\u2019t doing it collectively. It was all patchwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the review to build this new database, the FBI acknowledged multiple gaps in communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data was incomplete in many places,\u201d Bujanda said. \u201cAnd some agencies were reporting different data \u2013 no fault of their own \u2013 but in different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n