The Federal Bureau of Investigation has officially joined the search for a missing Blackfeet woman last seen in Browning last June.
Ashley Loring Heavyrunner disappeared nine months ago. Her sister Kimberly hasn’t stopped looking for her.
“I never gave up to look for her. We did a lot. We searched everywhere we were told where she could have been,” she said.
The FBI announced this week it’s joined the investigation into 21-year-old Loring Heavyrunner’s disappearance at the request of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In a statement, the FBI says it’s been assisting the BIA for some time, and brings additional resources to the search. No further information was released.
Kimberly Loring welcomes the FBI’s involvement.
“Maybe Ashley's case can now move forward now, because it does seem like it’s been at a standstill for the last eight months,” she said.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Blackfeet Nation are each offering a $5,000 reward for information relating to Loring Heavyrunner’s disappearance. Blackfeet Law Enforcement is accepting tips at 406-338-4000.
Although activists nationwide have fought to raise awareness of violence against Native American women, there is no comprehensive data collection system to quantify the number of missing and murdered women in Indian Country.
