SEATTLE — A first-of-its-kind alert system for missing Indigenous women and people was signed into law in Washington state in 2022.
The system will help distribute information about missing Indigenous people, similar to a Silver Alert of an Amber Alert.
Washington has the second-highest number of missing Indigenous people in the United States. Indigenous women and people go missing more than four times more than white women, according to research conducted by the Urban Indian Health Institute in Seattle.
Currently, 54 Indigenous people from Washington are listed as missing in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, dating from January 2022 to 1968. These are the 23 Indigenous people in Washington who are still missing:
Aidan Spear, 21, was last heard from on January 21, 2022. She went missing from Tacoma, Washington.
She is 5'6'' with brown hair and brown eyes.
Abryel Kiann Lynch, 16, is suspected to have run away from her home in Parkland, Washington, in early January.
She is 5'7'' with brown hair and hazel eyes, nose and ear piercings and a tribal tattoo of a turtle on her right forearm.
Zachary Martin Zazueta went missing when he was 28 years old. He left his home in Shelton unannounced on Nov. 21, 2021, around midnight without his wallet. His mother interrupted him attempting to enter his bedroom window on Nov. 24, and he left again.
He is 5'10'' with brown hair and green eyes. He has also been known to wear glasses.
Amanda Elaine Green went missing when she was 36 years old. She was last seen getting off the back of a motorcycle at an unknown home near East 35th Street and Portland Avenue in Tacoma on May 15, 2021. Amanda has not been active on social media and her family says it's unlike her to lose contact with them or miss major family events.
She is 5'2'' with long brown hair and brown eyes.
Besse Anne Freedom Handy went missing when she was 35 years old. She was last seen in February of 2021 at the Sunshine Motel in Fife. She has connections around Pierce County in Spanaway, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, Sumner, and the City of Puyallup. She has been known to go off-grid for extended periods of time, but not for this long. Attempts to confirm her whereabouts or make contact with her have not been successful.
She is 5'2'' with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a yin yang tattoo on her left arm, the word 'Native' on her left shoulder and a heart on her right arm.
Mary Ellen Johnson went missing when she was 39 years old. She was reported missing on Dec. 9, 2020. She was last seen walking on Fire Trail Road in Tulalip on Dec. 1. She arranged to meet a friend along the road to drive to Arlington. It's not known whether she arrived at her destination. Mary has not been in contact with her framily or friends, and her phone was turned off. Her family last heard from her on Nov. 24.
She is 5'6'' and has brown hair and brown eyes and has been known to wear glasses.
Matthew Warren Dean went missing in 2020 when he was 38 years old. He disappeared from Clallam Bay during heavy snowfall. He borrowed his family's car to go from Neah Bay to Port Angeles. The vehicle was found in a ditch in the snow along Highway 112 on Jan. 14, 10 miles southeast of Clallam Bay.
He is 5'10'' with brown hair and brown eyes. He has "Rez Life" and "N.W. Native" tattoos in unknown locations.
Kaylee Mae Nelson-Jerry went missing from Auburn when she was 21 years old. She was last seen in late June or early July of 2019.
She is 5'7'' with brown hair and black eyes.
Elias Chief Culps went missing from White Swan, Washington, when he was 24 years old. He was last seen in December of 2018.
He is between 5'8'' and 5'10'' with brown hair and brown eyes.
Courtney Corrinna Holden went missing when from Spokane, Washington in April of 2018 when she was 26 years old. She has not been seen or heard from since. Courtney's adoptive mother and brother have since been arrested for charges related to Courtney's disappearance.
She is 5'5 with black hair and brown eyes.
Jerry Hyasman went missing in October of 2016 when he was 55 years old. He was last seen leaving to go mushroom picking near the Copalis Beach area.
He is 5'7'' with gray hair and brown eyes.
Michael Shawn Garcia went missing when from Colfax, Washington, he was 47 years old. He was last seen making a purchase at a grocery store on July 6, 2016. He has not been seen by any of his neighbors, providers or known friends since that time.
He is 5'9'' with partially gray hair and brown eyes.
Rosalita Longee went missing from Wapato, Washington, when she was 18 years old. She left her home on June 30, 2015, after an argument and has not been seen or heard from since.
She is 5'5''-5'8'' with brown hair and brown eyes. She has scars on both wrists and her chest.
Justin Lee McConville went missing from Toppenish, Washington when he was 24 years old. He disappeared in January of 2015. The exact date of his disappearance is unknown.
He is 6'0'' with black hair and brown eyes.
Dean Allen Harvey went missing from Anacortes when he was 49 years old. He departed Burroughs Bay on his boat on Nov. 25, 2014. His boat was later found near Cape St. Mary. He was not wearing a personal flotation device.
He is 6'2'' with black hair and blue eyes.
Anthony Colfax Peters went missing from Yakima, Washington, when he was 56 years old. He was last seen at the Legends Casino on the Yakama Reservation in October of 2014.
He is 5'3''-5'6'' with black hair and brown eyes.
Roland Elton Woodall Sconawah went missing when he was 23 years old from Lyle, Washington. Roland was known to be somewhat transient. He disappeared under unknown circumstances on or about Nov. 13, 2013.
He is 5'6''-5'8'' with black hair and brown eyes.
Ruthie Fawn Kindness went missing from Parkland, Washington, when she was 20 years old. She was last seen in the area of 126th Street South and Pacific Avenue. She was last spoken to around Feb. 7, 2011, calling from a phone in the Paradise Bowling Alley on Pacific Avenue. She is feared missing under suspicious circumstances.
She is 5'4'' with brown hair and browy eyes.
Edith Margaret Claver went missing when she was 47 years old from Renton, Washington. She was last seen at the United Pentecostal church in Renton on Nov. 27, 2009. The next day a church employee found her union ID, keys, a small amount of money and other items next to a dumpster on the north side of the building.
She is 5'4''-5'5'' with black hair and brown eyes. She has a scar through her left eyebrow, scars on both lower legs and a scar on her right forearm from a burn.
Alyssa Angelique McLemore went missing from Kent, Washington when she was 21 years old. She was last seen on April 9, 2009.
She is 5'1''-5'2'' with black hair and brown eyes.
Michael Eric Hansen went missing from Yakima, Washington when he was 45 years old. He was last seen on Nov. 11, 2007. The Yakima County Sheriff located his vehicle near the Yakima River. The keys were still in the ignition, the parking brake was pulled on and the driver's side door was open.
He is 5'7'' with black hair and brown eyes. He has scars on both arms and a limp on his right side.
Giovanna Katie Tyler went missing from Tacoma, Washington when she was 29 years old. She was last seen at her home on the 2000 block of East Gregory Street during the last week of March in 2004.
She is 5'9''-5'10'' with brown hair and brown eyes. She is known to wear glasses and has a tattoo of a dragon on her left arm.
David Dean Keesy went missing from Tacoma, Washington when he was 33 years old. He was last seen leaving with a group of people after a short domestic dispute on Feb. 2, 2004.
He is 6'2'' with brown hair and brown eyes.