The Federal Bureau of Investigation has increased the minimum reward for information on unsolved cases in Indian Country, a move designed to generate new leads in dozens of homicides and missing-person cases, some of which have remained mysteries for decades. The initiative, titled "Voices Not Forgotten," has set a new minimum reward of $25,000 for more than 50 unsolved cases, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. Indigenous communities have repeatedly highlighted the disproportionate rates of violence, disappearance, and murder affecting Native women and girls.
The decision to raise the rewards was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel last week following the National Law Enforcement Partner Conference, which included over 200 Tribal partners. This initiative will impact several high-profile cases.
Among the cases receiving increased attention is that of Angel Beach, who was shot and killed on the Muscogee Creek Reservation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 19, 2020. Previously, the reward for information in her case was $10,000. Beach, 25, died the day after the shooting, and her killer has not been identified.
Another case affected by the reward increase is that of Emily Pike, who disappeared from her group home in Arizona last year and was later found deceased. The FBI is now offering $75,000 for verifiable information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for her death. Her case gained national attention and amplified calls for greater focus on cases involving Native American women and girls.
Maleeka 'Mollie' Boone, 8, was reported missing in January 2026 and found dead the following morning. She had left a family member's home to walk to another relative's house but never arrived. The FBI is offering $25,000 for information in her case.
Sa'wade Birdinground, 15, was last seen on October 6, 2024, at her home on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. The reward for her case has also been increased by $10,000.
Logan Warrior Goings, 6, was shot and killed outside his home on May 5, 2022. The FBI has offered $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. FBI Special Agent Matthew Vogel remarked earlier this year that the perpetrator has lived with the knowledge of murdering a child for four years.
Mary Johnson, 39, vanished during a walk on the Tulalip Reservation in Washington on Thanksgiving 2020. Her remains were discovered in a remote area in June of the following year, with no arrests made. The FBI is now offering $25,000 for information in her case.
Despite the renewed focus and increased rewards, some family members of victims have expressed concern that the initiative may not yield results. JoDee Carlow, daughter of Patrick Carlow Sr., who was found dead in his South Dakota home in 2023, noted that the $25,000 reward does not alleviate the deep-rooted fear within the Indigenous community of reporting information to law enforcement. Her sister, Lisa, added that the increased reward raises their unease and voiced apprehension about further dashed hopes.
Luana Ross, co-director of the Native Voices program at the University of Washington, echoed these sentiments, suggesting that individuals in reservation communities might be reluctant to provide information to a justice system they feel has not served them well.
The "Voices Not Forgotten" initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve intergovernmental coordination between state, Tribal, and federal law enforcement. It stems from the 2020 Not Invisible Act, which established a commission to explore better ways to serve Indigenous communities. Recommendations from this act included expanding tribal law enforcement authority and enhancing communication with victims' families. The Department of Justice has also deployed numerous FBI agents and personnel to field offices near tribal lands. The FBI reported in May that an influx of resources under Operation Not Forgotten led to over 200 arrests and convictions. However, some observers, like Michael Henderson, director of public safety for the Navajo Nation, have noted that an increased FBI presence may not be the optimal solution due to a lack of experience with tribal communities.
The increased rewards and federal attention have contributed to greater public awareness of cases involving Native Americans. On May 5, Indigenous people across the country participated in a national day of awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement.
