Hwy 96 ‘Is Our Highway of Tears’: Activists for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Rallied in Front of Fortuna’s FBI Field Office Yesterday

Marchers asked for justice for murdered and missing indigenous women and men (MMIWP) at a rally in front of the FBI field office in Fortuna yesterday. [All video and photos by Ryan Hutson]

Yesterday, between 50 to 75 people, most of them members of local tribes, gathered first at the FBI field office in Fortuna demanding help for the high numbers of missing and murdered indigenous people before marching to the Fortuna Police Department and later holding a candlelight vigil.

The protesters–representing many tribes and locations including Hoopa, Yurok, Karuk and Round Valley members–hoped to bring attention to the bleak numbers faced by indigenous people, particularly women. According to a recent study, there were 165 missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people cases in California. “This makes California the state with the fifth-highest number nationally…,” the study points out. “Notably, Northern
California outranks many states, and if it were a state, would be in
the top 10, with 105 cases.”

Jerimiah Anderson, owner and operator of Anderson Construction said, “We are here to bring awareness of missing and murdered indigenous men and woman.” He wanted to make sure people understood “This is not BLM.” He explained, “We will not be blocking traffic…This is not political…This is to bring awareness…We are missing a lot of people.”
He said that Hwy 96 is “our highway of tears” where many of those missing and murdered in the community have been lost.

Danielle Vigil-Masten, former Chair of the Hoopa Valley Tribe , speaks about the MMIWP movement. 

In the above video, Danielle Vigil-Masten spoke to a grant that was recently granted that will help provide the funds to focus on finding out what happened to victims. She said she hoped that the rally could focus law enforcement’s attention on clearing some of the cases that are languishing currently. “We are really scared for our community that there is no justice going on,” she explained.

A roll call of the missing and murdered men and women by first name only punctuated the protest yesterday.

Some of the protesters told stories of when they lost loved ones. Carlie Estrada tells the story of the night her brother was killed in an interaction CHP. (See more here.)

Carlie Estrada, Richie TisMil Estrada’s twin sister, wears his photo on her t-shirt as she tells the story of his death.

Many of the protesters had missing and murdered family members that they represented with posters, shirts, and banners.

A banner carried at yesterday's rally in Fortuna for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

A banner for Kason Crutchfield and Tawny Ervin carried at yesterday’s rally in Fortuna for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Carli Estrada wears a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People mask and a t-shirt with a photo of her twin brother.

Two girls hold posters honoring Khadijah Britton while wearing red handprints over their mouths. Activist Jesse Armstrong told us that the handprint symbolizes “the silence of the missing and murdered and the voice the protestors hoped to give them.”

Tawny Ervin is remembered in this poster. Her body was found down an embankment off Kneeland Road.

This person holds a poster remembering Ben Taggart who was hit by a driver who fled the scene.

Grandparents of Khadijah Britton at a rally for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Fortuna.

Grandparents of Khadijah Britton at a rally for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Fortuna. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Family and friends hold a poster remembering Virgil Owen Bussell, Jr.

Family and friends hold a poster remembering Virgil Owen Bussell, Jr who went missing in late February. There is a $30,000 reward for information that least to the arrest and conviction of those involved in his disappearance.” 

Not all of those remembered at the rally were indigenous people. One woman held a photo of Stephanie Gawboy who was murdered in Redway in 2016 and as far as we have learned had no indigenous ancestry. [Note: though the woman who help up Gawboy’s poster said Gawboy was not indigenous, a friend was able to show that she was actually the daughter of Robert Gawboy, Jr., a champion swimmer and a member of the American Indian Hall of Fame. Stephanie was 1/4 Chippewa.

Poster in memory of Stephanie Gawboy

Poster in memory of Stephanie Gawboy, a woman shot in Redway during 2016. Gawboy was not indigenous but a Native Woman held her poster and plead for justice for the Redway woman.

A woman pleads for justice for a non-native woman, Stephanie Gawboy, who was shot in Redway during 2016.

Danielle Vigil-Masten asks justice for all those who are missing or murdered.

If you would like to help families raise funds for search efforts to find their missing loved ones, click here to be taken to a GoFund Me. The first $500 raised was given to the Bussell family at the protest yesterday to help search for their missing family member.

 

Please note, a free-lance reporter for us, Stormy Whitehurst, is related to an activist who raised money for the missing using the GoFundMe account noted above.

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Scott Flowers
Guest
Scott Flowers
3 years ago

Thank you, Kym and Stormy, for wearing out some shoe leather and covering this in person. I pray for justice for all of the remembered and also for the return of peace to the hearts of the bereaved. Native lives matter.

Joan Dunning
Guest
Joan Dunning
3 years ago

This is meaningful and convincing. Thank you to all for giving this voice.

Alf
Guest
Alf
3 years ago

I’m conflicted about this story. On one side it is always heartbreaking for anyone to lose a family member under any circumstance. It is even worse when you don’t know where a loved one is or what happened to them. However in this demonstration, it is people from a Sovereign Nation demonstrating where they aren’t Sovereign. There seems to be a blame game going on. It seems instead of blame there should be people from the Sovereign Nation who are trained in investigating, law enforcement, etc. who take the lead to find their own. If this were happening in cooperation with other agencies instead of blaming the other agencies, more missing persons cases would be solved and relations with the community as a whole would be vastly improved.

Gardener
Guest
Gardener
3 years ago
Reply to  Alf

Your reading comprehension issues got in your way again. Try reading articles first, then commenting.

Jackie Dandeneau
Guest
Jackie Dandeneau
3 years ago
Reply to  Alf

From the Center for Public Integrity:

Yet non-native men who assault Native American women on reservations can’t be arrested or prosecuted by tribal authorities under a 1978 Supreme Court decision.

“If a white person commits murder or rape against a Native American person, the federal government would have jurisdiction over those crimes, instead of the tribe or state government,” said Cheryl Bennett, an Arizona State University professor who studies hate crimes targeting indigenous peoples.

But when tribal law enforcement sent sexual-abuse cases to the FBI and U.S. Attorney Offices, federal prosecutors declined more than two-thirds of them, according to a 2010 Government Accountability Office report.

Lauren
Guest
Lauren
3 years ago
Reply to  Alf

There are a lot of convoluted laws surrounding prosecuting people from crimes committed on Reservations and which agency can prosecute and investigate. The book “The Beginning and End of Rape” by Sarah Deer is an excellent resource regarding information about this.

Jeanette Ward
Guest
Jeanette Ward
3 years ago
Reply to  Alf

The United States of America consists of 3 sovereign entities. Federal, State, and Tribal. We Natives are citizens of this great nation as well as of whatever state our tribe/reservation/rancheria resides in. We are subject to the laws of the land just like any other citizen residing in the United States as well as State Laws we reside in. As for the law enforcement issue…..when we call law enforcement the County Sheriff’s officers respond not Tribal officers. Furthermore one of my white friends showed me comments on hus computer from his white friends stating they would not pull over for a Tribal officer.

Jeremiah Anderson
Guest
Jeremiah Anderson
3 years ago
Reply to  Alf

Missing and murdered people come in all colors. I was there at the rally with a red handprint on my face wearing a suit. My friend and customer Nick vigil has been missing since February 25. Nick is not native American. This is of no concern to the rally director of MMIW. We were welcomed with open arms to come and bring awareness. There are 1500 people That are missing in the whole state of California, there are 300 people missing in Humboldt County. We have 20% of all missing cases across the state. And it doesn’t help when the corner is driving around vehicles going to lunch and driving them to her own house when they were supposed to be used as evidence.

Mike
Guest
Mike
3 years ago

Alf’s not wrong, tribal members are incredibly skeptical about cooperating with outside authority’s, something about systemic oppression and genocide. When the outside authority’s come in a arrest a tribal member many view it as the white man coming and stealing one of their family to take to the white mans prison. So very few people will cooperate at all, which makes it incredibly hard for an murder investigator when there are witnesses but no one will talk to you, even if they want justice. If you could give some dedicated locals the tools, skills, and resources they would undoubtedly have far better results, espesciallly if the said locals had access and cooperation of state and federal agency’s. There’s nothing that the FBI could do to gain their trust, but locals trying to get justice for locals is a cause that could probably gain some traction. Better than doing nothing.

max
Guest
max
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

alf is not wrong about that one detail. his take on the matter is racist in its framing, whereas yours is historically and sociologically informed.

Rod Gass
Guest
Rod Gass
3 years ago
Reply to  max

Stuff the racist crap on this topic. Alf is after a solution not talk.

Rod Gass
Guest
Rod Gass
3 years ago

Alf, Mike, thanks to you both, you’re both right.

//Jerimiah Anderson, owner and operator of Anderson Construction said, “We are here to bring awareness of missing and murdered indigenous men and woman.” He wanted to make sure people understood “This is not BLM.” He explained, “We will not be blocking traffic…This is not political…This is to bring awareness…We are missing a lot of people.”//

These people are local who need local support.

Once we lose our precious indigenous peoples, they’ll be gone forever, same as the redwoods. Then we’ll be left with a desert of cultural relics.

Locals could establish a bounty system. Capital crimes against the original people should be capital crimes period, no exceptions. Death to the bad guys. We have too many predators and not enough protectors. Why not? Put it to a vote.

helloworld
Guest
helloworld
3 years ago

I’m not sure why they think the FBI will help them.
It is sad that there is a high level of violence and unsolved murders on the Reservations.
However, I would assume most of these crimes are committed by people who live in those places as they receive very few outsiders in those areas.
This would mean that the local tribal police are not doing there jobs.
They are the ones who know the community the best.
I don’t understand it, they are racist fearful and hate white people yet they come to the rest of us always wanting help. This is the opposite of “Sovereign”. Maybe this protest should of happened on the reservations in question. The only awareness that this has brought to me is another reminder to stay off there lands where they are letting me know has no justice and is rife with murder. Perhaps they need to try and take accountability and regulate there own community. All the murderers are probably still present and living in these areas.

Lauren
Guest
Lauren
3 years ago
Reply to  helloworld

There are a lot of convoluted laws surrounding prosecuting people from crimes committed on Reservations and which agency can prosecute and investigate. I believe the FBI is the agency in charge of investigating certain crimes that place on Reservation depending on the race of the victim and/or perpetrator. I’m not 100% sure though. The book “The Beginning and End of Rape” by Sarah Deer is an excellent resource regarding information about this.

Mike
Guest
Mike
3 years ago

I fully support their cause on this issue, I just hope that the government is smart enough (for once) to actually find a way to help the issue. And it’s not by federal agents having more boots on the ground. How many people on the reservation do you think have some pertinent information on these murders? I’d wager that it would be a large number. But if there’s no one that they’re willing to cooperate with nothing will happen. Murders in rural areas usually aren’t solved by evidence, they need information just as much.

[edit]
Guest
[edit]
3 years ago
Reply to  Mike

When Law enforcement investigates law enforcement involving Natives or any POC what the hell do you expect? [edit]

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
3 years ago

Didn’t Estrada attack the CHP officer with a machete, causing permanent damage to the officer, or did the CHP make that up? Blaming LEO for societal problems is just a diversion, the community should look within itself, instead of pointing fingers and crying racism. But introspection is painful…

R. Hutson
Guest
R. Hutson
3 years ago

One of the video clips provided in the article is Carli Estrada speaking about the events that led up to her brother’s death, so, an answer to your question is explained in that clip- if indeed you were wanting to gain a better understanding.

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
3 years ago
Reply to  R. Hutson

Still, her brother was attacking another human being. She misses her brother, but he was the attacker, not a lay down and be shot victim. The family is suing the state, what kind of lawyer convinces a grieving family to engage in such a futile effort?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

If he was guilty of a crime, the duty of peace officers is to restrain.

They’re not the judge, not the jury, and they’re not supposed to be the executioners, either. It’s called having a right to due process.

Native Nobody
Guest
Native Nobody
3 years ago

As a Native, these days We are our own worst enemy…almost as bad to each other as they are to us. What is lateral violence? I’ll tell you…it claims one thing, but in reality it means hold no one or anything accountable because they are Native. We got it twisted people, as we keep moving backwards while looking forward. Apparently just keep depending on not having independence is what sovereignty means to Natives today…. Missing Murded Indigenous PEOPLE.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Native Nobody

You are blaming Native people for crimes not being brought to account, while ignoring the legal constraints they face. You are also describing Native people as “backwards” and “dependent on dependency.” You sound racist.

Jeanette Ward
Guest
Jeanette Ward
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I agree with your assessment.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeanette Ward

I’m so tired of white [edit] racists claiming to be Native.

Bigfoot Screams In Your Dreams
Guest
Bigfoot Screams In Your Dreams
3 years ago

The unseen war towards Natives is hidden in this country’s survival of the fittest un compassionate ideology, and moral standards. Some tribes converted masonic leaderships have gained them some concessions like casino’s & per cap checks etc. but the majority of Natives still live under extreme poverty levels. There are too many things to list in this comment as why, but just know whether or not America honors us?..we are sovereign nations as they are in the world. Is it not espionage when they send their occult & law enforcement agents masked as humanitarian’s and apathetic help to fish..& engage for information? Is it not espionage when their spy’s Native, or not infiltrate & effect our lives? Anyone working openly for the worlds governments, or secretly is a spy upon this land, and it’s original inhabitants. Treaties are laws, even though not honored by america and it’s thrones. Just because a small percentage lives above the poverty level..genocide is still happening no matter your disbelief or propaganda that says otherwise……

Whoa
Guest
Whoa
3 years ago

“and two spirit people cases in California”

That’s spooky!

hmm
Guest
hmm
3 years ago

Are the per capita stats on missing and murdered indigenous women out of line with stats from other ethno-religious groups?

BonnieBlue
Guest
BonnieBlue
3 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Yes. And to a large degree.

Innderstand Yet
Guest
Innderstand Yet
3 years ago

Active “news” or de activated news? Let’s spend yOur energy, time, and even resources on the moment, let alone the future versus what is already “gone” and happened. If we focus more on preventative in the moment measures concerning youth suicide, native youth sexual abuse, native youth murders by police, and even all things pertaining to all Native peoples quality of life, especially concerning our own families and communities, then things will change slowly, but surely. We gotta at least look at the longer run equally than the shorter run if we want to make it where we are needing to head. I said head, because I do not believe we are heading their yet as Native humanity. We can only get to that place if we know where we actually are. No matter the community or group…on different levels we are still unsure, and kinda lost to our location in time, yet pretend otherwise. We are likely lying to ourselves to where and why we really are. Pretending victories. Because if the number one suicide rate is still Native children, and number one in every negative statistic, then all these so called victories, and the same old ideas attempted are symbolic as we keep losing our youth and people. Until then…just more pyramids, and slaves.

PleasehelpfindJansonFSecody
Guest

My older sister has been missing for going on 10years Janson F.Secody and we, I miss her everyday that she’s gone. She was such a kind person and she was always willing to help someone who needed help so I believe that was how she went missing from her home in NM. So all the events for MMIWM are very Important and meaningful to those who are missing and lost a loved one. My prayers are with the names called.

Bringmehome
Guest
3 years ago

HelpfindJansonFSecody

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Bringmehome

🙏🦋🌼🌺🌻💜💙💚

Jeanette Ward
Guest
Jeanette Ward
3 years ago

Alf I am a Native American with missing murdered relatives. I tried to reach out to the freaking FBI and whatever “agent” I got ahold of yelled at me stating ” we don’t do that!” I was reminded that I am living with systemic racism. I called the cops to report ongoing serious harrassment, and this officer asked me why were these 2 native men doing this to me and my family and I flabbergasted told him “I don’t know…because they are being ugly” the officer responded “I think you are both ugly”.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeanette Ward

That is completely disturbing.

Jeanette Ward
Guest
Jeanette Ward
3 years ago

The United States of America consists of 3 sovereign entities. Federal, State, and Tribal. We Natives are citizens of this great nation as well as of whatever state our tribe/reservation/rancheria resides in. We are subject to the laws of the land just like any other citizen residing in the United States as well as State Laws we reside in. As for the law enforcement issue…..when we call law enforcement the County Sheriff’s officers respond not Tribal officers. Furthermore one of my white friends showed me comments on hus computer from his white friends stating they would not pull over for a Tribal officer.

Yolo
Guest
Yolo
3 years ago

We all know that most of these crimes were not committed by outsiders but then going to demonstrate and pretend like we don’t know, anyone local knows real stories

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Yolo

you and no one else knows shit when there’s no actual investigation

sosad
Guest
sosad
3 years ago

I’m pretty sure Stephanie was Chippewa (Ojibwe) from Minnesota. Bois Forte.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
3 years ago

I drove by their demonstration. I didn’t know what it was all about, but they weren’t blocking the road so I was able to read some of their signs. I thought to myself, “this is the Kind of demonstration that I can support”.

Other demonstrations, a person driving is busy trying not to run into someone while they pound on your car, block the road and scream at you to say somebody’s name. More likely to lose your support than find sympathy.

Kudos to the indigenous people.

Law enforcement…. Are you listening. I hope so. These people need your help, and they are following your rules.