Implementing a Nationwide Strategy for the Forensic Identification of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples in the United States: Successes and Challenges

Statistics that show Native American (NA) and Alaskan Native (AN) Populations experience disproportionately high rates of violence. According to the CDC, in 2021, homicide rates are nearly four times as high in NA and AN people than those for non-Hispanic White people. For decades this epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) has been ignored by Federal, State and Tribal Government(s) and Law Enforcement(s) agencies. Because of this, Native People have been voicing their concerns and displeasure to the response to the missing person issue.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous People movement has recently received increased attention of Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Government(s) and Law Enforcement(s) due to families of the missing, joining with grassroot MMIP advocacy groups to bring this crisis to light. Over the past decade, this movement has gradually increased in awareness, education, and prevention. Yet still, the numbers continue to remain high. Many of these investigations remain unsolved, often due to the victim(s) not being identified and a lack of investigative resources, like DNA testing.

The Center for Human Identification (CHI) received a Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Award in 2022 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to assist with funding for DNA testing of Native American and Alaskan Native populations. Unidentified Human Remains (UHRs) and Family Reference Samples (FRS) of the missing are entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for associations toward identifying unknown remains. With the remains identified, many of these MMIP cases can be investigated by law enforcement and the families can finally have a resolution to what happened to their missing family member.

We first encountered mixed feelings regarding DNA testing to Tribal communities. Historically, Native People have a distrust towards Government, Law Enforcement, Academia, and Non-Native Organizations within many disciplines, in particular when it comes to DNA testing. Offering DNA testing for human identification is a unique challenge in Indian Country, due to the culturally sensitive belief that one’s DNA is inherently exclusive to them and their identity. There are 574 Federally recognized tribes in the United States and each tribe is uniquely different from the next in their belief system. Due to these differences, each approach has to be tailored to that specific tribe; and this requires time, trust, and correct information presented to the people without a hidden agenda.

We have found by implementing this approach, the families of the missing have consented to giving their DNA and having their DNA entered into CODIS, with the hope their missing family member will be identified and brought home. Law enforcement agencies now have new information to aid their investigations. Medical Examiners’ Offices (MEO) have samples against which to compare UHRs in their jurisdictions in hopes of making an identification. And more families can now finally have answers.

As this technology is used in missing person cases with successful identifications, we have seen the Indigenous families of the missing begin to proactively reach out to law enforcement requesting to be tested. One particular Tribal Law Enforcement Agency has expressed that this resource has actually built a better relationship of trust between the families of the missing and law enforcement. Law enforcement has also expressed they feel increased confidence when meeting with the families because this resource provides another investigative tool in their missing person investigation. These small steps represent great advances in the right direction.