The Bureau of Indian Affairs launched a new tool for missing and murdered person cases involving indigenous people.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced today the launch of its new website dedicated to solving missing and murdered cases in Indian Country. The tool draws attention to unresolved cases involving indigenous persons that the BIA, Office of Justice Services, Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) is working on and invites the public to help law enforcement solve those cases.
Oklahoma AG: “Our Office is invested in protecting against social media’s harmful effects on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children.”
The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced today the launch of its new website dedicated to solving missing and murdered cases in Indian Country. The tool draws attention to unresolved cases involving indigenous persons that the BIA, Office of Justice Services, Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) is working on and invites the public to help law enforcement solve those cases. Today’s announcement comes as Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Bryan Newland participates in a panel on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis at the Western Governors Association Winter Meeting.
“The Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples crisis has plagued Indian Country for too long, with cases often going unsolved and unaddressed,” said Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs. “This new website represents a new tool in the effort to keep communities safe and provide closure for families.”
“This is an important new resource that connects those who might have case information with the investigating agency and agent — speeding feedback to address the legitimate concerns of our Native communities,” said Jason O’Neal, Deputy Bureau Director, Justice Services.
Under Secretary Deb Haaland’s leadership, Interior is committed to working with Tribal governments, law enforcement agencies, survivors, families of the missing, and all communities impacted to coordinate interagency collaboration to address this crisis. Within the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration, Secretary Haaland created the MMU to pursue justice for missing or murdered Indigenous people.
The new site provides detailed case information that can be easily shared, and three pathways to submit important tips and other case information that may help investigators with the detection or investigation of an offense committed in Indian Country.
The site also contains information regarding how to submit tips or case information that may help investigators. For some tips, BIA offers rewards for information assisting in the detection or investigation of an offense committed in Indian country or in the arrest of an offender against the United States. The standard reward may be up to $5,000, depending on the specific details provided. BIA may increase the amount conditional on the circumstances.
Additionally, an important feature of the site is its connectivity to the National Missing and Unidentified Person’s System and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Indian Country Case Web site, which aims to enhance the Missing and Murdered Unit’s ability to connect cases that involve American Indian and Alaska Native people.
To view BIA’s new missing and murdered cases website, visit https://www.bia.gov/service/mmu.
The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees the programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), provides leadership in consultations with Tribes, and serves as the DOI official for intra- and inter-departmental coordination and liaison within the Executive Branch on matters concerning American Indians and Alaska Natives and the federally recognized Tribes in the United States.
The mission of the BIA Office of Justice Services (OJS) is to uphold Tribal sovereignty and provide for the safety of Indian communities by ensuring the protection of life and property, enforcing laws, maintaining justice and order, and by ensuring that sentenced American Indian offenders are confined in safe, secure, and humane environments. Ensuring public safety and justice is arguably the most fundamental of government services provided in Tribal communities. Visit the OJS website for more information.
State Senator Paul Rosino, Author of Oklahoma’s Ida’s Law, Calls Tool “Phenomenal”
In a recent interview with the KOCO-TV, Oklahoma State Senator Paul Rosino who successfully guided the passage of Ida’s Law, called the new tool phenomenal. Here is an excerpt from the story that appears on the news station’s website:
“You can report any incident that you might have, it shows pictures of people that all of sudden could link you to something, go wow I think I would know who that is…”If you have a missing person that maybe you thought was missing in Oklahoma, and you look at this website and you might see someone that might be missing in another state and go well that’s my family member…”
Ida’s Law
On November 1, 2021, Senate Bill 172, also known as Ida’s Law, took effect. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has taken steps to implement the law. Ida’s Law was passed by the Oklahoma Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt in April of this year. Oklahoma State Senator Paul Rosino (R-District 45) and Oklahoma State Representative Collin Walke (D-87) were the principal authors.
The bill states that upon securing federal funding, an Office of Liaison Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons shall be established to coordinate efforts and gather data to address the issue of missing and murdered indigenous persons in the state of Oklahoma. Despite a lack of funding at this point, OSBI Director Ricky Adams is taking steps to implement the bill on behalf of missing and murdered indigenous persons in Oklahoma.
“Every life is important. Our goal is to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels – tribal, local, state and federal – to ensure every case involving American Indian individuals is thoroughly investigated,” said Director Adams. “In addition to our agents, criminalists and intelligence analysts, who are available to assist with all aspects of an investigation, the Bureau has high-tech resources and other tools available to the tribes to help solve cases involving their citizens.”
After the bill passed in April, Director Adams assigned Special Agent Dale Fine to be the Bureau’s liaison to the tribes to implement Ida’s Law. Additionally, OSBI Victim Services Coordinator Christy Pata, has been assigned to help indigenous families as they work through the state and federal legal system.
“We applaud the creation and permanent staffing of an OSBI office to take on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Mr. Fine, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is an exceptional choice to head up the new initiative. He has a long and distinguished career in safety and law enforcement, including with tribal law enforcement. Tribes and Indian people in Oklahoma have a true expert within this new office, and I know he will commit the needed time and resources to stop crime against Native people and bring justice for victims and their families.”
Agent Fine is working with Tribal partners to identify funding sources, outside of federal grants, to fully staff the Office. Funding will assist the OSBI with developing best practices for law enforcement’s response to missing persons reports involving native persons, facilitating training for law enforcement and members of the public on issues relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons, and to promote community relations and develop best practices for community organizations that serve indigenous populations.
Agent Fine can be contacted at the OSBI’s Northeast Regional Office by calling (918) 582-9075 and Christy Pata can be reached at OSBI Headquarters by calling (405) 848-6724 or you can reach either at idaslaw@osbi.ok.gov.

- Ida Beard Missing Since 06/30/2015
- Missing From El Reno, Oklahoma
- Classification Missing
- Sex Female
- Race Native American
- Date of Birth 12/26/1985 (35)
- Age 29 years old
- Height and Weight 5’6, 120 pounds
- Distinguishing Characteristics Native American female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Beard is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.