FBI Urgently Seeks Leads in Unresolved Cases of Missing and Murdered Native Americans

The FBI is looking for information on 48 cases where Native Americans are missing, victims, or suspects of violent crimes. Five of these cases occurred in Arizona.

Navajo County, Ariz.—Native American communities have long faced high rates of assault, abduction, and murder, as reported by the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is tasked with investigating federal crimes on nearly 200 Native American reservations across the United States. The bureau has recently released a list of Native Americans confirmed as missing from Indian Country and is seeking assistance in these cases.

There are 48 cases under investigation by the FBI. These involve tribal members and include both missing persons and violent crimes where the victim and/or suspect are Indigenous.

Here are a few of the cases with ties to Arizona:

Cynthia Acevedo – Missing since 2019

Acevedo was last seen on August 15, 2019, near the cemetery in Laveen, Arizona. Her mother reported her missing to the Gila River Police Department on August 31, 2019.

The FBI considers the circumstances around Acevedo’s disappearance suspicious. A reward of up to $5,000 is offered for information leading to an indictment and conviction in her case.

Ella May Begay – Missing since 2021

Begay was reported missing by her family in Sweetwater, Arizona, on June 15, 2021. She was last seen leaving her house that morning, reportedly heading towards New Mexico.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information on Begay’s whereabouts.

Rosalie Ann Romero – Found dead in 2020

Romero’s body was discovered in Parker, Arizona, on the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

A reward of up to $10,000 is available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer.

Matthew and Philip Reagan – Victims of 2020 homicide

Matthew and Philip Reagan were found dead on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation in Sawmill, Arizona, on March 21, 2020. They were traveling from Ohio to California at the time of their deaths.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Laverda Sorrell – Missing since 2002

Sorrell’s husband reported her missing on July 4, 2002, after dropping her off at an office in Fort Defiance, Arizona. She was officially reported missing by a family member on July 8, 2002.

A reward of up to $10,000 is offered for information leading to her discovery and the conviction of those responsible.

If you have information on any of these cases, please contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous.