SOME SAY THEY’RE NOT GETTING FROM TRIBAL POLICE.
FROM TRIBAL POLICE. STEVE PATTERSON HAS THAT STORY.
STEVE PATTERSON HAS THAT STORY. >> Reporter: NESTLED DEEP IN THE
>> Reporter: NESTLED DEEP IN THE MONTANA MOUNTAINS, YOU’LL FIND
MONTANA MOUNTAINS, YOU’LL FIND THE BLACKFEET NATION, MORE THAN
THE BLACKFEET NATION, MORE THAN 16,000 MEMBERS, INDIGENOUS TO A
16,000 MEMBERS, INDIGENOUS TO A RESERVATION ABOUT THE SIZE OF
RESERVATION ABOUT THE SIZE OF DELAWARE.
DELAWARE. >> BRINGS BACK A LOT OF THINGS I
>> BRINGS BACK A LOT OF THINGS I HAVE BURIED.
HAVE BURIED. >> Reporter: IN ITS CRADLE,
>> Reporter: IN ITS CRADLE, KENNETH STILLSMOKIN.
KENNETH STILLSMOKIN. >> THE PAIN, THE SORROW, THE
>> THE PAIN, THE SORROW, THE ANGER.
ANGER. >> Reporter: HIS 7-YEAR-OLD
>> Reporter: HIS 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, MONICA, WAS MURDERED.
DAUGHTER, MONICA, WAS MURDERED. HER KILLER STILL HASN’T BEEN
HER KILLER STILL HASN’T BEEN CAUGHT.
CAUGHT. >> NOBODY REALLY LOOKS INTO IT.
>> NOBODY REALLY LOOKS INTO IT. THEY REALLY DON’T CARE.
THEY REALLY DON’T CARE. >> Reporter: IT’S A CRISIS
>> Reporter: IT’S A CRISIS SPANNING GENERATIONS OF NATIVE
SPANNING GENERATIONS OF NATIVE FAMILIES, WOMEN AND GIRLS FOUND
FAMILIES, WOMEN AND GIRLS FOUND MURDERED OR NEVER FOUND AT ALL.
MURDERED OR NEVER FOUND AT ALL. THEIR CRIMES UNSOLVED.
THEIR CRIMES UNSOLVED. >> WE WENT DOWN INTO THE CREEK
>> WE WENT DOWN INTO THE CREEK AREA BY THE RIVER.
AREA BY THE RIVER. >> Reporter: KIMBERLY
>> Reporter: KIMBERLY HEAVYRUNNER’S 20-YEAR-OLD
HEAVYRUNNER’S 20-YEAR-OLD SISTER, ASHLEY, WENT MISSING IN
SISTER, ASHLEY, WENT MISSING IN 2017.
2017. >> HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU GONE
>> HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU GONE SEARCHING?
SEARCHING? >> I MUST HAVE WENT SEARCHING
>> I MUST HAVE WENT SEARCHING OVER 100 TIMES NOW.
OVER 100 TIMES NOW. >> Reporter: TRIBAL POLICE
>> Reporter: TRIBAL POLICE DIDN’T DO MUCH IN THE CRITICAL
DIDN’T DO MUCH IN THE CRITICAL FIRST 48 HOURS, BELIEVING ASHLEY
FIRST 48 HOURS, BELIEVING ASHLEY SIMPLY RAN AWAY.
SIMPLY RAN AWAY. >> THEY STOPPED SEARCHING
>> THEY STOPPED SEARCHING BECAUSE THEY SAID ASHLEY IS OF
BECAUSE THEY SAID ASHLEY IS OF AGE AND CAN LEAVE WHENEVER SHE
AGE AND CAN LEAVE WHENEVER SHE WANTS.
WANTS. IT’S RIDICULOUS.
IT’S RIDICULOUS. >> Reporter: NBC NEWS HAS MADE
>> Reporter: NBC NEWS HAS MADE REPEATED VISITS AND PHONE CALLS
REPEATED VISITS AND PHONE CALLS TO TRIBAL POLICE AND TRIBAL
TO TRIBAL POLICE AND TRIBAL COUNCIL BUT WE’VE NOT REACHED
COUNCIL BUT WE’VE NOT REACHED ANYONE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THESE
ANYONE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THESE ALLEGATIONS.
ALLEGATIONS. ASHLEY’S STORY IS NOT UNCOMMON.
ASHLEY’S STORY IS NOT UNCOMMON. NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN ARE
NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN ARE VICTIMS OF DISPROPORTIONATELY
VICTIMS OF DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBER OF VIOLENT CRIME
HIGH NUMBER OF VIOLENT CRIME CASES.
CASES. ESTIMATED 80% OF THEM WILL
ESTIMATED 80% OF THEM WILL EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF DOMESTIC
EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
VIOLENCE. IN MONTANA, ABOUT 30% OF ALL
IN MONTANA, ABOUT 30% OF ALL MISSING WOMEN WERE NATIVE
MISSING WOMEN WERE NATIVE AMERICANS YET THEY ONLY MAKE UP
AMERICANS YET THEY ONLY MAKE UP 3% OF THE STATE’S POPULATION.
3% OF THE STATE’S POPULATION. FILMMAKERS AND BLACKFEET NATION
FILMMAKERS AND BLACKFEET NATION MEMBERS IVAN AND IVY McDONALD
MEMBERS IVAN AND IVY McDONALD HAVE PRODUCED A DOCUMENTARY
HAVE PRODUCED A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE WOMEN THEY SAY HAVE
ABOUT THE WOMEN THEY SAY HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACK.
FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACK. >> WHEN A PERSON GOES MISSING ON
>> WHEN A PERSON GOES MISSING ON A RESERVATION, WHO DO TRIBAL
A RESERVATION, WHO DO TRIBAL MEMBERS EVEN CONTACT?
MEMBERS EVEN CONTACT? DO WE CONTACT TRIBAL POLICE, DO
DO WE CONTACT TRIBAL POLICE, DO WE CONTACT STATE DORKS WE
WE CONTACT STATE DORKS WE CONTACT FEDERAL?
CONTACT FEDERAL? >> Reporter: MEANTIME, GRIEVING
>> Reporter: MEANTIME, GRIEVING FAMILIES ARE LEFT WITH LITTLE
FAMILIES ARE LEFT WITH LITTLE HOPE AND WONDERING WHAT COULD
HOPE AND WONDERING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.