March 7, 2025

Operation Spirit Return: Addressing Unsolved Cases

Community Resource Consultants Inc. (CRCI)

Community Resource Consultants Inc. (CRCI) is a Michigan-based organization specializing in trauma rehabilitation medical case management. With over 34 years of experience, CRCI is dedicated to empowering survivors of catastrophic auto accidents to regain control of their lives and achieve both physical and emotional well-being. Their team of Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) are experts in navigating the complexities of today’s healthcare system, ensuring that survivors receive the necessary services for their recovery and rehabilitation. CRCI’s core values include advocacy, people, knowledge, and dependability, reflecting their commitment to being leading advocates and facilitators of long-term collaborative care.

News Summary

Operation Spirit Return is a new initiative launching to bring closure to families affected by missing and murdered Indigenous people. The program, which involves advanced forensic technologies in collaboration with Othram and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, aims to solve cold cases and reignite investigations into previously unsolved incidents. With staggering statistics highlighting the need for action—over 5,000 cases of missing Indigenous women and girls reported in 2016 alone—this program offers hope and a potential path towards justice and healing for affected communities.

Operation Spirit Return: A Hopeful New Chapter in Unsolved Cases

There’s a heartening new initiative on the horizon that aims to bring closure to countless families dealing with the losses of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Dubbed Operation Spirit Return, this program intends to solve cold cases affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives across the United States. It’s a much-needed lift for communities that have faced devastatingly high rates of violence, especially against women and girls, for far too long.

Cutting-edge Science Meets Compassion

In an exciting collaboration, Othram, a Texas-based accredited forensic laboratory, is teaming up with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to apply advanced forensic technologies to these tragic cases. The goal? To generate human identities from DNA evidence that could come from everything ranging from unidentified remains to crime scenes.

Michael Vogen, the Director of Case Management at Othram, has laid out a clear in-house process for analyzing DNA evidence. This rigorous examination not only seeks to identify individuals but also create new investigative leads for long-standing cold cases. Remarkably, this technology can be utilized for any case that has available DNA evidence, potentially reopening doors that were once shut tight.

The Startling Statistics

Taking a look at the numbers, the need for initiatives like Operation Spirit Return becomes all too clear. In 2016 alone, there were over 5,000 reports involving murdered or missing Indigenous women and girls. Astonishingly, only 2% of these cases were logged by the National Missing and Unidentified Person System. With statistics like that, it’s no wonder communities are seeking every possible resource to aid in their search for justice.

Local Steps Toward Healing

The Cherokee Nation is actively preparing to collaborate with Othram starting in the spring of 2025, signaling a promising push for justice in this area. One tragic case spotlighted in this effort is that of Aubrey Dameron, a beloved Two-Spirit woman from the Cherokee Nation, whose remains were discovered earlier this year—six years after she mysteriously vanished.

Aubrey disappeared on March 9, 2019, after leaving her home. Her case has sadly shone a light on the violence that disproportionately affects Indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities. The investigations into her death, initially fraught with questions of foul play, are still underway, supported by multiple agencies including the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service and the FBI.

Community and Legislative Support

The pain and sorrow felt by families affected by such losses have not gone unnoticed. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has expressed heartfelt condolences and ongoing support for those afflicted. Meanwhile, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations has opened discussions on the pressing need for additional resources and collaboration to confront this heart-wrenching crisis.

Oklahoma stands out with the third-highest number of missing Indigenous peoples in the nation, with a staggering 329 reported cases. On a broader scale, reports indicate at least 875 missing Indigenous persons across the USA, with many cases remaining sadly unresolved. Efforts like the Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act aim to streamline data collection and enhance response options for missing and murdered Indigenous people cases.

Funding for Justice

The tides may be turning, as the proposed fiscal year 2025 House Interior Appropriations bill looks to boost funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This funding aims to drive public safety and justice initiatives that can make a meaningful difference.

Notably, the Cherokee Nation and other tribal officials are leveraging the power of social media to spread awareness and rally support for those lost to violence. Community engagement is crucial, making every citizen a vital part of the call for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous individuals.

In a nation that often overlooks these tragic stories, initiatives like Operation Spirit Return bring to light the urgent need for awareness, justice, and ultimately healing for the families who’ve endured too much suffering.