Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2021)
MARCH 1, 2021 sNok signflz 9 Attorney’s Office publishes first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons report Heather Cameron case included in Oregon summaries By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals staff writer PORTLAND – The U.S. Attor- ney’s Office for the District of Or- egon released its first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons report on Friday, Feb. 19. The report is the first to be re- leased by any U.S. Attorney’s Of- fice since the Justice Department began a new program, nicknamed Operation Lady Justice, to address the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans. The Oregon report provides Tribes, law enforcement and the public with an overview of current cases as well as the Attorney’s Office plans to address the crisis in 2021. The report includes summaries of eight murdered and 11 missing Indigenous people, including Grand Ronde Tribal member Heather Cameron, who has been missing since August 2012 from a remote area near Redding, Calif. On the day of her disappearance, Cameron called 911 three times from her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lus- by’s cell phone near the remote Kes- wick Dam area in Shasta County, saying she had been drugged and needed help. A male voice was au- dible in the background, according to police reports. Police conducted an extensive, multi-agency search, according to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Lusby was interviewed as a prima- ry person of interest in the case on three separate occasions, but never arrested. Although Cameron went missing in California, she is included as part of the Oregon data because she is a member of an Oregon Tribe, has also prevented research- ers from gaining a true un- derstanding of the problem, in addition to inconsistent racial misclassification and jurisdictional issues. The USAO’s efforts plan address these barriers.” The 2021 Missing and Mur- dered Indigenous Persons Action Plan includes the fol- lowing goals: • Tribal consultations: Schedule virtual meetings with each federally recog- nized Tribal government and Tribal law enforcement entity in Oregon. • Gather data: Request information from all law enforcement offices that re- spond to Oregon Tribes or Tribal offices that have data. • Develop Tribal commu- nity response plans: Work with each Tribe to establish Tribal response plans that would include creating four different protocols of com- munity outreach, law en- forcement agency response, victim services, and public and media communications customized for each Tribe. • Creation of a working group: Invite Tribal repre- sentatives and law enforce- ment to establish a District of Oregon Missing and Mur- dered Indigenous Persons Grand Ronde Tribal member Heather Cameron has been missing since August 2012. Working Group to share in- Although her disappearance occurred in northern California, she was included in the formation and work to ad- dress issues. U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the District of Oregon ’ s report on murdered and missing • Increase collaboration Indigenous people because she is a member of an Oregon Tribe. and communicate: Col- laborate with all Oregon law Indigenous people are missing and according to the report. enforcement to better track and murdered nationwide. During report research, it was provide assistance in all missing “Our priority in 2021 is to for- discovered Cameron was still listed and murdered Indigenous cases, mally consult with Oregon Tribes as “white” in the California Missing including Tribal members who and collect and maintain all avail- Person Clearinghouse, which is a are outside of Oregon. able data,” the report stated. “The racial misclassification. These gaps • Address issues found in Ore- USAO is also committed to track in data can often lead to inaccurate gon State Police report: Work and assist in any missing and and underreporting of how many with Oregon State Police to over- murdered Indigenous person cases come the barriers identified in connected to the District of Oregon, its 2020 report. This includes including Oregon Tribal members addressing gaps in data and that are outside of Oregon.” information sharing, improving Grand Ronde Domestic Violence communication between different Program Coordinator Danielle jurisdictions involved in investi- Murrell said that the Oregon U.S. gations, and facilitating resource Attorney’s Office work is vital in sharing. bringing more attention to address “For generations, American In- the epidemic of missing and mur- dians and Alaskan Natives have dered Indigenous people through- suffered from disproportionately out the country. high levels of violence. Tragically, “We know that American Indi- this is not a crisis of the past; it’s ans/Alaskan Natives experience a crisis of the present,” outgoing violence and sexual violence at a Oregon U.S. Attorney Billy Wil- disproportionate rate (compared liams said. “In this report, we look to) nonAmerican Indians/Alaskan back and forward, summarizing Natives,” she said. “This makes what is known about missing and the USAO’s work of momentous murdered Indigenous people in importance to continue to bring Oregon and outlining our plans and awareness to this problem. In (the) goals for the year ahead. While we Urban Indian Health Institute’s won’t solve this problem overnight, 2016 report, they noted that 95 our office is working closely with percent of the murdered and miss- Oregon law enforcement partners, ing Indigenous women and girls other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and cases never received national or the U.S. Department of Justice international news coverage. This to end endemic violence in Indian is a problem. Country.” “Not having accurate reporting