Echoes in the Desert: The Unsolved Disappearance of Odell Vest and the Fight for Justice in Towaoc

A Young Life Vanishes in Towaoc

On the night of July 10 or 11, 2000, 21-year-old Odell Vest was last seen at a house party on Lafayette Street in Towaoc, Colorado. A member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Vest was known to stay close to home—he didn’t drive, rarely traveled, and was deeply rooted in his community. His sudden disappearance sent ripples through the small tribal town, but despite initial concern, no arrests were made, and no suspects publicly identified. Vest’s case quietly faded into the background, becoming one of many unresolved tragedies affecting Indigenous communities. 

A Mother’s Long Vigil

For over two decades, Odell’s mother, Willa Whiteskunk, has lived with the pain of not knowing what happened to her son. In a 2022 interview, she recalled the last time she saw him—at home in Towaoc—and described the years since as a painful waiting game. “I just wait, I wait, I wait, I wait,” she said, underscoring the emotional toll of unresolved loss. She has heard from investigators only a handful of times over the years, each time receiving the same message: “We’re still looking, we’re still searching.” ...Read More

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