Freda Jane Knowshisgun, a 34-year-old mother of three and an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Montana, faced a long journey home. On October 18, 2016, she found herself in Kennewick, Washington, some 740 miles from her family in Crow Agency, Montana. Determined to get back to her children in time for Halloween trick-or-treating, Freda went to a local Walmart to receive a money transfer. She called a friend from the store, asking them to wire funds so she could make the trip home.
Freda told her friend she would be waiting at the customer service counter to pick up the money. This phone call would be the last time anyone is known to have heard from her.
Within minutes, a puzzling and heartbreaking mystery began to unfold. The friend attempted to send the money but encountered a problem with the spelling of Freda's name. About fifteen minutes after their initial conversation, the friend called back to let Freda know the transfer was complete, but her phone was no longer in service. The money, intended for her journey home to her children, was never collected. Back in Montana, concern grew into alarm when Freda, who was very close with her relatives, failed to attend her aunt's funeral in November. This uncharacteristic absence prompted her mother to officially report her missing on November 14, 2016. The family's initial attempts to get help were met with frustration, as they felt their concerns were not taken seriously because Freda was an adult. The investigation was further complicated by jurisdictional confusion between various tribal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
In the time leading up to her disappearance, Freda's loved ones had noted she was spending more time in Billings, Montana, and had fallen in with a new crowd that they felt was a negative influence. They stated she had become more distant from her family and had begun to struggle with substance abuse. Those she was associating with around the time she vanished were reportedly uncooperative with the police investigation. Several months after she was last seen, there were unconfirmed sightings of her in Hardin and Billings, Montana. Despite the passage of time, her case remains open and unsolved, a painful reality for her family who continues to hold out hope for her return. The investigation, now involving the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Missing and Murdered Unit, continues to seek answers in the quiet absence of a daughter, sister, and mother who vanished on her way home.Last Seen: Oct 18, 2016
