In the quiet of a Fairbanks, Alaska morning, 21-year-old Devin Ray Standifer was last seen. On December 7, 2024, he departed from a family member's home on 21st Avenue, stepping out into the cold and vanishing. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as being six feet tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds. Devin, an American Indian / Alaska Native male with brown hair and brown eyes, was wearing a gray hoodie and black sweatpants. He also wore glasses and had a piercing in his left ear. His disappearance prompted immediate concern from his family, who initiated efforts to raise awareness, including social media campaigns.
The circumstances leading to Devin's disappearance were complex. On the evening of December 6, 2024, he had been at a gathering at his aunt's house where there was drinking and a physical altercation occurred between Devin and a cousin. Later that night, he was named as a person of interest in a sexual assault investigation at the same residence. In the early morning hours of December 7th, Devin left the home without his shoes or cell phone. The Fairbanks Police Department began investigating his disappearance, treating him as both a missing person and a suspect in the sexual assault case. Two detectives were assigned to the case, one focusing on the missing person aspect and the other on the sexual assault allegations.
For five months, Devin's family and community members searched for him, holding out hope for his safe return. His case drew attention to the broader issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people, with at least one protest held in Fairbanks to voice frustrations over the handling of such cases. The family's anguish was palpable as they waited for any news. Regrettably, in late April 2025, a cyclist discovered human remains near the corner of Peger Road and Egan Avenue. On May 8, 2025, the Fairbanks Police confirmed through the state medical examiner's office that the body was positively identified as Devin Standifer. While no foul play was suspected in his death, his case leaves behind a grieving family and a community calling for justice and greater attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Last Seen: Dec 07, 2024
