Mary Johnson-Davis

Mary Johnson-Davis, a 39-year-old enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes, was a sister and aunt whose family remembers her with heavy hearts. Her disappearance became a catalyst for change in Washington state, highlighting the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and fueling a movement that led to the creation of a statewide alert system. Her sisters, Nona Blouin and Gerry Davis, were persistent in their search for answers, holding onto the hope that she would one day be found alive.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2020, Mary was last seen walking east along Firetrail Road on the Tulalip Reservation, about 40 miles north of Seattle. She was reportedly on her way to meet someone who had arranged to give her a ride. Her family said she was estranged from her husband at the time. After weeks with no contact, she was officially reported missing on December 9, 2020. For years, her family was tormented by questions about what could have happened to her. "Did somebody take her? Did somebody traffic her?" her sister Gerry Davis wondered.

The painful wait for answers took a somber turn nearly five years later. On June 13, 2025, human remains were discovered in a remote area of North Snohomish County. Later that year, forensic DNA analysis confirmed the remains were those of Mary Johnson-Davis. The cause and manner of her death were listed as undetermined. In a joint statement, her sisters expressed their profound grief. "Our hearts are heavy... We are in disbelief that we will never see Mary again. We all wanted her to come home. She is now being brought back to us, but not like we hoped," they said. "At the same time, our family finally has closure. We are at peace and now we can rest, knowing our sister has been found and will be brought home, where she is loved and will always be remembered."

The investigation into Mary's suspicious death is active and ongoing, handled by the Tulalip Tribal Police in partnership with the FBI's Seattle Field Office. Tulalip Police Chief Shawn Ledford stated, "With deep respect for the family and Tulalip community, the Tulalip Police Department is heartbroken to confirm that human remains have been positively identified as Mary Johnson-Davis." An FBI special agent in charge acknowledged the lengthy and often frustrating process for families, assuring the community that law enforcement partners were doing everything possible to find the truth. Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson also extended her condolences, hoping the recovery would bring the investigation "one step closer to finding the truth about what happened to Mary."

The outcry following Mary's disappearance was a significant factor in the passage of a 2022 Washington state law that created a new Missing Indigenous Person alert system. The legislation, sponsored by State Representative Debra Lekanoff, the only Native American woman in the state House at the time, was seen as a crucial step in addressing the disproportionate rates of violence and disappearance affecting Indigenous people.

As of August 2026, no arrests have been made in connection with Mary Johnson-Davis's death. The case remains an open and active investigation. A substantial reward has been offered for information that could solve the case. The FBI is offering up to $25,000, and the Tulalip Tribes has offered an additional $50,000, bringing the combined total to as much as $75,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her death. Anyone with information concerning the case is urged to contact the FBI's Seattle Field Office at (206) 622-0460 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.