(Riverton, WY) – A sea of red moved down Main Street on Sunday as roughly 120 community members marched in honor of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, filling Riverton’s downtown corridor with chants demanding remembrance and justice.
The annual march, organized by MMIR 307 and its founder Nicole Wagon, stepped off from the old Riverton High School parking lot and made its way down Main Street, currently lined with MMIR307 flags, to the band shell at City Park where speakers and community lunch followed. Sunday’s event coincided with the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which Governor Mark Gordon has proclaimed as an official awareness day in Wyoming each May 5.
The cause is deeply personal for Wagon. Her daughter Jocelyn Watt was murdered alongside her partner Rudy Perez in their Riverton home in January 2019. A year later, Wagon’s daughter Jade was found dead on the Wind River Reservation. While four people were eventually charged in Jocelyn’s case, Jade’s case remains open.
That grief propelled Wagon into advocacy. She founded MMIR 307, which stands for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, with the 307 representing Wyoming’s area code. The organization works to bring attention to the disproportionate rates of violence affecting Native people and to build a network of support for families navigating the aftermath. Wagon works with tribal leaders, advocates from other states, and national organizations to push for policy changes and accountability.
Several community members who joined the march spoke about why they showed up.
Brad Tindall said the response to missing persons cases should be equal regardless of where someone lives. “Every time someone goes missing, it’s a tragedy,” he said. “The same level of passion and concern should be for all people… People on the Wind River Reservation don’t get that same level of concern, and that’s unacceptable.”
James Byrd was succinct. “It’s about time we got serious about stopping this,” he said. “This has happened to too many people, too many years.”
While carrying the MMIR307 banner down Main Street, Big Wind Carpenter said being present was personal. “Nearly every person on the reservation is affected,” Carpenter said. “This movement is run by women, but as a two-spirit ally, it’s important I show up to support and follow their footsteps.”
At the band shell, emcee Chico Her Many Horses opened the program with a prayer, asking the Creator to watch over the children and families gathered and to bring closure to those still waiting for answers. He urged attendees to step up and protect the people around them, their nieces, sisters, and companions, even when it’s difficult, even when it makes you unpopular.
“Maybe one of those who has passed on could have changed this world, changed their community, changed their family,” he said. “Heartbreak follows you for the rest of your life,” he told the crowd, before asking for a blessing over the food, the marchers and their journeys home.
The Little Sun drum group performed. Dion Ferris, the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days queen, read Governor Gordon’s proclamation and called for accountability within the justice system.
Special agent D’Artagnan Deeds from the Bureau of Indian Affairs addressed the crowd and acknowledged the frustration families feel waiting for answers. He apologized for how long investigations can take, saying his agency wants to improve its response. He encouraged early reporting when someone goes missing, noting that the first few hours are often the most critical. “Some of your families have been here for hundreds of years,” Deeds said. “We want to be able to provide and keep you as safe as possible.”
“Any tip can crack a case,” Wagon told the crowd. She opened the floor near the end of the program for attendees to speak about their own loved ones, reminding those present that the pain of loss doesn’t fade. “We’re never alone, we’re a tribe,” she said. “It hurts every day. It hurts every holiday.”
The most emotional moments of the day came when family members stepped to the microphone.
One young man spoke about losing his sister. “He took her life, my baby sister,” he said. “People don’t pay attention until it’s too late.”
LynnLee Jorgenson spoke about the death of her father, Warren Jorgenson, who passed away a few years ago. “I want to talk about the way my dad passed,” she said. “It really messes you up, and I don’t wish that on anybody, even my worst enemy.” Wagon encouraged Jorgenson who was visibly struggling through her words as they stood side by side on stage, Wagon holding the megaphone for her as she spoke. 
Kathleen SunRhodes told the crowd about the murder of her son, Ryan Dean Monroe Sr, in 2020. “They murdered my son. They found his body wrapped in a tarp,” she said. “The FBI closed the case because of lack of evidence. It angered me that nothing was ever done… My grandchildren have to go without a father, and I have to go without a son.”
According to data from the Wyoming Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force, Indigenous people make up roughly 3 percent of the state’s population but account for 14 percent of missing persons and 21 percent of homicide victims.
The event was not without logistical difficulties. A police escort for the march arrived late, pushing the start time back by more than 45 minutes. Additionally, the restrooms at City Park were not unlocked, an unfortunate inconvenience for a pre-planned gathering of more than 100 people.
MMIR 307 continues to advocate for families affected by violence on and around the Wind River Reservation. Anyone with information about an unsolved case involving a missing or murdered tribal member or Native community member in Wyoming can contact the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit at 1-833-560-2065. For More information about MMIR307 please visit its website or its facebook page for contact information.