Ashley Loring Heavyrunner (pictured) vanished from Montana’s Blackfeet Reservation in June of 2017 and has not been heard from since
An investigation into the whereabouts of missing 21-year-old woman from Montana has been turned over to the FBI.
Ashley Loring Heavyrunner vanished from Montana’s Blackfeet Reservation in June of 2017 and has not been heard from since.
The probe was initially opened and led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. But after more than nine months without success, the department turned their investigation over to the federal agency.
Kimberly Loring, Ashley’s older sister, told ABC News that she’s relieved that federal law enforcement is now leading the case.
‘I’m glad the FBI has finally taken over,’ Kimberly said, adding ‘It’s been nine months and we don’t have anything and it seems like we are at the same place we started from.’
Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson Nedra Darling said that the department has identified several persons of interests.
The probe was initially opened and led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but was turned over to the FBI on Friday after nine months of dead ends (Pictured: Ashley (L) and Kimberly Loring)
Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson said that the department identified several persons of interests before handing over the case
‘Law enforcement officials have conducted approximately six searches and 60 interviews and offered a financial reward for information relating to her disappearance,’ Darling wrote in an email last October to ABC News.
‘The BIA Office of Justice personnel take all of their investigations seriously.’
The identities of the individuals questioned by the BIA remain confidential.
It remains unclear why the FBI has decided to take on the case now, who have known about Ashley’s disappearance at least since October (Pictured: Ashley with her father)
The Loring Heavyrunner family, however, believe that the BIA dragged its feet on the investigation, not investing enough resources into finding Ashley when she was first reported missing.
‘I think if they would have taken it seriously at the beginning we could have found more info and could maybe even have found my sister,’ Kimberly Loring said.
And as the search for Ashley continues, the family grows more frustrated and angry.
‘The only thing good that came out the BIA was they helped with the award money,’ Kimberly Loring continued, adding that the department along with the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council have each offered $5,000 for information related to locating Ashley.
It remains unclear why the FBI has decided to take on the case now, who have known about Ashley’s disappearance at least since October, telling ABC that the FBI was ‘aware of the case but not involved.’
‘However, we are coordinating with the appropriate authorities currently investigating the matter and we are prepared to assist, if requested,’ the agency added.
In November, FBI spokesperson Sandra Barker wrote to ABC News that the bureau had begun ‘assisting BIA with their investigation and will do so as needed, but they continue to be the lead agency. I think we are now involved, mostly because of the length of time that she’s been missing.’
Darling told ABC News on Friday when asked why the bureau is coming in now that ‘Due to leads coming in off the reservation the FBI took the lead of the investigation so they can follow up on those leads outside of Indian Country.’
The BIA’s move, however, has left the Loring Heavyrunner family with little comfort.
‘I wouldn’t expect anything more from them but excuses,’ Kimberly Loring told ABC News.
‘They were unprofessional and handled my sister’s case poorly,’ Kimberly Loring added.
‘I wouldn’t expect anything more from them but excuses,’ Kimberly Loring told ABC News