May 5 marks the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, also known as Missing-Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). Native women face murder rates more than 10 times the national average. Here in Montana, Indigenous women are four times more likely to be reported missing. MTN is sharing some of the stories from the MMIP crisis.
Chris Butterfly did not know that the night of December 28, 2024, was the last time he would see his daughter Jadie Butterfly alive.
"Her laugh was contagious, her smile was radiant, her personality was one of a kind," Butterfly said.
Butterfly told MTN his daughter was shot by her boyfriend, and they believe it was intentional. What followed were weeks of silence from local law enforcement about Jadie's case.
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"Nothing was done," Butterfly said. "We received zero calls from law enforcement, that's what made me start advocating for my daughter."
MTN News tried to contact Tribal Law enforcement and the Glacier County Sheriff's Office for more information and received no response. In response to an inquiry, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it can not comment on ongoing cases.
This is a reality for families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Cases are often delayed, or never brought at all, and families are left in the dark to seek justice on their own.
In March, Jadie's family took their fight to social media, creating the "Justice for Jadie" Facebook page in hopes of finding answers.
"This is something we shouldn't have had to do, we want to shine light on how wrongfully she was done," Crystal Cole, Jadie's aunt, said.
Jadie's family hopes the page will bring attention and justice to her case. When she died, her story was not covered by any media outlets. Many turn to the media to shed light and pressure for action on cases.
But in Jadie's case, no reporters reached out. This is common when it comes to crimes against Indigenous people, her family told MTN.
"It's just the same story on every case," Butterfly said. "Whenever their family members crying out for help, just because the justice system failed them. I mean it's really disheartening."
Her childhood friend, Autumn Bremner, says she's never imagined a life without Jadie.
"She was my favorite person in my life," Bremner said, "I feel like that's what hurts the most is like the silence, not knowing, because I really wish we had that closure. I don't know if it would hurt any less, but at least we'd know."
Marlene Cobell met Jadie in their first year of college at the University of Montana.
"When she walked into a room, everything just went bright," Cobell said.
While their best friend is gone, they say she is with them in every moment. They still imagine conversations with her, they know what jokes she would make, and they keep her memory going. They are fighting for justice for their beloved friend.
Cobell plans to be a lawyer and work for justice throughout Indian Country. Meanwhile, her friends and family continue to move forward with the same message, to honor Jadie's life.
"Jadie was very loved and she deserved justice," Butterfly said.
