NORTHERN CHEYENNE RESERVATION — According to a 2016 study conducted by the National Institute of Justice, more than 84% of Indigenous women in the United States have experienced some form of violence. More than half of those women have experienced forms of sexual violence throughout their lifetime.
One Northern Cheyenne family from Busby held a meeting and vigil Friday afternoon in Lame Deer to address those concerns in Montana.
According to residents on the reservation, violence is only becoming more rampant as time progresses.
Learn more about how one family has been deeply impacted by violence:
If you speak to any resident on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, it seems they all have a story about loss, grief, death, or violence.
For one family from Busby though, there isn't just one story, but several.
"These stories need to be told," said Candace Elkshoulder, a Busby resident. "I feel like our family deserves some closure."
Elkshoulder has lived in Busby for her entire life. She said as she's gotten older, violence on the reservation has only become more rampant. It was four years ago when violence would completely impact Elkshoulder's family, permanently.
"He was found dead on June 21, 2021 at a party house in Busby," Elkshoulder said Friday.
According to Elkshoulder, her son, Chad Elkshoulder, was murdered at 33-years-old. She said in his lifetime, he unfortunately fell victim to the same cycle of addiction and alcoholism that many men on the reservation do.
"When you live on the reservation, especially with our younger ones, there's nothing to do here. You know, there's really no encouragement to finish school... and he kind of ran into that," she said.
Chad wasn't the only son Elkshoulder had to bury. She said eight months later, her son, Joe Elkshoulder, died too.
"My grandkids won't have their dad, you know," she said.
The pain and loss for Elkshoulder continued into the fall of last year. On November 7, Josiah Worth Small, Elkshoulder's nephew, was shot and killed in Yellowstone County.
Worth Small's mother, Melissa Littlebird-Royston, left the public a statement on Friday regarding the violence her son endured before he passed away. That statement can be read at the end of this article.
"What that came down to, was Cheyennes killing other Cheyennes," said Elkshoulder. "It shouldn't be that way. You know, we should all be trying to work together."
The most recent violence death in the family occurred on July 14 in Busby.
After all of the heartache, trauma, community backlash, harassment, and loss, the family decided to organize a meeting and vigil on Friday outside of the tribal headquarters in Lame Deer, in hopes of bringing awareness to the abundance of violence on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
According to the family, 40-year-old Thomas Rockroads III was murdered in broad daylight outside of his parents' home on the reservation.
"I just really felt strongly about this, because Charlotte, his mom is my aunt, and that was their only son," said Elkshoulder.
Rockroads' eldest sister, Lorri Rosas, on Friday said she vividly remembers the day he was born and the day he died.
"I was so excited. I was 10 and I wanted a sibling so bad, and it was the best day of my life," she said.
According to Rosas, in 2012, Rockroads was on his way to Lame Deer when he was hit by a drunk driver. The car accident caused severe injuries for Rockroads, including a mental disability.
"For 12 years we've watched my brother suffer from brain injuries... It was hard to see because that was our brother," said Rosas.
According to Rosas, on June 24, Rockroads was sitting on his parents' front porch, when he was brutally attacked because of his mental vulnerabilities. Rosas said he spent three weeks in the hospital before eventually dying from his injuries.
"It was just a lot of heartbreak watching him, until recently, it was like not even my brother. He was so unstable," she said.
After all of the death and violence, the family is demanding systemic change from tribal leaders, local law enforcement and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. According to the family, community officials could have been more proactive following Rockroads' death.
"There's nothing being done," Rosas said. "Just some charges (would mean justice), because this individual is very dangerous, and my brother paid the price."
The family is also asking for the community to come together during this time, especially members of the Northern Cheyenne Nation.
"Just hear our plight right now on the reservation, and you know, reach out to us. If there's any outlet, or anything you can do to help us get this out there, that would be really great," Elkshoulder said.
"Just look out for each other, you know. I think it's going to take a community to watch out for each other. Because (violence) is... very rampant here," said Rosas.
To submit a tip or information regarding any of the cases mentioned in this story, please call the Bureau of Indian Affairs' MMIP tip line at 1-833-560-2065 or email OJS_MMU@bia.gov.
Read Littlebird-Royston's statement regarding her son, Josiah Worth Small, below:
"My son, Josiah Worth Small, AKA: Josey Wales, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, was murdered on 11/7/24 in Billings, Montana. He was shot 10 times, stabbed, and his murderers also tried to cut off his limbs. He walked alone on a dirt road until he could get service to call 9-1-1. He was a strong, caring, comical young man. He loved to ride horses and play basketball. He had the cutest dimples when he smiled and the darkest eyelashes. He was a good listener and offered sound advice, but by the end of your conversation with him, he had you laughing. He was a son, brother, grandson, uncle, and good friend.
To this day, whenever I think about what was done to my son, it breaks my heart all over again. Sure, he was not perfect, but he was young. He endured some trauma on the reservation as a young man, and he medicated with drugs and alcohol.
The 'suspects' Cheyenne members, who murdered him, are currently incarcerated. When I get updates it's always the same. 'He's a top priority,' 'Waiting on the labs,' but if his suspects are currently convicted, why is it taking so long to convict them? His murders took my son's life. He was 32 years old!
Justice for Josey."
-Melissa Littlebird-Royston
