what with all of those secrets, and old bones scattered about. unchanging. >> i'm craig melvin, and this is dateline. >> my father always told me keep an eye on her. >> you made a promise to him? >> yes. to make sure she was okay. i was going to find her. >> you just knew, as her mom that something was very wrong. >> yes, i did. >> there was a report that she had been in the silver car, i knew that she was probably in trouble. >> you get a call from a blocked number. >> yes. >> you need to be honest with me, because i'm done playing. >> well, i've been only honest with you. >> she would turn it on and try to get some truth of him. >> i'll keep digging, and digging. >> there are so many unsolved cases out there. >> indigenous women and girls

across the nation, it's heart wrenching. to really think about how we are invisible. >> i don't want another family to ever feel like how we felt. >> hello, and welcome to dateline. we carla yellow bird mmiw grew up surrounded by love on her north dakota indian reservation, when she vanished her family was frantic to find her, and believed authoritarians were not doing enough. it is a common feeling in native american circles. but the yellow birds had a secret weapon, carla's own aunt happened to be a no nonsense investigator determined to find the truth. here's andrea canning with the secrets of spirit lake. >> there's been a lot of sacrifice that went with this, on a personal level, you know. >> but you are never done?

>> never done. >> her name is lisa yellow bird, her job defies description. investigator, interrogator, searcher of last result. the one people turn to in their very worst moments. >> this is backbreaking, this is 24/7. this is you living and breathing this. >> constantly. >> here is where lissa yellow bird works, sacred lands, teaming with beauty. but woven into the landscape or crimes that have gone on for years, even centuries. native american women and girls missing and murdered. more than 300 reservations make up what is still known as indian country in america. and in this country, the statistics are staggering. according to department of justice findings, four out of

five native american women have experienced violence in their lifetimes. a 2021 cdc study found that homicide rates for indigenous women were three times those of non hispanic white women. >> this is 2021, we are demanding our rights to be heard. >> lissa yellow bird and many others believe that too often cases are neglected by law enforcement. they say action is long overdue. >> who protects us? >> we protect us! >> the numbers, the victims have sparked a movement called mmiw. >> it's called missing murdered indigenous women and it is a cry for help. >> lynette wants the world to hear this cry, she is an activist and survivor who lives on the reservation in wyoming. >> i'm a full-blooded native american women and the statistics that live in my head is i am the most sexually assaulted, murdered and raped out of every ethnicity in this

country. >> it's really tragic and eye-opening. >> it's heart wrenching. to really think about the measure of how we are invisible to america. >> she says native american women are trying to make themselves visible with events like the national day of action. >> no more stolen sisters! >> no more stolen sisters! >> if a white woman goes missing in a fancy neighborhood somewhere versus an indigenous woman who goes missing off a reservation, are they going to get the same attention? >> absolutely not. even in this day, present time, they will not get the same attention. >> in this ongoing tragedy lissa yellow bird found her calling. she decided she would dedicate herself to searching for missing and murdered native american women, she began in her home state of north dakota. and now, from the great plains to the southwest, she uses

whatever method, whatever tool will bring a loved one home. >> i just don't want families to feel like they are alone. >> she knows that feeling firsthand. because after years of helping others, the crisis hit home for lissa yellow bird when her own niece carla yellow bird went missing. >> me and her father were so close he always told me, keep an eye on her, help her out. don't forget her. >> you had made a promise to him? >> yes. >> what was that promise? >> to make sure she was okay. >> yes. >> that's it. >> it was august 2016. carla suddenly stopped texting and calling. it didn't sit right with carla's mother loretta and sister kerry. >> we tried to contact as many friends or people she hung around and nobody heard from

her. that's when we started getting scared. >> i started thinking something bad happened, because it wasn't like her to go this long without talking to anybody. >> carla had been living in the north dakota town of mandan. the local detective was assigned to carla's case. do you deal with a lot of missing persons cases? >> we do, we have quite a few. >> carlos roommate told investigators were carlo might have done the day she stopped communicating. >> she said she was going to st. michaels and she didn't know when she would be back. >> is that a town? >> that is a town on spirit lake. >> spirit lake a reservation that spans 400 square miles about three hours north east of mandan. detective of both men like most local enforcement didn't have the jurisdiction to investigate a case involving trouble members on reservation land. most reservations have their own police forces but the bureau of indian affairs, a division of the department of the interior is also involved

in tribal law enforcement. the rules of the the i-8, tribal police and local cops can be confusing. especially to the distraught families of missing women. back in mandan the detective told the -- no one called her back. does this complicate things when you have all these jurisdictional issues with reservations and cities and everyone is trying to work together and it doesn't always go so smoothly? >> absolutely. you are waiting for key pieces of your investigation that have to come from somebody else. that can be right away, that could be several days, you are waiting. >> carla's mom loretta waited too, anguished over her daughter's disappearance. what was that like as a mom waking up every day and she is still not calling? >> i would cry every night to find answers and see something but -- >> nothing? you just knew, as your mom that

something was very wrong? >> yes. i did. carlo is out there, somewhere, maybe alone. if anybody knew how to find her it was her aunt lissa. >> turns out carla and aunt lissa shared more than family, they shared a past. coming up -- >> carla had gone down a bad path. >> she went down the same path i went down. >> aunt lissa gets to work. >> i will keep digging and digging, it wasn't even a question of if i was going to find her, it was just i am going to find her. >> investigators uncover the first clues. >> there was a report that she had been in the silver car. >> when dateline continues. teline continues ♪breeze driftin' on by...♪ ♪...you know how i feel.♪ you don't have to take... [coughing] ...copd sitting down. ♪it's a new dawn,...♪ ♪...it's a new day,♪ it's time to make a stand.

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yet wonderful to have. she was very smart. >> -- the kind of person where she walked in the room, you know she had arrived, yeah. >> she was really outgoing and just happy, and everyone was just enjoyed being around her. she was always there for us and watched over us, and she was a good best big sister. >> carlos, mom loretta, and sister, kerry, recall how loving she was. that went for extended family to. when it came to karla's relationship with her and, listen, they had their own kind

of fun. >> she had this big ring on and when she put her hand up it was like, oh my god. i was like, lose the ring. that looks horrible. >> what did she say? >> she was like, why? you know, she asked, do you want it? like, what, no. >> carla enrolled in college, had children, and got married. what her once promising life fell apart. >> drugs got a hold of her. >> you must feel helpless as a parent. >> yes, i did and you know, she tried, you know? she put herself into treatment. >> how proud were you of her that she did go into treatment and that she did try? >> i'm very. that's why -- she was happy, she made some friends, but when she got out, it still, like, like she never went in there.

>> it got a hold of her gun, the drugs? >> yeah. >> for lissa, carla's story, like so many other native american women's, have her own. >> carla had gone down a bad path. >> she went down the same path i went down. >> how close to home was that hitting for you? >> well, i could count the number of times that i could've ended up in that same predicament. >> liz says life has been a seesaw of success and hardship. a proud member of four tribes. >> -- nation and the other one is standing rock. >> she says, as a teen, her boyfriend trafficked her for sex. still, she made it to college and had good jobs. but she also battled addiction and served just over two years in prison on drug charges. -- >> your history is kind of amazing. i mean, you are a mother of six, you have been to present, but you've also studied criminal justice, worked as a prison

guard, a welder, a social worker, and been a legal advocate. how have all of these things prepared you for this? >> i don't know, but they sure come in handy. >> she took on her first case just weeks after her release from prison. a young neighbor disappeared and she mobilized family and friends to look for her. they found the girl alive. from their, people kept asking for help and for the last 12 years, she has not stopped searching. >> i will sit there and i will keep digging, and digging. >> the digging has paid off. over her years of searching, she has helped locate dozens of people. some came home alive. many others did not. but most families were grateful for answers. that was certainly the case with a young mother named olivia -- who disappeared. she was last spotted in a pick up truck. listen followed a hunch to a lake on the --

reservation and took her boat out with volunteers and sonar gear. >> and we want across the bay and this little girl says, do you think this is the truck? and i looked at it and i was like, oh my god. >> submerge in 21 feet of water, olivia's body strapped in the passengers seat. tough first is olivia sanco. >> lissa brought so much closure. i'm still so indebted to her, still grateful for what she does, you know? >> lissa says, every recovery, every search has taken a toll. >> there are times that i will never get back, you know? with my family. my kids are all grown now. >> all those sacrifices would steal her for the hardest fight of her life, the search for her own niece, carla. mid september, 2016, detective bowman was tracking down tips she received about carla's

case. >> there was a report that she had been in, like, a silver car and she had been hanging out with -- >> soon a guy, dakota charben of, and dalen st-pierre. all three had lengthy criminal records. all three resided on the spirit lake reservation. bowman contacted tribal police. she says, they never put her through to the investigator on the case. just told her they had spoken to -- and he said he had not seen carla. if bowman wanted to interview sooner herself, she couldn't, because she had no jurisdiction to -- on the track travel police or fbi approval, which she had not received. for carlos and, lissa, it was time to step in. >> it wasn't even a question of if i was going to find her, it was just i was going to find her. >> as the search for karla continues, an unexpected phone call gives odd lissa her first big break. coming up, --

>> if there is a wake of health, i would've tried, i'm not a bad guy, you know to mean? >> someone reaches out to lissa. a new source with a secret. >> i didn't even get to see her or nothing. all i know is she got in the car. >> he said that he gave a ride to carlo's brother and mom, and karla, and took them up to spirit lake. >> he kept going? >> yeah, he didn't see her again. >> did you believe him? >> no. >> when dateline continues. n dateline continues n dateline continues

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waited as lot enforcement search for her niece, carla. as day after day went by with no answers, lissa grew impatient. >> when something is having that so close to home for you, how do you kick into action? >> well, i put my poker face on and dealt with it like i did any other case. >> like so many times before, she stepped in. this time, for her own family. >> she took it all into herself and got it rolling. >> to start, lissa needed her sources to talk. she could work the phones, knock on doors, walk the prairies. but out here where cell service is not existent in some areas, the most effective way to communicate can be through social media. and lissa had a massive network

of followers she could tap into. >> what's the first thing you do? >> i went to social media, really. i put a call out saying that karla is missing. >> lissa new from previous cases people who might be reluctant to talk to police were often willing to talk to her. >> talking to you, for some people, i would assume, is so much easier than talking to a detective or a federal agent. >> yeah, yeah, i believe that. >> lissa contacted everyone she code on the reservation and was able to pinpoint the owner of that car carla was seen in. it was the father of suna guy, one of the three men detective bowman couldn't interview because they lived on the reservation. lissa reached out to the detective, to compare notes. >> i did spend some time letting her know that it was a relative and they kind of work on this arena anyway. can you share as much information with me as you can? >> for detective bowman, lissa was a welcome hand. >> all help is good help. more people looking, the easier

this case gets resolved. >> the case, the detective explained, had become daunting in size and scope. >> she also told me that this basic search area was spanning five states and three reservations. >> detective bowman had worked most of her leads. the only ones remaining where those three men. >> her hands were tied because she was stuck in -- >> this was no surprise to you? >> jurisdiction. >> but lissa is not a cop, not constrained by jurisdictions, or what she's allowed to say or do. >> my hands are not tied. i will go find her. >> she use facebook to blast out what she knew. >> once i got information and i had some names, i put that out there. >> now our followers knew the names of the man she thought were somehow involved in carla's disappearance. she waited for a response. then her phone rang. >> why is my name being put in

stuff when i don't even know what's going on? >> you get a call from a blocked number. >> yes. >> who is it? >> suna. >> suna guy, one of the man with whom carla was last seen and suna seemed ready to talk. lissa hit record on her phone. >> if there's any way i could've helped anybody, i tried. i'm not a bad guy, you know what i mean? >> lissa's strategy? just listen to suna. she wanted to build trust. >> like i say, i mean, i don't got nothing to hide. >> lissa thought if she was patient, suna might start telling her's story. >> those guys down in bismarck. i didn't even get to see her or nothing. all i know is she got in the car. >> what was suna's story? >> he said that he gave a ride to carla's brother in law and carla, and took them up to spirit lake. >> and he kept going? >> yeah, he didn't see her again. >> did you believe him? >> no. >> i could sure could use your

help finding monies. >> most definitely. like i say, i mean, sorry, i'm not trying to be -- or anything, it's not like i'm -- >> fbi special agent, jared burglar, also worked on carla's case. >> what did you think as you are listening to these calls? >> she did a great job of building trust with him, building report. >> i mean, if i come across and hear anything, once i hear it's, i will contact you, you know what i mean? >> after more than 30 minutes, suna and of the conversation. >> i'll get a hold of you guys tomorrow. >> all right. >> lissa had no phone number for suna, no way to reach him. all she had was a questionable promise that he would call again. >> was that the end of this? >> far from it. >> coming up, you need to get honest with me because i'm done playing. >> well, i've been only honest with you. i don't know what you want because i'm not making anything up. >> you are like a one woman good cop, bad cop. >> you think i haven't dealt with your kind of people before?

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what's happening. phoenix, arizona is one of several southwestern cities under an excessive heat warning, as the latest heat wave intensifies. so far, the city has had 15 consecutive days with temperatures over 110 degrees. highs will remain well over 100 degrees into next week. and as cleanup continues in vermont after historic flooding damaged thousands of homes and businesses, the state is preparing for more heavy rain on sunday. president biden has issued a statewide disaster declaration in preparation. now, back to dateline. k to dateline. >> welcome back to dateline. i'm craig bowman. what happened to carla yellow

bird? a detective had given carla's on lissa the names of three men seen with carla. lissa blasted the names out on social media, then her phone rang. suna guy insisted he had nothing to hide, but if suna thought lissa was done with him, he had another thing coming. back to andrea canning with the secrets of spirit lake. >> carla yellow bird had vanished into the north dakota wind. her loved ones held out one last bit of hope that she was still alive. but lissa yellow birds experience searching for missing women told her that time had run out for her niece. for her, this was now a recovery mission. >> whatever it takes to bring her home. >> lissa felt, in her bones, that suna guy, despite his claims to the contrary, knew what really happened to carla. >> something wasn't sitting right for you. >> well, it was bs, i knew

that. >> she wanted to talk more with suna. so, lissa turned to facebook yet again. but this time, she focused on suna. what >> is this your posting on facebook that your niece was last seen with me? >> it made him angry enough to pick up the phone again. >> you need to get honest with me because i'm done playing. >> well, i've been only honest with you. i don't know what you want because i'm not making nothing up. >> in their previous call, lissa tried to build a bond with suna. now she came at him full throttle. >> you think i haven't dealt with your kind of people before? i have. i will come get her personally myself if i have to. but i want to know. >> lissa's strategy was to show suna how angry he was, to intimidate him into giving up more details. >> you tell me where my niece's body is at and i will let god [bleep] reckon with you, okay? because we already know how it's gone down and i'm telling you right now, you don't know who to trust because your own

friends are turning on you. >> i don't even know what anybody is even talking about. >> were you trying to rattle him? >> well, he's questioning his own self about who he really is as a person. >> what do you want me to say to you? what do you want me to -- >> the truth. how about let's try for the truth. >> you are like a one woman good cop, bad cop. >> and i've heard that one before. >> kind of fits though, right? >> kind of. >> suna, you know what? when you want to get honest, you want to get [bleep] real and try and save your own but, call me back. but until then, i'm [bleep] done, okay? >> lissa hung up the phone. it was an impulsive move. maybe the wrong move. she just would have to wait and see. lissa updated carla's mom, loretta. >> how much of all this was going on is lissa sharing with you? >> she had shared everything with me. his whole conversation was a lie. he was just lying, here lying.

>> mandan police were still running a parallel investigation but detective bowman said she wasn't hearing back from the bureau of indian affairs. >> you've reached out, you're not getting calls back? >> yeah, i'm not getting the information i need back. >> how frustrating is that? >> it's really frustrating. >> bowman documented her calls to the spirit lake bya office and her investigative report. however, when we contacted ebi a, we were told that the agent assigned to the case had no knowledge of detective moments attempts to reach its offices. lissa says, she also called the bia and left messages. >> why are you not searching for her, you know? and what are you guys doing? who's doing what? >> you didn't feel like they were doing enough. >> they weren't doing anything, to begin with, yeah. that's just kind of how they operate. >> the bia told us that in carla's case, bia agents assisted the fbi with search efforts on foot and with

helicopters, drones, and atvs. but lissa was not counting on the bia to find carla. suna what is still her biggest lead, but she had hung up on him. >> did you think then, i'm never going to hear from him again? >> no. >> turned out, she was right. >> hello, lissa? >> who's this? -- he called you back? >> he did. >> the power dynamic has shifted. suna was seeking her out, seemed to want to tell her something. >> you know, i'm just trying to help you. >> lissa kept the pressure on. she needed suna to feel guilty. >> you're not trying to help me. >> so, where you kind of betting on his conscience that eventually, he would do the right thing? >> i knew he would. >> lissa's demands for answers wore away at an hour defensive suna. >> and you know what? i can have pretty on you. i can have pretty on you, but i want my nieces body. >> you know, my parents did raise me right. i come from a great family, you

know what i mean? >> all this time, suna is telling you he wants to help, but his parents raise him right. >> that's him trying to negotiate with himself. that's the way i saw it. >> she just kept turning up the heat? -- >> and suna would go on, she would listen to him and yeah, then she would kind of turn it on, try to get some truth out of him. >> but after too many sleepless nights, fatigue caught up with lissa. >> i was just tired and exhausted, and spent. >> the breaking point for lissa came as suna told her his life was in danger. men from out of state were following him. >> the license plates are texas license plates, i have seen that. >> give me the license plate number, i will look it up for you. >> you can't come like oh, looking for you guys. >> suna had spun so many stories, so many lies, this was one too many for lissa. >> i maniacal thought that was funny, at some point. >> suddenly, every word he said

it made her laugh. >> i called -- to tell them about this and they aren't even concerned about it, you know what i mean? >> [laughter] i'm sorry, i'm sorry. i didn't realize what i just said. [laughter] >> you might think suna would be offended. >> i was out of line for that. >> but no, it seemed to knock him into some sort of reality. >> that was the turning point for him. >> he must all was almost persuaded by your laughing and your sense of humor. >> yeah. >> suna was about to give it all up. >> lissa's phone rings again and suna accents and invitation to meet in person. finally, for carla's family, the moment of truth. coming up, -- >> you still had that little, tiny glimmer of hope? >> i mean, it's just something you don't ever want to hear in your life. >> a new revelation from suna.

>> they both had guns, you know what i mean? >> but is he now in danger, to? >> he's absolutely convinced that he's being monitored. he's just very paranoid, at this point. >> when dateline continues. >> when dateline continues >> when dateline continues ahhh! icy hot pro starts working instantly. with two max-strength pain relievers, so you can rise from pain like a pro. icy hot pro. your best defense against erosion and cavities is strong enamel- nothing beats it. new pronamel active shield actively shields the enamel to defend against erosion and cavities. i think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients- it really works. [ tires screeching ] jordana, easy on the gas. i gotta wrap this commercial, i think i'm late on my payment. it's okay, the general gives you a break. yeah, we let you pick your own due date. good to know, because this next scene might take a while. for a great low rate, go with the general.

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rare. and then there was suna guy. he was calling again. >> good afternoon. >> and he had cracked. >> you've got to come to spirit lake tomorrow afternoon? move forward with everything clear with you. >> why? oh yeah? >> after all those wrenching hours on the phone, suna now said he would take lissa to carla's body. >> you are too good of a lady and, i'm not going to lie to you. >> he admitted to what lissa had long believed. carla was dead. >> i was there. >> suna insisted he didn't pull the trigger. he said, in the aftermath, dakota charben o and dalen st-pierre help move her body. >> they both have guns, you know what i mean? and they were trying to ask me to touch her and hold her down, but i ain't going to touch no dead body, i wasn't going to grab it, and undress, like what the heck, man? i know where the body is at, i know the individual who did it. >> did he explain to you the motive? >> yeah, the drugs, the money.

>> so they had stolen her money and her drugs? >> yes. >> why kill her? why not just steal it and leave her there? >> the intention was to rob her. it didn't go as planned. obviously. and when it happened the way it did, he claims that it was just as big of a shock to him. >> i didn't know that was going to happen, it shouldn't have happened. >> lissa called me. that's when she told me, you know, they know where she's at and i just said, you know, is she alive? she was like, no. >> so, you still had that little, tiny glimmer of hope? >> even though i knew, but still, when she told me no i was like, i started really crying. i mean, it's just something you don't ever want to hear in your life. >> this was your first born. >> yes. so, i didn't think, i mean, i didn't want it ever be true,. >> in mandan, detective bowman

had also spoken on the phone with suna that day. he told her he feared the man involved in carla's murder or now after him. >> he's absolutely convinced that he is being monitored. he's just very paranoid at this point. >> bowman thought suna could well be in danger. >> this is a monumental moment in this case and you need help. >> i know that the fbi can cover everything. they can go anywhere and so, i need the fbi. >> the fbi is responsible for investigating major crimes on reservations. special agent virtually had been in contact with detective bowman about carla's disappearance. on the day bowman found out that suna had turned, virtually as he was out on the reservation with ebi and a helicopter looking for carla. burchler thought they needed to bring suna in that night, but it turned out, that would not be so easy. >> suna was hiding and he even shut off his phone. his phone could not be located.

he went completely off the grid. >> where you starting to get worried as he's not responding now? he stopped communicating? >> absolutely starting to get worried that he's going to get a lead -- wild goose chase. >> nevertheless, the next day, lissa and detective bowman ended up in spirit lake to connect with burchler's team. all of them counting on suna's promised to take them to carla's body. >> as you are pulling up to spirit lake, how are you feeling? >> i was just feeling like i was in full anticipation. i just wanted to hurry up and get this over with, and make sure it was her. >> but suna was not there. fbi agents eventually found him at a relative's house. suna got into an fbi vehicle and they drove a few miles down the road. >> this is where suna led you to. >> this is the spot, yeah. >> an isolated field on the

reservation. >> it's kind of surreal i think at this moment. we've got three, four, five law enforcement vehicles coming out here. suna gets out of the car, we are all walking, the anticipation has built up to this moment. we are probably right around this area and we kind of stop, and then suna just points and he says, it's going to be over there. and where the bushes are, and then as we walk a little bit further, once we get to a certain point in time, we can see some of carla's clothes. >> you could see the body from here? >> we probably walked up a little bit further and then we could see some of those bright colored clothes. >> so, you knew you had found her? >> we knew we had found her at that point in time. this is a kind of point where suna gets a little choked up, he becomes a little emotional, and that's one suna says, you know, this wasn't supposed to happen. >> waited lissa at a house nearby. later, the agents brought -- and she i.d.'d the body. >> the first thing that i notice was that ring. there was that ring. >> the big, dotty ring?

wow, she still had it on. >> -- it was right there and just to see the condition she wasn't. definitely not my first time seeing anybody in that condition, but -- >> it was your niece. >> definitely my first time seeing somebody i loved, you know? i guess i've never felt like i had such an open wound, like, in the middle of nowhere with seeing someone you care about just discarded like that. they discarded her, they just left her. >> then lissa made the awful call to loretta, to tell her they had found carla's body. the news came as a sad relief. >> did it help you, knowing that she was coming home, that you wouldn't have to wonder anymore where she was or what happened? >> yes, that made me feel better, at least i knew where she was. and that yes, i got to bring

her. >> we will continue looking for -- >> for so many other native american mothers, bringing their missing children home is something they can only hope for. but some think there is no reason for hope. >> it's been a sad history and so, we are trying to change it. >> coming up, -- >> you actually spoke on behalf of suna. why would you do that? >> in court, a surprise that would divide carla yellow birds family. >> do you think that you will ever be able to repair things with lissa? >> and. >> i want you to know that you are not alone, we are here with you. >> so many forgotten families. is change coming at last? >> we are seeing some action on it right now. >> when dateline continues. >> when dateline continues >> when dateline continues my wife smoked, and she quit. because she needs to be here for to take care of me. (announcer) the people you love are worth quitting for. you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now.

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carla yellow bird was finally home. her remains were returned to her family after suna guy, one of the men involved in carla's the murder, lead her own lissa and the fbi to her body. but sadly, many native americans like carla are still missing. and it's an injustice that has spurred a growing movement for change. with a conclusion of the secrets of spirit lake, here is angie cannon. >> the story of carla yellow bird was, in many ways, tragically routine. a native american woman goes

missing and later turns up dead. what was unusual in carla's case was that her killers were brought to justice. dylan st-pierre said he had carla on the head with a gun and then accidentally discharged. he pleaded guilty to felony murder and related charges and was sentenced to 27 and a half years. dakota charbonneau pleaded guilty to second degree murder for aiding and abetting the killing. he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for carla's murder and other charges. as part of a plea deal, suna guy was sentenced to 15 years for second degree murder and related charges. >> you came face to face with suna guy? >> yes, i did. >> what did he say to you? >> he just told me he was sorry and not listen to him. >> did you say anything to him? >> well, i was just happy that he showed where my daughter was. >> there was a surprise witness at suna's sentencing. >> you actually spoke on behalf of suna. why would you do that when suna

was a part of something that was so horrific? >> first of all, suna did not plot to kill carla. he did not pull the trigger. without, suna, we never would've got carla back. >> lissa was risking any relationship with loretta, to support suna, but she wanted to encourage others to come forward as he had. >> it would send a clear message to the rest of society and indian country that it's okay to provide information, to give other people closure. >> when we sat down with her, loretta told us she is grateful for lissa the help find carla, but she can't forgive her for advocating for suna. she spoke out about her feelings on social media. >> do you think that you will ever be able to repair things with lissa? >> maybe in time. >> whoever's out there missing -- >> change has come slowly for the missing and murdered women's movement, but that

hasn't stopped those who fight for the cause. just the opposite. >> come to us to keep law enforcement and the authorities on their toes, when it comes to getting justice. >> all of families that have lost a loved one, i want you to know that you are not alone and we are here with you. >> lynette lynnette grey bull says people everywhere, not just people in reservations, want people to speak -- up >> we know it's a time to speak up, we know it's a time to fight, and we know it's a time to bring light to our issues. >> as we reported this story, many people like linette shared their concerns about law enforcement's handling of crimes against native american women. >> you see this all too often where their daughter's case just isn't being taken seriously enough. or their sister, or their mother. >> right, exactly, or their sons, and i've heard law enforcement tell the family and even myself that this person is an alcoholic or this person is known to party, and i always

cringe when i hear that because that doesn't matter. they are still a human being. >> the issue with missing and murdered is so systemic that there are no easy answers. >> you bring such a unique perspective. >> one thing does bring hope to native american communities, the appointment of interior deb haaland as secretary of the interior. in that role, she oversees the bia, the first native american to do so. >> when i see an indigenous woman missing, i see one of my own sisters or my cousins, or one of my auntie's, or even my own child. >> i take this obligation -- >> once a single mother on food stamps, haaland put herself through law school and was elected to congress before being named to the cabinet. >> when indigenous women look at you, what do you hope they see? >> i've lived that life and i want their voices to be represented here. >> tackling the missing and murdered indigenous women's crisis is a priority for

secretary haaland. >> this is a crisis that's been happening in our country since colonization and it's very, very deep. and so, i'm grateful that we are seeing some action on it right now. >> in 2019, the trump administration set up a special task force to attract the address the problem. congress then pass savannah's act and the not invisible act to approve law enforcement cooperation and to increase the focus on missing and murdered women. and in 2021, secretary haaland and the biden administration established a first of its kind missing and murdered unit within the bureau of indian affairs. >> is this kind of a boots on the ground operation where you are going to literally go through case files and go case-by-case? >> absolutely, yes. boots on the ground is a good way to say that. yes. >> in a written statement, the bia told us it welcomes the

additional resources. bia office of justice services take seriously each and every case they are working to solve, because agents, who are often members of the same tribal community they serve, know that cases are not just the case file. they represent a family missing a loved one that deserves closure. secretary haaland says, changes to policy and law enforcement are critical, but so is raising awareness. not just in indian country, in the whole country. >> in some cases, these missing persons cases, the murders, they don't get reported. if they are not reported, nobody knows to investigate them. and that's something that i'm very passionate about because families deserve some answers. >> the missing and murdered indigenous women's movement fights for thousands of people and they are not anonymous. everyone has a name. like olivia lone pair, actually

lowering heavy runner, cecilia barbara phenomena, joseph bruce senior, faith hodge path, moniker -- and karla yellow bird. each one, beloved by someone, like lissa and loretta, who laid her daughter to rest on the standing rock reserve ration, where carla was raised. >> i always go to the cemetery a lot, i always take the kids out there as well. we are going to see their mom. >> how does it feel to be back here? >> as for lissa, she went with us to the field where her niece spent her final moments. >> you know, i miss carla. everybody does. i guess i just try to do the best i can to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else. >> carla represents so many other women. >> she does. >> are you going to keep fighting? keep searching? >> for sure.

most definitely. i don't want another family to ever feel like how we felt. >> that's all for this edition of dateline. i'm craig melvin. thank you for watching. thank you for watching >> happy saturday and welcome to morning joe weekend. >> i've got to say, kansas city is beautiful on the weekends. >> it is. >> it's just gorgeous. let's dive into some of our top stories from the week. >> fbi director christopher wray appeared before the house judiciary committee for nearly five hours. >> he's a republican, right? >> he's appointed by donald trump. >> so, he's a trump appointee and trump, only the best people. >> a trump appointed republican. >> trump appointed republican, okay, yeah. >> so, he fielded questions from some of the same members of congress who recently called