By Donald W. Meyers / Yakima Herald-Republic
OLYMPIA — Rep. Gina McCabe’s bill that could help identify missing Native American women is headed to the governor’s desk.
Senators unanimously approved the Goldendale Republican’s bill late last week to require the Washington State Patrol to work with tribal and local law enforcement, urban Indian organizations and the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs to study ways to increase state resources for reporting and identifying missing Native American women in the state.
In 2009, the FBI released the results of a two-year probe into the deaths of 16 women on the Yakama Reservation from 1980 to 1993. Federal authorities confirmed at the time that they weren’t the work of a serial killer.
At one point in the investigation, a spokesman with the FBI said there may be as many as 32 unsolved cases on the Yakama Reservation involving missing persons and deaths.
McCabe said she was inspired by the movie “Wind River” to look into the issue of missing Native American women.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.