Seven Years Gone: The Haunting Disappearance of Jermain Charlo and the MMIW Crisis

The Disappearance of Jermain Charlo: A Montana Mystery and the Fight for Justice Missoula, Montana – In June 2018, 23-year-old Jermain Charlo vanished without a trace from downtown Missoula. Seven years later, her family and friends continue a relentless search, a quest that has become a symbol of the disproportionate number of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) in Montana and across the nation. "She definitely represents our people," said Charlo's aunt, her voice heavy with emotion. "This is one of many cases in Montana. We're not going to take this anymore." The vastness of the reservation, encompassing 1.3 million acres of rugged terrain, complicates the search. Law enforcement officials, including Missoula Police Detective Guy Baker, a lead investigator on the case for five years, describe the challenges of covering such a wide area with numerous rivers and potential predators. The search area expands every hour. Charlo's social media presence, once vibrant, abruptly ceased, raising concerns. Her last known sighting was in an alley behind a downtown bar. Despite the passage of years, the hope for her return persists. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of MMIW, prompting renewed calls for increased resources and attention to these unsolved cases.