Two years ago today, Jermain Charlo of Dixon was reported missing in the Missoula area. She was last seen near the Orange Street Food Farm in Missoula.
For the last two years, family members and groups have played active roles in raising awareness about her disappearance.
The Missoula Police Department said search warrants and interviews have been completed, and dozens of leads investigated since Charlo was last seen.
"We are constantly looking for new information that can help us find out what happened to Jermain Charlo. That remains a priority to us. The case is still very much active," said Sergant Travis Welsh.
Charlo’s aunt, Velenda Morigeau, said everything reminds her of Jermain."We never move on. Even if we find her not alive, that we can find whoever killed her to bring them to justice."
Charlo's 25th birthday was in April. She has two sons. "Her boys don't know where she is. One day your mom's home, and you're so little that you don't understand that she's gone missing. You just don't understand why she's not home every night." Morigeau said, "she's a great mom."
Charlo has become a face of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.
Morigeau said to other families, "Never give up hope. Never stop fighting to bring justice to the women who are gone on, never stop looking for those loved ones that are still missing."
A Montana search and rescue group called The Lifeguard Group has conducted 18 searches for Charlo, and has another planned for this Friday.
“As days go by, the odds go further and further away from our favor. But the fact that she’s still missing, the family deserves for us to look. If it was my kid, I would be out looking, and I’d want others to help,” said Executive Director Lowell Hochhalter.
The Missoula Police Department has completed search warrants and interviews, and investigated dozens of leads.
Sgt. Travis Welsh said, "It's important for us to find out all we can, to provide some closure on this case for this family."
Morigeau said the family won’t stop looking."We have to keep searching for as if she's still alive. That's our biggest hope, is that when we find her she's still with us."
Anyone with any information is asked to call Detective Guy Baker at 406-396-3217.
- $10,000 reward being offered in Jermain Charlo case
- Jermain Charlo still missing as 24th birthday passes
- The search for Jermain Charlo continues
- MMIW activist taking 80-mile walk for missing Jermain Charlo
- Over four months later, search continues for Jermain Charlo
The Friday search is at 1 p.m. starting at the Evaro Bar on Highway 93.
