Alaska’s MMIWG2S holds vigil for murdered Arizona Indigenous teen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska’s working group, Missing, Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, held a vigil on Friday at Hostetler Park in downtown Anchorage to shine a light on the tragic story of a 14-year-old San Carlos Apache teenager who was found dead in Arizona last month.

“We’re here to uplift her story and stand in solidarity with the San Carlos Apache tribe,” Antonia Commack, Alaska MMIP advocate said. “We also want to bring awareness to the fact that this is not an issue just in Alaska, it’s all over the nation and we really need to highlight Emily Pike’s story because it’s not being covered a lot and we really need to protect our children.”

Pike’s body was found in multiple garbage bags outside of a wooded area near Globe, Ariz. on Valentine’s Day. No suspects have been identified nor have any arrests been made in connection with the teen’s death.

Friday’s vigil also served as a reminder of the many missing and murdered Indigenous people within Alaska. Posters with missing and murdered individuals’ faces were on display around the park while attendees were invited to tie ribbons with the names of loved ones to a tree.

Last year, SB 151 was passed establishing new requirements for the Department of Public Safety, as well as a review commission to resolve cases of MMIP.

The bill adds additional resources for law enforcement, as well as requires DPS to employ at least two people to investigate all cases involving MMIP.

DPS Communications Director Austin McDaniel said Alaska State Troopers currently employ four MMIP investigators and has continued to make MMIP cases a priority since the appointment of Commissioner James Cockrell in 2021.

“The legislature and the governor have given us every resource we’ve asked for,” McDaniel said. “Whether it’s adding four dedicated missing and murdered Indigenous people, investigators that work in the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, whether it was the efforts last year of passing Senate Bill 151, which codified a lot of what DPS has been spearheading since Commissioner Cockrell took office.”

McDaniel added that while the Department does not track the number of MMIP cases solved, they have seen a near 100% success rate in all homicides in the past several years.

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