​Lakota Rae Renville, a 22-year-old member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate tribe from Sisseton, South Dakota, was found murdered in Independence, Missouri, on October 16, 2005. Her body was discovered wrapped in a distinctive southwestern-style blanket in a gravel lot near the 9200 block of Pitcher Road. She had been beaten and stabbed. The case remains unsolved, with key evidence including a unique blanket and reports of a brown early 1990s Ford Explorer seen near the crime scene. Her family and community continue to seek justice, holding annual memorials and raising awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Anyone with information concerning Lakota Renville’s unsolved homicide are asked to call the Independence Police Department at (816) 325-7330. To remain anonymous and possibly eligible for a reward, call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477).

Please remember that these victims are submitted to us by their family. Our organization does not investigate cases. We advocate, educate, and help raise awareness. Speculation on the details of the case is not helpful on this platform. Comments that are deemed inappropriate and/or potentially hurtful will be removed.