The FBI has launched a new initiative, Voices Not Forgotten, that will offer rewards of up to $25,000 for information leading to resolutions in unsolved homicide, kidnapping, and missing persons cases within Indian Country. Announced Tuesday by FBI Director Kash Patel at a national tribal law enforcement conference, the program sets a minimum reward for publicly advertised cases under FBI jurisdiction.
The initiative, introduced before an audience of over 200 tribal law enforcement officers, is part of what Patel described as the FBI’s enhanced commitment to Tribal communities. “Voices Not Forgotten is a brand-new initiative that is part of this FBI’s record dedication of resources to Tribal partners who have been left behind far too long,” Patel stated. He emphasized the role of public awareness in solving these cases, comparing the effort to high-profile campaigns like the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted program.
The FBI also created an online resource as part of the rollout, featuring a searchable map and case posters that provide details about ongoing investigations. Many of the cases involve missing or murdered Indigenous individuals. To spotlight these cases, the FBI highlighted six specific names in the announcement: Angel Beach, Sa’wade Birdinground, Maleeka "Mollie" Boone, Logan Warrior Goings, Mary Johnson (Davis), and Emily Pike.
The Voices Not Forgotten initiative builds on earlier efforts such as Operation Not Forgotten, a 2023 undertaking in which dozens of FBI personnel assisted Native communities across field offices in the West, Midwest, and South. The new program also addresses demands for more accessible case information from tribal leaders and the Not Invisible Act Commission—a body established to combat the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
The agency retains jurisdiction over major crimes on approximately 200 reservations across the country. While none of the affected field offices under Operation Not Forgotten were in Arkansas, the issue remains significant nationwide.
To encourage tips from the public, the FBI has made avenues for submitting information straightforward. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or visiting the online portal at tips.fbi.gov. Calls and online submissions can be made anonymously.