Emily Pike case: March scheduled to raise awareness of missing indigenous people
March for justice at state Capitol
A march for missing and murdered indigenous women is happening on March 18 at the state Capitol. The issue was pushed back into the headlines last month when a 14-year-old girl named Emily Pike was found murdered near Globe. The teen had been reported missing several weeks earlier. FOX 10's Irene Snyder reports.
PHOENIX - It has been just over a month since the remains of 14-year-old Emily Pike were found in Gila County, about a hundred miles from where she was last seen in Mesa.
As the search for the suspect who killed the Apache teen continues, tribal members are preparing to rally at the Arizona State Capitol near Downtown Phoenix.
What we know:
A march for justice has been scheduled for the morning of March 18, as organizers keep all missing and murdered relatives in their mind.
"That’s who we’re marching for. That’s who we’re walking for. That’s who we’re bringing awareness for, is all of our people," said Raquel Moody with the Turtle Island Women Warriors.
The march is set to start at 11:00 a.m.
The backstory:
Pike's remains were found in February after she was reported as a runaway out of Mesa.
Per a statement released by the Gila County Sheriff's office on Feb. 27, Pike's remains were found on Feb. 14 in an area near milepost 277 along U.S. 60, about 19 miles north of Globe. She was last seen on January 27 walking away from her group home near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road.
"It bothers me so much because she was just a baby," said Moody. "Everybody is upset, and there are a lot of people that want answers, want justice for Emily."
Officials with the Gila County Sheriff's office said the agency is creating a task force for the Pike case that includes the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Mesa Police.
March over missing indigenous persons scheduled
It has been over a month since the remains of 14-year-old Emily Pike was found near Globe, and on March 18, a march for justice is scheduled to raise awareness on the crisis involving missing indigenous people. FOX 10's Justin Lum reports.
Dozens of indigenous people reported missing in Arizona
In recent weeks, marches and vigils have been held in honor of Pike. Those events are shedding light on her case, in addition to the missing and murdered indigenous people crisis.
Dig deeper:
According to national data, 91 indigenous people are missing from Arizona. Advocates have long raised concerns about underreporting.
One of the cases involve Alexander Eskee, who has been missing since June of 2020. Recently, there has been a break in Eskee's case, as a white Dodge Ram pickup truck was found in a remote area two hours away from Dennehotso.
Dennehotso was where Eskee was last seen, after an argument with his spouse.
"Apparently, it was there for five years," said Eskee's mother, Berdie Bitsui. "They said it was in a location where they could not get to it, and the tow truck couldn’t get to it."
Eskee, a trained welder, traveled to multiple states for work.
"Do you believe they have put in real effort, and is there foul play?" we asked Bitsui.
"I think there is foul play, but from their point of view, I don’t think they believe there is foul play," Bitsui replied.
Navajo Nation Police have not responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the FBI is assisting with the case.
What you can do:
Pike's tribe is offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information on Pike's case should contact the Gila County Sheriff’s Office.
You can sign up for this website to send in tips for this case.
"It will ask for a zip code when creating an account, and then agencies that subscribe to the service will appear in the drop-down menu if within 50 miles of the zip code entered. The agency to select for the Emily Pike Investigation will be San Carlos Apache Police Department," the Gila County Sheriff's Office said.