PHOENIX - Another round of the "Operation Not Forgotten" initiative is bringing the FBI back to parts of Arizona and other states.
What we know:
The FBI says in the past fiscal year, the bureau's Indian Country program has carried roughly 4,100 active cases ranging from deaths to domestic violence to child abuse. Now they're deploying to 11 American cities, including Phoenix, to help try to solve some of these cases.
Local perspective:
"I'm going to be their voice and this is what my son would want me to do," Victoria Gonzales, a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) advocate, said,
Gonzales lost her son Adrian seven years ago. He was murdered on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Reservation, and two people were later arrested.
Since Adrian's death, Gonzales became an advocate, but says she has her guard up about the FBI's operations.
"I'm a little skeptical because of other families that I watch the stories on," Gonzales said. "A lot of my friends in Montana have missing relatives and there's no justice, and it's like we have to do the footwork ourselves. So I'm hoping and praying that the FBI comes in and goes gung ho and full-fledged."
What they're saying:
Andrea Beyal wears many hats when it comes to MMIP advocacy. Beyal works side by side with her sister, Bernadine, and Destiny Garcia with Arizonans for Effective Public Safety, to make sure families are able to voice their own concerns and communication gaps in investigations.
She says the FBI's initiative is important but comes with some gaps in clarity for families.
"What specifically are they going to be focusing on and which cases?" asked Beyal of 4Corners K-9 Search and Rescue. "Is there a timeline, a time frame of how far they're going to go back? And if a case doesn't qualify, why? What's the next steps for those cases as well?"
Dig deeper:
Jared Marquez, another MMIP advocate, says the FBI's added resources is a positive for families looking to magnify their loved ones' cases.
"It's kind of hard for Native Americans to have faith in any government entity you know with the history behind it but the way the natives are is to believe in the positive and put our emotions toward the positive, you know," Marquez said.
Big picture view:
The FBI says they have helped with investigations into more than 700 cases since the initiative launched in 2023.
"We will never accept the high rates of violence suffered by American Indian and Alaska Native people," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "This surge will comprehensively address Indian Country violent crime – from gangs, guns and drugs, to domestic and sexual violence – while strengthening partnerships and public safety in Tribal communities."
What we don't know:
It's unclear how many of those cases have ended in arrests.
What you can do:
Anyone with information related to unresolved crimes in Indian Country is asked to contact FBI Phoenix or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov.
The Source: This information was provided by the FBI and MMIP advocates.