Michelle Elbow Shield.Photo:BIA OJS Missing and Murdered Unit; Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
BIA OJS Missing and Murdered Unit; Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
The remains of Michelle Elbow Shield were found in the town of Interior on the Pine Ridge Reservation in January,forensics lab Othramsaid in a statement.
The Native American woman was last seen in Rapid City in October 2023 and reported missing a short time later, they added.
The cause and manner of Elbow Shield’s death are under investigation “as well as the circumstances around her disappearance.”
“We hope this recent news can offer some sense of closure for her loved ones,” he added.
Michelle Elbow Shield.Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
“If she left someplace you know, she let somebody know. Or if she’s farther away from town, she’ll let somebody know,” she explained. “And there was this friend of hers that told me she contacted him every day.”
Initially, authorities were unable to identify Elbow Shield “due to the condition of the woman’s remains,” according to Othram.
Othram said they worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit and the Rapid City Police Department to identify the remains through “advanced DNA testing.”
A comprehensive DNA profile was developed for Elbow Shield using “Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing,” and a potential relative was eventually identified, the company said.
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The individual provided a sample, and Elbow Shield was identified a short time later, they added.
Hedrick said the police department plans “to use all available combined resources in order to bring this case to a resolution.”
“We remain committed to fully investigating the circumstances surrounding her disappearance through collaboration with the involved public safety agencies in order to uphold justice in the case,” the sheriff explained.
Police and Othram did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
source: people.com
