Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"I mean, why wouldn't they be treating finding a body as a crime scene? Honestly, I have no idea. I tried to track down an explanation, but I couldn't find one. If I had to guess the answer as to why the crime scene wasn't secured, and to many, many other questions in this case, is really steeped in systemic racism, and the preconceived notions many people, law enforcement included, law enforcement, especially, hold when it comes to Indigenous people." — Britt
"The ones that really matter, the ones that will affect you if something happens to someone you love are the local ones. You get to pick your sheriff, your DA, your county attorney, your coroner." — Britt
"Ksera's death is far from an isolated incident, not even close. There are so many stories of young people from right there in Big Horn County that sound just like hers. Shockingly, like hers." — Ashley Flowers
The episode begins with a brief promotional segment for the podcast "Park Predators" hosted by Delia D. Ambrette. The main narrative then shifts to the case of Cacera Stops Pretty Places, an 18-year-old member of the Crow Nation and Northern Cheyenne tribal communities, who went missing on August 24, 2019. Her family reported her missing, but faced delays from law enforcement, citing a mandatory waiting period, despite Montana law requiring missing person information to be entered within two hours for individuals under 21. This initial perceived lack of urgency is contrasted with Cacera's prior history of running away, and crucially, a prior kidnapping incident from just a month before her disappearance, which the family believes was not adequately addressed.
The investigation into Cacera's disappearance is depicted as deeply problematic from the outset. A body was discovered by a jogger on August 29th, wrapped in plastic behind a woodpile in Hardin, Montana. Cacera's aunt attempted to identify the body at the scene but was prevented from doing so. The family was later informed by a mortuary that the body was not Cacera's. However, on September 11th, nearly three weeks after she was last seen, the family learned the body was indeed Cacera's, raising serious questions about the initial identification process and the timeline of information provided to the family. The county coroner, Terry Bullis, who also owned the funeral home, allegedly pressured the family to cremate Cacera's body before it could be transported from the crime lab, a decision that conflicted with cultural beliefs. The autopsy results were delayed and ultimately inconclusive, with the cause of death listed as undetermined, despite the coroner's initial assertion that it would be "exposure to alcohol or substance." This discrepancy, coupled with the discovery of the body wrapped in plastic and the timeline inconsistencies regarding her death, fueled the family's conviction that foul play was involved.
The episode further highlights systemic issues by detailing prior incidents involving Indigenous women in Big Horn County, including Henny Scott and Hannah Harris, whose cases also suffered from delayed or inadequate law enforcement responses and questionable conclusions by the same county coroner. The narrative emphasizes the pattern of Indigenous victims being dismissed or their cases being mishandled, leading to the passage of legislation like "Hannah's Act." The hosts advocate for community action, urging listeners to sign a petition for justice for Cacera and to contact local officials to demand a reinvestigation, underscoring the ongoing struggle for accountability and justice for MMIWG.