A year without answers: Renzo Bullhead’s family encourages those with information to come forward

The footage is the last known sighting of Bullhead, who is still missing

“His brothers miss him,” Diedra Leaf, Bullhead’s mother, told Buffalo’s Fire. “His family misses him, his friends miss him, they all miss him, and this month isn't a good month for any of us.”

Leaf describes Bullhead, the second oldest of five boys, as an athlete, jokester and friend to many. He studied welding at United Tribes Technical College, and she said he had plans to move to Texas with his partner or join the army after graduating.

“The anniversary is coming up, and I can almost feel for every relative out there that has a member lost,” Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Vice Chairman Mike Faith said last week. “It’s important that we don't lose the push for the murdered and missing Indigenous relatives.”

Leaf said despite multiple searches and assistance from numerous jurisdictions, the investigation hasn’t turned up any new leads. If anything, the investigation has stirred up more questions than answers.

Leaf and Delane Blue Thunder, Bullhead’s stepfather, said the footage of Bullhead hasn’t provided clarity. “There are too many inconsistencies,” Blue Thunder said, adding that the footage appears to be either edited or not shared in full.

Also adding to the family’s confusion is footage of a splash in the river below the bridge. It is still unknown what caused it, and the footage is too dark to provide clear answers.

“That’s why we are so adamant about trying to get that footage and the camera angles from Steamboat Park, because that's the direction he was headed to,” Blue Thunder said.

Leaf said the family repeatedly has requested to see footage from Steamboat Park, to no avail. In a response to a public records request filed by Buffalo’s Fire, Bismarck Parks and Recreation District executive director Kevin Klipfel said they do not have footage prior to January 31, 2026.

Leaf said the family also hopes to get cadaver dogs to search the Bismarck and Mandan sides of the bridge, where the dogs have not been yet.

Mandan Police Department Lieutenant Brent Wilmeth said the department plans to search the river again once the ice is melted.

“It’s a horrible tragedy, and we haven't forgotten about Renzo,” Wilmeth told Buffalo’s Fire. “We will definitely be back out looking and searching once we can have access to the river.”

He added that investigators hope to sit down and brainstorm “outside of the box” to come up with new strategies.

Reflecting on the one year anniversary of Bullhead’s disappearance, Wilmeth said, “Our goal doesn't change, which is to find Renzo and try to figure out exactly what happened to him.”

Leaf and her family have created an updated missing persons flyer with pictures of Bullhead’s tattoos, which could help with identification.

The family is also planning a prayer walk in McLaughlin, South Dakota, Bullhead’s hometown.

“We want it to be open to family, friends and the community, not only in Renzo’s name, but also all our families,” Leaf said, adding that more information will be posted to the Renzo Bullhead Search Page on Facebook.

Vice Chairman Faith told Buffalo’s Fire the tribe hopes to plan an event in Bismarck for the local community. He said the event would provide prayers for all families across the United States and Canada affected by the MMIP crisis.

“These prayers are meant for everybody, some have been recovered murdered, and there is still no justice for them,” Faith said. “When we do these gatherings, it's meant for everybody.”

Leaf said the constant struggle of not knowing where her son is feels like “every worst fear wrapped up in one.”

Looking ahead, Leaf said she hopes for closure and to bring Bullhead home, or at least to be able to have a gravesite to visit.

“I can’t do that, his brothers can’t do that, there's questions that are unanswered,” Leaf said. “It’s a nightmare you can't wake up from.”

Leaf said her family is what keeps her going every day. They share memories and reflect on the past, including Bullhead’s experience as a powwow chicken dancer, his smile that would “light up a room” and his time as a football quarterback for McLaughlin High School.

“In our home, we are a unit,” she said, adding that she encourages people with information to come forward. “If you know something, say something.”