Jurisdictional confusion delays response to missing Native cases in Oklahoma

Families of missing Native people in Oklahoma say fragmented law enforcement responses and poor interagency coordination have delayed investigations, according to Oklahoma Watch. Deana Floyd, whose son Brandon Hummel went missing in January 2024, said his case was passed between the Atoka County Sheriff’s Office and Choctaw Lighthorse police with little follow-up. The Bureau of Indian Affairs became involved later, but Floyd said the assigned agent was rarely available.

Karrisa Newkirk, president of Missing Murdered Indigenous Women Chahta, said unclear responsibilities among city, county and tribal police routinely slow or prevent action. In the case of Trey Glass, a 19-year-old United Keetoowah Band member found dead in 2024, a report from the Northeastern Oklahoma Indigenous Safety & Education network cited confusion between UKB, the Cherokee Nation and local police. Newkirk called for better training, coordination and response protocols.