fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

Tags

Las Vegas, Nev.—A woman from the Lummi Nation in Washington has been found alive in Las Vegas after her family filed a missing persons report with various law enforcement agencies. Reatha Finkbonner was on vacation while in Las Vegas with her fiancé and friends when she went missing on September 3, 2021.

“I’m glad she has been found and is okay,” said Nikki Finkbonner, aunt of Reatha, to Native News Online. “But she’s still stranded in Las Vegas and we’re trying to make arrangements to get her home.” 

Reatha's disappearance came before nationwide coverage of the killing of Gabby Petito, a young white woman, in a National Park in Wyoming. National media coverage of Petito caused many advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous people to question the fairness in reporting as Indigenous women are reported to go missing at a rate 10 times the national average, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report.

“After the Gabby story, my niece’s case received an overwhelming amount of interest from national media, including CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC,” said Finkbonner to Native News Online. “What I don’t understand is how Indigenous women are always after the fact.”

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Thursday that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said that Reatha Finkbonner wasn’t “endangered.” The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department didn’t respond for comment, but Nikki Finkbonner said, “She’s still missing and she’s still a human.” 

Reatha traveled to Las Vegas with her fiancé and two friends to get married, but they were arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police for drug possession. After being taken to jail, they were separated. Finkbonner was released from jail on her own recognizance two days prior to her disappearance. 

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was contacted for more information, but couldn’t provide a comment as of press time.

More Stories Like This

Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
President Biden to Tribal Nations: "We don’t erase history"
President Biden to Designate National Monument at Carlisle Indian Boarding School
Vice President Harris Will Address the White House Tribal Nations Summit Today

Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?

Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.

Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.

Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today. 

Right now, your support goes twice as far. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching fund, every dollar you give during December 2024 will be doubled to protect sovereignty and amplify Native voices.

No paywalls. No corporate owners. Just independent, Indigenous journalism.

About The Author
Author: Darren ThompsonEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter for Native News Online who is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thompson has reported on political unrest, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous issues for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in international conversation. He has a bachelor’s degree in Criminology & Law Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.