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- By Elyse Wild
A Montana judge will sentence Sunny K. White on January 31 in the hit-and-run death of Mika Westwolf, a 22-year-old Blackfeet Nation member, marking a rare conviction in a case that became a rallying point for Indigenous justice.
After Westwolf’s death, her mother, Carissa Heavy Runner, launched a Facebook page that grew to more than 1,500 followers, becoming a hub for sharing information and support for other missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) and their families. The case gained national attention, as Heavy Runner fought not only for justice for her daughter, but also to highlight how Indigenous families often must wage public campaigns to get law enforcement to thoroughly investigate crimes against Native people.
“We are going to be getting some closure,” Heavy Runner, a Blackfeet Nation member, said. “I know that's not just going to help me and her brother and my husband, but will hopefully help other people you know who are impacted by MMIP.”
The case highlights the MMIP crisis affecting Native communities across the country. Native Americans face murder rates ten times the national average, with homicide one of the top 10 causes of death for Native women. While the Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates there are 4,200 unsolved MMIP cases, the actual number is likely higher, Native advocates say. Montana has one of the highest numbers of MMIP cases per capita, according to the Urban Indian Health Institute.
Law enforcement discovered Westwolf’s body on U.S. Highway 93 on March 31, 2023. White, 29, of Butte, Mont., fled the scene and later told deputies she had hit a deer. Media reported that White’s two children — ages 4 and 2 at the time — were in the car during the collision.
Police arrested White seven months after the incident. She accepted a plea deal on two charges: vehicular homicide while under the influence and accidents involving another person or deceased person. Prosecutors dropped three other charges. White pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide on Oct. 30, 2024.
For Heavy Runner, hearing White's plea was overwhelming.
“I could feel myself starting to shake," she said. "I lost it for a few seconds. I leaned into my dad's shoulder and cried. Hearing it from her mouth, admitting guilt for taking Mika's life — this is what it was all for, you know?”
Westwolf was an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe and descended from the Diné, Cree, and Klamath tribes.Her family remembers her as a talented athlete who loved writing poetry and being outdoors. She danced at powwows as a little girl, and in 2019, was one of four Blackfeet tribal members who traveled to Nepal in a cultural exchange with the Sherpa.
“She was a commanding spirit,” Heavy Runner said. “Her laugh was infectious. She was a force to be reckoned with. She was such a bright light.”
As the oldest of 11 grandchildren, Westwolf served as a role model and caretaker for her younger siblings and cousins.
During the investigation, Heavy Runner created Mika Matters, a campaign to keep attention on her daughter’s case and MMIP issue. She held awareness walks across the state of Montana and spoke at MMIP events. She launched a petition on Moveon.org, pushing law enforcement to release dashcam and body cam footage and subpoena businesses near the crash site for surveillance footage.
Attorney Erica Shelby (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes), founder of Just Indigenous Corporate Services who helped Heavy Runner navigate the criminal justice system, called White’s conviction a victory for the MMIP movement.
“It's huge for MMIP and for Indigenous justice,” Shelby told Native News Online. “Usually, the outcome is a letdown.”
The Kalispel Region of Probation and Parole office submitted a pre-sentencing investigation report to Lake County District Court Judge Molly Owens on Dec. 18, 2024. The report included impact letters about Westwolf’s life and death, and the impact it had on the community.
“Some of these people don't know us, but they could feel the love we have for Mika, see the photos of her, read about her accomplishments, see who she was,” Heavy Runner said. “That is what we wanted to do, to humanize her and make people care.”
As January 31st approaches, Heavy Runner said she’s still processing the reality of the case’s conclusion.
“You just feel like something's going to pop up and be another hurdle, another obstacle, a stalling tactic or something,” she said. “And now that I know that isn't going to happen, I am focused on my testimony.”
Heavy Runner plans to continue advocating for Indigenous families like hers — families who have lost a loved one and face being forgotten in the criminal justice system. She will speak at the Missoula County Fair this summer and continue organizing MMIP awareness marches.
“We can't lose this momentum,” she said.
The Mika Matters campaign has drawn messages of support from as far as Australia and Europe. The global response echoes Westwolf's Indian name, “Moht-ta-pai-yissaapu," or “everybody looks at her.”
“That is her personality, that is who Mika was,” Heavy Runner said, “and even more so now, she's captured people's attention, captured their hearts.”
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