- Details
- By Elyse Wild
Amy Porter, 43, a tribal citizen of the Morongo Tribe, was found deceased yesterday, one day after a California Highway Patrol issued a Feather Alert after she had been missing for nearly one week.
According to a Facebook post by Porter's daughter, she was last seen on Sept. 15 by family and friends in Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California. On Sept. 16, it was reported that Porter checked into a Pomona hotel with Damon Bell. According to reports from Porter's family, security footage shows Bell leaving the hotel hours before Porter left the hotel alone; she was involved in a major car accident near Live Oak Canyon Road heading eastbound. She was seen fleeing the accident on foot.
Porter's family and friends organized a search at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, near 10 Freeway and Wildwood Canyon Road. The search party located a deceased body in a ravine in the area around 9 a.m. A Facebook post by her family confirms the body is Porter.
The Feather Alert was codified in California state law in 2022 after legislation authored by Committee Chair Assemblymember James C. Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla Tribe). Launched on Jan. 1, 2023, the statewide alert system provides the public with information to aid in the recovery of a missing Indigenous person. It is the state's first legislative measure to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Rep. Mary Peltola's Reelection Race Still to be Called
Native News Online Post-Election Survey Shows Trump-Harris Split, Reservation Divide
Six Native American Women Making a Difference in Indian Country
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.
