Hopi family talks case of woman held at gunpoint before 2022 disappearance

PHOENIX (AZ family) — For the first time, Arizona hosted a national conference of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP), committed to ending the crisis in our tribal communities.

The MMIP task force was created in Arizona last year. Now, we’ve learned new details about a Hopi woman who disappeared after being held at gunpoint two years ago.

“Why isn’t anyone saying anything?” said Yolanda Bydonie.

It’s a question Keisha Kootswatewa’s family has asked repeatedly since March 2022, when they were contacted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and knew something was wrong.

“We were told that there was an incident that happened in the early morning hours of March 26 that there was a shooting,” Bydonie said.

Keisha is Yolanda Bydonie’s cousin, but culturally, she refers to her as her sister.

Yolanda said they were told Keisha, a member of the Hopi tribe, had been at a party on the Navajo Nation.

Keisha’s boyfriend told loved ones to take cover when he said shots rang out.

“The boyfriend says he jumped out the window and wanted Keisha to follow him, but when she jumped they were already there and they were holding her at gunpoint,” Yolanda said. “That was the last we heard from Keisha.”

The FBI is now investigating Keisha’s disappearance, but it has been Yolanda’s family coordinating the search after the search for Keisha, even in treacherous conditions.

“The tips coming from the community are that they dump these bodies in the wells,” Yolanda said.

His loved ones climbed into the water tanks, trying to drain them to see if his remains were inside.

Her family’s commitment was on display during MMIP’s first national conference this week at the Capitol. It featured native coordinators and participants from states across the country.

Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya is the governor’s MMIP coordinator and helped put it together, hoping to get the ideas off the ground.

“Cooperating with law enforcement, that’s the biggest question for families,” Valaura said.

Hope and support like this keep Yolanda and her family going, who have become Keisha’s voice as they plead for information about her case.

“Let’s forget all this and take her home,” Yolanda said with tears in her eyes and desperation in her voice. Say something so we can get her home no matter what.”

Keisha’s family is using their campaign and social media platform, “Finding Keisha,” to generate contacts and awareness about her case and other missing persons cases.

They are also working to create a non-profit in her name called Finding Keisha. If you would like to donate to the search efforts, you can donate through their GoFundMe.

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