May 6, 2025 • 45 mins
On May 2nd, 2016, on the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, NM, two young children disappeared while walking home after school. The tragedy that would unfold would expose a loophole in the system that failed to protect indigenous children. This is the story of Ashlynne Mike. Thank you so much for listening! If you enjoy what I do and want to support me, please follow the podcast and leave a rating on Spotify or Apple by clicking on the 'About' tab.
Suggestions, comments, or questions? You can DM me on Instagram at shadesofmurder_podcast or write me at alitadogmasshadesofmurder@gmail.com
Research for Episode 50:
Ashlynne Mike's killer wants life prison term reversed
Church member says murder suspect "betrayed him"
Justice for Ashlynne – AMBER Advocate
Missing & Murdered Diné Relatives’
Navajo Nation signs contract to implement AMBER Alert system on reservation
New Amber Alert law for tribal lands honors slain Navajo girl | PBS News
Scammers attempt to profit off death of daughter, father says - Navajo Times
The Legacy of Ashlynne Mike | Office of Justice Programs
Thousands mourn kidnapped Navajo girl | Nation | sharonherald.com
www.justice.gov/usao-nm/file/848756/dl?inline=
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
As the moon began to rise over the majestic desert landscape of
Shiprock, New Mexico, a motoristspotted a small boy wandering
down the road. When they dropped him off at the
local police station, he told officers how a stranger in a van
had abducted him and his older sister while they were walking
home from school. The little boy appeared to be
(00:28):
safe and unharmed, but he told the police that the man had hurt
his sister and abandoned her in the wilderness.
Who were these innocent children, and who was the
monster who had abducted them after school?
(00:54):
Hello and welcome to Shades of Murder.
In this podcast, I discuss casesof murder from around the world
and throughout history, attempting to unravel the layers
of darkness that hell make humans and the monsters.
Please be forewarned that each episode contains specific and at
(01:17):
times very graphic and disturbing details of the case.
This show is not intended for all audiences and listener
discretion is strongly advised. This is the story of missing and
murdered indigenous girl Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
The following information regarding this investigation is
(01:37):
from the official affidavit signed by Special Agent Jeffrey
T Wright of the FBI Farmington, NM office for the suspect's
arrest. Set amidst Shiprock Pinnacle, a
majestic volcanic rock formationthat appears to be soaring like
a bird. Shiprock, New Mexico is a small
unincorporated community with around 7000 residents.
(02:01):
On May 2nd, 2016, eleven year old Ashley Mike and her little
brother, 9 year old Ian never returned after school.
They would normally walk from the school bus stop back to
their home on the reservation, which was situated in the Lower
Fruitland area. But that day the brother and
sister strayed from their usual routine.
(02:21):
Their father had expected them home a rather normal time, and
when the hours passed and night began to fall, he began to panic
as to where his two youngest kids could be.
Meanwhile, and an unidentified motorist found a young boy
walking along Navajo Road 13. They picked up the child and
brought him into the police station. 9 year old Ian Mike
(02:44):
told the police that he, his twosisters, and one of their
friends had all gotten off the school bus.
Their oldest sister had gone ahead of them and began to walk
home. Ashlyn and Ian linger behind,
playing around in the irrigationcanal along the way.
Then, out of nowhere, a man in ared van pulled up next to them.
(03:06):
He asked them if they wanted a ride home.
Ashlyn had hurt her foot, so shedecided to accept, even though
neither had seen the man before that day.
Then the stranger drove off in the opposite direction towards
Shipwreck Pinnacle. Instead of their house.
(03:27):
He turned off into a remote Rd. deep into the desert.
Later, determined to be around 6miles South of Shipwreck
Pinnacle, Ian said that the man had parked the van, pulled his
sister Ashland out and dragged her off into the desert toward a
hill. The man was carrying a piece of
curved metal with him. About an hour passed and the
(03:52):
little boy just sat in the van, alone, waiting and wondering
where his sister and the strangeman had gone to.
Then the man returned carrying the piece of metal, but his
sister was nowhere. Insight.
The man got back into the van, drove them down the road a
(04:12):
little, but then he suddenly stopped and forced the little
boy out of the van, leaving him stranded on the Desert Rd.
Anne looked around the area for his sister, but he couldn't find
her and the sun was beginning toset, so he decided to walk back
home. He walked miles until he reached
(04:36):
Navajo Route 13, when a passerbyfound the child, picked him up
and took him directly to the police.
The young boy gave officers a good description of the van and
the predator who had kidnapped them.
According to Ian Mike, the stranger had short hair.
(04:57):
He wasn't skinny, but he wasn't fat.
He wasn't young like them, but he wasn't very old.
He said. The van was red with sliding
doors, and inside it was a tire,trash bags, a jacket and a
baseball hat. When interviewed by law
enforcement, the older sister, who had walked ahead of her two
(05:19):
younger siblings that day, reported that she had been
approached by a man in a red vanwho asked if she wanted to get
in. She had refused to go inside and
continued walking home. The girl also described the man
as being in his 30s with short hair.
(05:39):
The police searched the vast desert near and around the
vicinity between the bus stop and out towards Shiprock
Pinnacle. Tragically, 11 year old Ashlyn
Mike's remains would be found the following day.
They discovered the little girl around 11:30 AM in the barren
(06:00):
desert. Her clothes and shoes have been
removed. Her head was covered in blood
and severely bashed in from somekind of blunt force object to
her face and head. The coroner determined that the
young girl had also been sexually assaulted.
(06:20):
Her predator had strangled her and then excessively bludgeoned
her with a tire iron. This monster had left a little
girl to die from her injuries alone in the desert.
The day that Ashland Mike's bodywas found, CI Louis Saint
(06:41):
Germain of the Navajo Division of Criminal Investigations spoke
with a man identified only as GM, who told him he should talk
to his neighbor about a red van seen around the area of the
girl's disappearance. GM led the officer to this
person's home, identified only as Rd.
While being interviewed, Rd. told the investigator about how
(07:03):
his clan brother, Tom Begay Junior, drove a red van and was
around the location where the girl had been abducted.
Rd. led the investigator to a sweat lodge where he found Tom
Begay Junior. Criminal Investigator St.
Germain immediately observed a parked red Dodge Caravan.
(07:25):
The man referred to as GM took pictures of Tom Begay Junior and
the van while the investigator interviewed him.
When they returned to the Mike'sresidence and showed the
photographs to the victim's little brother Ian, he
immediately pointed out that theman in the photographs was the
(07:45):
man who had picked them up that day.
He also positively identified the van in the photos as the
same vehicle he had been driving.
Thanks to the bravery and amazing attention to detail
provided by her nine year old brother Ian, Ashlyn, Mike's
murderer and their kidnapper, was quickly located, identified
(08:09):
and brought into custody. The description of the van and
the predator who had abducted them, brutally taking his
sister's life, LED law enforcement investigators to
their monster. Law enforcement subsequently
arrested 27 year old Tom Begay Junior.
(08:30):
During his official interrogation, he admitted to
seeing the kids plane in the canal so he stopped to offer
them a ride. He stated that he had every
intention of having sexual intercourse with a girl, which
was the main reason he picked the two children up.
(08:51):
Tom Begay Junior told the policethat Ashlynn was crying and
begging him to take her home when he pulled the van over on a
remote desert Rd. He pulled out an l-shaped tire
iron and placed it inside his jacket before forcing the girl
out of the van. He dragged her off toward a hill
(09:13):
where he began to molest her. The little girl fought him off
and began to cry. Tom Begay Junior struck her in
the head once with the tire iron.
She immediately collapsed to theground.
He hit her again with a tire iron.
(09:33):
This time she didn't move. Tom Begay Junior claimed that
the girl was breathing when he left her.
The community was heartbroken and outraged by the brutal,
tragic murder of this little girl.
The Farmington Civic Center helda gathering in which more than
(09:57):
1600 people were inside, and just as many residents stood
outside to mourn the loss of a beautiful child who had only
just begun her life. Minnie wore yellow, one of
Ashland's favorite colors. In the wake of Ashland Mike's
(10:17):
death, the community rallied around her father and her family
to help support them. Unfortunately, the piranhas of
society found a way to earn money off of her death.
Her father later learned that people were selling items at
flea markets and even burritos in her name.
(10:42):
There were fraudulent GoFundMe accounts and even bank accounts
that were temporarily set up in his murdered daughter's name.
Sometimes it just makes me nauseated by the depths of
depravity some humans will sink to.
(11:03):
Meanwhile, Tom Begay Junior was being held in custody more than
200 miles away in Albuquerque when he appeared in US District
Court. He waived his right to a
preliminary hearing on the charges of murder and
kidnapping. A federal judge ordered him to
remain in jail. On May 24th, 2016, Tom Begay
(11:26):
Junior was indicted on 6 counts including first degree murder, 2
counts of kidnapping with one resulting in death, 2 counts of
aggravated sexual abuse resulting in death, and the
abduction of a minor. On June 7th, 2016, Tom Begay
Junior entered a plea of not guilty to all charges, but that
(11:49):
would soon change. A plea agreement resulted after
concern surfaced following a psychological evaluation of the
defendant during one of the sessions.
Tom Begay Junior claimed he now understood the scope of his
horrendous actions and he informed his attorney that he
deserved to be penalized to the fullest extent of the law.
(12:13):
It was determined by Chief United States District Judge
William Johnson that Tom Begay Junior, with proper medication,
was competent to stand trial. It is not known what kind of
medication the judge was referring to.
One of Tom Begay Junior's attorneys was the first to
advise the court that their client was willing to make a
(12:35):
plea deal to prevent a trial, but that they needed additional
time to properly respond. Ashlyn, Mike's killer, elected
to make a plea agreement with the prosecution under which he
would plead guilty to charges ofmurder and kidnapping.
New Mexico is not a death penalty state, so it is not
(12:57):
entirely transparent why Tom Begay Junior decided to enter a
plea agreement, except that he allegedly felt guilt, even
possible remorse, for his actions.
On August 1st, 2017, Tom Begay Junior pleaded guilty to all six
counts. He told the courtroom how he
(13:18):
fooled the kids into thinking hewould drive them home.
That day, Tom Begay Junior confessed to sexually assaulting
Ashlyn Mike, although he insisted that he didn't rape
her. He then strangled the small girl
and beat her with a tire iron. His confession does not equate
(13:41):
to having a lack of intention ofkilling the little girl,
although he claimed that it wasn't his intention to end her
life. A video was played in the
courtroom where Tom Begay Juniortalked about how Ashlyn Mike
died. There were days, he said that he
couldn't leave his bed. Nobody speak to anyone.
(14:05):
This acknowledgement did hold some degree of closure for
Ashlyn Mike's parents, since they knew he had assaulted and
killed their little girl. Having this violent offender own
up to his horrendous crimes and express remorse did mean
something to the victim's loved ones and to the entire tribe who
(14:28):
were deeply affected by this senseless tragedy.
According to the Navajo Tribal President, it was a first step
toward their being able to heal.On October 16th, 2017, Tom Begay
Junior was sentenced to prison without the chance of ever being
(14:48):
released. Pamela Foster, Ashlyn Mike's
mother, spoke these words to thepress after the outcome.
And I quote this is a nightmare we can never wake from and it
pangs my very soul and knowing he gratified himself in brutally
assaulting my daughter. This monster terrorized my Angel
(15:11):
and caused a paramount of pain upon her.
And it breaks my heart and angers me that the last living
things she saw was him and looking into his evil eyes.
This monster desecrated our traditions and cares not for
others and knows nothing of the value of life.
(15:34):
We just lost a future leader anda great one and she was to carry
on our traditions. Although she is no longer
physically with us, we thank Godthat a piece of her lives in all
of her siblings and my hugs are just a little bit longer.
As survivors, no amount of justice, restitution, and
(15:57):
praying will ever bring our daughter back.
Our baby is now in the spirit world, never to be heard again,
and by the grace of God, this monster has finally admitted to
his crime. Ashlyn Mike's parents expressed
a sense of gratitude that Tom Begay Junior had admitted to the
(16:19):
crimes committed against their children.
But nothing will ever bring thisbeautiful, precious little girl
back to them. There was a semblance of justice
and a seed of closure for the entire community that was
planted that day. However, in 2019, Tom Begay
(16:42):
Junior showed his true selfish, vile nature when he attempted to
get his sentence overturned in awritten request for an appeal.
Tom Begay Junior wanted the opportunity to plead to a lesser
offence which would result in a lesser sentence.
(17:04):
He claimed that due to his low IQ and his public defender being
incompetent, he didn't understand the law nor his
rights when he had a psychiatricevaluation conducted which
directly led him to plead guilty.
Tom Begay Junior further tried to blame his crimes on his being
(17:26):
severely intoxicated at the timeof the offence, stating that he
had drunk 1/3 of vodka and beer before picking up Ashlyn and Ian
Mike that day. The official motion stated, and
I quote Begay was not functioning as a normal human
being with such low IQ and have been drinking liquor and beer
(17:49):
the morning of the incident. It cannot be justified that this
was a premeditated act of a first degree murder.
What a slap in the face this statement was to her parents,
and it proves how little guilt or remorse Tom Begay Junior
actually felt when he attempted to use his abuse of alcohol and
(18:11):
his lack of intelligence as a viable excuse for his disgusting
and unforgivable crimes. Fortunately, no further time or
resources were spent on this man.
The motions needed to be filed by October 2018 to be considered
(18:32):
valid, but since they were not sent in until June 2019, the
judge declared that his appeal request was denied.
The judge also addressed how theappellant provided no specific
reasons why his lawyer was ineffective.
His sentence of life imprisonment would not be
(18:55):
overturned. There is nothing that Tom Begay
Junior could have experienced inlife that could ever explain how
he brutally ended the life of this little girl.
What is known about his background came from the man who
helped bring him to justice. According to Rufus Dickey, who
(19:17):
was referred to as simply Rd. inthe FBI agents affidavit at the
time, he had been a large part of Tom Begay Junior and his
brothers lives since the spring of 2015.
The brothers attended a local chapter of the Native American
church where Rufus Dickey was also a member.
(19:38):
Their parents had died the year before and they were struggling
to survive. Their house was a wreck and they
barely had any basics like food and clothing.
Although Rufus Dickey didn't have much of his own, he
selflessly offered what he couldto help the brothers.
(20:00):
On the day of Ashlyn Mike's abduction, Rufus Dickey said
that Begay Junior had come over to help him craft a gourd
rattle. The two men hung out for around
an hour and. Then Tom Begay Junior abruptly
left in his van. The following morning, Tom Begay
Junior was back at his house, and neighbors began to talk
(20:21):
about Ashlyn Mike having gone missing.
When Rufus Dickey pointed out how his van matched the
description of the perpetrator'svehicle, Tom Begay Junior acted
surprised at how he thought theyappeared so similar.
Then he suddenly said he had to leave to pick up a friend in
(20:42):
Farmington, NM, successfully avoiding the FBI, who would
arrive shortly after. Rufus Dickey felt personally
betrayed by the revolting behaviour of Tom Begay Junior,
and he was shocked that he was capable of such violence.
(21:03):
Rufus Dickey claimed that he wassuch a friendly, nice guy who
was not known forever, acting out violently.
But his behaviour after what he had done to Ashlyn Mike revealed
his true nature. According to Rufus Dickey, the
day of his arrest for her murder, he sat along with Tom
(21:26):
Begay Junior. Inside the sweat lodge ceremony,
the group sat praying for AshlynMike and her family.
It was a very emotional moment and they cried.
Tom Begay Junior had been hidinghis inner monster from those in
his life. Tom Begay Junior was uneducated,
(21:48):
had a low IQ, abused alcohol, and struggled with poverty, and
he most likely had mental healthissues.
However, none of these factors or elements of his character or
background mitigated his actions, and he purposely set
out that day to find a victim. First, we know based on the fact
(22:12):
that Ashlyn, Mike's older sister, was initially approached
by him and offered a ride that same day.
When she turned him down, Tom Begay Junior kept driving down
the road on the hunt for the perfect victim.
Second, he didn't live even close to where they were at the
(22:32):
time of the incident. His residence was 45 minutes
from where the bus stop was located, which clearly indicates
that he was on a mission to finda child to sexually abuse and
possibly even murder that day. Maybe he didn't know who his
target would be, but his intent to find one proves his
(22:55):
premeditation. Then, by his own admission, he
chose Ashlyn Mike to have sexualintercourse with her, and when
he dragged her off to the hill he was holding a hidden weapon
to bludgeon her to death with. There are no elements of this
case that implicate that his crimes were anything but.
(23:17):
First degree and premeditated life imprisonment without the
possibility of parole may seem like it would be an obvious,
fair and just outcome to such a brutal crime, but Indigenous
victims far too often don't see this degree of legal justice.
(23:39):
Most of the time, perpetrators of violence against Indigenous
persons receive the minimum overthe maximum penalty, if they
were ever brought to justice at all.
The primary reason for this is that tribes lack the authority
and autonomy to respond to MajorCrimes, with the federal
government continuing to place severe restrictions on its
(24:03):
powers. There is also a lack of
oversight on how federal grants are used, such as in the tragic
case of Ashland Mike, in which the Amber Alert failed to be in
place. The Amber Alert was established
in response to the devastating kidnapping and murder of nine
year old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, TX in 1996.
(24:27):
The community was outraged by her senseless, tragic murder,
and this case changed the process of how missing children
are broadcast. Named for Amber Hagerman, the
Amber Alert was established by broadcasters in the Dallas Fort
Worth, TX area and the local police.
It is a way to bring immediate attention to a child having gone
(24:49):
missing, with important details delivered over mass media.
Notifications were initially sent over the radio, then on
television and across highway digital signs, and in more
recent years through text messages.
I know that every time my phone gives that alarming bell of an
(25:11):
Amber Alert message it is disturbing to receive.
I read all the details and give a little wish of hope for the
child to be found safe and soon.AMBER is an acronym for
America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response Statistics
show that the chances of locating an objective child and
(25:33):
bringing them back home safe andsound are directly, positively
affected by the Amber Alert. By the end of 2020, four 1268
children had been recovered fromthe Amber Alert.
For perspective, in 2023, there were 185 AMBER Alerts issued and
(25:54):
183 of these resulted in successful recoveries.
There are no guarantees, but thedata shows that the odds are
very high. When an Amber Alert is
registered, an action to find the child is enacted right away
and on a widespread scale that they will be found.
(26:16):
The key is to initiate and issuethe alert notifications as soon
as possible. According to a study done by the
Washington State Attorney General's Office, 76% of
children who are kidnapped are murdered within the first three
hours. Ashland's father, Gary Mike, was
(26:37):
outraged and sickened by the failure in the system, which he
believed directly led to his daughter's death.
He filed a civil complaint against the Navajo Tribe and its
Division of Public Safety and Department of Law Enforcement
for not having an emergency notification system in place for
(26:58):
the children on the reservation.It's specifically cited the
mishandling of the investigationinto his children's abduction by
Navajo Nation Police Captain Ivan Sosi of the Shiprock Police
Department. The complaint details how Ashlyn
and Ian's father, Gary Mike, filed a missing persons report
for his daughter at 6:53 PM on the evening of May 2nd.
(27:24):
However, law enforcement did notinform the FBI until 9:00 PM, an
official search was not performed until after 2:00 AM,
and an Amber Alert was not distributed until 2:30 AM.
At the time of her disappearance, Ashlyn Mike's
father was unaware of the fact that there was no existing Amber
(27:48):
Alert system in place for reservations.
He just assumed that his children would be prioritized to
be searched for like all others.According to Officer Sosi, who
was named in the civil complaintas having specifically been at
fault for the improper investigation into Ashland
(28:08):
Mike's kidnapping, there were several agencies involved in the
efforts. Her objection was reported to
the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations around
7:30 PM that night. Her aunt had requested that an
Amber Alert be issued at the Farmington Police Department
that night. Police Lieutenant Taft Tracy of
(28:29):
the Farmington Station said thathe informed Bill Hall, an FBI
agent in charge of that office, about the kidnapped girl and how
they needed an Amber Alert issued, and Agent Hall said he
was gathering more information on the situation.
Agent Hall told Lieutenant Tracythat his department could
request it at 9:30 PM Captain Sosi claimed that they alerted
(28:52):
the FBI at 9 O 7:00 PM, but theyfailed to issue an Amber Alert
right away. The FBI alerted the center at
12:20 AM with the details of Ashlyn Mike having disappeared
in the desert around Shiprock Pinnacle.
Sergeant Chad of the New Mexico State Police claimed that his
agency was made aware of her disappearance around the same
(29:13):
time, yet between the time the request was initially made, it
took five more hours until it was distributed.
The New Mexico State Police issued an Amber Alert at 2:30
AM, which was 10 hours after thelittle girl had been abducted
and eight hours after her fatherhad reported her missing.
(29:37):
The FBI attempted to defend its delayed actions by stating that
since they had received credibledetails from Ian Mike that the
girl was in the desert near Shipwreck Pinnacle and Amber
Alert would likely not have beenbeneficial to helping find her
in time. I don't think it can be disputed
that if they had searched for the girl much earlier in the
(29:57):
night, there was a strong possibility that she would have
still been alive and they could have given her medical
attention. Instead, she died of her
injuries overnight, alone in thedesert because law enforcement
was not actively searching for her right away.
(30:18):
The convoluted and confusing jurisdiction that exists on
Native American reservations creates obstacles to searching
for missing children and Ashley Mike's case.
Even though her parents did everything they could to find
her and her brother, when they failed to show up after school,
the system sent roadblocks in front of law enforcement.
(30:40):
Due to this, an Amber Alert was not issued until the day after
Ashlyn Mike was abducted. Far too long for a missing child
not to be searched for every hour is absolutely critical when
a child goes missing. The civil complaint filed by
(31:01):
Gary Mike also addressed how theNavajo Nation have been given 2
sizeable grants by the US Department of Justice, one in
2007 for $330,000 and another for 357,000 in 2011 that should
have been used to create such anemergency system.
(31:22):
In 2007, the Navajo Tribe was selected as one of 10 tribes by
the US Justice of Department in their efforts to expand Amber
Alerts on reservations. The 2007 grant was reportedly
given to help the tribe establish an Amber Alert system
in addition to being used for other projects, items as well as
(31:43):
employee bonuses at the Department of Law Enforcement
and Division of Public Safety. However, more than half of the
amount granted was not spent andwas returned to the Justice
Department. Then in 2011, the second grant
for $357,000 was given to establish a sex offender
(32:04):
registration and notification program.
This included an upgraded fingerprint identification
system that could be shared withnational databases and
advancements in its intelligenceand technology resources.
But these funds were not used asthey were intended to be, and
the system was never put into place.
Unfortunately, the Amber Alert notification system was not
(32:29):
prioritized until it was too late.
This is not a criticism of the Navajo tribe.
Rather, it is a reflection of the critical resources they are
in dire need of, which are too often made unnecessarily
complicated by having to make agreements with the US
(32:50):
government. Encompassing almost 27,000
miles, the Navajo Nation includes northeastern Arizona,
southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.
This area combined is larger than many states.
The Navajo Nation consists of almost 300,000 members, making
(33:11):
it the largest tribe in the United States, and more than
100,000 members reside within the lands of New Mexico.
The Navajo people call themselves Danae, which in their
language translates to the people.
It is believed that once the Spanish had entered the
southwestern regions, they beganto call the indigenous people
(33:32):
Navajo. The Navajo have faced centuries
of suffering inflicted upon themby the US government, not unlike
all other indigenous tribes. What is considered the infamous
Long Walk of 1860, more than 10,000 persons, including
children, were forced to March to Bosque Redondo on the Pecos
(33:56):
River in South New Mexico. There, these people were
stripped of their freedom and incarcerated for four years.
Countless Navajo died from starvation and disease before
making an agreement with the US government to return to their
lands. In 1868, the Navajo Treaty, also
(34:16):
known as the Treaty of Fort Sumner, was signed by the US
government and the Navajo, whichestablished the existing
relationship it has today. This treaty was unheard of
during this aggressive, violent,and hostile period in history.
The Navajo were only a few indigenous tribes who were
permitted to reside on their lands.
(34:39):
However, this agreement was not signed without many sacrifices
having been made to be able to live on their lands again, which
they had called their home for centuries.
The Nova who had to seize war against the United States, they
were forced to allow U.S. officials to live there amongst
their lands to help oversee obligations made to them.
(35:04):
These obligations and promises included annuities, farm
equipment, livestock, and other supplies which were deemed
necessary to rebuild their livesupon their lands.
In addition, the agreement secured the establishment of
various buildings and structuresconsidered necessary by the US
government. In particular, a railroad that
(35:26):
ran through and thus obstructed their territory and any similar
utilities in the future could not be disputed.
Navajo Nation is full of breathtaking natural beauty, a
symbol of their long standing cultural heritage and connection
to the region. From Window Rock, the capital of
(35:48):
Navajo Nation, to Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, the
amazing scenery across their land is worldwide recognized and
frequently photographed. Unfortunately, these vast lands
across over three states have also created ongoing issues
surrounding criminal jurisdiction that increases the
(36:09):
opportunities for crimes to occur, especially violent crime.
The Navajo Nation faces an insurmountable crisis of
violence and an alarming lack ofresources to fight crime much
less prevented. Between 2010 and 2016, the
Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety received over
(36:31):
200,000 calls annually, and halfof them involved violence.
The crime rate is not necessarily higher than an
average large metropolitan city,but when you take into
consideration the vast amount ofterritory combined with grossly
understaffed enforcement and protection, it creates the
(36:53):
perfect storm. As of 2021, they had 210 police
officers and 28 investigators covering over 27,000 miles of
land. This equates to roughly one
officer patrolling more than 200miles and less than an officer.
(37:14):
Specifically, .8 of an officer per 1000 residents.
Compare that to an average of 2.4 officers per 1000 residents
in the United States. Every year officers respond to
an average of 40 homicides. In 2017, FBI reported there were
2534 violent crimes, 2311 aggravated assaults, and 160
(37:40):
rapes. This is only what was officially
reported. Data shows that rape and sexual
assault is grossly under reported when you consider the
historical lack of respect, police concerned and justice
given to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence on
(38:01):
the reservations. There are a great number of
Indigenous women, girls and two spirit individuals who never
report the violence they experience.
All of these factors help to perpetuate the ongoing crisis of
missing and murdered Indigenous persons, in particular women and
(38:22):
girls. This little girl did not die in
vain. The death of Ashlyn Mike paved
the way to real change in the system that could help tribal
communities prevent future violence committed against their
children on the reservations. Her devastated parents, in
(38:46):
particular her mother Pamela Foster, has been at the
forefront of the movement. In December 2017, the Navajo
Tribal president signed an agreement to establish the Amber
Alert that enables them the ability to issue notifications
over the radio, television and via text message to all 11
(39:08):
counties within the borders of its reservation.
That was only the beginning for Ashlyn Mike's mother though, as
she would end up visiting Capitol Hill to fight for all
reservations to have the Amber Alert.
Ashley Mike's mother, Pamela Foster, address the importance
(39:30):
of the Amber Alert on the reservation at the annual
National Amber Alert in Indian Country Symposium, which is held
in Albuquerque, NM. At the symposium, tribal
members, partners, law enforcement professionals, and
Emergency Management are invitedto learn about the process of
the Amber Alert and in particular, how the Navajo
(39:50):
Nation developed its program to honor her daughter, Ashlyn Mike.
When Pamela Foster lost her precious daughter, her world and
heart were shattered, but she found a way to make the loss of
Ashlyn Mike make a difference inthe lives of others.
(40:14):
She spoke to the symposium abouther loss, expressing how on a
quote. A part of me died with Ashlyn in
the morning. I listened to her voice and hold
my arms long to hold her. My Angel did not deserve to die
the way she did. Although Ashlyn is no longer
physically here with us, she is still working for us.
(40:38):
Long after I am gone, her work will still be in action.
It is through the love we have for our little girl that we have
moved mountains and I am thankful her legacy will be
remembered. She stressed to those in
attendance the importance of establishing an Amber Alert to
(40:58):
help prevent such a tragedy fromoccurring to another family.
Pamela Foster told him that she made a promise to her daughter
that she would do her part to fix the loophole that exists in
the system and that she will fight for an Amber Alert to
exist on all reservations in response to her tragic death.
(41:23):
Then Arizona Senator John McCainintroduced a bill that ensures
such funding for Amber Alerts now goes to the tribes.
Congress passed the Ashland MikeAmber Alert and Indian Country
Act in 2018. Before this legislation,
Department of Justice grants forthe Amber Alerts were only
available to the states. The new law provides all 567
(41:48):
federally recognized tribes the ability to establish their own
Amber Alert programs on the reservations.
It provides critical training and technical assistance for
tribes, giving them access to state and regional Amber Alert
plans. This provides them with the
broadest reach possible to the surrounding communities.
(42:11):
On April 17th, 2018, President Trump signed the Ashland Mike
Amber Alert for Indian Country Act Similar to other legislation
crafted to change issues and obstacles around tribal access
to pertinent criminal databases and other resources, there are
still many areas of needed improvement.
(42:33):
However, according to a survey in which 100 federally
recognized tribes responded to, there are currently 76 tribes
that participate in the Amber Alert plan.
Resources critical to their successful implementation
remain. These include staff ongoing
training, preparation for child abduction investigations, access
(42:56):
to information systems where they can include details about
the missing child and suspect. A lack of technology and
infrastructure in general, but specifically few computers,
software, Rd. signs and the capability of broadcasting has
left a huge gap in the possibility of utilizing the
Amber Alert as needed. Another obstacle is the poor and
(43:21):
strained communication between law enforcement and the native
tribes. The vast areas of land amongst
reservations create the largest challenge of all.
According to the official FBI data, there are more than 7500
Indigenous children missing, butthe reality of these numbers is
(43:46):
significantly much higher. For Ashlyn Mike's parents, the
Amber Alert system came far too late, but they recognize how
their tragic loss has led to so many people becoming aware of
the programs and changes the Native American people and the
reservations desperately need and deserve.
(44:11):
Nothing will ever bring this precious little girl back.
Unlike so many victims of violence, Ashlyn Mike lives in
the ACT, written into law by hername.
She lives in the hope of reaching and finding young
members of her community and other Indigenous communities who
(44:33):
may go missing before it's too late.
This horrible, tragic ending to a beautiful young life will help
to save countless innocent liveslike hers in the future.
Remember her name, Share her story, know her face.
(44:53):
She matters. Thank you so much for listening
to the heartbreaking but extremely important case of
Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
Until next time, be safe and watch out for Shades of Murder
(45:15):
happening in the streets next door, especially inside your own
home. Shades of Murder is created,
researched, written and edited by Alita Caldwell.
Original music Stranger composedby Stereo Code.
As the moon began to rise over the majestic desert landscape of
Shiprock, New Mexico, a motoristspotted a small boy wandering
down the road. When they dropped him off at the
local police station, he told officers how a stranger in a van
had abducted him and his older sister while they were walking
home from school. The little boy appeared to be
(00:28):
safe and unharmed, but he told the police that the man had hurt
his sister and abandoned her in the wilderness.
Who were these innocent children, and who was the
monster who had abducted them after school?
(00:54):
Hello and welcome to Shades of Murder.
In this podcast, I discuss casesof murder from around the world
and throughout history, attempting to unravel the layers
of darkness that hell make humans and the monsters.
Please be forewarned that each episode contains specific and at
(01:17):
times very graphic and disturbing details of the case.
This show is not intended for all audiences and listener
discretion is strongly advised. This is the story of missing and
murdered indigenous girl Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
The following information regarding this investigation is
(01:37):
from the official affidavit signed by Special Agent Jeffrey
T Wright of the FBI Farmington, NM office for the suspect's
arrest. Set amidst Shiprock Pinnacle, a
majestic volcanic rock formationthat appears to be soaring like
a bird. Shiprock, New Mexico is a small
unincorporated community with around 7000 residents.
(02:01):
On May 2nd, 2016, eleven year old Ashley Mike and her little
brother, 9 year old Ian never returned after school.
They would normally walk from the school bus stop back to
their home on the reservation, which was situated in the Lower
Fruitland area. But that day the brother and
sister strayed from their usual routine.
(02:21):
Their father had expected them home a rather normal time, and
when the hours passed and night began to fall, he began to panic
as to where his two youngest kids could be.
Meanwhile, and an unidentified motorist found a young boy
walking along Navajo Road 13. They picked up the child and
brought him into the police station. 9 year old Ian Mike
(02:44):
told the police that he, his twosisters, and one of their
friends had all gotten off the school bus.
Their oldest sister had gone ahead of them and began to walk
home. Ashlyn and Ian linger behind,
playing around in the irrigationcanal along the way.
Then, out of nowhere, a man in ared van pulled up next to them.
(03:06):
He asked them if they wanted a ride home.
Ashlyn had hurt her foot, so shedecided to accept, even though
neither had seen the man before that day.
Then the stranger drove off in the opposite direction towards
Shipwreck Pinnacle. Instead of their house.
(03:27):
He turned off into a remote Rd. deep into the desert.
Later, determined to be around 6miles South of Shipwreck
Pinnacle, Ian said that the man had parked the van, pulled his
sister Ashland out and dragged her off into the desert toward a
hill. The man was carrying a piece of
curved metal with him. About an hour passed and the
(03:52):
little boy just sat in the van, alone, waiting and wondering
where his sister and the strangeman had gone to.
Then the man returned carrying the piece of metal, but his
sister was nowhere. Insight.
The man got back into the van, drove them down the road a
(04:12):
little, but then he suddenly stopped and forced the little
boy out of the van, leaving him stranded on the Desert Rd.
Anne looked around the area for his sister, but he couldn't find
her and the sun was beginning toset, so he decided to walk back
home. He walked miles until he reached
(04:36):
Navajo Route 13, when a passerbyfound the child, picked him up
and took him directly to the police.
The young boy gave officers a good description of the van and
the predator who had kidnapped them.
According to Ian Mike, the stranger had short hair.
(04:57):
He wasn't skinny, but he wasn't fat.
He wasn't young like them, but he wasn't very old.
He said. The van was red with sliding
doors, and inside it was a tire,trash bags, a jacket and a
baseball hat. When interviewed by law
enforcement, the older sister, who had walked ahead of her two
(05:19):
younger siblings that day, reported that she had been
approached by a man in a red vanwho asked if she wanted to get
in. She had refused to go inside and
continued walking home. The girl also described the man
as being in his 30s with short hair.
(05:39):
The police searched the vast desert near and around the
vicinity between the bus stop and out towards Shiprock
Pinnacle. Tragically, 11 year old Ashlyn
Mike's remains would be found the following day.
They discovered the little girl around 11:30 AM in the barren
(06:00):
desert. Her clothes and shoes have been
removed. Her head was covered in blood
and severely bashed in from somekind of blunt force object to
her face and head. The coroner determined that the
young girl had also been sexually assaulted.
(06:20):
Her predator had strangled her and then excessively bludgeoned
her with a tire iron. This monster had left a little
girl to die from her injuries alone in the desert.
The day that Ashland Mike's bodywas found, CI Louis Saint
(06:41):
Germain of the Navajo Division of Criminal Investigations spoke
with a man identified only as GM, who told him he should talk
to his neighbor about a red van seen around the area of the
girl's disappearance. GM led the officer to this
person's home, identified only as Rd.
While being interviewed, Rd. told the investigator about how
(07:03):
his clan brother, Tom Begay Junior, drove a red van and was
around the location where the girl had been abducted.
Rd. led the investigator to a sweat lodge where he found Tom
Begay Junior. Criminal Investigator St.
Germain immediately observed a parked red Dodge Caravan.
(07:25):
The man referred to as GM took pictures of Tom Begay Junior and
the van while the investigator interviewed him.
When they returned to the Mike'sresidence and showed the
photographs to the victim's little brother Ian, he
immediately pointed out that theman in the photographs was the
(07:45):
man who had picked them up that day.
He also positively identified the van in the photos as the
same vehicle he had been driving.
Thanks to the bravery and amazing attention to detail
provided by her nine year old brother Ian, Ashlyn, Mike's
murderer and their kidnapper, was quickly located, identified
(08:09):
and brought into custody. The description of the van and
the predator who had abducted them, brutally taking his
sister's life, LED law enforcement investigators to
their monster. Law enforcement subsequently
arrested 27 year old Tom Begay Junior.
(08:30):
During his official interrogation, he admitted to
seeing the kids plane in the canal so he stopped to offer
them a ride. He stated that he had every
intention of having sexual intercourse with a girl, which
was the main reason he picked the two children up.
(08:51):
Tom Begay Junior told the policethat Ashlynn was crying and
begging him to take her home when he pulled the van over on a
remote desert Rd. He pulled out an l-shaped tire
iron and placed it inside his jacket before forcing the girl
out of the van. He dragged her off toward a hill
(09:13):
where he began to molest her. The little girl fought him off
and began to cry. Tom Begay Junior struck her in
the head once with the tire iron.
She immediately collapsed to theground.
He hit her again with a tire iron.
(09:33):
This time she didn't move. Tom Begay Junior claimed that
the girl was breathing when he left her.
The community was heartbroken and outraged by the brutal,
tragic murder of this little girl.
The Farmington Civic Center helda gathering in which more than
(09:57):
1600 people were inside, and just as many residents stood
outside to mourn the loss of a beautiful child who had only
just begun her life. Minnie wore yellow, one of
Ashland's favorite colors. In the wake of Ashland Mike's
(10:17):
death, the community rallied around her father and her family
to help support them. Unfortunately, the piranhas of
society found a way to earn money off of her death.
Her father later learned that people were selling items at
flea markets and even burritos in her name.
(10:42):
There were fraudulent GoFundMe accounts and even bank accounts
that were temporarily set up in his murdered daughter's name.
Sometimes it just makes me nauseated by the depths of
depravity some humans will sink to.
(11:03):
Meanwhile, Tom Begay Junior was being held in custody more than
200 miles away in Albuquerque when he appeared in US District
Court. He waived his right to a
preliminary hearing on the charges of murder and
kidnapping. A federal judge ordered him to
remain in jail. On May 24th, 2016, Tom Begay
(11:26):
Junior was indicted on 6 counts including first degree murder, 2
counts of kidnapping with one resulting in death, 2 counts of
aggravated sexual abuse resulting in death, and the
abduction of a minor. On June 7th, 2016, Tom Begay
Junior entered a plea of not guilty to all charges, but that
(11:49):
would soon change. A plea agreement resulted after
concern surfaced following a psychological evaluation of the
defendant during one of the sessions.
Tom Begay Junior claimed he now understood the scope of his
horrendous actions and he informed his attorney that he
deserved to be penalized to the fullest extent of the law.
(12:13):
It was determined by Chief United States District Judge
William Johnson that Tom Begay Junior, with proper medication,
was competent to stand trial. It is not known what kind of
medication the judge was referring to.
One of Tom Begay Junior's attorneys was the first to
advise the court that their client was willing to make a
(12:35):
plea deal to prevent a trial, but that they needed additional
time to properly respond. Ashlyn, Mike's killer, elected
to make a plea agreement with the prosecution under which he
would plead guilty to charges ofmurder and kidnapping.
New Mexico is not a death penalty state, so it is not
(12:57):
entirely transparent why Tom Begay Junior decided to enter a
plea agreement, except that he allegedly felt guilt, even
possible remorse, for his actions.
On August 1st, 2017, Tom Begay Junior pleaded guilty to all six
counts. He told the courtroom how he
(13:18):
fooled the kids into thinking hewould drive them home.
That day, Tom Begay Junior confessed to sexually assaulting
Ashlyn Mike, although he insisted that he didn't rape
her. He then strangled the small girl
and beat her with a tire iron. His confession does not equate
(13:41):
to having a lack of intention ofkilling the little girl,
although he claimed that it wasn't his intention to end her
life. A video was played in the
courtroom where Tom Begay Juniortalked about how Ashlyn Mike
died. There were days, he said that he
couldn't leave his bed. Nobody speak to anyone.
(14:05):
This acknowledgement did hold some degree of closure for
Ashlyn Mike's parents, since they knew he had assaulted and
killed their little girl. Having this violent offender own
up to his horrendous crimes and express remorse did mean
something to the victim's loved ones and to the entire tribe who
(14:28):
were deeply affected by this senseless tragedy.
According to the Navajo Tribal President, it was a first step
toward their being able to heal.On October 16th, 2017, Tom Begay
Junior was sentenced to prison without the chance of ever being
(14:48):
released. Pamela Foster, Ashlyn Mike's
mother, spoke these words to thepress after the outcome.
And I quote this is a nightmare we can never wake from and it
pangs my very soul and knowing he gratified himself in brutally
assaulting my daughter. This monster terrorized my Angel
(15:11):
and caused a paramount of pain upon her.
And it breaks my heart and angers me that the last living
things she saw was him and looking into his evil eyes.
This monster desecrated our traditions and cares not for
others and knows nothing of the value of life.
(15:34):
We just lost a future leader anda great one and she was to carry
on our traditions. Although she is no longer
physically with us, we thank Godthat a piece of her lives in all
of her siblings and my hugs are just a little bit longer.
As survivors, no amount of justice, restitution, and
(15:57):
praying will ever bring our daughter back.
Our baby is now in the spirit world, never to be heard again,
and by the grace of God, this monster has finally admitted to
his crime. Ashlyn Mike's parents expressed
a sense of gratitude that Tom Begay Junior had admitted to the
(16:19):
crimes committed against their children.
But nothing will ever bring thisbeautiful, precious little girl
back to them. There was a semblance of justice
and a seed of closure for the entire community that was
planted that day. However, in 2019, Tom Begay
(16:42):
Junior showed his true selfish, vile nature when he attempted to
get his sentence overturned in awritten request for an appeal.
Tom Begay Junior wanted the opportunity to plead to a lesser
offence which would result in a lesser sentence.
(17:04):
He claimed that due to his low IQ and his public defender being
incompetent, he didn't understand the law nor his
rights when he had a psychiatricevaluation conducted which
directly led him to plead guilty.
Tom Begay Junior further tried to blame his crimes on his being
(17:26):
severely intoxicated at the timeof the offence, stating that he
had drunk 1/3 of vodka and beer before picking up Ashlyn and Ian
Mike that day. The official motion stated, and
I quote Begay was not functioning as a normal human
being with such low IQ and have been drinking liquor and beer
(17:49):
the morning of the incident. It cannot be justified that this
was a premeditated act of a first degree murder.
What a slap in the face this statement was to her parents,
and it proves how little guilt or remorse Tom Begay Junior
actually felt when he attempted to use his abuse of alcohol and
(18:11):
his lack of intelligence as a viable excuse for his disgusting
and unforgivable crimes. Fortunately, no further time or
resources were spent on this man.
The motions needed to be filed by October 2018 to be considered
(18:32):
valid, but since they were not sent in until June 2019, the
judge declared that his appeal request was denied.
The judge also addressed how theappellant provided no specific
reasons why his lawyer was ineffective.
His sentence of life imprisonment would not be
(18:55):
overturned. There is nothing that Tom Begay
Junior could have experienced inlife that could ever explain how
he brutally ended the life of this little girl.
What is known about his background came from the man who
helped bring him to justice. According to Rufus Dickey, who
(19:17):
was referred to as simply Rd. inthe FBI agents affidavit at the
time, he had been a large part of Tom Begay Junior and his
brothers lives since the spring of 2015.
The brothers attended a local chapter of the Native American
church where Rufus Dickey was also a member.
(19:38):
Their parents had died the year before and they were struggling
to survive. Their house was a wreck and they
barely had any basics like food and clothing.
Although Rufus Dickey didn't have much of his own, he
selflessly offered what he couldto help the brothers.
(20:00):
On the day of Ashlyn Mike's abduction, Rufus Dickey said
that Begay Junior had come over to help him craft a gourd
rattle. The two men hung out for around
an hour and. Then Tom Begay Junior abruptly
left in his van. The following morning, Tom Begay
Junior was back at his house, and neighbors began to talk
(20:21):
about Ashlyn Mike having gone missing.
When Rufus Dickey pointed out how his van matched the
description of the perpetrator'svehicle, Tom Begay Junior acted
surprised at how he thought theyappeared so similar.
Then he suddenly said he had to leave to pick up a friend in
(20:42):
Farmington, NM, successfully avoiding the FBI, who would
arrive shortly after. Rufus Dickey felt personally
betrayed by the revolting behaviour of Tom Begay Junior,
and he was shocked that he was capable of such violence.
(21:03):
Rufus Dickey claimed that he wassuch a friendly, nice guy who
was not known forever, acting out violently.
But his behaviour after what he had done to Ashlyn Mike revealed
his true nature. According to Rufus Dickey, the
day of his arrest for her murder, he sat along with Tom
(21:26):
Begay Junior. Inside the sweat lodge ceremony,
the group sat praying for AshlynMike and her family.
It was a very emotional moment and they cried.
Tom Begay Junior had been hidinghis inner monster from those in
his life. Tom Begay Junior was uneducated,
(21:48):
had a low IQ, abused alcohol, and struggled with poverty, and
he most likely had mental healthissues.
However, none of these factors or elements of his character or
background mitigated his actions, and he purposely set
out that day to find a victim. First, we know based on the fact
(22:12):
that Ashlyn, Mike's older sister, was initially approached
by him and offered a ride that same day.
When she turned him down, Tom Begay Junior kept driving down
the road on the hunt for the perfect victim.
Second, he didn't live even close to where they were at the
(22:32):
time of the incident. His residence was 45 minutes
from where the bus stop was located, which clearly indicates
that he was on a mission to finda child to sexually abuse and
possibly even murder that day. Maybe he didn't know who his
target would be, but his intent to find one proves his
(22:55):
premeditation. Then, by his own admission, he
chose Ashlyn Mike to have sexualintercourse with her, and when
he dragged her off to the hill he was holding a hidden weapon
to bludgeon her to death with. There are no elements of this
case that implicate that his crimes were anything but.
(23:17):
First degree and premeditated life imprisonment without the
possibility of parole may seem like it would be an obvious,
fair and just outcome to such a brutal crime, but Indigenous
victims far too often don't see this degree of legal justice.
(23:39):
Most of the time, perpetrators of violence against Indigenous
persons receive the minimum overthe maximum penalty, if they
were ever brought to justice at all.
The primary reason for this is that tribes lack the authority
and autonomy to respond to MajorCrimes, with the federal
government continuing to place severe restrictions on its
(24:03):
powers. There is also a lack of
oversight on how federal grants are used, such as in the tragic
case of Ashland Mike, in which the Amber Alert failed to be in
place. The Amber Alert was established
in response to the devastating kidnapping and murder of nine
year old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, TX in 1996.
(24:27):
The community was outraged by her senseless, tragic murder,
and this case changed the process of how missing children
are broadcast. Named for Amber Hagerman, the
Amber Alert was established by broadcasters in the Dallas Fort
Worth, TX area and the local police.
It is a way to bring immediate attention to a child having gone
(24:49):
missing, with important details delivered over mass media.
Notifications were initially sent over the radio, then on
television and across highway digital signs, and in more
recent years through text messages.
I know that every time my phone gives that alarming bell of an
(25:11):
Amber Alert message it is disturbing to receive.
I read all the details and give a little wish of hope for the
child to be found safe and soon.AMBER is an acronym for
America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response Statistics
show that the chances of locating an objective child and
(25:33):
bringing them back home safe andsound are directly, positively
affected by the Amber Alert. By the end of 2020, four 1268
children had been recovered fromthe Amber Alert.
For perspective, in 2023, there were 185 AMBER Alerts issued and
(25:54):
183 of these resulted in successful recoveries.
There are no guarantees, but thedata shows that the odds are
very high. When an Amber Alert is
registered, an action to find the child is enacted right away
and on a widespread scale that they will be found.
(26:16):
The key is to initiate and issuethe alert notifications as soon
as possible. According to a study done by the
Washington State Attorney General's Office, 76% of
children who are kidnapped are murdered within the first three
hours. Ashland's father, Gary Mike, was
(26:37):
outraged and sickened by the failure in the system, which he
believed directly led to his daughter's death.
He filed a civil complaint against the Navajo Tribe and its
Division of Public Safety and Department of Law Enforcement
for not having an emergency notification system in place for
(26:58):
the children on the reservation.It's specifically cited the
mishandling of the investigationinto his children's abduction by
Navajo Nation Police Captain Ivan Sosi of the Shiprock Police
Department. The complaint details how Ashlyn
and Ian's father, Gary Mike, filed a missing persons report
for his daughter at 6:53 PM on the evening of May 2nd.
(27:24):
However, law enforcement did notinform the FBI until 9:00 PM, an
official search was not performed until after 2:00 AM,
and an Amber Alert was not distributed until 2:30 AM.
At the time of her disappearance, Ashlyn Mike's
father was unaware of the fact that there was no existing Amber
(27:48):
Alert system in place for reservations.
He just assumed that his children would be prioritized to
be searched for like all others.According to Officer Sosi, who
was named in the civil complaintas having specifically been at
fault for the improper investigation into Ashland
(28:08):
Mike's kidnapping, there were several agencies involved in the
efforts. Her objection was reported to
the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations around
7:30 PM that night. Her aunt had requested that an
Amber Alert be issued at the Farmington Police Department
that night. Police Lieutenant Taft Tracy of
(28:29):
the Farmington Station said thathe informed Bill Hall, an FBI
agent in charge of that office, about the kidnapped girl and how
they needed an Amber Alert issued, and Agent Hall said he
was gathering more information on the situation.
Agent Hall told Lieutenant Tracythat his department could
request it at 9:30 PM Captain Sosi claimed that they alerted
(28:52):
the FBI at 9 O 7:00 PM, but theyfailed to issue an Amber Alert
right away. The FBI alerted the center at
12:20 AM with the details of Ashlyn Mike having disappeared
in the desert around Shiprock Pinnacle.
Sergeant Chad of the New Mexico State Police claimed that his
agency was made aware of her disappearance around the same
(29:13):
time, yet between the time the request was initially made, it
took five more hours until it was distributed.
The New Mexico State Police issued an Amber Alert at 2:30
AM, which was 10 hours after thelittle girl had been abducted
and eight hours after her fatherhad reported her missing.
(29:37):
The FBI attempted to defend its delayed actions by stating that
since they had received credibledetails from Ian Mike that the
girl was in the desert near Shipwreck Pinnacle and Amber
Alert would likely not have beenbeneficial to helping find her
in time. I don't think it can be disputed
that if they had searched for the girl much earlier in the
(29:57):
night, there was a strong possibility that she would have
still been alive and they could have given her medical
attention. Instead, she died of her
injuries overnight, alone in thedesert because law enforcement
was not actively searching for her right away.
(30:18):
The convoluted and confusing jurisdiction that exists on
Native American reservations creates obstacles to searching
for missing children and Ashley Mike's case.
Even though her parents did everything they could to find
her and her brother, when they failed to show up after school,
the system sent roadblocks in front of law enforcement.
(30:40):
Due to this, an Amber Alert was not issued until the day after
Ashlyn Mike was abducted. Far too long for a missing child
not to be searched for every hour is absolutely critical when
a child goes missing. The civil complaint filed by
(31:01):
Gary Mike also addressed how theNavajo Nation have been given 2
sizeable grants by the US Department of Justice, one in
2007 for $330,000 and another for 357,000 in 2011 that should
have been used to create such anemergency system.
(31:22):
In 2007, the Navajo Tribe was selected as one of 10 tribes by
the US Justice of Department in their efforts to expand Amber
Alerts on reservations. The 2007 grant was reportedly
given to help the tribe establish an Amber Alert system
in addition to being used for other projects, items as well as
(31:43):
employee bonuses at the Department of Law Enforcement
and Division of Public Safety. However, more than half of the
amount granted was not spent andwas returned to the Justice
Department. Then in 2011, the second grant
for $357,000 was given to establish a sex offender
(32:04):
registration and notification program.
This included an upgraded fingerprint identification
system that could be shared withnational databases and
advancements in its intelligenceand technology resources.
But these funds were not used asthey were intended to be, and
the system was never put into place.
Unfortunately, the Amber Alert notification system was not
(32:29):
prioritized until it was too late.
This is not a criticism of the Navajo tribe.
Rather, it is a reflection of the critical resources they are
in dire need of, which are too often made unnecessarily
complicated by having to make agreements with the US
(32:50):
government. Encompassing almost 27,000
miles, the Navajo Nation includes northeastern Arizona,
southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.
This area combined is larger than many states.
The Navajo Nation consists of almost 300,000 members, making
(33:11):
it the largest tribe in the United States, and more than
100,000 members reside within the lands of New Mexico.
The Navajo people call themselves Danae, which in their
language translates to the people.
It is believed that once the Spanish had entered the
southwestern regions, they beganto call the indigenous people
(33:32):
Navajo. The Navajo have faced centuries
of suffering inflicted upon themby the US government, not unlike
all other indigenous tribes. What is considered the infamous
Long Walk of 1860, more than 10,000 persons, including
children, were forced to March to Bosque Redondo on the Pecos
(33:56):
River in South New Mexico. There, these people were
stripped of their freedom and incarcerated for four years.
Countless Navajo died from starvation and disease before
making an agreement with the US government to return to their
lands. In 1868, the Navajo Treaty, also
(34:16):
known as the Treaty of Fort Sumner, was signed by the US
government and the Navajo, whichestablished the existing
relationship it has today. This treaty was unheard of
during this aggressive, violent,and hostile period in history.
The Navajo were only a few indigenous tribes who were
permitted to reside on their lands.
(34:39):
However, this agreement was not signed without many sacrifices
having been made to be able to live on their lands again, which
they had called their home for centuries.
The Nova who had to seize war against the United States, they
were forced to allow U.S. officials to live there amongst
their lands to help oversee obligations made to them.
(35:04):
These obligations and promises included annuities, farm
equipment, livestock, and other supplies which were deemed
necessary to rebuild their livesupon their lands.
In addition, the agreement secured the establishment of
various buildings and structuresconsidered necessary by the US
government. In particular, a railroad that
(35:26):
ran through and thus obstructed their territory and any similar
utilities in the future could not be disputed.
Navajo Nation is full of breathtaking natural beauty, a
symbol of their long standing cultural heritage and connection
to the region. From Window Rock, the capital of
(35:48):
Navajo Nation, to Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, the
amazing scenery across their land is worldwide recognized and
frequently photographed. Unfortunately, these vast lands
across over three states have also created ongoing issues
surrounding criminal jurisdiction that increases the
(36:09):
opportunities for crimes to occur, especially violent crime.
The Navajo Nation faces an insurmountable crisis of
violence and an alarming lack ofresources to fight crime much
less prevented. Between 2010 and 2016, the
Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety received over
(36:31):
200,000 calls annually, and halfof them involved violence.
The crime rate is not necessarily higher than an
average large metropolitan city,but when you take into
consideration the vast amount ofterritory combined with grossly
understaffed enforcement and protection, it creates the
(36:53):
perfect storm. As of 2021, they had 210 police
officers and 28 investigators covering over 27,000 miles of
land. This equates to roughly one
officer patrolling more than 200miles and less than an officer.
(37:14):
Specifically, .8 of an officer per 1000 residents.
Compare that to an average of 2.4 officers per 1000 residents
in the United States. Every year officers respond to
an average of 40 homicides. In 2017, FBI reported there were
2534 violent crimes, 2311 aggravated assaults, and 160
(37:40):
rapes. This is only what was officially
reported. Data shows that rape and sexual
assault is grossly under reported when you consider the
historical lack of respect, police concerned and justice
given to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence on
(38:01):
the reservations. There are a great number of
Indigenous women, girls and two spirit individuals who never
report the violence they experience.
All of these factors help to perpetuate the ongoing crisis of
missing and murdered Indigenous persons, in particular women and
(38:22):
girls. This little girl did not die in
vain. The death of Ashlyn Mike paved
the way to real change in the system that could help tribal
communities prevent future violence committed against their
children on the reservations. Her devastated parents, in
(38:46):
particular her mother Pamela Foster, has been at the
forefront of the movement. In December 2017, the Navajo
Tribal president signed an agreement to establish the Amber
Alert that enables them the ability to issue notifications
over the radio, television and via text message to all 11
(39:08):
counties within the borders of its reservation.
That was only the beginning for Ashlyn Mike's mother though, as
she would end up visiting Capitol Hill to fight for all
reservations to have the Amber Alert.
Ashley Mike's mother, Pamela Foster, address the importance
(39:30):
of the Amber Alert on the reservation at the annual
National Amber Alert in Indian Country Symposium, which is held
in Albuquerque, NM. At the symposium, tribal
members, partners, law enforcement professionals, and
Emergency Management are invitedto learn about the process of
the Amber Alert and in particular, how the Navajo
(39:50):
Nation developed its program to honor her daughter, Ashlyn Mike.
When Pamela Foster lost her precious daughter, her world and
heart were shattered, but she found a way to make the loss of
Ashlyn Mike make a difference inthe lives of others.
(40:14):
She spoke to the symposium abouther loss, expressing how on a
quote. A part of me died with Ashlyn in
the morning. I listened to her voice and hold
my arms long to hold her. My Angel did not deserve to die
the way she did. Although Ashlyn is no longer
physically here with us, she is still working for us.
(40:38):
Long after I am gone, her work will still be in action.
It is through the love we have for our little girl that we have
moved mountains and I am thankful her legacy will be
remembered. She stressed to those in
attendance the importance of establishing an Amber Alert to
(40:58):
help prevent such a tragedy fromoccurring to another family.
Pamela Foster told him that she made a promise to her daughter
that she would do her part to fix the loophole that exists in
the system and that she will fight for an Amber Alert to
exist on all reservations in response to her tragic death.
(41:23):
Then Arizona Senator John McCainintroduced a bill that ensures
such funding for Amber Alerts now goes to the tribes.
Congress passed the Ashland MikeAmber Alert and Indian Country
Act in 2018. Before this legislation,
Department of Justice grants forthe Amber Alerts were only
available to the states. The new law provides all 567
(41:48):
federally recognized tribes the ability to establish their own
Amber Alert programs on the reservations.
It provides critical training and technical assistance for
tribes, giving them access to state and regional Amber Alert
plans. This provides them with the
broadest reach possible to the surrounding communities.
(42:11):
On April 17th, 2018, President Trump signed the Ashland Mike
Amber Alert for Indian Country Act Similar to other legislation
crafted to change issues and obstacles around tribal access
to pertinent criminal databases and other resources, there are
still many areas of needed improvement.
(42:33):
However, according to a survey in which 100 federally
recognized tribes responded to, there are currently 76 tribes
that participate in the Amber Alert plan.
Resources critical to their successful implementation
remain. These include staff ongoing
training, preparation for child abduction investigations, access
(42:56):
to information systems where they can include details about
the missing child and suspect. A lack of technology and
infrastructure in general, but specifically few computers,
software, Rd. signs and the capability of broadcasting has
left a huge gap in the possibility of utilizing the
Amber Alert as needed. Another obstacle is the poor and
(43:21):
strained communication between law enforcement and the native
tribes. The vast areas of land amongst
reservations create the largest challenge of all.
According to the official FBI data, there are more than 7500
Indigenous children missing, butthe reality of these numbers is
(43:46):
significantly much higher. For Ashlyn Mike's parents, the
Amber Alert system came far too late, but they recognize how
their tragic loss has led to so many people becoming aware of
the programs and changes the Native American people and the
reservations desperately need and deserve.
(44:11):
Nothing will ever bring this precious little girl back.
Unlike so many victims of violence, Ashlyn Mike lives in
the ACT, written into law by hername.
She lives in the hope of reaching and finding young
members of her community and other Indigenous communities who
(44:33):
may go missing before it's too late.
This horrible, tragic ending to a beautiful young life will help
to save countless innocent liveslike hers in the future.
Remember her name, Share her story, know her face.
(44:53):
She matters. Thank you so much for listening
to the heartbreaking but extremely important case of
Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
Until next time, be safe and watch out for Shades of Murder
(45:15):
happening in the streets next door, especially inside your own
home. Shades of Murder is created,
researched, written and edited by Alita Caldwell.
Original music Stranger composedby Stereo Code.
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