A Crow Creek woman has been tapped by South Dakota’s top law enforcement agency to oversee missing and murdered Indigenous person cases.
The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday that Marlys Big Eagle, an enrolled member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe and resident of Fort Thompson, has been named the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person specialist following an extensive hiring search that saw more than 100 applicants.
“Marlys has spent her career helping victims of violence and families looking for missing loved ones,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Her credibility with tribal communities, law enforcement, and prosecutors makes her an outstanding choice.”
Big Eagle served 27 years with the United States Department of Justice, including 23 years as the Supervisory Victim Witness Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota and four years at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys in Washington, D.C., as the DOJ’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison for Missing or Murdered Indigenous Person cases occurring in Indian Country.
She has been honored for her efforts to help victims and her service to Indian Country as a recipient of the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in Indian Country.
The MMIP program is part of the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office, which established the position in 2022 under former Attorney General Mark Vargo.
Big Eagle is the state’s second MMIP specialist, succeeding Allison Morrisette in the position. Morrisette held the position for more than three years before departing this summer to join the Unified Judicial System.
The MMIP specialist works closely with tribal and nontribal law enforcement agencies to ensure open cases involving missing and murdered people remain active.
“I am deeply honored to be selected to assist families of missing or murdered Indigenous persons as they seek answers and confirmation about what may have happened to their loved ones,” said Big Eagle. “I look forward to working alongside other MMIP stakeholders and partners to help bring answers, support, and justice to these important cases.”
