The Highway System of Fear: Why North America's Roads Have Become Hunting Grounds for Indigenous Women

The Highway System of Fear: Why North America's Roads Have Become Hunting Grounds for Indigenous Women

In this powerful episode of Beneath the Red Sky, hosts LaDonna Humphrey and David McClam examine one of the most disturbing and overlooked realities of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis: the role that highways, transportation corridors, and isolated road systems play in the disappearance and victimization of Indigenous women across North America. For generations, Indigenous families and advocates have warned about dangerous patterns emerging along rural highways, truck routes, oil field corridors, and remote stretches of road connecting reservations and underserved communities. Long before national media began paying attention, families were sounding the alarm about women who vanished while traveling, hitchhiking, commuting to work, seeking medical care, or simply trying to get home. This episode explores how geographic isolation, inadequate transportation infrastructure, jurisdictional challenges, and systemic failures have created conditions that predators can exploit. LaDonna and David discuss the vulnerabilities faced by many Indigenous women, the challenges confronting tribal communities, and the ways offenders have historically used mobility, anonymity, and fragmented law enforcement systems to avoid detection. The conversation also examines the FBI's Highway Serial Killings Initiative, the infamous Highway of Tears in British Columbia, unsolved cases connected to transportation corridors, and the broader public safety implications of these recurring patterns. The hosts discuss why awareness alone is no longer enough and what meaningful reforms are needed to better protect Indigenous communities. Throughout the episode, listeners are challenged to consider a difficult question: How many warnings were ignored before these patterns became impossible to deny? This is not simply a story about highways. It is a story about vulnerability, accountability, public safety, and the value society places on Indigenous lives. Topics Covered: • The connection between highways and MMIP cases • Transportation barriers in rural and reservation communities • The role of hitchhiking as a necessity rather than a choice • Jurisdictional challenges involving tribal, state, and federal agencies • The FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative • The Highway of Tears and similar transportation corridors • Patterns observed in disappearances and unsolved murders • Media disparities in coverage of Indigenous victims • Structural reforms needed to address the MMIP crisis Sources Referenced: • National Institute of Justice – Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men • Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit • FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative • Murder Accountability Project • Urban Indian Health Institute • Research materials and source documentation compiled for this episode Beneath the Red Sky is dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices, examining systemic issues affecting Native communities, and ensuring that the stories of missing and murdered Indigenous people are never forgotten.

Savannah Standing Bear and the Crisis of Missing Indigenous Women

Beneath the Red Sky with LaDonna Humphrey & David McClam In this episode of Beneath the Red Sky, LaDonna Humphrey and David McClam examine the disappearance of 22-year-old Savannah Standing Bear, a young Lakota woman from Parmelee, South Dakota, who vanished on March 25, 2025. According to her family, Savannah left to spend time with friends after texting her mother in the early morning hours. While the friends later returned, Savannah did not. Her disappearance immediately raised alarm among loved ones who say her behavior was completely out of character. Savannah was known for maintaining close contact with her family and rarely went without communicating, especially with her mother and sister. LaDonna and David explore the extensive search efforts that followed, including the work of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, tribal investigators, volunteers, drone teams, horseback riders, search-and-rescue personnel, cadaver dogs, and community advocates who have continued searching for answers. The episode also examines the broader Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis, including the disproportionate rates of violence experienced by Indigenous women and the systemic challenges that often complicate investigations. Through Savannah's story, the hosts discuss the emotional toll on families, the importance of public awareness, and the urgent need for continued attention to unresolved MMIP cases across the United States. Savannah Standing Bear remains missing. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance is urged to contact the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Police Department at (605) 856-2282. If you would like to help, please share Savannah's flyer, discuss her case, and continue raising awareness. Every share, conversation, and tip has the potential to bring investigators closer to answers. Beneath the Red Sky is dedicated to amplifying the voices of Indigenous families, honoring victims, and ensuring that missing and murdered Indigenous people are never forgotten. Sources referenced in this episode include the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the National Congress of American Indians, the Urban Indian Health Institute, and publicly available information regarding the disappearance of Savannah Standing Bear.

“The Warning We Ignored: How Predators Learned to Hunt Indigenous Women”

In this powerful first episode of a three-part investigative series, LaDonna and David explore the structural, historical, and systemic forces that have made Indigenous women primary targets for serial predators. They expose the blind spots, the institutional failures, and the centuries-old messages that predators continue to exploit. Chapters: * The historical roots of violence against Indigenous women * How predators “read” systemic bias * Why law enforcement responses are slower and less thorough * How colonization laid the foundation for modern vulnerability * The crisis of uncounted missing Indigenous women Why the pattern persists today Support Indigenous-led MMIP organizations. Learn the names. Share the stories. Break the silence predators rely on.

The Pier at Cape Mudge: The Disappearance of Selina Violet Wallace

On a cold night in February 1971, 19-year-old Selina Violet Wallace disappeared from a pier on Quadra Island, British Columbia. Described as tall, beautiful, and full of light, she was last seen talking with friends near Cape Mudge. Despite extensive searches, no trace of her was ever found. Selina’s story reflects the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) — cases that fade from public view but remain etched in the hearts of families and communities. Contact Information: If you have any information about Selina Violet Wallace, please contact the Quadra Island RCMP at 250-285-3631 or email canadasmissing-disparuscanada@rcmp-grc.gc.ca [canadasmissing-disparuscanada@rcmp-grc.gc.ca]. * The loss of Indigenous women in remote communities * Generational silence and advocacy * The enduring power of remembrance

The Desert Between Us: The Disappearance of Gloria Jean King

On a late-summer day in 1996, 42-year-old Gloria Jean King (aka Gloria Jarvison) vanished somewhere along the highway between Albuquerque and Farmington/Gallup, New Mexico. Traveling in separate vehicles with her former husband, the pair stopped near Grants and Milan—and then their stories diverged. Gloria never made it home. Her vehicle was later found at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup. She has not been seen since. Gloria Jeans Identifiers * Height 5’3”–5’5”, ~115 lbs * Brown hair, brown eyes * Last seen in red/maroon printed shirt * Scarred or missing left earlobe * Names: Gloria Jean King / Gloria Jarvison * Conflicting dates reported: August 9, 1996 and September 9, 1996  If you have information about Gloria Jean King, please contact the New Mexico State Police (Gallup District) at (505) 863-9353. Even small memories can matter—especially from former staff or guests of the El Rancho Hotel in 1996, or travelers who recall vehicles left along the corridor between Albuquerque, Grants, Milan, Gallup, and Farmington.