Indigenous Man Found Dead in Colorado | Sarah Walker Gorrell

On December 30, Colorado’s Indigenous Missing Person List took effect. Two days later, on New Year’s Day, Wanbli Oyate Vigil Black Elk, a 27-year-old member of the Lakota Tribe, was the first person added to the list.

Vigil, who lived with his aunt, Lakol Jennifer Black Elk, left their apartment in West Denver on Thursday, December 29, in the afternoon. Security cameras revealed that he was only carrying a Ceremonial Pipe or Chanupa. His aunt reported that he had been “down or depressed” during Christmas.

Black Elk began calling family, friends, and local hospitals to try and locate her nephew.

On New Year’s Day, Black Elk reported Vigil’s disappearance to the Denver Police Department. On Monday, the Police Department contacted the CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation). Two days later, on Tuesday, January 3, the CBI added Vigil’s name to the newly enacted Indigenous Missing Persons List.

Information was released by the Denver Police Department on Friday, January 6, that Vigil’s body had been found. The report stated that his death did not appear to be suspicious.

His aunt, Jennifer Black Elk, told the CBS station, “he was struggling with some personal spiritual issues.”

Questions have arisen about what caused the delay in releasing the information to the public. Vigil’s disappearance was reported on Sunday to the Denver Police Department. However, the alert wasn’t issued by the CBI until two days later, on Tuesday,…