MMIP - Kaysera Stops Pretty Places

September 01, 2023 | by: Cesar Segura
MMIP - Kaysera Stops Pretty Places

When thinking of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, few cases have received widespread media attention. However, one case has received attention from mainstream media sources like its own episode of the popular true crime podcast Crime Junkie as well as a standalone episode on the Showtime special “Murder in Big Horn.” This case is that of 18-year-old Kaysera Stops Pretty Places who was murdered in Big Horn County, Montana, in August of 2019. However, four years after her death, there has still been no justice for Kaysera or her family.

Kaysera celebrated her 18th birthday on August 14th, just 10 days later she was reported missing. 15 days after her birthday, Kaysera’s body was found on Augst 29th just half a mile from the Crow Reservation where she was an enrolled tribal member. Continuing with our timeline, Kaysera’s family was notified of her death on September 11th,2019 or 28 days after her 18th birthday. Now, if you are doing the math, that is 13 full days after her body was found. Though she was found not far from where she was last seen, police did not immediately inform her family of her body's discovery. Moreover, her family was pressured by the county corner to cremate her body despite their traditional beliefs which advised against this. Additionally, neither Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, nor the Montana Department of Justice have launched an investigation into Kaysera’s death. Like in many cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, jurisdictional confusion is often cited as a main reason for the lack of an investigation.

However, many people believe the lack of investigation into Kaysera’s death, if not her death itself, has to do with an incident involving the Big Horn Sheriff’s Department. Just days before her death, Kaysera attended the Crow Fair with family members. While at the fair, an incident occurred resulting in Kaysera posting a video of her younger brother (who use a wheelchair for mobility purposes) being beat by Deputies of the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Department. The theory is furthered by many outlets reporting that one of the officers who was under investigation for the incident was one of the responding officers to her disappearance and the discovery of her body.

Even with all of this information being released and exposed in the media, progress on Kaysera’s case has not moved forward. For years after her death, Kaysera’s family has advocated for change, a proper investigation, and the sharing of information that has been obtained by police. Together with supporters, they are continuing to advocate for change in memory of their loved one. Below, we have linked the two media programs mentioned above if you would like more information on Kaysera’s case. 

Murder in Big Horn - Murder in Big Horn - Season 1 Episode 3, 103 | SHOWTIME

Crime Junkie Podcast - https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/mysterious-death-kaysera-stops-pretty-places/

References:

https://www.justiceforkaysera.org/general-5

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This website was produced by the Cahuilla Consortium under grant award #2019-VO-GX-0010, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

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