Last-known images of Montana missing mom caught on tape

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This communicative was updated connected Jan. 7, 2025.

On Highway 93, en way to Missoula, it's hard to miss this billboard and Jermain Charlo's haunting gaze.

Missoula constabulary detective Guy Baker has been searching for Jermain for much than six years.

Det. Guy Baker: When I spot that billboard … I'm frustrated. … We've … conscionable clip and clip again, travel up bare handed …

The past known images of Jermain Charlo were captured connected surveillance video connected Friday, June 15, 2018, successful downtown Missoula. Jermain is seen chatting with radical extracurricular a barroom called The Badlander.

A small earlier midnight Jermain walks distant from the camera, a antheral by her side, and disappears into the night.

Six years later, with nary apprehension and nary publically named suspect, constabulary released the video to "48 Hours" hoping to make leads.

Det. Guy Baker: Someone retired determination knows what happened to Jermain Charlo. … Jermain walks retired of presumption ... so, possibly idiosyncratic saw thing … that has ne'er thought astir contacting us. … so, if anybody has immoderate accusation astir that nighttime oregon immoderate facet of this investigation. I promote them to telephone me.

For Jermain's aunts, Dani Matt and Valenda Morigeau, this achy ordeal began connected Saturday June 16, 2018, with a telephone from Jermain's grandmother.

Valenda Morigeau: She was precise adjacent with my mom. My mom's really the 1 who had called maine and said, "Have you heard from Jermain?" And I said, "No."

The household says Jermain ne'er went anyplace without her phone, truthful it would beryllium antithetic for her not to substance oregon call. They knew she had been successful Missoula.

Valenda Morigeau: So, I kept calling her, calling her …

And erstwhile she didn't reply her phone, Matt had a feeling thing wasn't right.

Dani Matt: We'd called … the hospitals, to the shelters, anyplace we could deliberation of … conscionable 'cause it was not earthy for her not to speech to my parent similar she did connected a regular basis.

Michelle Miller: She disappeared without a trace?

Dani Matt: Nothing.

The household was sick with worry.

No 1 had heard from her, and she had not returned to her location connected the Flathead Reservation, astir 40 miles from Missoula. On Monday, June 18, 48 hours aft Jermain was past seen, Morigeau contacted authorities for help.

Valenda Morigeau: Because she went missing retired of Missoula, I had called Missoula Police Department to … fto them cognize she had gone missing.

Valenda Morigeau: There was, like, nary consciousness of let's marque definite that we cheque each the boxes and marque definite that we've done everything that we tin to marque definite she's safe.

The household besides contacted the Flathead Reservation police.

Police Chief Craige Couture: We effort to get arsenic overmuch accusation retired determination arsenic we can, effort to get flyers, pictures, immoderate we tin bash retired there. … As the days spell connected radical commencement thinking, clasp on, possibly determination is … much to this than conscionable she's gone.

Then, connected June 20, 4 days aft Jermain disappeared, Morigeau made the thrust from the Flathead Reservation to the Missoula Police Department, officially filed a missing idiosyncratic study and met with a detective assigned to Jermain's case.

Valenda Morigeau: He did his "due diligence," and helium checked the hospitals and the stateless shelters. … I was told that … she was not successful contiguous danger.

Morigeau knew successful her bosom Jermain was successful contiguous danger. Frightened and frustrated, the household reached retired again.

THE SEARCH FOR JERMAIN CHARLO

Volunteer searches were organized.

Jen Murphy: I've been connected a mates of the searches …

Michelle Miller: Describe them to me.

Jen Murphy: They're heartbreaking.

Jen Murphy is an pedagogue surviving successful Montana.

Jen Murphy: Every small measurement that you instrumentality … it's a grid search, truthful you can't beryllium immoderate farther than an arms-length isolated … truthful that you don't miss anything. … So, grid searching a upland with trees that are close adjacent to each different is astir impossible.

During 1 of those searches Murphy met Valenda Morigeau.

Michelle Miller: How would you picture your enslaved with Valenda?

Jen Murphy: She's similar a sister to maine now.

Michelle Miller: So, her symptom is your pain?

Jen Murphy: Absolutely.

After Jermain had been missing for astir 10 days, Baker, who'd conscionable travel backmost from vacation, volunteered to instrumentality implicit the case.

Michelle Miller: Is it antithetic for idiosyncratic to spell missing successful Missoula?

Det. Guy Baker: Uh, no. No … I deliberation we person sometimes aggregate radical per week … 97, 98% statewide reported missing radical are recovered … truthful it's that 2% that are the hard ones.

Baker was acrophobic Jermain's lawsuit was among that hard 2%. Then, successful mid-July, 1 period aft her disappearance, determination seemed to beryllium a caller and disturbing development.

NEWS REPORT | JILL VALLEY | KPAX: Missoula constabulary are acrophobic that a missing Dixon pistillate mightiness beryllium held determination against her volition tonight. They are continuing to analyse the disappearance of 23-year-old Jermain Charlo who besides goes by the sanction "Liz."

Det. Guy Baker: We had immoderate accusation aboriginal connected that determination mightiness person been immoderate radical successful Missoula from outta authorities that were trying to bargain a girl, and I was reasoning determination was a transportation there.

Brittany Williams: There are thousands of agrarian areas and miles to spell crossed this state and determination are radical who are highly vulnerable.

Brittany Williams is simply a Missoula County lawman attorney.

Michelle Miller: Human trafficking is simply a immense occupation nationwide … But however does it disagree successful Montana?

Brittany Williams: I would accidental it differs from a deficiency of knowledge.

Brittany Williams: I deliberation radical person an thought that Montana is agrarian and undeveloped, and we don't person large crimes that hap here, But the information of the substance is we person 1 of the largest interstates that runs done our authorities close present done Missoula, Montana.

Brittany Williams: There are radical who tin beryllium swept distant successful an instant and due to the fact that of … deficiency of GPS oregon compartment towers you mightiness ne'er perceive from that idiosyncratic again, — successful a substance of minutes, they could beryllium gone, and they could beryllium trafficked to different authorities … perchance different country.

If Jermain Charlo was a unfortunate of trafficking could instrumentality enforcement find her?

WHERE IS JERMAIN CHARLO?

While Detective Baker was investigating the anticipation Jermain Charlo whitethorn person been a unfortunate of enactment trafficking, her household was desperately trying to get her backmost home.

Dani Matt: We called her telephone … seems similar a cardinal times implicit … tried to Facebook, FaceTime –

Valenda Morigeau: Even from the clip she was a small kid … she had similar the champion personality. she's precise outgoing …

Dani Matt: Beautiful, resilient … carnal lover. Oh gosh, the database of pets she had is —

Valenda Morigeau: I deliberation she had, like, a flying squirrel oregon something.

Dani Matt: And past a pig.

Valenda Morigeau: She had 2 pigs.

Valenda Morigeau: She's precise outdoorsy … she had ever loved to beryllium by the stream and fishing.

Morigeau was lone 10 erstwhile her niece Jermain was born. Soon they were arsenic adjacent arsenic sisters.

Valenda Morigeau: When she was born, I didn't similar her astatine each (laughs) … I was the babe of the family, and she stole my thunder … and past 1 time my grandma was cooking … and Jermain … she needed to beryllium fed. My grandma's like, "hold this baby." I was similar … I retrieve similar looking astatine her, I was like, each close you're not that bad. And past from that time on, she was my baby. … she was my babe sister.

Jermain was originative and imaginative.

Valenda Morigeau: She was an astonishing artist.

Her imagination was to be the Institute of American Indian Arts successful New Mexico.

Valenda Morigeau: She was similar utilizing fingernail polish to marque an octopus. … (laughs) she would, like, crochet market bags to effort to prevention the environment.

Dani Matt: That miss could bash thing she acceptable her caput to. I curse she was truthful astute and truthful talented.

Jermain grew up connected the Flathead Reservation.

Dani Matt: You've got the confluence of the Flathead and Jocko Rivers. You've got the bison scope close adjacent to you and mountains, you know, arsenic acold arsenic you tin see. A truly beardown consciousness of community.

And Jermain Charlo's roots tally heavy connected this reservation. She's a subordinate of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes and a descendant of Chief Charlo, known for his peaceful absorption during the 1870s erstwhile the people was forced to determination from their ancestral onshore successful Montana's Bitterroot Valley to the Flathead Reservation.

Michelle Miller: We are connected tribal land?

Dani Matt: Yes.

Jermain was balancing beingness portion coparenting her 2 young sons, Jacob and Thomas. Her narration with their begetter was strained.

Valenda Morigeau: Oh, she was a large mother. … Her satellite revolved astir those boys. She wanted to thatch 'em each astir sportfishing and hunting … instrumentality 'em to the fair, effort to springiness 'em the champion beingness she knew how.

Jermain had been moving astatine the Big River Cantina connected the Flathead Reservation. She was hoping to find enactment arsenic a seasonal firefighter and had an interrogation scheduled. But she didn't amusement up.

Michelle Miller: Is she the archetypal Native pistillate to vanish from the Flathead Reservation?

Brittany Williams: No.

Missoula County Deputy Attorney Brittany Williams knows it each excessively well. In Montana, Indigenous persons marque up lone astir six percent of the population, but 24 percent of the state's progressive missing persons cases.

Michelle Miller: Would you see it to beryllium an epidemic?

Brittany Williams: I would, yes.

Michelle Miller: And is determination immoderate denotation why?

Brittany Williams: I deliberation that there's — that's a precise analyzable question. There's a batch of past there.

Jen Murphy: I deliberation there's conscionable truthful galore antithetic factors that spell into each missing person. From home unit to quality trafficking, to poverty, to homelessness.

As instrumentality enforcement began digging deeper into Jermain Charlo's disappearance, they would regularisation retired the anticipation the 23-year-old parent of 2 had been a unfortunate of trafficking.

Brittany Williams: That was initially an avenue of probe … Ultimately, I don't judge that she was trafficked.

Michelle Miller: Why?

Brittany Williams: I deliberation that we person capable grounds done this probe that lends itself to judge thing other has happened to her.

Jermain posted a TikTok video, articulator synching lines from a TV amusement the time she disappeared. It's the aforesaid representation seen successful her missing poster billboard. She's wearing the aforesaid apparel successful the surveillance video.

Baker discovered the video aboriginal successful his investigation, and helium shared excerpts of it with "48 Hours." He told america that the antheral lasting down Jermain successful the video was Michael DeFrance — Jermain's ex-boyfriend and the begetter of their 2 children. He agreed to talk with constabulary without a lawyer.

Michelle Miller: You judge Michael DeFrance was the past idiosyncratic to spot Jermain Charlo?

Det. Guy Baker: That's what the probe has determined — and helium told america that.

According to police, sometime astir midnight, DeFrance and Jermain walked distant and got successful his 2011 brownish Dodge truck.

Det. Guy Baker: He said that uh … they near the downtown country and that helium … dropped her disconnected … and that — that ended their nighttime together.

According to instrumentality enforcement, "Michael DeFrance stated helium dropped Jermain disconnected astatine the Orange Street Food Farm. Michael DeFrance did this due to the fact that Jermain stated that her person 'Cassidy' lived nearby, and Jermain was going to walk the nighttime there."

Michael DeFrance dropped Jermain disconnected astatine astir "0100 hours" — 1 a.m. Police didn't find a "Cassidy," but they learned Jermain had been visiting Missoula regularly due to the fact that she was dating a antheral named Jacob who lived successful that neighborhood.

Valenda Morigeau: They had met connected a dating app, and they weren't unneurotic for precise agelong … but it seemed similar they had a precise beardown connection, and helium was conscionable wholly infatuated with her.

Authorities accidental Jacob was retired of municipality — miles distant successful different state. Morigeau says helium and Jermain were texting each different that nighttime earlier she disappeared.

Valenda Morigeau: Her plan, according to, like, her connection to him, was that she was gonna spell backmost to his spot that nighttime 'cause helium was retired of town.

According to instrumentality enforcement, erstwhile "Jacob attempted to telephone Jermain" soon earlier 1 a.m. connected June 16, helium "… thought it was unusual due to the fact that the telephone rang respective times earlier it went to voicemail. Jacob felt that idiosyncratic purposely ended the call."

Brittany Williams: And this peculiar telephone that was made to her has been shown done the bearer to person been silenced by someone.

Jacob besides told constabulary that the time earlier she disappeared, "Jermain told Jacob that Michael had been yelling astatine her, asking if she was dating anyone and wanted to get backmost unneurotic with her."

Police accidental Jacob cooperated with the probe and was ne'er considered a suspect.

It's unsettling to spot Jermain Charlo, socializing that night, and Michael DeFrance — the past known idiosyncratic to spot her live — and not cognize what they were talking astir oregon what whitethorn person been going connected betwixt them.

DeFrance has not been named arsenic a fishy successful Jermain's disappearance.

"48 Hours" showed the surveillance video to Morigeau and Matt. They're seeing it for the archetypal time.

Dani Matt: Mm-hmm, determination she is.

Valenda Morigeau: For her to beryllium walking successful beforehand of him … it seems similar helium keeps similar trying to drawback up to her.

They sensed Jermain was sending a connection astir DeFrance.

Valenda Morigeau: And she's … you cognize we gotta spell our abstracted ways.

KEEPING JERMAIN CHARLO'S CASE RELEVANT

Jermain Charlo ne'er went anyplace without her phone. So, it was important for investigators to find it.

Det. Guy Baker: We got cellphone information … linked to Jermain's cellphone that indicated it was progressive connected the nighttime she disappeared, and it was progressive aggregate times, chiefly betwixt the hours of 2 a.m. … and up until conscionable astir 10 a.m. connected the 16th of June.

Michelle Miller: And wherever was the phone?

Det. Guy Baker: So, the phone's ne'er been recovered, truthful we don't cognize wherever the telephone was, but judging by the accusation we got from the operation ... it was astir decidedly northbound of Missoula, and it was successful the country of Evaro Hill.

Evaro Hill is connected the Flathead Reservation. It's a rugged country with tons of trees and wildlife. It's a spot Michael DeFrance knows well.

Brittany Williams: He lives specifically up connected the Evaro Hill country … helium was the past idiosyncratic to beryllium with Jermain Charlo earlier her life, arsenic we cognize it, came to a standstill.

Searches person been conducted connected Evaro Hill, but Jermain was not found.

Jen Murphy: There's ever that anticipation that she's retired determination somewhere.

Jermain's family, came up with the thought to enactment her missing poster connected a billboard. Jen Murphy expanded the family's ngo to see much missing indigenous women.

Jen Murphy: I presently americium doing a task with billboards passim Montana and passim the United States. … I effort to — person billboards arsenic adjacent to our reservations arsenic imaginable … trying to marque definite that — speaking to the perpetrators too, like, "we spot you."

The probe into Jermain's disappearance is conscionable 1 of galore cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women – known arsenic MMIW. In 2019, the Justice Department created a task unit to analyse cases of missing and murdered Indigenous radical around the country.

Social media has helped to ignite the movement. At the 2024 Emmy Awards, "Reservation Dogs" histrion and nominee D'Pharoah Woon-A-Tai was connected the reddish carpet, bringing attraction to the crisis.

Jen Murphy: I consciousness similar we're each of the quality contention and should beryllium looked for the same. … It's not similar we're asking for peculiar treatment, we're conscionable asking for the aforesaid treatment. … We're not going to halt looking for our radical … We're not. Our lives matter.

A photograph sprout with Vina Little Owl was successful the aforesaid alley wherever Jermain was past seen.

Jen Murphy: Starts retired with … praying and trying to acceptable yourself close … to coating connected the paint.

Vina Little Owl (leading the prayer): We connection a infinitesimal of soundlessness successful a abstraction for our sisters.

Michelle Miller: What does the reddish manus mean?

Jen Murphy: The reddish handprint truly symbolizes … our radical being silenced … however we person ever been looked astatine otherwise and that our radical person not been heard successful the aforesaid mode that different radical are. … That's a harsh world and it has been since the opening of clip … since colonization.

Jermain's household can't assistance but wonderment astir however her lawsuit was treated successful those critical, aboriginal days successful the investigation.

Valenda Morigeau: When I reported her missing, determination was nary consciousness of urgency. … I don't cognize if it's due to the fact that she's … implicit … 18 oregon … because she was drinking oregon the information that she was Native American.

Lead detective Guy Baker can't talk to those archetypal days of the investigation. Remember, helium didn't get the lawsuit until 10 days aft Jermain disappeared. But he's good alert that immoderate missing persons cases bash get much attraction than others.

Det. Guy Baker: You know, conscionable look astatine our nationalist media. Gabby Petito goes missing and look astatine the nationalist vulnerability she got for a week oregon 2 for a Caucasian pistillate and however galore missing Native American females went missing successful that aforesaid clip play and got nothing. … truthful I've made a concerted effort … to support Jermain relevant.

It's Baker's anticipation that by releasing the surveillance video to "48 Hours," he'll summation caller leads. For Morigeau and Matt, it's the past glimpse of Jermain's beingness the nighttime she disappeared.

Michelle Miller (watching the surveillance video): Do you spot her?

Valenda Morigeau: Yeah. … Being social.

Dani Matt: Silly, being herself.

It's the past glimpse of Jermain's beingness the nighttime she disappeared.

Dani Matt: Jermain, her bubbly aforesaid is beauteous to — to spot her, um, hurts astatine the aforesaid time, but, um, truthful afloat of life.

Then, they zero successful connected the antheral lasting down Jermain: Michael DeFrance.

Dani Matt (watching the information video): Introduces him.

Valenda Morigeau (watching the information video): Then he's got his arms crossed similar and rolls up his sleeves similar trying to intimidate whoever that dude is that she's talking to.

Michelle Miller: Does it archer you anything?

Valenda Morigeau: It benignant of shows maine his demeanor that night. … looks similar he's successful a unreserved to permission and that he's annoyed that she's — her attraction isn't focused connected him.

Matt was amazed and relieved to spot determination were different radical — imaginable witnesses — successful the alley that night.

Danielle Matt: There's a batch of radical which reassures maine that idiosyncratic knows something. Somebody's seen her … somebody's gotta cognize what that speech was.

Baker says helium spoke with respective of the radical seen connected the video, but due to the fact that this probe is inactive active, helium wouldn't accidental overmuch astir what helium learned.

Valenda Morigeau: I'm hoping that possibly by chance, idiosyncratic … saw them and conscionable has nary thought that she's been missing and says thing and that is conscionable similar the tiny missing portion that we need.

A RELATIONSHIP UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

While authorities did not sanction DeFrance arsenic a fishy successful Jermain's disappearance, they did privation to larn much astir the couple's relationship.

They started astatine the beginning. Jermain Charlo was 14 erstwhile she met 16-year-old Michael DeFrance successful 2010 erstwhile his household moved successful crossed the street. They some enjoyed sportfishing connected the stream and taking agelong walks. The teens were practically inseparable, but determination were reddish flags.

Valenda Morigeau: I don't retrieve wherefore I had her phone, but, like, I had recovered immoderate explicit photos of her connected her telephone … like, you know, I had mentioned it to Michael … I was like, "she was ne'er similar this before," like, "you cognize this is not OK. This is not thing that you guys should beryllium sharing astatine your age."

Michelle Miller: What was his reaction?

Valenda Morigeau: He didn't truly accidental much.

Despite household disapproval, Jermain continued to spot DeFrance. Then successful April 2013, conscionable 2 weeks shy of Jermain's 18th birthday, Morigeau got a harrowing call.

Valenda Morigeau: There was an incidental wherever um, she had called maine and said, "auntie I request you down here. Michael deed me."

According to tribunal documents, DeFrance, who was 19, admitted helium assaulted Jermain: "On 4-14-2013 successful Sanders County I caused bodily wounded to my girlfriend." The documents besides authorities however helium wounded Jermain: "The Defendant made the pursuing admissions: That helium deed her 3 times. That helium utilized his fist."

Danielle Matt: It was hard to perceive that and spot her spell done that and the affectional telephone calls and conversations that followed … you know, she was a kid.

DeFrance pleaded blameworthy to spouse household subordinate assault. He wouldn't service immoderate jailhouse time, but helium would beryllium prohibited from possessing firearms.

Despite the violence, Jermain and DeFrance remained together. Jermain's household says she was staying with DeFrance successful a camper connected his parents' property.

A fewer months later, DeFrance near municipality to enactment arsenic a seasonal firefighter.

Jermain, alone, lonely, and surviving successful a camper, began sharing her satellite connected YouTube:

I'm location unsocial for 2 much weeks. So, each day, blog volition astir apt beryllium lone maine until my boyfriend/fiancé gets location from work.

I usually don't bash much. I'm conscionable … expected to beryllium a housewife.

Valenda Morigeau: She was precise bully astir hiding symptom … and effort to unreal similar everything was OK.

Soon, they were young parents raising their 2 boys. But Morigeau says the unit continued.

Valenda Morigeau: Multiple times of getting telephone calls and going down to marque definite she was OK and … it was hard for america to ticker her spell back, but that's what happens to a batch of women who were victims of home violence.

Danielle Matt: They'd interruption up and marque up and breakup and marque up.

According to Matt, the mates yet broke up for bully successful 2017.

Danielle Matt: Michael … inactive wanted Jermain to bash arsenic Michael said. And, so, erstwhile Jermain started to make a beingness without him, um, it seems similar things got worse for her … she was the parent of his kids and had to benignant of locomotion connected eggshells astir what Michael wanted oregon however you cognize helium pictured her oregon wanted her to beryllium arsenic mom.

In aboriginal 2018, conscionable months earlier her disappearance, Jermain and DeFrance had a heated custody conflict implicit the boys. According to her family, Jermain had constricted resources. DeFrance, it seemed, had more.

Danielle Matt: He had an attorney. … She didn't person an lawyer … Jermain … was moving hard to find stableness with work.

A justice decided the kids would unrecorded with their begetter and she would person visitation rights. The parenting plan, says her family, was stressful for Jermain. Chayla Russell noticed a alteration successful her cousin's behavior.

Chayla Russell: Michael had the boys and truthful she was lonely and frightened for her safety.

Michelle Miller: She was frightened for her safety?

Chayla Russell: Yeah … she would speech astir having nightmares oregon being frightened to beryllium unsocial …

After Jermain's disappearance, investigators seized guns from DeFrance's property. In 2021, helium was arrested and charged with possessing firearms – which they alleged was a usurpation of his 2013 condemnation nether national law.

In 2023, DeFrance was convicted and sentenced to 21 months successful prison. He appealed and successful December 2024, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed DeFrance's condemnation connected weapon possession and vacated his sentence. The tribunal ruled that the 2013 Partner Family Member Assault condemnation did not prohibit DeFrance from possessing firearms nether national law. "48 Hours" requested an interrogation done his attorney. He declined our request.

ns seized from Michael DeFrance's property.

In their effort to find Jermain, authorities secured galore hunt warrants, including astatine slightest 2 connected DeFrance's property.

But due to the fact that this is an progressive investigation, galore of the hunt warrants person been sealed.

Brittany Williams: Dozens of searches … for Jermain implicit the past six years. … determination person been canine searches … Canines who are trained to observe bodies.

Det. Guy Baker: Every spot that we've searched has not yielded the grounds that would springiness america the answer.

Michelle Miller: What bash you deliberation happened to her and why?

Det. Guy Baker: All I tin accidental without compromising the probe is I deliberation Jermain's disappearance is simply a effect of a transgression action. … and idiosyncratic knows what happened to Jermain, and we request their — their assistance. Somebody knows something.

Something that ever baffled Baker is what happened to Jermain's cellphone. Turns out, DeFrance provided an answer.

WHAT HAPPENED TO JERMAIN CHARLO'S CELLPHONE?

Evaro Hill is the past known country wherever Jermain's cellphone was active. According to investigators it was pinging betwixt 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. the greeting aft she was past seen.

Brittany Williams: It's a precise heavy forested area, tons of antithetic wildlife … And then, 1 — sole road that runs done the apical of Evaro Hill.

It's the country wherever Jermain's ex, Michael DeFrance, was living. In his archetypal connection to police, helium said that he'd dropped Jermain disconnected successful Missoula astir 1 a.m., and that she had her telephone with her. So wherefore was it progressive connected Evaro Hill, astir 14 miles northbound of Missoula, hours later? DeFrance changed his communicative and said her telephone was with him.

Brittany Williams: In a consequent interview, helium provided a connection that she near her cellphone and helium attempted to spell done her cellphone, and helium was incapable to get into her cellphone.

What helium said helium did adjacent amazed Baker. DeFrance admitted that 2 days aft helium past saw Jermain, helium threw her telephone away.

Det. Guy Baker: So, Mr. DeFrance had told america during 1 of his interviews that helium discarded, uh, Jermain's cellphone successful Idaho.

DeFrance, past moving arsenic a motortruck driver, told authorities helium disposed of Jermain's telephone successful Idaho astatine mile marker 94 connected Highway 12. Law enforcement searched the area, but ne'er recovered the phone.

Michelle Miller: I person to ask, wherefore would helium get escaped of her cellphone? What mentation did helium have?

Det. Guy Baker: I –

Michelle Miller: You can't archer me?

Det. Guy Baker: — can't archer you.

Michelle Miller: … is that antithetic that idiosyncratic would – one, admit to having a missing person's cellphone and then, two, that they would dispense with it?

Det. Guy Baker: Yeah. Why would you get escaped of the cellphone if idiosyncratic was astir to springiness the telephone backmost to 'em?

Danielle Matt: Why would helium person her phone? … Why would helium destruct it, propulsion it retired astatine mile marker what the hellhole ever … I — I don't understand.

Brittany Williams: I wouldn't accidental Michael DeFrance is not a idiosyncratic of interest. I would accidental that I'm not astatine liberty to accidental who is oregon who is not a idiosyncratic of interest.

No suspects person been named successful transportation with Jermain's disappearance. Police are present considering the lawsuit a nary assemblage homicide, but without a body, prosecuting a homicide is simply a challenge.

Brittany Williams: I deliberation it's important for everyone to cognize that you lone get 1 wound astatine the pome here, lone 1 shot. And truthful I wanna stitchery arsenic overmuch accusation to guarantee a palmy prosecution, should we conscionable that crossroad.

Brittany Williams: It's my content that we are adjacent to moving guardant successful this case.

Michelle Miller: Moving guardant meaning filing charges against a suspect?

Brittany Williams: If it yet is determined that this is transgression means, absolutely.

Brittany Williams: Jermain and her household merit answers. And it is my anticipation … that idiosyncratic comes forward, provides america immoderate caller pb that tin pb to justice.

Det. Guy Baker: I person my cellphone connected that billboard, not conscionable the constabulary department's main number, 'cause I privation idiosyncratic to telephone maine … due to the fact that I privation the information.

The billboard's determination was important to Matt and Morigeau. It looks retired toward the preservation and Evaro Hill, wherever DeFrance was surviving with Jermain's 2 sons.

Dani Matt: I cognize that Michael would astir apt person to instrumentality that way … to travel to Missoula. And I thought, well, the boys mightiness not beryllium capable to spot her successful person, but that representation volition beryllium determination and … Jacob and Thomas could spot their parent … each clip they drove by there.

Dani Matt: I anticipation passim these years that Thomas and Jacob haven't forgot who their parent is, and I anticipation they cognize that she loves them precise much.

In Missoula, there's a antithetic billboard, this 1 showing Valenda Morigeau's face. Her photograph stands arsenic a stark reminder of the ongoing situation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Valenda Morigeau: It took maine a agelong clip to bash that photograph sprout due to the fact that I don't privation radical reasoning that, like, I privation attraction connected myself. … it's not astir me. It's astir Jermain. … We volition nary longer beryllium soundless astir our women going missing. … We person to combat for justness for our loved ones.

Michelle Miller: Do you inactive program connected searching for Jermain?

Valenda Morigeau: Always … I don't attraction however agelong it takes.

Valenda Morigeau: … I'm ne'er gonna springiness up connected her. I don't attraction if I person to hunt until I'm 80 years old.

Craige Couture | Flathead Reservation constabulary chief: If this lawsuit is ne'er solved and I retire, it's not going distant successful my mind. … That'll beryllium 1 of those things that volition beryllium with maine until the time I dice … That weighs connected us. … That weighs connected our tribal council. … Everyone present thinks astir it.

Six winters person passed since Jermain disappeared. Matt and Morigeau nary longer judge she is alive.

Valenda Morigeau: So, I person a acquisition of erstwhile my household makes it to the different side. When my grandma passed away, she came and told maine she made it. … When my grandpa passed away, helium told maine helium made it.

Valenda Morigeau: And I had this imagination and Jermain was determination and she's similar … "I conscionable wanted to archer you I recovered grandma and grandpa, and I'm fine." … And she gave maine a hug and she turned to locomotion away. (crying) And I said, "Jermain," and she goes, "what?" I was like, "where's your body?" … And she looked maine dormant successful the eyes, she said, "it's successful Evaro." She's like, "I emotion you, but I person to go."

This communicative was updated connected Jan. 7, 2025. In December 2024, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Michael DeFrance's condemnation connected the weapon possession complaint and vacated his sentence.

If you person immoderate accusation pertaining to Jermain Charlo's disappearance, interaction the Missoula Police Department astatine 406-552-6284.

"48 HOURS" POST MORTEM PODCAST

"48 Hours" contributor Michelle Miller and shaper Marcie Spencer sermon the unsolved lawsuit of Jermain Charlo,and stock wherefore instrumentality enforcement released important surveillance footage six years aft Charlo's disappearance and the spiritual encounters they had portion reporting this case.

Produced by Marcelena Spencer and Emma Steele. Stephen A. McCain is the improvement producer. Richard Barber is the producer/editor. Diana Modica and George Baluzy are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the elder producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

Michelle Miller

Michelle Miller, an award-winning writer and author, is simply a co-host of "CBS Saturday Morning," wherever she covers a wide scope of stories, anchors breaking quality and handles newsmaker interviews.

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