Blanket of Silence: The Murder of Lakota Renville

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In October 2005, 22-year-old Lakota Renville — a quiet, compassionate young woman from the Sisseton–Wahpeton Oyate tribe — was found murdered and discarded in a vacant lot in Independence, Missouri. Wrapped in carpet padding and a distinctive southwestern-style blanket, her body told a story of violence, but the investigation has remained unsolved for nearly two decades.

In this episode of Vanished Voices, we follow Lakota’s journey from her tribal homeland in South Dakota to the streets of Kansas City, where she fell into the grip of a man she once trusted — and may have been trafficked. Through a carefully reported timeline, direct quotes from her family, and a look at the forensic evidence, we examine what happened, what remains unknown, and how justice is still possible.

We also spotlight the broader context of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in South Dakota and Missouri, where Lakota's name is far from the only one still unanswered.

This is Lakota’s story. And this is the call to make sure her voice is never forgotten.

If you have any information about what happened to Lakota Renville – if you overheard something back then, if you recall a friend or relative who had a strange connection to this case, if you recognize that blanket or remember a brown Ford Explorer seen on a Missouri backroad in October 2005 – please speak up.

However small a detail, it could be the missing piece that investigators need. You can contact the Independence Police Department or the Kansas City CrimeStoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Tips can be made anonymously.

After all these years, even second-hand information or a rumor might be exactly what detectives require to finally make an arrest.

To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here.

Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!