Authorities with the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service have confirmed that human remains discovered near Cardin on January 31 are those of Aubrey Dameron, a Cherokee Nation citizen who went missing on March 9, 2019.
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office, which conducted the collection, examination, and identification, released a statement indicating that the condition of the remains suggested they had been at the site of discovery “for an undetermined period of time.” No statements from authorities mentioned foul play or the cause of death, and the investigation into Dameron’s case is ongoing.
Several agencies participated in the investigation, including the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. Acting Marshal Daniel Mead highlighted the commitment of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service to finding Dameron.
"Over a span of several years, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service has been committed to helping find Aubrey," Mead said. "Marshal Service investigators and Deputy Marshals spent countless hours in recent years tracking down leads all across the United States, looking for new information that would help solve this case and bring Aubrey home. I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to find Aubrey, from the numerous law enforcement agencies to family, friends, and countless volunteers."
Mead emphasized that the discovery of Dameron's remains marks the end of the search but not the investigation.
"The recovery of Aubrey by the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service in Ottawa County brings an end to the search, but our department will remain steadfast in working alongside Quapaw Nation law enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Missing and Murdered Unit, and the FBI to help solve this case and bring justice to Aubrey, her family, and her friends," Mead stated.
Pam Smith, Dameron's aunt, played a crucial role in organizing searches and urging investigators throughout the nearly six-year search for Dameron. Smith and others who knew Dameron consistently stated that she would never hurt herself and had no reason to disappear.
Dameron, a resident of Grove and 25 years old at the time of her disappearance, was found in the Picher-Cardin area, approximately a 40-minute drive from where she was last seen.
She reportedly left her mother’s home on March 9, 2019, at around 3:30 a.m., apparently to meet someone. Her cell phone GPS last "pinged" at 3:42 a.m., only about 100 yards from her mother’s house. All attempts to reach Dameron through her phone were unsuccessful.
Smith shared different theories about Dameron's disappearance, including the belief that a hate crime may have been committed because Dameron was transgender. Dameron began identifying as a woman during her teens. Smith also claimed that some investigators believed Dameron might be voluntarily missing due to her "lifestyle."
Dameron’s disappearance drew nationwide attention and was included in awareness campaigns for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, highlighting the disproportionate dangers faced by Native Americans, particularly women and children.
The Dameron case, along with another involving a missing Cherokee Nation citizen, led to the implementation of Oklahoma’s Kasey Alert system. Similar to Amber Alerts for children and Silver Alerts for the elderly, Kasey Alerts provide immediate information to the public concerning adults in danger.
Initially, the alerts were to be named Aubrey alerts, but backlash on Capitol Hill led to the name being changed to Kasey Alerts, named for Russell Kasey, a Cherokee Nation citizen who disappeared in 2016 and was missing for six years before his remains were discovered.
Despite the name change,
Smith emphasized that the importance of the legislation superseded any disappointment about the naming decision.
