AK AK - Florence Okpealuk, 33, Nome, 31 Aug 2020

[JerseyGirl]

Last week, law enforcement and local authorities began a search for a 33-year-old Nome woman they say was reported missing August 31. A community-wide organized search began Saturday, but Florence Okpealuk has still not been found.

But some women from Nome and nearby Teller don’t think that response was fast enough.

Alaska Native women rally to search for missing Nome woman - Alaska Public Media

 

[rainynights]

Latest PD FB post, with press release
The Nome Police Department


Her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/fokpealuk

 

[rainynights]

The Nome Police Department

FBI JOINS SEARCH FOR FLORENCE OKPEALUK IN NOME

 

[LadyL]

her FB (has not posted since 2019):

https://www.facebook.com/fokpealuk

 

[rainynights]

From today's press release:

Law enforcement officials would like to speak with the driver of the vehicle pictured below, which was in the Port vicinity on August 30, 2020, between 7:00 – 10:00 a.m. This individual may recall information or observations which could assist the investigation.

The Nome Police Department

 

[rainynights]

Authorities say truck driver could provide clues in search for missing Nome woman



The Nome Police Department announced Sunday that they, together with Alaska State Troopers and the FBI, are hoping to locate the driver of a truck that was in the vicinity of the port between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Aug. 30.

“We’re looking to speak with the driver," said FBI spokeswoman Chloe Martin, who is in Nome assisting with the search effort. "We believe that this individual may recall information, or have seen something ... which could assist us in the investigation.”

[...]

The search Saturday focused on West Beach area and started at the port, Martin said. There are six FBI representatives in Nome to help with the police investigation.

Okpealuk was last seen on West Beach.

 

[rainynights]

FBI Joins Search for Florence Okpealuk — FBI | FBI.gov Press Release

 

[Flight154]

From today's press release:


View attachment 263552

The Nome Police Department

Looks like a dodge with a flatbed

 

[kelsie]

FBI Anchorage Seeking Information on Disappearance of Florence Okpealuk — FBI

Updated September 14, 2020: Law enforcement officials have located the driver and the vehicle thanks to the public's help. If you have information about this case to share, call (907) 443-5262.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

FBI Anchorage Seeking Information on Disappearance of Florence Okpealuk — FBI

I'm happy that LE has located the driver and the vehicle. Hopefully, this will help them find Florence.

 

[YaYa_521]

Updated PSA 9/16/2020
The Nome Police Department

 

[jenn83]

FBI Anchorage Seeking Information on Disappearance of Florence Okpealuk — FBI

I can't seem to find the update that says they have located the truck and driver.

Ok nevermind, I finally found an article that would let me read it.

 

[AaBbCcDdEeFfGg]

Just saw this link

“Her jacket and shoes were left outside the tent.”

More Resources on the Way for Nome Woman Search, Potential Assistance from FBI

Certainly requires a detective agency at this point.

Maybe the U.S. military should be called in to investigate. They could establish a perimeter around all of the neighboring towns and round up anybody who might be involved.

Natives in that area have A LOT of guns though.

The military will have to be careful because the perpetrators could be heavily armed.

 

[YaYa_521]

Police, community still searching for answers in Nome woman’s disappearance

More than two weeks after 33-year-old Florence Okpealuk disappeared from a Nome beach, the community is still aching for answers.

Snip

Search efforts have included K-9 searches, aerial searches using planes and underwater drones deployed in nearby ponds. People also searched for Okpealuk by boat, Pruckner said.

Snip

...reached out to the FBI for technical assistance ...six agents came to Nome for about a week...agents returned to Anchorage on Wednesday to complete technical analysis of materials gathered...

Snip

community has organized two large searches...people have also set out in smaller groups to comb through the area,...

 

[AaBbCcDdEeFfGg]

...

Search efforts have included K-9 searches, aerial searches using planes and underwater drones deployed in nearby ponds. People also searched for Okpealuk by boat, Pruckner said.

,...

Interesting bit of psychological trivial. Women are more likely to commit suicide by drowning than men.

Also, the nearby ‘ponds’ are probably marshy areas on the tundra or artificial ponds created by dredging, so would not have been likely.

August is a stormy month there, and if she spent August in a tent on west beach than it was not for comfort.

 

[YaYa_521]

I hope they find Flo soon.

FBI explains role in Nome investigation of missing woman
1 day ago (9/18/2020)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) -The Nome Police Department remains as the agency in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of Florence Okpealuk.

Snip

Supervisory Special Agent William Walton said the bigger federal agency can provide more resources to assist smaller departments.

Snip

Walton said the FBI is still working closely with the Nome Police Department. While they can’t release much information about the investigation, Walton said the agencies want to be as transparent as they can.

“To protect the integrity and to allow us to get to that next step and get closer to resolving the case we can’t release that information to the public for fear it may damage the investigation through destruction of evidence or contributing to other rumors or theories around,” Walton said.

 

[AaBbCcDdEeFfGg]

...

“To protect the integrity and to allow us to get to that next step and get closer to resolving the case we can’t release that information to the public for fear it may damage the investigation through destruction of evidence or contributing to other rumors or theories around,” Walton said.

Is there any reason to believe she would be anywhere other than the ocean?

Has there been any indication, of any kind, that she would be anywhere else?

If she went into the water with some rocks in her pockets, and there haven’t been any major storms since, she would still be within a few hundred yards of where she went in.

It looks like a common suicide that is being used to promote the image of various agencies.

 

[AaBbCcDdEeFfGg]

Sorry if that is crude or blunt, but

Native woman staying in a tent on west beach?

Shoes and jacket left outside tent?

Unless a thorough ocean search was done, which would probably take less than a few hours, it looks like authorities are spinning the search into a narrative about their benevolence.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

This thread is dedicated to discussing the case of missing person, Florence Okpealuk.

Off topic posts have been removed.

Please stay on topic by discussing the facts of this case as we know them via MSM or as publicized by LE.

Thank you.

 

[Dre]

I do not think that she committed suicide, I think foul play is involved. Unfortunately, Native women are murdered at really disgustingly high rates.

Doesn't mean she's not in the ocean though.. that would be a very good spot for a murderer to place the deceased..

I hope that whoever they talked to that owns that truck gave them some sort of direction, but this is not not not looking good for this beautiful young woman