Still Missing AZ - Ella Mae Begay, 62, last seen @ home, POI named, Sweetwater, 14 Jun 2021

[YaYa_521]

Navajo Police Ask For Public's Help In Locating Missing Woman

July 20
The Navajo Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing person. Ella Mae Begay, 62, was last seen over a month ago in the Sweetwater community.

Morning Rundown: Tuesday, July 20

Navajo Police Say Search Continues For Ella Mae Begay

Good for Ms. Sera Phine Warren! Perhaps her journey from AZ to NM in honor of her aunt Ella Mae provoked LE to issue another media release today. She has accomplished half of what she set out to do: an effort to bring awareness and get answers. Now we wait with her for answers.

 

[tarabull]

AZCENTRAL:
Another Navajo woman is missing. Her family wants answers

 

[mlhenn]

Missing woman mystery continues: Ella Mae Begay’s family express frustration with police, investigation - Navajo Times

July 29
A frustrated Seraphine Warren took a walk early one morning from her aunt Ella Mae Begay’s home in Tolikan, which was the last place her aunt was seen.

Her walk wasn’t just any walk – it was a walk of awareness and to get answers.

In a week’s time, she ended her trek in Window Rock on Monday.

Warren said her aunt was cautious, with her house fenced off, and during the pandemic she did not allow anyone into her home.

Warren said for this to happen to her aunt, it had to involve someone who knew her.

“I don’t know who I was mad at the most,” said Warren, of all the factors as to why she believes her aunt’s case was mishandled. “I was mad at the police officers, mad at my cousin sister for not doing anything to save her, I was mad at my aunt and the person of interest that’s in custody. I was mad at everyone. How do I feel better from all of this … so I started walking.”


More info at link above (lengthy article)

 

[mlhenn]

Navajo News: WALKING FOR ELLA MAE BEGAY

Over one week ago, Ella Mae Begay’s niece, Seraphine Warren, began a walk from their community to the capital of the Navajo Nation to increase awareness for the disappearance of Ella Mae Begay, other missing persons, and the need to improve collaboration and communication with community members and law enforcement.


They were joined by Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, Criminal Investigations, and Division Directors as they listened to concerns and recommendations from the family members and relatives who also shared many of their personal experiences and challenges with law enforcement and criminal activity. Speaker Seth Damon and Council Delegate Charlaine Tso were also in attendance to offer their support for the family.

“We are very thankful to the family of Ella Mae Begay, for their sacrifices to raise awareness for all missing people and for holding us accountable as leaders. We understand their frustration and why they walked to our Nation’s capital. As leaders, we are in these positions to hear from the people and take actions to create change. With the walk for Ella Mae, we hope that we can continue to heal and to pray that Ella Mae is located and we ask God for strength and comfort for her family, friends, and her community,” said President Nez.

 

[Minasmom]

Still no news. Where are you, Ella??? Hope you are safe & are returned to family soon

 

[SunSun]

The Diné 4 Corners Prayer Run started with four runners in Blanding, Utah, at the Dine Blue Mountain Chapter. They continued toward Monticello, Utah, and ended at Red Mesa Chapter House, where Martina Maryboy, lost count of runners who joined.

Maryboy organized the three-day run to bring awareness to the families of Kayla Blackbird, Ella Mae Begay, Tiffany Reid, and others who joined the run.

Prayer run for missing, murdered

 

[Savmom]

Did not see this link posted yet:

Navajo woman disappears in the middle of the night
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local...6tfaU4Nz3YvHgxuT29SusO4E3YUhW88vSXhOmuMiuq1IA
Also a link to a post with comments Fox News Utah on FB

Edited to fix link

 

[mlhenn]

Missing woman's family pushes for answers

Sept 30
'Enough is enough,' Warren said. 'We want our loved ones back, and whoever has compassion to give us information for our loved ones, that's all I'm doing this for actually, for all the families that need closure so we can start grieving correctly.'

There will be a benefit bike run for Ella Mae Begayin Shiprock over the weekend to spread awareness about the case and raise money.

Video at link above

 

[lindamichelle1]

The Mysterious Disappearance of Ella Mae Begay

The Mysterious Disappearance of Ella Mae Begay

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/m...peared-loved-ones-are-still-searching-for-her

Nov 25
Ella Mae Begay, a 62-year-old Navajo woman, has been missing since mid-June, and her family members are still searching for answers to her disappearance.

Ella Mae's disappearance is now classified as a homicide. At the same time, a person of interest was identified just days into the search. Preston Tolth would be arrested on unrelated charges and held for questioning in connection to Ella Mae's case, but he's since been released and no other arrests have been made.

Her niece is left with unanswered questions. "We weren't getting any answers from law enforcement, they left us for a whole month and we were walking in circles. We're just searching areas that we assumed that she might be," Warren said.

Despite Navajo Police and the FBI's search efforts, Warren has consistently made the trip from Utah to Sweetwater to organize her own searches for her aunt.

 

[bykerladi]

Where is her truck?

 

[Rozy]

Ella Mae Begay, 62, was reported missing on June 15 by her family members. She had last been seen on June 14. A search was conducted but officials have not yet located Begay or her vehicle, a silver, 2005 Ford F150 pickup with the Arizona license plate AFE 7101.

She is described as having a slender build, standing approximately 5-foot-1 and weighing 110 to 120 pounds.

Navajo Police search for missing woman last seen in Sweetwater, Arizona (includes video of law enforcement update)

Man located in connection to Arizona woman's disappearance

Woman's 2005 Ford pickup also has gone missing

Hello,I just read some additional details on this case. The family is still searching for Ella Mae. The additional details are on Fox News website. The article is dated from 2021. Then most recently a family member posted on Facebook regarding what occurred that day, which was something I hadn’t read or heard before. It raises even more questions. The driving distance is not 6 hours from Thoreau to Sweet Water. It’s more like 1-1.5 hour drive. And Gila County is not where sweet water is. The Fox News article also gets the location wrong. Sweet water is in northern New Mexico, near the Utah border.

 

[Rozy]

Sweetwater, NM and Thoreau, NM are at least 4 hours driving distance apart. Depending on which of the three main routes one takes it could take up to 6.5 hours. The longest route along Hwy. 180W meanders through the Gila National Forest and El Malpais National Conservation Area. Goodness knows if, when and where they'll find Ella Mae if Tolth had anything to do with her disappearance. MOO

Google Maps

Sweet water to Thoreau does not go through Gila County. You’re in the wrong area. Sweet Water is in northern Arizona, near the Utah border. The drive to Thoreau is about 1.-1.5 hour drive.

 

[katydid23]

I scanned each of the above articles, looking for the reason given that they knew it was a homicide.

I didn't see any statement explaining why. I guess because it has been so long. I was wondering if there was any kind of a crime scenes or did someone use her bank card? Was her vehicle even found yet?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

June 21, 2022
A prayer walk for Ella Mae Begay, who went missing from Sweetwater, Arizona in June 2021, was held June 17 by Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez. (Photo/OPVP)
SWEETWATER Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez met with family and supporters of Ella Mae Begay June 17 during a prayer walk.

Begay went missing from the community of Tółikan (Sweetwater), Arizona in June 2021.

She has not been found yet.

Nez and Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations Director Micheal Henderson spoke with Ella Mae Begay’s family and provided updates.

Begay’s niece, Seraphine Warren, began a prayer walk this from Tółikan to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.

The group is accepting contributions to support the prayer walk. More information about contributing can be found at @trailingellamae on Instagram and Facebook.

Navajo Nation president joins prayer walk for missing person Ella Mae Begay

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez met with family and supporters of Ella Mae Begay June 17 during a prayer walk.

www.nhonews.com

 

[Unsolved]

I wish they could find this sweet lady. One question still nags me, and it goes back to this article:

"Police have now identified 21-year-old Tolth as a person of interest. Police said Tolth was at a home near Begay’s in Sweetwater the night before she was reported missing. Police responded to a disturbance at the neighboring house that included a verbal argument between Tolth and others, but no charges were filed. Then, when police returned to the area to respond to the missing person report of Begay, they remembered that disturbance nearby and wanted to question everyone who was in the area that night. Police said Tolth is the only one they could not find.

“We couldn’t find him,” Francisco said. “We wanted to talk to him. We know he was in the area. He was missing from the area. There were more interviews, and we wanted to talk to him as a person of interest.”

Police located Tolth Thursday in Thoreau, New Mexico, where he is known to reside. He was arrested on unrelated warrants out of Farmington and extradited to San Juan County. Police said they don’t know why he was in Sweetwater."

“It is very concerning”: Navajo Police still searching for 62-year-old woman

NAVAJO NATION (KRQE) – It’s day four of the search for a missing elderly Navajo woman. Police have now identified a person of interest in the disappearance of 62-year-old Ella Mae Begay …

www.krqe.com

I'd just like to know how PT got to Sweetwater and back to Thoreau? Did he have his own vehicle that night? Or did he walk away from the "disturbance"?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

https://kubrick.htvapps.com/htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/images/seraphine-trip-1655395380.jpg
For family and friends of Ella Mae Begay, the nightmare continues. “All tell me is ‘we’re still investigating. We’re fighting. We’re trying to do everything we can to solve the case,'” Seraphine Warren, niece of Begay, said. The 62-year-old Navajo woman went missing on June 15, 2021, from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona.Yet despite the time passed, there are still no answers.Warren said it’s an issue only fueled by limited resources and a lack of communication between local and federal agencies.”I’m really bothered with just how the process is, and how slow it’s going,” she said. “I don’t still see that sense of urgency. I still feel like I’m running around frantically trying to look for my aunt.”

Begay’s disappearance is especially hard for relatives like Warren. Since her aunt went missing, Warren has been a key advocate for families with similar situations. She’s walked a dozen trips to demand change from local leaders. Sister station KOAT caught up with her in February 2021 during her most recent trek to the Navajo Nation capital. There, she met with President Jonathan Nez. However, this time around, Warren is thinking bigger and farther: Washington, D.C. “During one of my prayers, that’s what I spoke of is, I’m going to do this walk to D.C. because I’m not the only one that’s dealing with this,” she said. Over the next few weeks, Warren will be making her way to the nation’s Capitol, by foot. She’ll start at her aunt’s home in Arizona, then make the long walk. Just days before, preparations for the trip turned emotional for Begay’s niece.”Why am I going around, in each room, looking for what to take when my aunt didn’t get that chance?” she said. “When I was leaving, I hugged my kids. I was telling them where I’m going to be at. My aunt didn’t get that chance.”

https://4state.news/why-one-woman-is-walking-almost-2400-miles-to-the-us-capitol/

 

[5W's]

Recently I heard about Ella Mae. Such a sad and tragic case. Also read comments on Facebook, quite scary how the horror unfolded. Poor lady in photos she looks tiny and frail that just makes what happened to her even more horrible. I want to point out that even though in small communities and rural areas people know everyone else who lives there and who associates with who and big city crime is far away from their community, for the most part this is correct. But when and if tragedy strikes it shocks everyone in that small community because it appears the community is close knit. Its even more shocking when its someone who is associated with that small community. Often times IMO police don't have experience dealing with horrible crime in rural areas not only do they lack resources but experience as well. These rural police departments (including Tribal police) will reach out to other agencies in nearby areas. I believe in Ella Mae's instance they did after they realized how serious the case was. Initially the local tribal police IMO were unsure of how this crime unfolded (didn't experience a similar previous incident) and to add to that they may have overlooked that possibly a person associated with the small community could have knowledge, information etc. regarding what happened to Ella Mae. IMO all LE jurisdictions regardless of how small they are should be trained to view an unusual circumstance as a potential crime and work down from there. IDK if it would have mad a difference for Ella Mae but I would like to think so.

 

[5W's]

I scanned each of the above articles, looking for the reason given that they knew it was a homicide.

I didn't see any statement explaining why. I guess because it has been so long. I was wondering if there was any kind of a crime scenes or did someone use her bank card? Was her vehicle even found yet?

Actually I believe not long after she went missing is when authorities said it was a homicide. IIRC it was a week or so after.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

m Sweetwater, near Teec Nos , where her missing aunt lived and was last seen. In the Navajo Nation capital, Warren wanted to get tribal leaders' attention about Ella Mae and the lack of response to the case.

Now a year later, Window Rock is only a pit stop on the road to Warren's ultimate destination: Washington, D.C.

The disappearance of Ella Mae Begay, who was reported missing June 15, 2021, from Sweetwater, captured national attention due in part to Warren's determination to bring focus to the case by showing up and speaking out.

Warren’s criticism of law enforcement, including the Navajo Nation police, Navajo Criminal Investigators and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, sheds light on her experiences with law enforcement agencies, which seemed to work separately from one another, creating more obstacles when it comes to missing-persons cases on the Navajo Nation.

“I still feel helpless,” said Warren. “The only time I feel better is when I'm doing something for my aunt.”

A Navajo woman is walking to Washington, D.C., to focus attention on her missing aunt

Seraphine Warren walked to the Navajo Nation capital a year ago, but her aunt's missing persons case is unsolved, so she's taking her message farther.

www.azcentral.com