Rhonda Laureen RUNNINGBIRD Missing Person Case

Rhonda Laureen

RUNNINGBIRD

56

25

64 inches

64 inches

128 lbs

128 lbs

Indigenous

Female

On March 26, 1995, 25-year-old Rhonda Laureen Runningbird was with her common-law husband, their infant son, and his sister on a hunting trip near Swan Lake in Clearwater County, Alberta, when she vanished. The group had reportedly been traveling in a truck that became stuck in the mud. According to her partner's account to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Rhonda decided to walk for help and never came back. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as being of Indigenous descent, standing 5'5" tall, and weighing between 125 and 145 pounds. She had black hair, brown eyes, and wore glasses. She was last seen wearing a red-hooded coat and running shoes. Distinctive features included a tattoo of "RRB" on her left hand and a cross on her right hand. Significantly, due to recent injuries, she was using a kidney colostomy bag. The family of Rhonda Runningbird learned she was missing not from law enforcement, but from a news report. They had been trying to get in touch with her for about a week before they heard the news. Upon traveling to the area where she was last seen, her family conducted their own search and discovered items they believed belonged to her, including her glasses, one of her shoes, and her colostomy bag. However, the RCMP dismissed these findings, stating that the items did not belong to Rhonda. The family has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the initial investigation, recalling an officer suggesting that Rhonda was likely "in Edmonton getting drunk". This response, they felt, indicated a lack of seriousness and sensitivity in the critical early stages of the investigation. Over the years, the case of Rhonda Runningbird has remained open, a painful and unresolved chapter for her loved ones. The official narrative provided by her common-law partner, that she simply walked off for help and never returned, has been met with skepticism by Rhonda's family, especially given that she was in a physically weakened state and required a colostomy bag at the time of her disappearance. Her partner was considered a person of interest in the case, but he passed away in 2016 without any charges being laid. The RCMP has stated that while a person of interest was identified, there was insufficient evidence to determine if foul play was involved in her disappearance. The case remains one of many unsolved cases of missing Indigenous women in Canada, a lasting source of pain and unanswered questions for her children and extended family who continue to wait for answers.

Coat Red, With hood Shoes Running shoes

Mar 26, 1995

Clearwater County

Alberta

Rocky Mountain House RCMP

Rocky Mountain House

Alberta

403-845-2882

403-845-2882

Law Enforcement

20141214198

Rocky Mountain House RCMP

Black

Brown

Brown

Build: Medium; Complexion: Dark; Hair details: Long

No