James Norman Jr. says his son Markin, who also goes by Sharks, decided to get up and go for a walk on the San Carlos Apache Reservation one day back in February 2024. He hasn't been seen since then.
“They noticed that he didn’t return within a couple days. Within a week or so, we notified the police,” said Norman.
His family celebrated his 30th birthday in March without him.
“We thought his birthday, he was going to show up, but he never did,” said Norman.
Norman says the Bureau of Indian Affairs assigned him an investigator. But after search dogs and posting flyers turned up nothing, the case turned cold, and he says so did the support from law enforcement.
“They give you that brief talk about.. 'We’re going to do what we can… and then it’s only for a time being.' And like you said, it slowly slips away until it’s forgotten again,” said Norman.
“The issue of MMIP and this topic is challenging. It’s dealing with individuals' lives,” said Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, the Arizona MMIP Task Force coordinator.
Governor Katie Hobbs created a Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Task Force in 2023 comprised of tribal leaders, state lawmakers and law enforcement. They are diving into the health, judicial, policy and tribal issues that impact Arizona’s indigenous communities.
That includes reviewing policies and practices that impact violence against indigenous people, such as child welfare policies and practices. They are also looking into guaranteeing victims of violence access to culturally appropriate services, an idea that is getting discussed in the legislature now.
“It’s dissecting it, and what can accomplish as a task force with our own capacities,” said Imus-Nahsonhoya.
All this comes as the FBI sent extra agents and staff to states like Arizona to help investigate unsolved violent crimes in Native lands.
Norman tells ABC15 he picks up every phone call he gets just in case it is his son. He hopes one day he will come home.
“We love you, Markin. Wherever you’re at, I hope you see or somebody will mention it to you that hey, your dad is on the news asking and loving and wants you to come home,” said Norman.
