The remains of a Native American woman missing for nearly a year were reportedly found inside a freezer earlier this month.
According to Inside Edition, 31-year-old mother of four Rosenda Strong was last seen in October before two passersby found her body inside a freezer thrown out in an area near a casino located on a Washington state reservation.
Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice indicated that her identity was confirmed through dental records, but offered few other initial details aside from the fact that her death was ruled a homicide.
He said his office “and its staff offer our condolences to the family and friends of Rosenda Strong.”
Cousin Roxanne White said Strong’s disappearance and the “devastating news” that her remains were discovered on July 4 have sparked local suspicion, adding that she and others close to the victim believe her “murderers were other local natives that she believed were her friends.”
Strong’s sister recalled the last time she saw her, as reported by the Seattle Times. It was Oct. 2, Cissy Strong Reyes said, and her sister left their Wapato residence with an acquaintance, never to be seen alive again.
Both Reyes and White were instrumental in organizing a local rally on what would have been her 32nd birthday, as well as raising awareness for violence against indigenous women.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the case to contact the Yakama Nation Police Department by calling 509-865-2933 or the FBI at 509-990-0857, using the case number 18-010803
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[Featured image: Rosenda Strong, Facebook]
