MMIW

Family launches their own search for a missing Indigenous woman and make grim discovery in the California desert

Mike Bedigan
Tue 24 September 2024 

Detectives in the California desert, following the discovery of the body of a missing Indigenous woman Amy Porter, who was found after her family launched their own search (OnScene.TV)

A family who launched their own search for a missing Indigenous woman after becoming frustrated with authorities’ perceived lack of action found her body over a week later in the Californiadesert.

Amy Porter, 43, had been missing since September 14 in Lake Elsinore, in Riverside County and had reportedly fled an abusive relationship.

At around 9am on September 22, deputies from the Yucaipa Sheriff’s Station responded to a medical aid call in an area near to the Interstate 10. A body was later identified to be Porter and an autopsy was due to be conducted to determine the manner of her death.


Porter was a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the subject of a Feather Alert for an at-risk/ missing person over the weekend.

“Unfortunately, authorities haven’t been as helpful as we would like them to be,” Angelina Lyons, Porter’s cousin, told OnScene.TV on Sunday morning. “We feel like things weren’t taken seriously.”

Amy Porter, 43, a member of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians was found dead on Sunday September 22 (San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department)

Lyons said she had discovered blood on a mattress and clothing in Porter’s bedroom, but she said authorities did not investigate properly.

“Now they want to do their jobs, they want to investigate, want to go to the house,” she added. “They want to finally take what we’ve seen. We knew better.”

Porter’s cousin Shannon Quesada and Lyons said they believed she was trying to flee from danger when she was involved in a car accident.

“She was seen running from a hotel that they were both at, on foot, barefoot, running to her Suburban,” Quesada said.

Porter’s boyfriend, whose name was unavailable late Monday, has not been linked to the case, according to The Los Angeles Times. He was taken into custody by police in Pomona on Friday on an unrelated parole violation, local news stations reported.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with further information about this case is asked to contact Detective Daniel Berumen of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department at (909) 890-4904.