On June 15, 2021, 33-year-old Ranelle Rose Bennett hugged her mother a little longer than usual. Later that day, she promised to help decorate for her daughter’s birthday party. But she never showed up. That night, a 10-year-old girl sat by the window waiting for her mom, sending unanswered texts: “Mom, remember it’s my birthday today.”

Ranelle, a mother of two and a member of the Navajo Nation, vanished from her home in Hogback, New Mexico, and has never been seen again. Her sudden disappearance was met with delays, jurisdictional confusion, and silence from the very agencies meant to help. A month later, her boyfriend — already wanted on federal charges — was arrested in connection with a violent crime spree, only adding to the questions about what happened to Ranelle.

In this episode, we trace the timeline of Ranelle’s disappearance, the devastating wait her family has endured, and the few haunting clues that remain — a pair of shoes and a sweater found on the mesas outside Shiprock. Along the way, we examine the theories, the breakdowns in the investigation, and the larger crisis facing Indigenous communities.

If you know anything about the disappearance of Ranelle Rose Bennett, please contact:

• The Navajo Nation Police Department in Shiprock at (505) 368-1350
• The Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing & Murdered Unit tip line at 1-833-560-2065
• or text “BIAMMU” plus your tip to 847411

Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

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In June of 2017, twenty-year-old Ashley Loring HeavyRunner vanished from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. What began as an ordinary night at a party turned into the start of a desperate search — one that would uncover lost evidence, unanswered questions, and a family forced to take the investigation into their own hands.

This episode traces Ashley’s story: the last messages she sent, the silence that followed, and the tireless determination of her sister Kimberly and her family to bring her home. Eight years later, they’re still searching, still fighting for answers, and still holding onto hope.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, please contact:

-The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office at (801) 579-1400

-The Blackfeet Tribal Police at (406) 338-4000

Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov

Even the smallest detail could help bring Ashley home.

Further Reading and Resources:

• Kate Hodal, The Guardian – “A young woman vanishes. The police can’t help. Her desperate family won’t give up” (Feb 25, 2019)
• Sara Kettler, A&E True Crime – “How Ashley Loring HeavyRunner’s Disappearance Illustrates Issues With Investigating Crimes Against Indigenous Women” (Jan 11, 2022)
• ABC News – “No answers 2 years after 20-year-old student vanishes – a single case in an epidemic in Native communities” (Oct 8, 2019)
• NBC Montana – “Vanished in Montana: Ashley HeavyRunner’s family without closure nearly 8 years later”(May 29, 2025)
• Marie Claire (via murkowski.senate.gov) – “The Invisible Victims” (June 10, 2019)
• KRTV News – “Suspect arrested by FBI in Great Falls has been identified” (Aug 14, 2023)krtv.com
• FBI Missing Person Poster – Ashley Loring HeavyRunner (updated) fbi.gov

Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

Every year, countless lives disappear into silence. Indigenous women. LGBTQ+ victims. Communities overlooked and cases ignored. Their names rarely make headlines—but their stories deserve to be told.

Vanished Voices is a true crime podcast dedicated to shining a light on the people too often forgotten. With deep dives, investigative storytelling, and the voices of families and advocates, each episode unravels the mystery, the injustice, and the humanity behind these cases.

From missing persons to unsolved murders, we uncover the truths that mainstream coverage leaves behind—while honoring those who can no longer speak for themselves.

Because no one should vanish without a voice.

Join us for the first episode, dropping Thursday, September 25!