Bessie Walker's family holds vigil three years after her death

Kate Nemarich Image
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Bessie Walker's family holds vigil three years after her death
The call for justice echoes three years after 27-year-old Bessie Walker was found dead on tribal land in Fresno County.

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The call for justice echoes three years after 27-year-old Bessie Walker was found dead on tribal land in Fresno County.

Her family continues to search for answers and is joining with indigenous organizations to raise awareness about her death.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation into Walker's death and says the case is still open.

Walker was found dead just weeks after going missing in 2021.

Her family is still searching for answers.

"It hurts. It hurts a lot. Like we were all close when we were growing up," said Lara. "It was always us together and she's not here and I'll never see her again. I'll never be able to hug her or tell her I love her and she'll forever be 27."

Walker's sister Rayetta joined dozens of others at The Fresno American Indian Health Project Community Garden Tuesday to remember Walker and draw to attention to her case.

Walker was last seen on August 4th or 5th in 2021 her family reported her missing on the 8th.

It would take two more weeks for family members to find her body just 50 yards away from her mother's home on the Big Sandy Rancheria.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office ruled her death suspicious, her sister believes someone in their community knows more than they're sharing with her or law enforcement.

"It hurts, it hurts," said Lara. "I don't trust anybody in the community. I don't trust a lot of people who are close to me. I don't trust a lot of family and friends. It's a small community. Somebody has to know something."

Lara feels her sister's case has been pushed aside because she's Indigenous so as they remembered Walker they also spotlighted the Indigenous organizations that have assisted the family through the years, including Indigenous Justice, North Fork Tribal TANF, and The Fresno American Indian Health Project.

"When it comes to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women or Missing and Murdered Indigenous relatives for our native community we come as one to be help link them to other resources to their loved ones back together," said Teela Kipp, The Fresno American Indian Health Project.

After everyone else goes home Lara's fight for her sister will continue.

"Forever," said Lara. "I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to give up."

There is a $10,000 reward being offered for information on Walker's death.

If you know anything, you're asked to call the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

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