On Highway 93, en route to Missoula, it’s hard to miss this billboard and Jermain Charlo’s haunting gaze.

Missoula police detective Guy Baker has been searching for Jermain for more than six years.

Det. Guy Baker: When I see that billboard … I’m frustrated. … We’ve … just time and time again, come up empty handed …

The last known images of Jermain Charlo were captured on surveillance video on Friday, June 15, 2018, in downtown Missoula. Jermain is seen chatting with people outside a bar called The Badlander.

A little before midnight Jermain walks away from the camera, a man by her side, and disappears into the night.

Six years later, with no arrest and no publicly named suspect, police released the video to “48 Hours” hoping to generate leads.

Det. Guy Baker:  Someone out there knows what happened to Jermain Charlo. … Jermain walks out of view … so, maybe somebody saw something … that has never thought about contacting us. … so, if anybody has any information about that night or any aspect of this investigation. I encourage them to call me.

For Jermain’s aunts, Dani Matt and Valenda Morigeau, this painful ordeal began on Saturday June 16, 2018, with a call from Jermain’s grandmother.

Valenda Morigeau: She was very close with my mom. My mom’s actually the one who had called me and said, “Have you heard from Jermain?” And I said, “No.”

The family says Jermain never went anywhere without her phone, so it would be unusual for her not to text or call. They knew she had been in Missoula.

Valenda Morigeau: So, I kept calling her, calling her …

And when she didn’t answer her phone, Matt had a feeling something wasn’t right.

Dani Matt: We’d called … the hospitals, to the shelters, anywhere we could think of … just ’cause it was not natural for her not to talk to my mother like she did on a daily basis.

Michelle Miller: She disappeared without a trace?

Dani Matt: Nothing.

The family was sick with worry.

No one had heard from her, and she had not returned to her home on the Flathead Reservation, about 40 miles from Missoula. On Monday, June 18, 48 hours after Jermain was last seen, Morigeau contacted authorities for help.

Valenda Morigeau: Because she went missing out of Missoula, I had called Missoula Police Department to … let them know she had gone missing.

Valenda Morigeau: There was, like, no sense of let’s make sure that we check all the boxes and make sure that we’ve done everything that we can to make sure she’s safe.

The family also contacted the Flathead Reservation police.

Police Chief Craige Couture: We try to get as much information out there as we can, try to get flyers, pictures, whatever we can do out there. … As the days go on people start thinking, hold on, maybe there is … more to this than just she’s gone.

Then, on June 20, four days after Jermain disappeared, Morigeau made the drive from the Flathead Reservation to the Missoula Police Department, officially filed a missing person report and met with a detective assigned to Jermain’s case.

Valenda Morigeau: He did his “due diligence,” and he checked the hospitals and the homeless shelters. … I was told that … she was not in immediate danger.

Morigeau knew in her heart Jermain was in immediate danger. Frightened and frustrated, the family reached out again.

THE SEARCH FOR JERMAIN CHARLO

Volunteer searches were organized.

Jen Murphy: I’ve been on a couple of the searches …

Michelle Miller: Describe them to me.

Jen Murphy: They’re heartbreaking.

Jen Murphy is an educator living in Montana.

Jen Murphy: Every little step that you take … it’s a grid search, so you can’t be any farther than an arms-length apart … so that you don’t miss anything. … So, grid searching a mountain with trees that are right next to each other is almost impossible.

During one of those searches Murphy met Valenda Morigeau.

Michelle Miller: How would you describe your bond with Valenda?

Jen Murphy: She’s like a sister to me now.

Michelle Miller: So, her pain is your pain?

Jen Murphy: Absolutely.

After Jermain had been missing for about 10 days, Baker, who’d just come back from vacation, volunteered to take over the case.

Michelle Miller: Is it unusual for someone to go missing in Missoula?

Det. Guy Baker: Uh, no. No … I think we have sometimes multiple people per week … 97, 98% statewide reported missing people are found … so it’s that 2% that are the difficult ones.

Baker was concerned Jermain’s case was among that difficult 2%. Then, in mid-July, one month after her disappearance, there seemed to be a new and disturbing development.

Det. Guy Baker: We had some information early on that there might have been some people in Missoula from outta state that were trying to buy a girl, and I was thinking there was a connection there.

Brittany Williams: There are thousands of rural areas and miles to go across this state and there are people who are extremely vulnerable.

Brittany Williams is a Missoula County deputy attorney.

Michelle Miller: Human trafficking is a huge problem nationwide … But how does it differ in Montana?

Brittany Williams: I would say it differs from a lack of knowledge.

Brittany Williams: I think people have an idea that Montana is rural and undeveloped, and we don’t have major crimes that occur here, But the fact of the matter is we have one of the largest interstates that runs through our state right here through Missoula, Montana.

Brittany Williams: There are people who can be swept away in an instant and because of … lack of GPS or cell towers you might never hear from that person again, — in a matter of minutes, they could be gone, and they could be trafficked to another state … potentially another country.

If Jermain Charlo was a victim of trafficking could law enforcement find her?

WHERE IS JERMAIN CHARLO?

While Detective Baker was investigating the possibility Jermain Charlo may have been a victim of sex trafficking, her family was desperately trying to get her back home.

Dani Matt: We called her phone … seems like a million times over … tried to Facebook, FaceTime –

Valenda Morigeau: Even from the time she was a little kid … she had like the best personality. she’s very outgoing …

Dani Matt: Beautiful, resilient … animal lover. Oh gosh, the list of pets she had is —

Valenda Morigeau: I think she had, like, a flying squirrel or something.

Dani Matt: And then a pig.

Valenda Morigeau: She had two pigs.

Valenda Morigeau: She’s very outdoorsy … she had always loved to be by the river and fishing.

Morigeau was only 10 when her niece Jermain was born. Soon they were as close as sisters.

Valenda Morigeau: When she was born, I didn’t like her at all (laughs) … I was the baby of the family, and she stole my thunder … and then one day my grandma was cooking … and Jermain … she needed to be fed. My grandma’s like, “hold this baby.” I was like … I remember like looking at her, I was like, all right you’re not that bad. And then from that day on, she was my baby. … she was my baby sister.

Jermain was creative and imaginative.

Valenda Morigeau: She was an amazing artist.

Her dream was to attend the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico.

Valenda Morigeau: She was like using fingernail polish to make an octopus. … (laughs) she would, like, crochet grocery bags to try to save the environment.

Dani Matt: That girl could do anything she set her mind to. I swear she was so smart and so talented.

Jermain grew up on the Flathead Reservation.

Dani Matt: You’ve got the confluence of the Flathead and Jocko Rivers. You’ve got the bison range right next to you and mountains, you know, as far as you can see. A really strong sense of community.

And Jermain Charlo’s roots run deep on this reservation. She’s a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes and a descendant of Chief Charlo, known for his peaceful resistance during the 1870s when the tribe was forced to move from their ancestral land in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley to the Flathead Reservation.

Michelle Miller: We are on tribal land?

Dani Matt: Yes.

Jermain was balancing life while coparenting her two young sons, Jacob and Thomas. Her relationship with their father was strained.

Valenda Morigeau: Oh, she was a great mother. … Her world revolved around those boys. She wanted to teach ’em all about fishing and hunting … take ’em to the fair, try to give ’em the best life she knew how.

Jermain had been working at the Big River Cantina on the Flathead Reservation. She was hoping to find work as a seasonal firefighter and had an interview scheduled. But she didn’t show up.

Michelle Miller: Is she the first Native woman to disappear from the Flathead Reservation?

Brittany Williams: No.

Missoula County Deputy Attorney Brittany Williams knows it all too well. In Montana, Indigenous persons make up only about six percent of the population, but 24 percent of the state’s active missing persons cases.

Michelle Miller: Would you consider it to be an epidemic?

Brittany Williams: I would, yes.

Michelle Miller: And is there any indication why?

Brittany Williams:  I think that there’s — that’s a very complex question. There’s a lot of history there.

Jen Murphy: I think there’s just so many different factors that go into each missing person. From domestic violence to human trafficking, to poverty, to homelessness.

As law enforcement began digging deeper into Jermain Charlo’s disappearance, they would rule out the possibility the 23-year-old mother of two had been a victim of trafficking.

Brittany Williams: That was initially an avenue of investigation … Ultimately, I don’t believe that she was trafficked.

Michelle Miller: Why?

Brittany Williams: I think that we have enough evidence through this investigation that lends itself to believe something else has happened to her.

Jermain posted a TikTok video, lip synching lines from a TV show the day she disappeared. It’s the same image seen in her missing poster billboard. She’s wearing the same clothes in the surveillance video.

Baker discovered the video early in his investigation, and he shared excerpts of it with “48 Hours.” He told us that the man standing behind Jermain in the video was Michael DeFrance — Jermain’s ex-boyfriend and the father of their two children. He agreed to speak with police without a lawyer.

Michelle Miller: You believe Michael DeFrance was the last person to see Jermain Charlo?

Det. Guy Baker: That’s what the investigation has determined — and he told us that.

According to police, sometime around midnight, DeFrance and Jermain walked away and got in his 2011 brown Dodge truck.

Det. Guy Baker: He said that uh … they left the downtown area and that he … dropped her off … and that — that ended their night together.

According to law enforcement, “Michael DeFrance stated he dropped Jermain off at the Orange Street Food Farm. Michael DeFrance did this because Jermain stated that her friend ‘Cassidy’ lived nearby, and Jermain was going to spend the night there.”

Michael DeFrance dropped Jermain off at approximately “0100 hours” — 1 a.m. Police didn’t find a “Cassidy,” but they learned Jermain had been visiting Missoula regularly because she was dating a man named Jacob who lived in that neighborhood.

Valenda Morigeau: They had met on a dating app, and they weren’t together for very long … but it seemed like they had a very strong connection, and he was just totally infatuated with her.

Authorities say Jacob was out of town — miles away in another state. Morigeau says he and Jermain were texting each other that night before she disappeared.

Valenda Morigeau: Her plan, according to, like, her message to him, was that she was gonna go back to his place that night ’cause he was out of town.

According to law enforcement, when “Jacob attempted to call Jermain” shortly before 1 a.m. on June 16, he “… thought it was strange because the phone rang several times before it went to voicemail. Jacob felt that somebody purposely ended the call.”

Brittany Williams: And this particular call that was made to her has been shown through the carrier to have been silenced by someone.

Jacob also told police that the day before she disappeared, “Jermain told Jacob that Michael had been yelling at her, asking if she was dating anyone and wanted to get back together with her.”

Police say Jacob cooperated with the investigation and was never considered a suspect.

It’s unsettling to see Jermain Charlo, socializing that night, and Michael DeFrance — the last known person to see her alive — and not know what they were talking about or what may have been going on between them.

DeFrance has not been named as a suspect in Jermain’s disappearance.

“48 Hours” showed the surveillance video to Morigeau and Matt. They’re seeing it for the first time.

Dani Matt: Mm-hmm, there she is.

Valenda Morigeau: For her to be walking in front of him … it seems like he keeps like trying to catch up to her.

They sensed Jermain was sending a message about DeFrance.

Valenda Morigeau: And she’s … you know we gotta go our separate ways.

KEEPING JERMAIN CHARLO’S CASE RELEVANT

Jermain Charlo never went anywhere without her phone. So, it was crucial for investigators to find it.

Det. Guy Baker: We got cellphone data … linked to Jermain’s cellphone that indicated it was active on the night she disappeared, and it was active multiple times, primarily between the hours of 2 a.m. … and up until just about 10 a.m. on the 16th of June.

Michelle Miller: And where was the phone?

Det. Guy Baker:  So, the phone’s never been recovered, so we don’t know where the phone was, but judging by the information we got from the tower … it was most definitely north of Missoula, and it was in the area of Evaro Hill.

Evaro Hill is on the Flathead Reservation. It’s a rugged area with lots of trees and wildlife. It’s a place Michael DeFrance knows well.

Brittany Williams: He lives specifically up on the Evaro Hill area … he was the last person to be with Jermain Charlo before her life, as we know it, came to a standstill.

Searches have been conducted on Evaro Hill, but Jermain was not found.

Jen Murphy: There’s always that hope that she’s out there somewhere.

Jen Murphy, who has joined several volunteer searches for Jermain, came up with the idea to put Jermain Charlo’s missing poster on a billboard.

Jen Murphy: I currently am doing a project with billboards throughout Montana and throughout the United States. … I try to — have billboards as close to our reservations as possible … trying to make sure that — speaking to the perpetrators too, like, “we see you.”

The investigation into Jermain’s disappearance is just one of many cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women – known as MMIW. In 2019, the Justice Department created a task force to investigate cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people around the country.

Social media has helped to ignite the movement. At the 2024 Emmy Awards, “Reservation Dogs” actor and nominee D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai was on the red carpet, bringing attention to the crisis.

Jen Murphy: I feel like we’re all of the human race and should be looked for the same. … It’s not like we’re asking for special treatment, we’re just asking for the same treatment. … We’re not going to stop looking for our people … We’re not. Our lives matter.

A photo shoot with Vina Little Owl was in the same alley where Jermain was last seen.

Jen Murphy: Starts out with … praying and trying to set yourself right … to painting on the paint.

Vina Little Owl (leading the prayer): We offer a moment of silence in a space for our sisters.

Michelle Miller: What does the red hand mean?

Jen Murphy: The red handprint really symbolizes … our people being silenced … how we have always been looked at differently and that our people have not been heard in the same way that other people are. … That’s a harsh reality and it has been since the beginning of time … since colonization.

Jermain’s family can’t help but wonder about how her case was treated in those critical, early days in the investigation.

Valenda Morigeau: When I reported her missing, there was no sense of urgency. … I don’t know if it’s because she’s … over … 18 or …  because she was drinking or the fact that she was Native American.

Lead detective Guy Baker can’t speak to those first days of the investigation. Remember, he didn’t get the case until 10 days after Jermain disappeared. But he’s well aware that some missing persons cases do get more attention than others.

Det. Guy Baker: You know, just look at our national media. Gabby Petito goes missing and look at the national exposure she got for a week or two for a Caucasian female and how many missing Native American females went missing in that same time period and got nothing. … so I’ve made a concerted effort … to keep Jermain relevant.

It’s Baker’s hope that by releasing the surveillance video to “48 Hours,” he’ll gain new leads. For Morigeau and Matt, it’s the last glimpse of Jermain’s life the night she disappeared.

Michelle Miller (watching the surveillance video): Do you see her?

Valenda Morigeau: Yeah. … Being social.

Dani Matt: Silly, being herself.

It’s the last glimpse of Jermain’s life the night she disappeared.

Dani Matt: Jermain, her bubbly self is beautiful to — to see her, um, hurts at the same time, but, um, so full of life.

Then, they zero in on the man standing behind Jermain: Michael DeFrance.

Dani Matt (watching the security video): Introduces him.

Valenda Morigeau (watching the security video): Then he’s got his arms crossed like and rolls up his sleeves like trying to intimidate whoever that dude is that she’s talking to.

Michelle Miller: Does it tell you anything?

Valenda Morigeau: It kind of shows me his demeanor that night. … looks like he’s in a rush to leave and that he’s annoyed that she’s — her attention isn’t focused on him.

Matt was surprised and relieved to see there were other people — potential witnesses — in the alley that night.

Danielle Matt: There’s a lot of people which reassures me that somebody knows something. Somebody’s seen her … somebody’s gotta know what that conversation was.

Baker says he spoke with several of the people seen on the video, but because this investigation is still active, he wouldn’t say much about what he learned.

Valenda Morigeau: I’m hoping that maybe by chance, somebody … saw them and just has no idea that she’s been missing and says something and that is just like the small missing piece that we need.

A RELATIONSHIP UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

While authorities did not name DeFrance as a suspect in Jermain’s disappearance, they did want to learn more about the couple’s relationship.

They started at the beginning. Jermain Charlo was 14 when she met 16-year-old Michael DeFrance in 2010 when his family moved in across the street. They both enjoyed fishing on the river and taking long walks. The teens were practically inseparable, but there were red flags.

Valenda Morigeau: I don’t remember why I had her phone, but, like, I had found some explicit photos of her on her phone … like, you know, I had mentioned it to Michael … I was like, “she was never like this before,” like, “you know this is not OK. This is not something that you guys should be sharing at your age.”

Michelle Miller: What was his reaction?

Valenda Morigeau: He didn’t really say much.

Despite family disapproval, Jermain continued to see DeFrance. Then in April 2013, just two weeks shy of Jermain’s 18th birthday, Morigeau got a harrowing call.

Valenda Morigeau: There was an incident where um, she had called me and said, “auntie I need you down here. Michael hit me.”

According to court documents, DeFrance, who was 19, admitted he assaulted Jermain: “On 4-14-2013 in Sanders County I caused bodily injury to my girlfriend.” The documents also state how he hurt Jermain: “The Defendant made the following admissions: That he hit her 3 times. That he used his fist.”

Danielle Matt: It was hard to hear that and see her go through that and the emotional phone calls and conversations that followed … you know, she was a kid.

DeFrance pleaded guilty to partner family member assault. He wouldn’t serve any jail time, but he would be prohibited from possessing firearms.

Despite the violence, Jermain and DeFrance remained together. Jermain’s family says she was staying with DeFrance in a camper on his parents’ property.

A few months later, DeFrance left town to work as a seasonal firefighter.

Jermain, alone, lonely, and living in a camper, began sharing her world on YouTube:

Valenda Morigeau: She was very good about hiding pain … and try to pretend like everything was OK.

Soon, they were young parents raising their two boys. But Morigeau says the violence continued.

Valenda Morigeau: Multiple times of getting phone calls and going down to make sure she was OK and … it was hard for us to watch her go back, but that’s what happens to a lot of women who were victims of domestic violence.

Danielle Matt: They’d break up and make up and breakup and make up.

According to Matt, the couple eventually broke up for good in 2017.

Danielle Matt:  Michael … still wanted Jermain to do as Michael said. And, so, when Jermain started to create a life without him, um, it seems like things got worse for her … she was the mother of his kids and had to kind of walk on eggshells around what Michael wanted or how you know he pictured her or wanted her to be as mom.

In early 2018, just months before her disappearance, Jermain and DeFrance had a heated custody battle over the boys. According to her family, Jermain had limited resources. DeFrance, it seemed, had more.

Danielle Matt: He had an attorney. … She didn’t have an attorney … Jermain … was working hard to find stability with work.

A judge decided the kids would live with their father and she would have visitation rights. The parenting plan, says her family, was stressful for Jermain. Chayla Russell noticed a change in her cousin’s behavior.

Chayla Russell: Michael had the boys and so she was lonely and scared for her safety.

Michelle Miller: She was scared for her safety?

Chayla Russell: Yeah … she would talk about having nightmares or being scared to be alone …

After Jermain’s disappearance, investigators would discover something else about Michael DeFrance.

Jill Valley | KPAX anchor: Detectives realize that he was in possession of firearms, which is against the law when you’ve been convicted of partner family member assault.

Investigators seized guns from Michael DeFrance’s property. In 2021, he was arrested and charged with possessing firearms – a violation of his 2013 sentence. KPAX anchor and reporter Jill Valley covered the federal trial.

Jill Valley:  On one side it’s the DeFrance family … on the other side it’s Jermain’s family and friends. And it is tense. I don’t think there’s any love lost between those two families.

In 2023, Michael DeFrance was convicted and sentenced to 21 months in prison. He hasn’t served any time because he is appealing the conviction. “48 Hours” requested an interview through his attorney. He declined our request.

In their effort to find Jermain, authorities secured numerous search warrants, including at least two on DeFrance’s property.

But because this is an active investigation, many of the search warrants have been sealed.

Brittany Williams: Dozens of searches … for Jermain over the last six years. … there have been canine searches … Canines who are trained to detect bodies.

Det. Guy Baker: Every place that we’ve searched has not yielded the evidence that would give us the answer.

Michelle Miller: What do you think happened to her and why?

Det. Guy Baker: All I can say without compromising the investigation is I think Jermain’s disappearance is a result of a criminal action. … and somebody knows what happened to Jermain, and we need their — their assistance. Somebody knows something.

Something that always baffled Baker is what happened to Jermain’s cellphone. Turns out, DeFrance provided an answer.

WHAT HAPPENED TO JERMAIN CHARLO’S CELLPHONE?

Evaro Hill is the last known area where Jermain’s cellphone was active. According to investigators it was pinging between 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. the morning after she was last seen.

Brittany Williams: It’s a very heavily forested area, lots of different wildlife … And then, one — sole highway that runs through the top of Evaro Hill.

It’s the area where Jermain’s ex, Michael DeFrance, was living. In his initial statement to police, he said that he’d dropped Jermain off in Missoula around 1 a.m., and that she had her phone with her. So why was it active on Evaro Hill, roughly 14 miles north of Missoula, hours later? DeFrance changed his story and said her phone was with him.

Brittany Williams: In a subsequent interview, he provided a statement that she left her cellphone and he attempted to go through her cellphone, and he was unable to get into her cellphone.

What he said he did next surprised Baker. DeFrance admitted that two days after he last saw Jermain, he threw her phone away.

Det. Guy Baker: So, Mr. DeFrance had told us during one of his interviews that he discarded, uh, Jermain’s cellphone in Idaho.

DeFrance, then working as a truck driver, told authorities he disposed of Jermain’s phone in Idaho at mile marker 94 on Highway 12. Law enforcement searched the area, but never found the phone.

Michelle Miller: I have to ask, why would he get rid of her cellphone? What explanation did he have?

Det. Guy Baker: I –

Michelle Miller: You can’t tell me?

Det. Guy Baker: — can’t tell you.

Michelle Miller: … is that unusual that someone would – one, admit to having a missing person’s cellphone and then, two, that they would dispense with it?

Det. Guy Baker: Yeah. Why would you get rid of the cellphone if someone was around to give the phone back to ’em?

Danielle Matt: Why would he have her phone? … Why would he destroy it, throw it out at mile marker what the hell ever …  I — I don’t understand.

Brittany Williams: I wouldn’t say Michael DeFrance is not a person of interest. I would say that I’m not at liberty to say who is or who is not a person of interest.

No suspects have been named in connection with Jermain’s disappearance. Police are now considering the case a no body homicide, but without a body, prosecuting a homicide is a challenge.

Brittany Williams: I think it’s important for everyone to know that you only get one bite at the apple here, only one shot. And so I wanna gather as much information to ensure a successful prosecution, should we meet that crossroad.

Brittany Williams: It’s my belief that we are close to moving forward in this case.

Michelle Miller: Moving forward meaning filing charges against a suspect?

Brittany Williams: If it ultimately is determined that this is criminal means, absolutely.

Brittany Williams: Jermain and her family deserve answers. And it is my hope … that someone comes forward, provides us some new lead that can lead to justice.

Det. Guy Baker: I have my cellphone on that billboard, not just the police department’s main number, ’cause I want someone to call me … because I want the information.

The billboard’s location was important to Matt and Morigeau. It looks out toward the reservation and Evaro Hill, where DeFrance was living with Jermain’s two sons.

Dani Matt: I know that Michael would probably have to take that route … to come to Missoula. And I thought, well, the boys might not be able to see her in person, but that picture will be there and … Jacob and Thomas could see their mother … every time they drove by there.

Dani Matt: I hope throughout these years that Thomas and Jacob haven’t forgot who their mother is, and I hope they know that she loves them very much.

In Missoula, there’s a different billboard, this one showing Valenda Morigeau’s face. Her photo stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Valenda Morigeau: It took me a long time to do that photo shoot because I don’t want people thinking that, like, I want attention on myself. … it’s not about me. It’s about Jermain. … We will no longer be silent about our women going missing. … We have to fight for justice for our loved ones.

Michelle Miller: Do you still plan on searching for Jermain?

Valenda Morigeau: Always … I don’t care how long it takes.

Valenda Morigeau: … I’m never gonna give up on her. I don’t care if I have to search until I’m 80 years old.

Craige Couture | Flathead Reservation police chief: If this case is never solved and I retire, it’s not going away in my mind. … That’ll be one of those things that will be with me until the day I die … That weighs on us. … That weighs on our tribal council. … Everyone here thinks about it.

Six winters have passed since Jermain disappeared. Matt and Morigeau no longer believe she is alive.

Valenda Morigeau: So, I have a gift of when my family makes it to the other side. When my grandma passed away, she came and told me she made it. … When my grandpa passed away, he told me he made it.

Valenda Morigeau: And I had this dream and Jermain was there and she’s like … “I just wanted to tell you I found grandma and grandpa, and I’m fine.” … And she gave me a hug and she turned to walk away. (crying) And I said, “Jermain,” and she goes, “what?” I was like, “where’s your body?” … And she looked me dead in the eyes, she said, “it’s in Evaro.” She’s like, “I love you, but I have to go.”

If you have any information pertaining to Jermain Charlo’s disappearance, contact the Missoula Police Department at 406-552-6284. 

Produced by Marcelena Spencer and Emma Steele. Stephen A. McCain is the development producer. Richard Barber is the producer/editor. Diana Modica and George Baluzy are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer.

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The Whitefish Mountain Resort is yet another scenic destination for visitors to explore. The area covers roughly 3,000 acres of land, including mountains and countryside. In the winter, enjoy skiing and snowboarding the hillside runs. In the warmer months, ride the chairlift for impressive birds-eye views of the surrounding scenery. The Aerial Adventure Park is also a great place to check out, especially for families, and visitors can enjoy alpine slides, zip lines, and scenic hikes. Bikers can take advantage of the mountain terrain by going downhill and cross-country mountain biking in the warmer months.

Big Sky

The beauty of Big Sky is in the name itself. This expansive landscape includes a little bit of everything, from towering mountain ranges to sweeping valleys and a landscape and sky that seems to stretch endlessly. The town is nestled between the Spanish Peaks and the Madison Range, with views that can take your breath away at any moment. Trails wind through alpine meadows and dense forests, making it a paradise for hikers and nature lovers.

Popular hikes include Lava Lake, Storm Castle Peak, Ousel Falls, and Beehive Basin. Local trails can be found in the Custer Gallatin National Forest or explore Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is the country’s first-ever National Park and contains a plethora of wildlife, waterfalls, geysers, hot pots, and geological marvels. The Gallatin River also flows through the area, providing a peaceful contrast to the grandeur of the surrounding peaks. Raft among the white waters in spring and summer months.

In winter, the area transforms into a snowy wonderland. Take in the majestic snow-capped mountains and untouched snowy meadows. Enjoy over 50 miles of cross-country ski trails, or try alpine skiing and snowboarding at Big Sky Resort. Other options include snowshoeing, dog sledding, and even sleigh rides, which are all peaceful ways to enjoy the tranquility of Montana winters.

Livingston

Livingston sits at the doorstep of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, offering unmatched access to Montana’s rugged beauty. The Yellowstone River, one of the last free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states, winds through the town, creating scenic views and opportunities for peaceful riverside strolls. For the more adventurous, rafting opportunities are plentiful, and the river is a great place to whitewater raft or kayak through the gorgeous scenery.

The town’s natural backdrop features rolling hills and the imposing Absaroka and Gallatin Mountain Ranges. Visitors can enjoy stunning sunrises that paint the mountains in hues of pink and gold. Livingston’s close proximity to Yellowstone National Park makes it a prime destination for experiencing Montana’s wild and unspoiled landscapes. Drive through the scenic 55-mile course that passes through Paradise Valley and runs along the river. The town has year-round access to the park and tends to be less busy than nearby Bozeman.

The region also has fourteen fishing access sites where travelers can enjoy the tranquility of fly fishing. In winter, the Bridger Bowl ski resort is an excellent option for those looking to take on the fresh white powder of excellent ski runs and snowboard runs.

West Yellowstone

Like Big Sky and Livingston, West Yellowstone is a nature lover’s dream located just outside the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The town is surrounded by the park’s wilderness, including vast forests, geothermal wonders, and snow-capped peaks.

The town sits in close proximity to iconic landmarks like Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Old Faithful was one of the unique geothermal phenomena that inspired the park’s creation. Watching the geyser erupt amidst the backdrop of Yellowstone’s cliffs and forests is a favorite for any visitor to the park. Similarly, the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” is a 1200-foot canyon that winds for roughly 24 miles through the park. The head of the canyon contains two massive waterfalls, with water thundering over 300 feet into the depth below. In the warmer months, adventurers can take in the tranquil beauty of crystal-clear alpine lakes, or lose themselves in the vibrant hues of wildflower-strewn meadows. The Gallatin National Forest, which blankets the area, offers endless hiking and biking trails that weave through ancient forests and along rushing rivers.

Come winter, the town transforms into a snow-covered paradise. The landscape becomes a serene, white wonderland, where the soft crunch of snow underfoot is often the only sound in the still, frosty air. Cross-country skiing trails wind through glistening pine forests, while snowmobilers can carve paths through powdery meadows beneath the towering peaks of the Madison Range.

Ennis

Situated along the Madison River in the heart of southwestern Montana, Ennis offers an unparalleled blend of mountain vistas and peaceful river scenes. Surrounded by the Madison Range, the Gravelly Range, and the Tobacco Root Mountains, Ennis provides stunning views of snow-capped peaks and expansive valleys.

The nearby Ennis Lake, formed by the Madison Dam, is a beautiful spot for kayaking, swimming, or simply soaking in the tranquility of Montana’s open spaces. Visitors can also enjoy fishing on Madison River or Jack Creek.

The town is also close to the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, where hiking trails wind through untouched forests and alpine meadows. The region occupies some 259,000 acres of the Madison Range, including The Bear Trap Canyon, Spanish Peaks, Taylor Hilgard, and Monument Mountain. Explore some of the 300 miles of trail at one of 28 trailheads throughout the area, and watch for local wildlife like mountain goats and sheep, bears, elk, cougars, or wolves.

Known for its clear, starlit skies and vibrant sunsets, Ennis is a hidden gem for nature enthusiasts looking to experience Montana’s rugged beauty in a serene setting.

Red Lodge

Red Lodge is a mountain town surrounded by the towering Beartooth Mountains, Montana’s highest mountain range, with scenic landscapes that draw nature lovers year-round. As the gateway to the Beartooth Highway, one of the most scenic drives in the US, Red Lodge offers access to breathtaking alpine views, glacial lakes, and expansive valleys.

The nearby Custer Gallatin National Forest is a haven for wildlife, where hikers may spot moose, mountain goats, or golden eagles. Hike one of the many trails throughout the forest, or try a self-guided llama experience. For one of the most authentic ways to experience Montana, horseback ride through the mountains on a self-guided or tour-led adventure with establishments like Elk River Outfitters. Outdoor lovers can also take in the natural beauty of the area by climbing the impressive Beartooth rock faces or appreciate the beauty of the Yellowstone River as they fish. Above all, visitors can take in the majesty of Big Sky country from one of the many local campsites at Beartrap Ranch, Perry’s Campground, which sits along Rock Creek, or within Yellowstone Park.

Polson

Set on the southern shore of Flathead Lake, Polson provides stunning views of the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The broad expansion of Mission Valley stretches out around the town and is one of the most fruitful farmland areas in the region. In spring, the cherry orchards are transformed with soft pink blooms and blossoms.

Cutting through the valley is the Flathead River. Visitors can enjoy whitewater rafting among the rushing rapids. Nearby, the National Bison Range at Moiese is home to herds of deer, bison, elk, antelope, and sheep. Similarly, the Ninepipes and Pablo Wildlife Refuges are excellent options for bird watchers.

The surrounding Mission Mountains rise dramatically from behind the Flathead Lake, seamlessly blending the crystal waters with the majestic snow-capped peaks. The lake’s calm waters are perfect for kayaking, boating, or relaxing on the shore. Further abroad, about 70 miles from town, lies the iconic Glacier National Park, or “Crown of the Continent.” This beautiful park contains glaciers, alpine meadows, and bright blue glacial lakes, as well as over 700 miles of hiking and biking trails. Polson’s proximity to the mountains and water makes it a truly scenic retreat.

Hamilton

Hamilton is nestled in the Bitterroot Valley, with the towering Bitterroot Mountains on one side and the Sapphire Mountains on the other. This setting provides a dramatic contrast between jagged peaks and rolling, forested hills. The Bitterroot River runs through the valley, offering serene fishing spots and quiet places to enjoy nature. Trails in the nearby Bitterroot National Forest provide access to wildflower-filled meadows, dense pine forests, and impressive mountain vistas.

In winter, the Lolo Pass opens up to the state’s iconic Big Sky. Glide through snowy forests on ski trails that wind their way above the town. The views are stunning, day and night, and continue on the Chief Joseph Pass Trails, which have both ski and snowshoe trail options.

Choteau

Choteau is a gateway to some of the most stunning and diverse landscapes in Montana. Perched on the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front, the town presents a rare juxtaposition of expansive prairies and the towering peaks of the Rockies. The rolling grasslands that stretch out from the town provide an open, uninterrupted vista.

The Teton River, a ribbon of crystal-clear water that winds gently through the region, adds to Choteau’s tranquil atmosphere. It is ideal for those seeking quiet moments in nature, whether fly fishing, canoeing, or simply enjoying a riverside hike.

Chouteau’s proximity to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex—one of the largest wilderness areas in the contiguous United States—makes it an unparalleled base for those looking to explore the most remote and untouched wilderness in the country. The area boasts over 1 million acres of pristine forests, craggy peaks, and scenic mountain trails. Whether you are hiking through the dense stands of lodgepole pine, horseback riding along ridgelines with sweeping views, or setting off on a multi-day backcountry trek, the rugged terrain promises both solitude and adventure.

Whether you are an adventurer looking to hike rugged mountain trails, a nature enthusiast seeking quiet moments by a serene river, or a traveler in search of breathtaking panoramic views, Montana’s scenic towns offer it all. From the alpine splendor of Whitefish and Big Sky to the tranquil beauty of Ennis and Polson’s shimmering lakefront, each destination highlights the state’s incredible diversity. These towns are more than just gateways to the wilderness—they are experiences in themselves, steeped in unparalleled natural beauty. As you explore the valleys, forests, and rivers of Montana, you will find that each turn of the road brings a new, breathtaking scene, making these towns a must-visit for anyone who appreciates the raw, untamed splendor of the great outdoors.

The general election is a little more than three weeks away, including the race for Montana’s Western Congressional seat. Incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke and Democrat Monica Tranel are once again on the ballot and faced off in a forum in Helena on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

The 30-minute forum, moderated by MTN Senior Political Reporter Jonathon Ambarian, gave each candidate one minute to respond to a series of questions and 30 seconds to respond to the answers. Right off the top, housing costs took center stage, which has been a campaign issue for Monica Tranel.

Tranel: “He is profiting off of our pain. He is operating two Airbnb’s in Whitefish, charging us $26,000 a month. Anyone can go online and rent those Airbnb’s now, today. This is exploiting an issue that we need to have fixed for personal enrichment and we need a change; we need different.”

Zinke: “She entered our property and filmed and jumped on our bed—by the way, who does that? Now she films in our backyard, on our street and you know what? My family no longer feels safe—my wife, my daughter, we don’t feel safe in our home because Monica Tranel finds it necessary to violate our property.”

WATCH THE FULL TRANEL/ZINKE CANDIDATE FORUM:

Montana’s Western Congressional Candidate Forum

The most heated exchange came on rebuttal to a question to Rep. Zinke about abortion in Montana.

Tranel: “You voted to make mifepristone illegal to people in the National Guard, so Montanans who are in the National Guard can’t get that drug that is legal here in Montana. Let’s be totally clear—you have voted for the most extreme restrictions every chance you get.”

Zinke: “It’s my response, Monica, but I think we both would agree we should focus on birth control. We should focus on education, we should focus on—I do believe in birth control, why? To get ahead of the problem. But look, Montana is not, is too harsh to restrict it up front, meaning that we should have exceptions, absolutely. But the ‘support abortion moments before birth’ on health or privacy is simply not Montana.”

Other questions ranged from tax cuts to the timber business. In closing, both hit hard on their campaign themes.

Zinke: “There’s also the border; we see fentanyl, sex trafficking, child trafficking in every city across Montana. That’s because Harris, Biden, and believe me she’s support the same thing, is we don’t have a border, we need a border.”

Tranel: “It’s the most acute issue. Driving out of Bozeman you see people living in campers lining the streets, our sheriff deputies in Flathead County are living in campers. I have developed a plan that I formed with your input, talking wth you private and public partnerships.”

Libertarian candidate Dennis Hayes was not part of this forum, but visit here to see his full profile by Jonathon Ambarian.