A Montana judge will sentence Sunny K. White on January 31 in the hit-and-run death of Mika Westwolf, a 22-year-old Blackfeet Nation member, marking a rare conviction in a case that became a rallying point for Indigenous justice.
After Westwolf’s death, her mother, Carissa Heavy Runner, launched a Facebook page that grew to more than 1,500 followers, becoming a hub for sharing information and support for other missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) and their families. The case gained national attention, as Heavy Runner fought not only for justice for her daughter, but also to highlight how Indigenous families often must wage public campaigns to get law enforcement to thoroughly investigate crimes against Native people.
“We are going to be getting some closure,” Heavy Runner, a Blackfeet Nation member, said. “I know that’s not just going to help me and her brother and my husband, but will hopefully help other people you know who are impacted by MMIP.”…