The family of Iris Whistling Elk is still wondering how the 20-year-old Northern Cheyenne woman died 28 years ago.

On September 20, 1978, Flores was found dead in Ashland, a town near the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. The autopsy indicated multiple injuries to her head and body. She had a blood-alcohol level of 0.26 and was seen the night before at a nearby bar.

The Rosebud County sheriff conducted an investigation but no charges were ever brought. A man was identified as a suspect but he was cleared by a polygraph.

The case is still considered open but Whistling Elk's family says authorities have done little to try and solve it. They have written numerous letters to local, state and federal officials, usually with not much of a response.

One issue is jurisdiction. The Bureau of Indian Affairs won't investigate because Whistling Elk was found off the reservation but Catherine Flores believes her sister could have been attacked on the reservation.

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Waiting for Answers: Northern Cheyenne woman's death remains a mystery after 28 years (The Billings Gazette 6/18)