On the night of June 15, 2018, Jermain Charlo, a 23-year-old Indigenous mother and a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, went out in downtown Missoula, Montana. She was last seen near the Badlander bar just before midnight.
She never came home.
More than six years later, Jermain remains missing.
Who Jermain Was
Jermain grew up on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. She was known to her family as social, expressive, and deeply connected to the people she loved. She was also a young mother of two boys — children who continue to grow up without answers about what happened to their mom.
Family members have said that Jermain was extremely active on her phone and social media, making her sudden silence immediately alarming. When messages went unanswered and her phone activity stopped entirely, her loved ones knew something was wrong.
The Night She Disappeared
On the night of June 15 into the early morning hours of June 16, 2018, Jermain was in downtown Missoula. Surveillance footage later released shows her walking and standing in an alley near the Badlander bar. In that footage, she is seen with her ex-boyfriend, Michael DeFrance, the father of her children.
That footage marks the last known sighting of Jermain Charlo.
DeFrance told police that he gave Jermain a ride that night and dropped her off near a grocery store around 1:00 a.m., claiming she planned to meet a friend. Over time, his account changed slightly, including the location where he said he left her.
Jermain never arrived at the place she was expected to stay. She never contacted friends or family again.
Troubling History and Red Flags
Jermain and DeFrance shared a long, complicated history marked by documented domestic violence. Court records show multiple arrests involving DeFrance for partner or family member assault. Family members and later reporting described a pattern of control, jealousy, and escalating behavior — dynamics that experts warn can become especially dangerous when a relationship is ending.
In the months before Jermain vanished, she had begun seeing someone new and appeared to be moving forward with her life. According to reporting, DeFrance was not aware of this relationship and had recently been pressuring Jermain about whether she was dating anyone.
The Investigation
Jermain was reported missing several days after she vanished, in part due to jurisdictional barriers between tribal and city law enforcement. By the time the investigation formally began, crucial early hours had passed.
Cell phone data later revealed that Jermain’s phone was active in the Evaro Hill area, north of Missoula, hours after she was last seen downtown — an area connected to DeFrance. DeFrance later told investigators that Jermain had left her phone in his truck and that he destroyed it days later. The phone has never been recovered.
Law enforcement searched multiple locations and continues to treat Jermain’s disappearance as the result of a criminal act. No arrests have been made, and no one has been officially charged in connection with her disappearance. However, investigators have stated publicly that the case remains active.
A Broader Crisis: MMIP in Montana
Jermain’s case is not an isolated one.
Indigenous people make up a small percentage of Montana’s population, yet they account for a disproportionately high number of missing persons cases. Indigenous women, in particular, face significantly elevated risks of violence, disappearance, and homicide.
Advocates point to systemic issues — including jurisdictional confusion, underfunded investigations, and historical neglect — as contributing factors that allow cases like Jermain’s to remain unresolved.
Jermain’s family has become vocal advocates for MMIP awareness, insisting that her name remain visible and that her case continue to be investigated.
Still Missing, Still Loved
Years later, Jermain’s family continues to search for answers. They have organized searches, held vigils, spoken to media, and worked tirelessly to keep her story alive. For them, justice means bringing Jermain home — and ensuring that what happened to her is not forgotten.
If you have information about the disappearance of Jermain Charlo, please contact:
Missoula Police Department — Detective Guy Baker
(406) 552-6284
Even the smallest detail could matter.
Vanished Voices is a true crime podcast dedicated to the cases that don’t get the attention they deserve — unsolved cases of people of color, LGBTQ+ victims, MMIW cases, and stories that still need tips to be solved. New episodes drop every Thursday. Listen to Jermain’s full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube. Subscribe and follow us anywhere you listen to podcasts.
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Resources:
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CBS News. (2024, October 12). The investigation into Montana mom Jermain Charlo’s disappearance. CBS News. The investigation into Montana mom Jermain Charlo’s disappearance – CBS News
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