Remains of Missing Cherokee Woman Aubrey Dameron Found After 6 Years

OTTAWA COUNTY, Okla. — The remains of Aubrey Dameron, a 25-year-old transgender woman and Cherokee Nation citizen who vanished in 2019, have been identified after being discovered in rural Ottawa County, authorities announced Wednesday.

Dameron was last seen on March 9, 2019, leaving her mother’s home in Grove, Oklahoma. She was dressed in black and left her purse behind, reportedly planning to meet someone. Her disappearance sparked a years-long search involving multiple agencies, including the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit.

On Jan. 31, 2025, the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service responded to a call about human remains found near South 565 Road and East 30 Road, north of Commerce. The remains, which appeared to have been at the location for an undetermined period, were transported to the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. Less than a week later, they were confirmed to be Dameron’s.

“The past six long years of searching for Aubrey has come to an end,” the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service said in a statement, extending condolences to Dameron’s family. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. expressed grief over the discovery. “Aubrey, who was extremely proud of her Cherokee culture, had a bright future, and her young life was cut too short,” he said. “Our Marshals led many searches for her, erected billboards to help find her, and helped raise awareness on her case.”

Dameron’s family, including her aunt Pam Smith and uncle Christian Fencer, have been vocal advocates for her case and for missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP). “It’s high-risk to be Native and missing, and high-risk to be transgender and missing,” Smith told Dateline in 2022. “And Aubrey was both.”

Fencer, who has tirelessly sought answers, previously told Dateline, “I lose hope, but at the same time I see stories of people being found after years of being missing… and I hold on to hope that maybe, just maybe, everything will fall into place someday.”

The discovery has brought a painful closure to Dameron’s family and the Cherokee Nation. A Facebook page dedicated to her case confirmed the identification, stating, “Thank you to everyone who has helped along the way. Please give us time to process at this time.”

Authorities are urging anyone with information about Dameron’s case to contact the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service at 918-238-3137 or Central Dispatch at 918-542-5585.