Security Camera Video Offers New Clues in 6-Year Search for Missing Montana Mom Jermain Charlo

On June 4, 2025, Missoula, Montana's police department released security camera footage to "48 Hours" in an effort to reignite the search for Jermain Charlo, a 23-year-old woman who has been missing since June 16, 2018. The footage, captured late on Friday, June 15, 2018, shows Charlo walking down a street in downtown Missoula, followed by a man identified as Michael DeFrance, her ex-boyfriend and the father of their two sons. Another segment of the video shows Charlo socializing outside a local bar called The Badlander, with DeFrance standing behind her. Around 1 a.m. on June 16, both of them leave the area and are not seen again. Detective Guy Baker, the lead investigator on the case, encourages anyone with information to come forward, hoping the video will spark new leads. Despite extensive searches and investigative efforts, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly named. Charlo’s phone records reveal it pinged from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Evaro Hill, located on the Flathead Reservation, about 14 miles from downtown Missoula. Charlo was a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes and had dreams of attending the Institute of American Indian Arts. Prior to her disappearance, Charlo had been dating a man named Jacob, who was away during the weekend she vanished. Jacob told police he had tried to call Charlo shortly before 1 a.m., and the call went to voicemail unusually quickly, suggesting someone may have purposefully ended the call. Jacob confirmed that Charlo mentioned DeFrance had been confrontational the day before, demanding to know if she was seeing someone else and expressing interest in getting back together. DeFrance told police he dropped Charlo off near a food market around 1 a.m. and that she was planning to meet a friend named Cassidy. However, police could not find anyone named Cassidy. Instead, they discovered that Charlo had been visiting Missoula frequently to see Jacob. DeFrance also admitted to having Charlo’s phone after she went missing and attempting to access it before disposing of it in Idaho. Despite DeFrance’s behavior, he has not been named as a suspect, though his actions remain suspicious. The investigation into Charlo’s disappearance is being treated as a potential homicide, given the lack of evidence and the mysterious disposal of her phone. Police and the community have conducted multiple searches on the Flathead Reservation and in Missoula, but to no avail. The case highlights the broader issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW), where Indigenous persons account for 24% of active missing persons cases in Montana, despite making up only 6% of the population. Jen Murphy, an educator who has participated in several searches, points out the systemic issues surrounding MMIW cases. "Every little step in a grid search is heart-wrenching. Trees are dense, and it’s nearly impossible to cover every inch. But we’re not asking for special treatment; we’re asking for equal treatment. The lives of Indigenous women matter," Murphy emphasizes. Industry insiders and advocates for MMIW highlight the significance of the security footage release. This move demonstrates a continued commitment to solving high-profile cases and addresses the critical need for more resources and attention to MMIW investigations. Missoula’s police department, under Detective Baker’s leadership, remains dedicated to finding answers, despite the challenges. The Missoula Police Department has set up a hotline and encourages the public to report any information that might help solve the mystery of Jermain Charlo’s disappearance. If you have any leads, contact Detective Guy Baker at 406-552-6284. This ongoing case underscores the importance of community involvement and the need for equitable investigative practices in addressing the disproportionate number of missing Native American women. Detective Guy Baker's persistence and the release of this critical footage reflect a broader effort to keep missing persons cases in the public eye and foster hope for resolution. The case of Jermain Charlo is not just a local mystery but also a poignant reminder of the systemic issues affecting Indigenous communities.