Although actress Misty Upham has struggled with mental illness, both her family and friend Juliette Lewis don’t believe she took her own life.
“I am in shock and [grief]. I pray the police do a murder investigation. They’re saying not ‘foul play’ when of course it is,” Lewis said Friday morning. “Misty spoke out a lot against injustices within Native community. And had known enemies. Police must do an investigation.”
Misty had been missing for 10 days when her body was found at the bottom of a 150-foot embankment yesterday. Her father expressed his concern that his daughter possibly committed suicide to a local radio station yesterday because she had often been suicidal, and was not taking her anxiety and bipolar medication. However, when her body was found later that night, her family no longer believed suicide was a possibility.
Juliette Lewis posted a photo of herself and her friend on Instagram, further expressing her worries. “I cant sleep. Too much darkness. I feel so sad about Misty. I know she has more to say. And about how she died. Misty told me about horrible violence she suffered on NA reservations She felt she [could] be murdered! she was vocal #ThisIsNOTaSUICIDE.”
UPDATE: Misty’s father has another theory. He doesn’t believe Misty committed suicide, but that she died after slipping off an embankment while hiding from the police.
“Misty was afraid of the Auburn PD officers with good reason,” he told People. “In an incident prior to her disappearance, the Auburn PD came to pick up Misty on an involuntary transport to the ER. She was cuffed and placed in a police car. Some of the officers began to taunt and tease her while she was in the car. Because it was dark they couldn’t see that we, her family, were outside our apartment just across the street witnessing this behavior.
“They were tapping on the window making faces at her. Misty was crying and she told them, ‘You can’t treat me like this. I’m a movie actress and I will use my connections to expose you.’ Then another officer walked up to her asked, ‘Are you a movie star? Then why don’t [you] complain to George Clooney!'”
