DATELINE ‘Secrets of Spirit Lake’ Lissa Yellowbird searches for missing niece Carla Yellowbird
Tonight’s Dateline episode is about investigator Lissa Yellowbird’s search for to find out what happened to her niece Carla Yellowbird. Lissa has spent years searching for missing Indigenous people who are often overlooked. In 2016, her work hit close to home when her niece went missing. Lissa had to find answers.
On August 23, 2016, 27-year-old Carla Yellowbird disappeared. She was last seen with her friend Suna Guy and his girlfriend.
Once Lissa got involved, she was able to find out what had happened to Carla within five days of investigating. According to Lissa’s 2020 interview with This American Life, Carla’s family had initially not wanted information about her disappearance spread on social media because he had been addicted to meth and had legal troubles because of that. They were also didn’t want Carla and their family to be stereotyped by something like drug abuse, which is one of the stigmas attached to the U.S.’s indigenous population.
Lissa understood Carla’s issues because she had also had a drug addiction, and had spent time in prison for selling.
Lissa went against their family’s wishes, and posted on Facebook asking for information about Carla’s disappearance. She started getting information right away. Someone gives her info about Suna Guy, and he ended up calling Lissa because he was angry that his name was being brought up in connection with Carla.
They had a heated exchange where Lissa asks him where Carla’s body was buried. Suna called her back, and told her he was going to talk to the cops to “clear his name,” and accused Lissa of harassment and slander.
Carla had travled to Spirit Lake Indian Reservation with Suna Guy, who had planned with Dakot Charboneau to rob her. They asked another man, Daylin St. Pierre to rob her. The next morning, Daylin St. Pierre killed Carla during the robbery.
In 2019 Daylin St. Pierre was sentenced to 27. 5 years for Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, use of a Firearm in Relation to a Felony Crime of Violence and Felony Murder. He’s also ordered to pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and $11,659 in restitution to the victim.
