Sarah Crane Murdoch (Reporter)

A lot of his family is Salish Kootenai, including his son. They met as single parents when Kevin's son was three years old and Micah was six. They became a tight family unit. Kevin built them a house at the foot of the mountains. Their albums are full of photos of them camping and hunting together. They told me Micah was a good shot, but she always intentionally missed.

How has losing Micah impacted your marriage?

How has losing Micah impacted your marriage?

How has losing Micah impacted your marriage?

There's a saying about the highway Micah died on. Pray for me, I drive 93. Carissa and Kevin could name three other Native people who'd been killed in the last five years while walking this same stretch of highway. In none of those cases had the driver been prosecuted or even arrested. They wanted to know why.

There's a saying about the highway Micah died on. Pray for me, I drive 93. Carissa and Kevin could name three other Native people who'd been killed in the last five years while walking this same stretch of highway. In none of those cases had the driver been prosecuted or even arrested. They wanted to know why.

There's a saying about the highway Micah died on. Pray for me, I drive 93. Carissa and Kevin could name three other Native people who'd been killed in the last five years while walking this same stretch of highway. In none of those cases had the driver been prosecuted or even arrested. They wanted to know why.

So a few weeks after their meeting with Bieber, they invited the mothers of the victims over to their house for dinner. They all sat in the living room. It was a little awkward. Bonnie Asensio's daughter Marina was killed in 2022.

So a few weeks after their meeting with Bieber, they invited the mothers of the victims over to their house for dinner. They all sat in the living room. It was a little awkward. Bonnie Asensio's daughter Marina was killed in 2022.

So a few weeks after their meeting with Bieber, they invited the mothers of the victims over to their house for dinner. They all sat in the living room. It was a little awkward. Bonnie Asensio's daughter Marina was killed in 2022.

They learned they'd all had the same investigator, Wayne Bieber, and the same county prosecutor, James Lepotka, who Carissa and Kevin hadn't heard from yet.

They learned they'd all had the same investigator, Wayne Bieber, and the same county prosecutor, James Lepotka, who Carissa and Kevin hadn't heard from yet.

They learned they'd all had the same investigator, Wayne Bieber, and the same county prosecutor, James Lepotka, who Carissa and Kevin hadn't heard from yet.

Marina was Bonnie's second child to die on the road. Her first, Ruby, had been riding with a friend when he crashed their car and killed her. He was intoxicated. He survived. Bonnie says the friend told Bieber that Ruby had been driving. But Bonnie's family didn't believe him. They did their own investigation, found witnesses, including a farmer who said he'd seen the friend in the driver's seat.

Marina was Bonnie's second child to die on the road. Her first, Ruby, had been riding with a friend when he crashed their car and killed her. He was intoxicated. He survived. Bonnie says the friend told Bieber that Ruby had been driving. But Bonnie's family didn't believe him. They did their own investigation, found witnesses, including a farmer who said he'd seen the friend in the driver's seat.

Marina was Bonnie's second child to die on the road. Her first, Ruby, had been riding with a friend when he crashed their car and killed her. He was intoxicated. He survived. Bonnie says the friend told Bieber that Ruby had been driving. But Bonnie's family didn't believe him. They did their own investigation, found witnesses, including a farmer who said he'd seen the friend in the driver's seat.

He went to prison. But if Bonnie and her family hadn't investigated, he might not have been charged. Two years later, when Marina died, no one was charged. Even though the Montana Highway Patrol knew who the driver was and the family says told them that she was over the legal limit for THC. Bonnie met with the county prosecutor, James LaPaka.

He went to prison. But if Bonnie and her family hadn't investigated, he might not have been charged. Two years later, when Marina died, no one was charged. Even though the Montana Highway Patrol knew who the driver was and the family says told them that she was over the legal limit for THC. Bonnie met with the county prosecutor, James LaPaka.

He went to prison. But if Bonnie and her family hadn't investigated, he might not have been charged. Two years later, when Marina died, no one was charged. Even though the Montana Highway Patrol knew who the driver was and the family says told them that she was over the legal limit for THC. Bonnie met with the county prosecutor, James LaPaka.

It felt to Bonnie like LaPaka had written her daughter off. She obsessed over the particulars of her daughter's case. She wanted to rent a billboard on the highway and brainstormed messages like, how hard is it to gather evidence? And whose reservation is this? And who is protecting who? But she didn't have money for a billboard. She checked herself into the mental health department at a hospital.