Previously missing pregnant Indigenous woman found dead, CBI says
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation deactivated an endangered missing person alert Sunday for a previously missing pregnant woman. Sunday evening, police provided an update that the woman was dead.
Authorities say they were searching for 28-year-old Raeanna 'Nikki' Burch-Woodhull. She was last seen Nov. 27 but CBI sent out an alert on Saturday, Dec. 4. Sunday morning, they said she was located. Hours later, officials said she was dead. Her body was found Saturday near Colorado State Highway 550 and County Road 310, south of Durango, according to CBI.
Police have a suspect in custody, Luis Raul Valenzuela, 34. Police say the victim and suspect knew each other but didn't say how. When Burch-Woodhull was initially reported missing, a "missing" poster indicated she had tattoos on her face with the name "Luis."
He's being held on suspicion of second-degree murder, punishable by anywhere between four and 48 years in prison.
Few other details were immediately available, but officials say the La Plata County Coroner will perform the autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
CBI say it worked alongside the Ignacio Police Department, 6th Judicial District Attorney's Office, La Plata County Coroner's Office, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office of the Department of Public Safety.
The murder rate is ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations and murder is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women, despite comprising just 2% of the population, according to the Urban Indian Health Institute.
Valenzuela has a first court appearance Monday.
