‘We are not going to stop’: MMIW Search and Hope Alliance continues search for Wesley Dixon Jones
By Griffin Beach on Friday, January 23rd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
MISSION – On Jan. 6, Umatilla Tribal Police (UTPD) announced they had exhausted all leads in the search for 71-year-old Wesley Dixon Jones and were not planning any future searches. However, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Search and Hope Alliance (MMIW) says their efforts to locate him will continue.
“We are not going to stop looking for Wesley Dixon Jones, we are going to keep coming back out there no matter how long it takes to bring him home,” said MMIW Founder Kimberly Lining.
Jones disappeared Oct. 5. He was last seen in a Ford Escape on Short Mile Road on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. When the vehicle returned via the same road, Jones was no longer inside. Authorities have not identified the driver, citing the ongoing investigation.
The first search for Jones occurred shortly after his disappearance focusing around the Umatilla River and Jones’ former residence. Later searches expanded the search area utilizing aerial drones and sonar equipment. Umatilla Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, the MMIW, and the FBI all assisted UTPD at different times during the search
Lining said she plans to return to the reservation with a team of volunteers within the next couple of months. While MMIW does not plan to conduct joint operations with law enforcement now that official searches are suspended, she said they will provide courtesy communications to UTPD during their outings.
“This is what our organization does,” Lining said. “We come in when everyone else has stopped looking.”
Lining expressed frustration over the decision to suspend official searches after three months. She has reached out to the Department of Justice to pressure federal agencies to remain involved, noting that law enforcement assistance is crucial for obtaining search warrants on private property.
“This is why the MMIW crisis is unfolding before our eyes, because we have departments that are not more actively involved when they should be,” Lining.
UTPD officials stated they will follow up on any new leads and encourage the public to come forward with information. Meanwhile, Jones’ family continues their own searches
“This family and so many other families deserve closure,” Lining said. “And we are going to bring him home.”
