Sierra Crane Murdoch dug into the case of Mika Westwolf, a young Native woman who died after being hit by a car in Montana in 2023. The Fund provided Murdoch with a grant to investigate the case for a forthcoming book. With her reporting from the book, Murdoch told Westwolf’s story for a full episode of “This American Life” that aired in April. Westwolf’s family walked Murdoch through their fight for justice, which included finding other Native families whose loved ones died similarly – and whose cases were ignored similarly. Murdoch also examined that larger context and history: Native pedestrians make up more than half of hit-and-run fatalities in Montana, even though they’re just 8% of the population. Murdoch examined more than a decade of hit-and-run fatality cases and found that when the victim was Native, it was much less likely for the driver to be found; when they were found and prosecuted, their sentences were much lighter. Westwolf’s case generated significant media attention, and an arrest was finally made. Murdoch spoke to police and prosecutors and documented the resolution of the case earlier this year.
In ‘This American Life’ episode, grantee explores case of Native woman killed in hit-and-run
