Missing people advocates, families of missing unite to help Breanna Ward family

JAMESTOWN — Lissa Yellow Bird-Chase knows what it feels like to have a missing relative. She also knows how to find them.

Yellow Bird-Chase found her missing niece, Carla Yellow Bird in 2016, after the 27-year-old disappeared from Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.

“I miss Carla. Everybody does,” she said. “I guess I just try to do the best I can to make sure this doesn’t happen to anybody else.”

Today, Yellow-Bird Chase advocates for many missing people and travels with her Sahnish Scouts, human remains detection dogs, to conduct ground searches.

Among the missing people she is assisting is Breeanna Ward, also 27, Williston, North Dakota.

Ward grew up in Amarillo, Texas, before moving to Fairview, Montana, in 2011. She graduated from Fairview High School in 2014.

Her history includes substance misuse as well as theft of property and shoplifting charges. Despite this, her history also includes multiple attempts at sobriety, including a stint from 2019-2022. Ward’s sister, Chelsey Francis of Jamestown, said her sister was working to get back into rehabilitation.

Yellow Bird-Chase is not the only advocate for Ward. In addition, families of other missing Williston individuals are lending helping hands.

“Missing people no longer have a voice, so we have to be that voice for them,” said Lisa Jo Schiele.

Schiele is a missing person’s advocate and also leads the FindBarbCotton movement. Fifteen-year-old Barbara Cotton disappeared from Williston in 1981. Schiele and Cotton are relatives.

In addition to searching for her family, Schiele aids in the search of missing people across the country. Like Yellow Bird-Chase, she also helps find them. Among her credits is Melissa Highsmith, Fort Worth, Texas. Highsmith disappeared from her home in 1971. Thanks to DNA testing and traditional genealogy, Schiele confirmed her identity. Highsmith continues a relationship with her family to this day.

Courtesy / Chelsey Francis

Carla Couture, Williston, is also working to get the word out. Her niece, Katelynn Berry, disappeared from Sidney, Montana, in December 2021.

“I personally know how great the Williston and surrounding communities in ND & MT are,” she wrote in a Saturday, March 16, Facebook post. “When my niece Katelynn went missing, the support we received was more than words can say. … I don’t not know Breeanna but I know what this family is going through.”

She asked the community to help how they can - share to social media, wear #FindBreeannaWard apparel and donate to the cause if they can.

“What it costs to search for a loved one is beyond what most people could think. It’s expensive no matter how hard you try to do things cheap,” she said.

“Please share, share, share, “ said Ward’s cousin, Shelby Brady, also 27, of Amarillo, Texas. “Share on social media. Share with family and friends. If we can keep Breeanna top of mind, perhaps someone will feel safe enough to share whatever information they know.”

To encourage the safe return of their loved one, the family is hoping to raise money for a reward. The goal is to raise $5,000.

Individuals can also purchase #FindBreeannaWard apparel. A portion of the proceeds are donated back to the family.

The family is accepting donations to the following:

• CashApp: $sbrady96
• Venmo: Shelby-Brady-5
• Paypal: ShelbyBrady205

Apparel available here .

Breeanna Ward stands 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 125 pounds. Though she often changes her appearance, her hair is currently shoulder length and a dark auburn color.

Identifying marks include:

• an anchor tattoo on her right hip
• an infinity symbol tattoo on her right ankle
• a blue frog tattoo on her left lower leg
• a star on her left thigh and green vines on her right arm

Police say Feb. 25 is the last day anyone saw Ward. A person contacted the family to tell them they had purchased a vacuum from Ward as part of a Facebook Marketplace transaction. Francis confirmed that is the last acknowledged sighting of Ward.

Ward’s boyfriend, 43-year-old Joe Lachance, reported her missing on Feb. 28.

Unhoused, the couple “bounced around and squatted” in various locations around Williston. In addition to no permanent address, Ward had no vehicle and no credit cards. Authorities have not been able to locate her cellphone, Francis said.

Francis also said Williston police have identified Lachance as a person of interest in the case and have questioned him. Lachance continues to communicate with the family.

“Exactly a month out and Breeanna is still missing. We’re not giving up though. I’m physically and emotionally exhausted, but I will not quit until I find my sister,” Francis said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Williston Police Department at (701) 577-1212 or submit an anonymous tip here .