A family's desperate search for a missing young woman highlights questions about justice on tribal lands
Kimberly Loring
When Ashley Loring HeavyRunner  a 20-year-old college student  vanished from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana this summer  her older sister  Kimberly Loring  thought of a promise she once made.
âWhen we were young  we were in the foster care system â  Kimberly Loring  told ABC News. âShe told me  âDonât leave me â and I told her  âI would never leave you  and if you were to get moved  I will find you.ââ
 Kimberly Loring  said  she  was only 8 years old when  she  made that promise. But 15 years later  with  her  sister missing for more than four months   she  said it now seems more important than ever.
âIâm going to keep this promise. Wherever  she  goes  Iâm going to find  her  â  Kimberly Loring  said. âIf I have to search my entire life  I will search until I find  her . â
Kimberly Loring  said  she  learned of  her  sisterâs disappearance in early June  after returning home from a vacation abroad. The sisters had been planning to move  Ashley Loring  into  her  sisterâs apartment in the nearby city of Missoula  where  Kimberly Loring  had landed a good job working with senior citizens.  Kimberly Loring  said  she  expected to hear from  her  little sister the moment  she  got off the plane  but  she  didnât call that day or the next or the day after that.
âI tried to call Ashley  and  she  didnât text me or anything. There was no response from  her  â  Kimberly Loring  said. When  she  couldnât reach  her    she  said  she  began reaching out to  her  sisterâs friends on social media  but none of them had seen  her  since June 5.
â She  was waiting for me  and I know  she  wouldnât up and leave â  Kimberly Loring  said  adding that  her  sister was extremely close with  her  family members and would have told them where  she  was going. Friends and other family members also told ABC News that it was unlike  her  to go so long without contacting anyone.
âSomething happened to  her  â  Kimberly Loring  said.
 Loring  Family Photo
âI donât want to be an 80-year-old woman searching these mountains with my grandchildren â  Kimberly Loring  said. âBut thereâs no choice  because if I give up  whoâs going to look for her?â
Since Ashley Loringâs disappearance   Kimberly Loring  quit  her  job in Missoula and moved back home to the reservation to help look for  her . Family members filed a missing person report with tribal police in mid-June. More than four months later  they said they still have not heard from  her . Tribal police have also been unable to find  her .
â She  blew everyone out of the waterâ
Growing up  the Loring sisters spent several months in foster care before going to live with their grandparents and their other siblings. Life was much better on their grandparentsâ horse ranch   Kimberly Loring  said. The sisters learned how to ride  chopped wood for their grandmotherâs wood stove  mucked stalls and swam in a nearby creek until well after the sun disappeared behind the high plains.
â She  was a good girl. We didnât have no trouble with  her  â Loxie Loring  the girlsâ grandmother  said of Ashley. âI could count on  her  to get a little more work out of  her  than the other two.â
Since  Ashley Loring  disappeared four months ago   Loxie Loring  said  she  has barely left the house.  She  said  she  sits by the phone for most of the day  waiting for  her  granddaughter to call.
As a student at Blackfeet Community College   Ashley Loring  was once asked to give a presentation at a college in Bozeman about buffalo   her  ex-boyfriend Calvin DeRouche said. Her speech earned her praise across the reservation.
When Ashley Loring HeavyRunner  a 20-year-old college student  vanished from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana this summer  her older sister   [TGT] thought of a promise  [TGT]  once made.
âWhen we were young  we were in the foster care system â   [TGT] told ABC News. âShe told me  âDonât leave me â and I told  [TGT]   âI would never leave you  and if you were to get moved  I will find you.ââ
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   was only 8 years old when   [TGT]   made that promise. But 15 years later  with   [TGT]   sister missing for more than four months   she  said it now seems more important than ever.
âIâm going to keep this promise. Wherever  she  goes  Iâm going to find  her  â   [TGT] said. âIf I have to search my entire life  I will search until I find  her . â
 [TGT] said   [TGT]   learned of   [TGT]   sisterâs disappearance in early June  after returning home from a vacation abroad. The sisters had been planning to move  Ashley Loring  into  her  sisterâs apartment in the nearby city of Missoula  where   [TGT] had landed a good job working with senior citizens.   [TGT] said   [TGT]   expected to hear from   [TGT]   little sister the moment   [TGT]   got off the plane  but   [TGT]   didnât call that day or the next or the day after that.
âI tried to call Ashley  and  she  didnât text me or anything. There was no response from  her  â   [TGT] said. When   [TGT]   couldnât reach   [TGT]      [TGT]   said   [TGT]   began reaching out to   [TGT]   sisterâs friends on social media  but none of them had seen   [TGT]   since June 5.
â  [TGT]   was waiting for me  and I know   [TGT]   wouldnât up and leave â   [TGT] said  adding that   [TGT]   sister was extremely close with  her  family members and would have told them where  she  was going. Friends and other family members also told ABC News that it was unlike  her  to go so long without contacting anyone.
âSomething happened to  her  â   [TGT] said.
  [TGT] Family Photo
âI donât want to be an 80-year-old woman searching these mountains with my grandchildren â   [TGT] said. âBut thereâs no choice  because if I give up  whoâs going to look for her?â
Since Ashley Loringâs disappearance   Kimberly Loring  quit   [TGT]   job in Missoula and moved back home to the reservation to help look for   [TGT]  . Family members filed a missing person report with tribal police in mid-June. More than four months later  they said they still have not heard from  her . Tribal police have also been unable to find  her .
â She  blew everyone out of the waterâ
Growing up  the Loring sisters spent several months in foster care before going to live with their grandparents and their other siblings. Life was much better on their grandparentsâ horse ranch    [TGT] said. The sisters learned how to ride  chopped wood for their grandmotherâs wood stove  mucked stalls and swam in a nearby creek until well after the sun disappeared behind the high plains.
â  [TGT]   was a good girl. We didnât have no trouble with  her  â  [TGT] said of Ashley. âI could count on   [TGT]   to get a little more work out of   [TGT]   than the other two.â
Since   [TGT] disappeared four months ago    [TGT] said   [TGT]   has barely left the house.   [TGT]   said   [TGT]   sits by the phone for most of the day  waiting for   [TGT]   granddaughter to call.
As a student at Blackfeet Community College   Ashley Loring  was once asked to give a presentation at a college in Bozeman about buffalo   her  ex-boyfriend Calvin DeRouche said. Her speech earned her praise across the reservation.