Police suspect foul play in Bemidji woman's disappearance

Rose Downwind
Rose Downwind
Courtesy of the Bemidji Police Department

Investigators believe foul play was involved in the disappearance of a Bemidji woman, and they're asking hunters to help gather evidence.

Rose Downwind, the 31-year-old granddaughter of American Indian Movement co-founder Dennis Banks, was last seen Oct. 21 leaving a residence on Stoner Avenue in Bemidji, Minn.

A week ago, Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin said there was no reason to believe foul play was involved. Thursday he said the case has evolved.

The investigation is focused on two persons of interest but the department is short of evidence.

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He believes there are clues to Downwind's whereabouts somewhere in a rural 60 square mile region north of the city of Bemidji, including Lake Bemidji State Park and the Buena Vista State Forest.

"We've searched the area twice by plane," he said, "but you can see more details on the ground."

The area would be difficult to search on foot, Mastin said. However, Saturday is the opener of deer season in northern Minnesota, and scores of hunters will be walking those woods.

Mastin hopes they'll act as a sort of unwitting search party.

He's looking for any evidence connected to Downwind's disappearance in the area north of Lake Bemidji. He's also asking hunters to check their trail cameras for photo evidence, including any sightings of a pewter colored 2002 GMC Yukon.