BEMIDJI -- The family of missing Redby woman is asking those out for the deer hunting opener this weekend to be vigilant in hopes a clue may turn up on her whereabouts.
Rose Downwind, 31, was last seen in Bemidji on Oct. 21.
"I'd like to make a plea to the hunters, the farmers and anyone else who may be out in the woods or rural areas this weekend and every day," Dwa Weston, Downwind's cousin and family spokesperson said. "Please keep your eyes open for anything unusual. If you come across something, please contact the Bemidji Police Department."
Downwind is described as an American Indian woman, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 115 lbs. with long, straight dark hair.
She was last seen by an ex-boyfriend leaving a residence on Stoner Avenue in Bemidji on Oct. 21, according to Bemidji Police. She was also seen at the Target store in Bemidji on Oct. 19. She was wearing a blue sweater, black pants and may have gotten into a blue vehicle, however, the make and model are currently unknown, police said.
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Since her disappearance two weeks ago, Weston said updates on Downwind’s location are scarce.
"Sadly, there are no new developments. For us, it's like she vanished into thin air," Weston said. "A lot of us are just on the edge of our seats, we're waiting. We're taking every phone call and talking with every person. "All that information we're taking into account and we're passing it on to law enforcement so they can do their thing.
"We appreciate the Bemidji Police Department, the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office and the BCA (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension) in helping to find her because it's a really scary thing to go through."
As part of the effort to bring Downwind home, the family has set up a Facebook page -- Help Find Rose Downwind -- as well as a GoFundMe page, a fundraising website.
Originally, the GoFundMe site was set up to offer a reward for Downwind's return, however, Duane "Dog" Chapman, the reality television bounty hunter, contacted Weston's uncle and Downwind's grandfather Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement, and offered to donate $10,000 to help with the search.
That resulted in a shift in the way the family is using the GoFundMe page.
"Now we are using it for operating money," Weston said. "Both sides of her family live in rural areas and she has five children, so we are using the funds to help with some of the expenses.”
To donate to the GoFundMe page, visit www.gofundme.com/gz7zz3pg . On the Facebook page, there are downloadable reward fliers people can print, with several versions of the fliers available.
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Anyone with information should call the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 751-9111. People also can email findrosedownwind@gmail.com .
“Right now, it's a waiting game, and it's one of the worst pains. The feeling of not knowing where your loved one is," Weston said. "The immediate family is in absolute turmoil. They have been searching, but I've been telling them to sit tight, to support each other and get rest so they can be emotionally well for whatever the outcome is."
