Full Name: Wilson Edison Black Elk, Jr.

Alternative Name: Unknown

Case Status: Deceased (Unsolved Homicide)

Record ID#: 0144

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: 1960s
Birthplace: White Clay, Nebraska, USA
Age at the Time: Unknown
Age Group: 30s (Estimated)
Biological Sex: Male
Hair: Long black hair, often tied back
Eyes: Black
Skin Complexion: Unknown
Shoe Size: Unknown
Ethnicity: Native American
Nationality: United States
Languages Spoken: Unknown

Tribe:​ Oglala Lakota Sioux

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build:

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Unknown

Medical Condition: Unknown
Physical Abnormality: Unknown
Dental Condition: Unknown
Scars & Other Marks: Unknown
Piercings: Unknown
Tattoos: Unknown

Other Descriptors: Unknown

Clothing

• Unknown

Possessions:

• Unknown

Date of the Disappearance*: June 6, 1999

Description: In early June 1999, Wilson Black Elk Jr. and his cousin Ronald Hard Hear, both residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, were last seen on Sunday, June 6, 1999. The pair were spotted on the main road leading from White Clay, Nebraska, to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, shortly before their disappearance. Various accounts reported that the cousins had been present in White Clay—an area just south of the reservation known for tensions and violence involving Native Americans. Eyewitnesses later stated that a law enforcement officer had interacted with the two men late at night near White Clay, reportedly instructing them to go home, and was the last known individual to have seen them alive. After that sighting, Black Elk and Hard Hear never made it home and were reported missing in the following days.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Wilson Black Elk Jr. reportedly faced threats from a bar owner over an unpaid tab. He alleged that the owner had connections with local law enforcement and had threatened to involve them if the debt wasn’t settled. However, the FBI has found no evidence linking law enforcement to the disappearance or the murders .

Multiple Victims?: Yes

Rumored or Actual Sightings: Unknown

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered: June 8, 1999

Description: The bodies of Wilson Black Elk Jr. and Ronald Hard Hear were discovered on June 8, 1999, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, just several hundred yards north of the Nebraska-South Dakota border and near the town of White Clay, Nebraska. Their remains were located in or near a culvert along the roadside, in an area of pastureland with tall grass.

When found, the remains were in an advanced state of decay due to intense heat and exposure. They had been covered with tarps by community members prior to the arrival of law enforcement. Reports confirmed that both men had been violently beaten and murdered. 

The area where their bodies were recovered was not immediately secured, with civilians and some tribal police walking the scene before the FBI arrived nearly 24 hours later, potentially contaminating critical evidence. The murders remain officially unsolved to this day, and there is continuing frustration and suspicion within the local community concerning the lack of justice and perceived shortcomings or cover-ups in the investigation.

Possible Signs Of . . . : Use of a Deadly Weapon (Other), Foul Play, Physical Assault

Time of Death: Between June 6 and June 8. Likely June 6 unless they were held up somewhere else along the way.

Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma

Recovered Remains (if partial): Unknown

Suspected Homicide?: Yes

Multiple Victims?: Yes

DNA Tested (No Match): Unknown

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description: Unknown

License Plate: Unknown

Description: Unknown