Photo Credit: Submitted by Vilas County Sheriff's Office
Melissa Beson, a 37-year-old woman, was last seen in the late afternoon of Monday, March 17, 2025. At that time, she was seen walking on Indian Village Road, near Wayman Lane, in Lac du Flambeau. She was walking toward Highway 47. She was wearing a black sleeveless shirt, gray sweatshirt, and red sweatpants.
Concerned family members reported her missing on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
Melissa is a 5'7" Native American with a medium build of about 170 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She has numerous tattoos, some of which can be seen on her neck, arms, and legs.
Melissa's family is very worried about her. They and the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department are asking the public to help locate her. Any information regarding Melissa or her possible whereabouts should be reported to the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department at 715-588-7717 or the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office at 715-479-4441.
UPDATED 4-1-2025:
According to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribal Police Department, "Since Melissa was reported missing by concerned family members on March 23rd, finding her has been the number one priority of the LDF Police Department. We have conducted extensive ground searches on foot, even in severe weather conditions. Our officers have even come in on their days off to search for her. The dedicated members of Newbold Search and Rescue have once again come to our aid and have assisted us by searching with their specially trained canines. The dogs have shown interest and appeared to pick up Melissa’s scent in the area of her last known sighting.
"The LDF Police Department has two high-quality drones, purchased with grant funds, and personnel have been trained in their use. Extensive searches have been conducted using the drones, which enabled us to observe the bed of the open water portion of the Bear River. Today we will be conducting a search using an underwater drone to delve under ice shelves.
"Although we are expending monumental efforts in searching the area in which Melissa was last seen, we are in no way ignoring the possibility that she may be elsewhere. Our officers are working non-stop, during every shift, to follow up on every lead and tip that we receive. We have combed through countless hours of surveillance footage, have interviewed dozens of people, and have reached out to law enforcement agencies in various areas of the State of Wisconsin, who have assisted us by contacting persons with possible information and even conducting searches of residences in their jurisdictions."
If you have information that may help in locating Melissa, contact the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department at 715-588-7717 or the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office at 715-479-4441.