NOISE renews search for Cherokee citizen, veteran missing since January

Northeast Oklahoma Indigenous Safety & Education (NOISE) has issued a prepared statement calling for renewed search efforts and public attention in the disappearance of Justin D. Baker, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation who has been missing since January 24.

Baker, 41, is a U.S. Army combat veteran and father. He was last seen in the early hours of January 24 in Fort Smith, Ark., before the vehicle in which he was riding plunged into the Arkansas River in Sequoyah County. Despite extensive search operations in the days following, he was not found.

NOISE, an Indigenous advocacy organization, is working alongside Baker’s family to bring urgency, support and renewed focus to the search for Baker in hopes of finally bringing him home.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials recovered the vehicle from the Arkansas River in the Paw Paw Bottoms area following the crash. COURTESY | OHP LT. SHELDON DOBBS

Timeline of events

• Jan. 24, 2:02 a.m. – Last Sighting: Baker was last seen leaving the Old Towne Bar in downtown Fort Smith. He left in a vehicle with two acquaintances, Gary and Cinder Hollis.

• 3-3:30 a.m. – Vehicle enters river: The vehicle (a Jeep) went off a drop-off near Moffett, plunging into the Arkansas River. The vehicle came to rest about 70 feet from the riverbank in about 11½ feet of water. The final location of the vehicle was a sandbar.

All three individuals managed to exit the submerged vehicle. However, only two made it to shore. Baker allegedly attempted to swim, but did not reach the riverbank.

• Morning of Jan. 24 forward – Search efforts begin: After the incident, a search was launched for Baker. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) Lake Patrol’s dive team, along with other search-andrescue teams and local law enforcement from Oklahoma and Arkansas, combed the river and its banks in the ensuing days.

Search efforts included boat teams with side-scan sonar, ground teams with K9 units and assistance from the Fort Smith Fire Department.

The vehicle was recovered from the river on January 25, but Baker remained missing. Despite continued operations in the weeks following the crash, Baker was never found.

Mother’s concerns, plea for renewed search

Baker’s mother, Kelly Cox, has expressed deep concern over the circumstances of her son’s disappearance, and is urgently pleading for the search to continue.

According to Cox, data from the vehicle raises questions about the incident: the vehicle’s event data recorder (EDR) did not register a crash or any threshold-level impact when it went into the river, and, notably, the vehicle’s airbags did not deploy.

These details, as reported by Cox, suggest that the plunge into the water may not have triggered the car’s safety sensors, leaving the family wondering exactly what happened in those early morning hours.

Cox has persistently advocated for more action.

“It’s just been a nightmare, and it will continue that way until I find him. We’re not going to stop,” she said of the search for her son. She has repeatedly requested that authorities resume and expand search efforts along the Arkansas River and downstream. The family is also asking for a thorough investigation into the incident’s circumstances, given the unusual vehicle data and the fact that Baker has yet to be located. Cox’s plea is heartfelt and urgent: she seeks closure and answers, and, above all, to bring her son home.

According to Cox, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has now taken over the case. This transition indicates that authorities may be considering additional factors surrounding Baker’s disappearance.

While no foul play has been officially confirmed, the family continues to seek answers about what exactly happened that night, and urges the public to come forward with any information, no matter how small.

NOISE advocacy, support for the family

As an organization dedicated to Indigenous safety and education, NOISE is standing in solidarity with Baker’s family and amplifying their call for action. The disappearance of an Indigenous community member, especially a Cherokee Nation citizen and military veteran, is of grave concern to NOISE.

The group is committed to ensuring that Baker’s case does not fade from public attention. NOISE advocates have been working to engage media, community volunteers and tribal authorities to refocus efforts on finding Baker and investigating the incident.

“Our hearts break for Justin’s family, and our community will not rest until we have answers,” said an advocate with NOISE. “Justin is a beloved member of our Indigenous community. We are here to support his family and to urge law enforcement and volunteers to renew the search. Every missing Indigenous person matters, and we will continue to advocate for Justin until he is brought home.”

NOISE emphasizes that its role is to support the Baker family’s voice, not to overshadow it. The organization is providing advocacy by coordinating with search teams, reaching out to media and rallying community support.

By bringing renewed public and media attention to Baker’s disappearance, NOISE hopes to generate new leads or resources that could aid in locating him.

The urgent and compassionate tone of NOISE’s appeal reflects the broader issue of missing Indigenous persons, a cause at the core of the group’s mission.

NOISE is a community-driven organization devoted to the safety of Indigenous peoples and education on issues affecting Indigenous communities, including supporting families of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.

Public appeal for information

NOISE and the Baker family are urgently appealing to the public for any information that might help in finding Baker or understanding what happened that night. Anyone who saw Baker or the Hollises on the night of January 23-24, or who has any information about the vehicle’s entry into the Arkansas River, is asked to come forward. Even the smallest detail could be crucial in piecing together the truth or locating Baker.

If you have information, contact the Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Office or local law enforcement. Tips can also be directed to the OSBI confidential tip line, 800-522-8017.

NOISE is a community-driven organization devoted to the safety of Indigenous peoples and education on issues affecting Indigenous communities, including supporting families of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.