Dateline: Unforgettable on Oxygen - When was Carla Yellowbird last seen?

Carla Yellowbird
Carla Yellowbird was fatally shot in the head (Image via truecrimeobsessedpodcast/Instagram)

Carla Yellowbird, a mother-of-seven from Mandan, North Dakota, was last seen with a male friend named Suna Guy on August 23, 2016. The two were reportedly headed to the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation for an alleged drug run, but the 27-year-old never returned home. Her body was found a month later near St. Michael, and an autopsy revealed that she died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Later, Guy and two other suspects, namely Dakota Charboneau and Daylin St. Pierre, were charged in connection with Yellowbird's murder. As per confessions, Pierre shot and killed the victim as the three attempted to rob her of money and other belongings.

Dateline: Unforgettable on Oxygen is scheduled to chronicle Carla Yellowbird's murder case in an episode titled The Secret of Spirit Lake, the official synopsis of which reads:

"An advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women searches for answers in the disappearance of her niece and exposes cracks in law enforcement; Andrea Canning looks back on this important story, one that became her passion project."

The episode will air on the channel at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.


Carla Yellowbird died of a gunshot wound to the head during a drug deal gone wrong

The Cinemaholic reported that Carla Yellowbird, a mother of seven children from Mandan, North Dakota, went missing in August 2016. The 27-year-old was last seen with a male friend named Suna Guy on August 23 and was reportedly holding a laundry basket and a duffle bag in hand. She never returned home and was soon reported missing.

Yellowbird was headed to the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation with Guy for an alleged drug run. The latter eventually confessed that she was shot as he and two other men, Dakota Charboneau and Daylin St. Pierre, attempted to rob the mother of her money and belongings.

The victim's body was discovered a month later, in September, concealed in some bushes near St. Michael. A subsequent autopsy revealed that she was shot at close range and died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Moreover, her belongings, including the clothes she was carrying, were missing.

Suna Guy, who reportedly admitted to the murder under pressure, disclosed key information about the incident, claiming that he and Dakota Charboneau conspired to rob Carla Yellowbird once they were at the reservation. The two had spoken about it on Facebook. Daylin St. Pierre was later involveled in their plan.

As per the confession, Pierre struck Yellowbird with a gun when it discharged, killing the 27-year-old in the process. The Cinemaholic reported that they allegedly only intended to steal from her and the shooting was an accident. This occurred in the early morning hours of August 24. The trio then burned her belongings and clothes.


Three suspects were charged with Carla Yellowbird's murder and other related counts

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The outlet reported that Suna Guy cooperated with authorities by implicating the two other suspects, Daylin St. Pierre and Dakota Charboneau, in the crime and leading them to Yellowbird's remains. All three were charged with murder and other related charges over a year later.

Guy pleaded guilty to felony murder and was given 15 years in federal prison in Carla Yellowbird's case. Pierre pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, use of a firearm during a felony crime, and felony murder. He was sentenced to twenty-seven-and-half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Meanwhile, Charboneau pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, aiding and abetting, and use of a firearm in a felony crime of violence, receiving a 50-year term in federal prison. He was later sentenced to 60 years for three unrelated assaults he committed in 2017.


Learn more about Carla Yellowbird's shooting death on Oxygen's Dateline: Unforgettable this Wednesday.

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