LAC DU FLAMBEAU, Wis. (WFRV) – Officials in Wisconsin have provided additional details in the case of a woman last confirmed to be seen on March 17, 2025, saying she got into a pair of different vehicles a week before she was reported missing.
According to the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department, the ongoing investigation led to new developments that gave more insight as to where she may have been last seen.
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Initially, officials believed that Melissa Beson had been last seen on Indian Village Road in Lac du Flambeau on March 17. Officers have since learned that minutes after the reported sighting, she accepted a ride from three people in a van.
The group reportedly drove around the area before stopping at a Kiboniki Lake boat landing, as Melissa left the vehicle and walked south on County Highway D. A man in the vehicle allegedly encouraged her to return to the van, before he noticed a northbound car stop next to her.
The man quickly fled out of fear that it was a police squad car as he had an open arrest warrant, and he fled into a wooded area. He returned to the van after the vehicle left, believing Melissa was picked up by law enforcement.
Officers were able to determine that the driver of the stopped vehicle was talking to Melissa, who was ‘highly agitated’ during the encounter as she refused a ride, before heading south on the road.
Officers are now focused on the areas near County Highway D and south of the boat landing on Kiboniki Lake, with the possibility that she may have been picked up by somebody.
Beson is described as a Native American woman with the following features:
- 5-foot-7
- ‘Medium’ build
- Brown hair
- Brown eyes
- Numerous tattoos on neck, arms and legs
She was reported missing on March 23, 2025, and officially confirmed to have last been seen on March 17, 2025.
A $25,000 reward for any credible tips that lead to her discovery and/or arrests of any potential people involved in her disappearance will be apportioned by the local police.
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Those with information are asked to call the following agencies:
- Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department – (715) 588-7717
- Vilas County Sheriff’s Office – (715) 479-4441
No additional details are available.
