The Indie Spirit Award nominee for her role in the feature film 'Frozen River' was found dead in the woods in Auburn, WA, last Thursday (Oct 16) after going missing earlier this month.
According to a statement from Upham's family last Friday:
"She did not commit suicide. We believe she ran into the wooded area behind her apartment to hide from the police. The area in question has a hidden drop off and evidence suggests that she slipped and fell off of the steep embankment when she tried to get out of a view from the road."
Reports say that the Native American actress known for her roles in movies like, 'August: Osage County', 'Frozen River' and 'Django Unchained', had told authorities that she was suicidal. Shortly after her disappearance, the 32-year old star's father, Charles Upham, told KIRO-FM that his daughter was upset and erratic and had stopped taking medication for anxiety and bipolar disorder. Her father previously said he did not believe she was suicidal.
Tracy Rector - a filmmaker and friend spoke on behalf of the family, and confirmed that the Native American actress was found by a search party led by uncle Robert Upham. She was later identified by family members.
“The main thing her family wants people to know is that the Auburn Police Department would not cooperate in looking for Misty,” Rector said, “There’s a long history of police harassment and friction between the police and the Muckleshoot community here, and her family feels they dropped the ball and Misty perhaps would have been found if the police had taken it seriously.”
Actress Juliette Lewis tweeted that Upham "spoke out a lot against injustices within the Native community. And had known enemies. Police must do an investigation".
Upham mentioned that she was typically given roles of a 'maid' or 'prisoner'. "When I'm in front of the camera, or talking to people as an actress, and not as myself, it's like I become another person. Somehow possessed with somebody who is worth talking to. Because at home people could care less about what I have to say," she said.
