
Hope Turns to Heartbreak: Missing Billings Man’s Case Now a Homicide Investigation
The Billings Police Department is now asking landowners along the Pryor Creek drainage, from Pryor to Huntley, to be alert for possible human remains as the search continues for Jessie Lamarr Johnson.
READ MORE: Eight Years Later: The Unsolved Case Of Shacaiah In Billings
Johnson has been missing since February 2024, and authorities have now confirmed that his case is being investigated as a homicide.
Disappearance Now Classified as a Homicide
Jessie Lamarr Johnson’s missing person case, originally filed under number 24-18319, has shifted from a search for a missing individual to a suspected murder investigation.
Billings Police announced on Wednesday that they believe Johnson may have been killed and are focusing efforts on locating his remains in a rural stretch of land near the creek.
Who Is Jessie Lamarr Johnson?
At the time of his disappearance in February of 2024, Jessie was 30 years old but has since turned 31. He is a Black male, approximately 6 feet tall, weighing 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
READ MORE: 40 Indigenous People Still Unaccounted For in Montana
Jessie has a distinctive "$" tattoo near his left eye. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a white shirt, a blue sweatshirt, and white and blue Nike shoes. He is known to frequent the South Side of Billings and is diagnosed with epilepsy.
Johnson was enrolled in the Crow Tribe of Indians and is also a descendant of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
Community Asked to Help in Search Efforts
Police are urging landowners, residents, and visitors in the area between Pryor and Huntley to be vigilant. If any suspicious remains or related evidence are found, the Billings Police Department Investigations Division should be contacted immediately.

As the investigation continues, Johnson’s family and the Billings community await answers. The search is not just about recovering evidence, it’s about finding justice.
Missing But Not Forgotten: 40 Indigenous People Still Missing in Montana
Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor
25 Amazon Items Sold in Montana That Have Been Recalled
Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor