More than three years after his death, family members of a murdered Browning man say they still don’t have closure.
Recent cases, like the disappearance and death of Hardin teenager Selena Not Afraid, bring back painful memories, as Matthew Grant’s family searches for justice.
“As time goes on, I thought it would get better,” said Rhonda Connelly, Matthew’s aunt. “But it’s getting worse because each day you wake up, we all think about him.”
This week, the FBI confirmed to MTN they continue to investigate the murder of Matthew Grant.
Connelly remembers Matthew for his smile, and the ways he helped his family members.
“He was a person everyone loved and cared for,” she said during a phone interview Wednesday.
At the end of December 2016, 21-year-old Matthew was found in a Browning alley, a few weeks after he went missing. As each year passes, Connelly wonders if they will ever see justice.
Still, Matthew’s family keeps in touch with law enforcement. They believe they know what happened, but there haven't been any public updates or arrests in the case.
“It's a scary situation, knowing.... who is their next victim?” Connelly said. “Could it be another family member?”
It’s a heartbreaking feeling they wouldn’t wish on anyone, said Matthew’s cousin Jordan Morgan.
“You think about little brother man,” he said. “Is there any justice? Is there going to be any justice?”
Morgan said he sees too many cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
This month, a teenage girl from Hardin, Selena Not Afraid, was found weeks after she went missing on New Year’s Day.
Morgan says he now prays for her family.
“I know what they're going through, I know exactly what they're going through,” he said. “When your family member is lost, or missing, and you're out there searching… I’ve been there. I was searching in 30 below weather, with snow up to your hip.”
Jordan’s strong faith is what also gives him hope Matthew’s family will eventually find justice.
Since 2017, the FBI has offered a $10,000 reward, for any information that leads to an arrest for Matthew’s murder.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI's Salt Lake City Field Office at 833-345-7872.
