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The Disappearance of Andrew Jon Lufkins
● Still Missing
Foul Play Suspected
Sisseton, South Dakota
MMIP
15+ Years Unsolved
Andrew Jon Lufkins — Missing Since April 7, 2010
| Name | Andrew Jon Lufkins |
| Goes By | A.J. |
| Date of Birth | October 14, 1986 |
| Age Missing | 23 — Now 38 |
| From | Sisseton, South Dakota |
| Tribe | Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate |
| Height / Weight | 6'1" / 160 lbs |
| Hair / Eyes | Black / Brown |
| Marks | Tattoo of letters on top of left wrist |
| Last Seen Wearing | Blue jersey, black South Pole sweatshirt |
Missing Person
Andrew Jon Lufkins
Andrew Jon Lufkins was born on October 14, 1986, in Sisseton, South Dakota. He was 23 years old at the time of his disappearance on April 7, 2010. Known to everyone who loved him as A.J., he was a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. He was working toward his GED at the time he vanished and had class scheduled for the following morning.
A.J. was deeply connected to his family. His mother Sheila Lufkins has said he called her three or four times a day without fail. His sister Ida Jack recalled that he always told his family where he was going and when he would be back. His grandfather Carl Lufkins, one of his closest companions, has said A.J. was one of his first grandchildren and that he prayed for him every day. A.J. loved the Chicago Bulls, enjoyed helping with his nieces and nephews, and had a gift for making people laugh.
On the night he disappeared, A.J. told his mother he was going to play ball and hang out with friends. He said he would be home. He never came back. His family knew immediately that something was wrong.
Andrew Jon Lufkins
Andrew Jon Lufkins
01
Background
What We Know
On the night of April 7, 2010, Andrew Jon Lufkins was at the American Legion bar in Sisseton, South Dakota. At some point between 9:00 p.m. and midnight, witnesses reported that A.J. became involved in a fight with as many as three other men. The altercation was severe. A.J. sustained serious and obvious injuries during the fight and was unconscious by its end. He was carried out of the bar by other individuals. He has not been seen or heard from since.
Reports indicate that A.J. got into a vehicle that night, reportedly to be taken to the hospital. He never arrived. No one has publicly confirmed who was in that vehicle or where it went. His family has said that leaving without any contact was entirely out of character; A.J. called his mother multiple times a day and always told his family where he was going. He had class the following morning and had told his family he would be home.
Foul play is suspected. A.J.'s body has never been recovered. No one has ever been charged in connection with his disappearance. As of April 2025, fifteen years have passed and A.J. Lufkins remains listed as missing on the South Dakota Missing Persons Clearinghouse. The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe has offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his location.
02
Case Timeline
How It Unfolded
Night of April 7, 2010
A.J. Seen at the American Legion Bar in Sisseton
Andrew Jon Lufkins is at the American Legion bar in Sisseton between 9:00 p.m. and midnight. He tells his mother earlier that day he is going to play ball and hang out with friends and will be home later. He has GED class scheduled the following morning.
April 7, 2010 — Late Night
A.J. Beaten Unconscious — Carried Out of the Bar
Witnesses report that A.J. gets into a fight with as many as three other men inside the bar. The altercation is severe. A.J. sustains serious and obvious injuries and is unconscious by the time it ends. He is carried out of the bar by other individuals. Reports indicate he is then placed into a vehicle, reportedly to be taken to the hospital. He never arrives.
April 8, 2010
A.J. Does Not Come Home — Family Reports Him Missing
A.J. does not return home and does not appear for his GED class. His mother Sheila, who speaks with him multiple times daily, has not heard from him. His family reports him missing to the Sisseton Police Department. His grandfather Carl begins organizing search efforts.
April 2010 — Ongoing
Family Conducts Independent Searches — Tribal Police Largely Absent
Family members search by horse, ATV, and on foot across the area. They receive support from community members but report that tribal police largely declined to assist. Carl Lufkins publicly thanks Denny Adams of Conde, South Dakota, for providing search and rescue dogs. The family reports that only one tribal police officer consistently helped them throughout this period.
July 2010
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Offers $10,000 Reward — FBI Joins Investigation
More than three months after A.J.'s disappearance, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe offers a $10,000 reward for information about his whereabouts. The FBI joins the investigation alongside the Sisseton Police Department and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.
May 2011
DCI Conducts Search in Roberts County
The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation conducts a search in Roberts County. No remains or evidence are found. Sheila Lufkins later states this was the only formal search conducted by DCI in the ten years following A.J.'s disappearance.
September 2020
Family Organizes Ten-Year Anniversary Walk — Reward Raised to $25,000
A.J.'s aunt Yvonne Bear organizes a community walk beginning at the American Legion bar, the last place A.J. was seen, to mark the ten-year anniversary of his disappearance and raise the profile of his case. The reward is raised to $25,000. Family member Helena LaBatte states that the family's goal is simply to bring A.J. home.
June 2023
KELOLAND Investigates — Case Highlighted in MMIP Coverage
KELOLAND News features A.J.'s case as part of an ongoing investigation into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons in South Dakota. His family speaks publicly about the lack of investigative support over thirteen years. The FBI confirms the case remains an ongoing investigation but declines to provide further details.
April 7, 2025
Fifteen Years — No Arrests, No Remains Found
As of April 7, 2025, fifteen years have passed since A.J. Lufkins disappeared. No one has ever been charged. His remains have never been found. He remains listed as missing on the South Dakota Missing Persons Clearinghouse. The Sisseton Police Department lists his case as open and asks anyone with information to contact them at (605) 698-3932.
03
Investigation
The Investigation
The Sisseton Police Department opened a missing persons investigation following A.J.'s disappearance on April 7, 2010. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI subsequently joined the case. Despite the involvement of local, tribal, state, and federal agencies, the investigation has produced no arrests and no publicly confirmed suspects in fifteen years. The DCI's Watertown office has been identified as the lead agency on the case; the FBI has confirmed it remains an ongoing investigation but has declined to provide further details.
A.J.'s family has been deeply frustrated by the pace and transparency of the investigation. His mother Sheila Lufkins has said that in the first ten years following his disappearance, the DCI conducted only one formal search. His aunt Yvonne Bear stated that the family was never meaningfully notified of investigative developments. The family has also described significant confusion around jurisdiction; with tribal police, the FBI, and DCI all involved, family members reported not knowing who held the lead on the case or where to direct their questions. "Tribal, FBI, DCI, not sure, no one tells us anything," Bear said in 2020.
A.J.'s case is part of a broader and well-documented crisis involving Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons in South Dakota. Indigenous people account for approximately 60 percent of missing persons cases in the state despite making up roughly 10 percent of the population. Jurisdictional conflicts between tribal, state, and federal agencies have been identified as a persistent barrier in MMIP cases. The South Dakota Attorney General's Office hired an MMIP Coordinator in November 2022 and established a stakeholders committee to help navigate these conflicts, though as of 2025 A.J.'s case remains unresolved.
A.J.'s grandfather Carl Lufkins has said he prays every day that someone will come forward before he leaves this world. His mother Sheila believes A.J.'s remains are in a sand pit somewhere, based on a dream he once shared with his grandfather. The family has said they are beyond wanting someone to go to jail; they want to bring A.J. home. As of April 2025, no one has been charged and A.J. has never been found.
04
Help Bring A.J. Home
If You Have Information
Andrew Jon Lufkins was beaten unconscious at the American Legion bar in Sisseton, South Dakota on the night of April 7, 2010. He was carried out of the bar and placed into a vehicle. He was never seen again. Fifteen years have passed. His family believes someone in the Sisseton community knows what happened that night and where A.J. is. A $25,000 reward is available for information leading to his physical location. All tips can be submitted anonymously.
SD Division of Criminal Investigation — $25,000 Reward
(605) 773-3331
SD DCI Missing Persons Line — Reference: Andrew Jon Lufkins — April 7, 2010
Sisseton Police Department
(605) 698-3932
Reference: Andrew Jon Lufkins — Missing April 7, 2010
Official Missing Person Poster
Andrew Jon Lufkins — Missing Poster
Issued by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation — Reference: April 7, 2010
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