Cole Brings Plenty, a missing actor, was found dead in a wooded area in Kansas. The 27-year-old actor was last seen leaving Lawrence, Kansas, on May 31st in a white Ford Explorer. He was previously identified as a suspect in a domestic violence dispute. The body was found after Johnson County, Kansas, deputies were dispatched to an area about an unoccupied vehicle. The deceased male was found in a wooden area away from the car, according to the police.
The incident sparked International discussions about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis; more cases of missing and murdered indigenous people go unsolved or unseen outside native communities. Vigils for Brings Plenty, known as “Coco,” were held in Native American communities nationwide on Sunday and Monday. The police disclose few details in such cases. Cole Brings Plenty, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, passed away in South Dakota. Hundreds of people attended his funeral in Eagle Butte, Where a horse-drawn carriage delivered his casket. Brings Plenty was known for his Lakota hairstyle, including two braids, which were seen as support for Native boys who were ashamed and bullied for wearing braids. Rising Hearts, an advocacy group, launched the “Braids for Cole” campaign in his memory, with supporters flooding social media with photos and videos using the hashtag #Braids for Cole.
Brings Plenty, a prominent actor, was reported to have his braids cut on the night he disappeared. He was at the Replay Lounge in downtown Lawrence, where his hair got tangled in a microphone cable while moshing. A post by the band, which has since been deleted, claimed someone cut his hair with scissors. Brings Plenty is remembered as a notable tribal member and then anchor on “Good Morning Indiana Country,” a student-led “morning radio for the reservation.” The collaboration, the University of Kansas, Lawrence Arts Center, and community members provide news that might otherwise go uncovered.
In the past, The actor played Native American sheepherder Pete Plenty Clouds in the “Yellowstone’’ prequel “1923” and held roles in Western TV shows “Into the Wild Frontier” and “The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger.” The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has called for a thorough investigation into Cole’s disappearance and death. Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart praised their relationship with the Native American community, stating that it could be better. The police department worked hard to investigate the incidents to find Cole, but the tragic outcome was extended. Cole Hauser, a fellow actor, also shared a missing person’s flier on his Instagram. The Cheyenne River Sioux tribe has called for a full and thorough investigation into the case.
Police in the town of Lawrence said officers responded Sunday to an apartment where a woman was screaming for help, and Brings Plenty had left before they arrived. Traffic cameras showed him leaving the city immediately after the incident, traveling southbound on 59 Highway, the Lawrence Police Department said. Authorities said he was driving a 2005 Ford Explorer bearing a Kansas license plate.
His agent, Peter Yanke of Phirgun Mair Worldwide, said this week that he then missed an audition for an upcoming film project that was scheduled for Monday morning over Zoom. Authorities said they had used drones to locate the missing actor.
Brings Plenty’s father, Joe, said in a statement Friday that he is grateful for everyone’s “prayers and positive thoughts you sent for Cole.”
