Case overview
Savanna Greywind, 22 and eight months pregnant, disappeared from her Fargo, North Dakota apartment in August 2017. Two days later, her newborn daughter was found alive in a neighbor’s apartment. Greywind’s body was recovered from the Red River, and her upstairs neighbors were charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder.
The last confirmed sighting
On August 19, 2017, Greywind told her family she was going upstairs to help a neighbor with a sewing project. The neighbor, Brooke Crews, lived directly above Greywind’s apartment with her boyfriend, William Hoehn. Greywind left around 2:30 p.m. Her mother, Norberta Greywind, expected her back within minutes.
When Savanna did not return by evening, her family grew concerned. She had no history of leaving without notice. Her phone went unanswered. Her car remained parked outside. Her family contacted Fargo police that night and reported her missing.
Greywind was a member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Tribe. She worked at a mall and lived with her parents and younger brother. She had been preparing for the birth of her daughter, due in September.
The discovery in the apartment above
On August 21, police received a tip that a newborn had been seen in Crews and Hoehn’s apartment. Officers responded and found a baby girl wrapped in blankets. Crews claimed the infant was hers. She provided no hospital records and could not explain inconsistencies in her account.
Medical personnel examined the child and determined she had been recently born. DNA testing confirmed the baby was Savanna Greywind’s daughter. The infant, later named Haisley Jo, was placed in the care of Greywind’s family. She had been born premature but was alive and in stable condition.
Brooke Crews and William Hoehn were taken into custody. Both were questioned separately. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the apartment and began processing the scene.
What investigators found
Forensic teams recovered blood evidence, cleaning supplies, and materials consistent with efforts to conceal a crime. According to charging documents, Hoehn told investigators that Crews had conspired to take Greywind’s baby. He admitted he had helped clean up afterward and dispose of evidence.
Hoehn stated that on August 19, Crews lured Greywind upstairs under the pretense of helping with a project. He said Crews used a rope to strangle Greywind and then cut the baby from her body. Hoehn claimed he came home to find the situation already underway. He said he assisted in wrapping Greywind’s body and later helped move it from the apartment.
Crews denied killing Greywind. Her defense later argued that Hoehn was more involved than he admitted. The question of who inflicted the fatal harm became a central point of dispute during prosecution.
The recovery from the Red River
On August 27, 2017, kayakers found a body in the Red River near Fargo. The remains were identified as Savanna Greywind through dental records. An autopsy determined she had suffered trauma consistent with strangulation and sharp force. The medical examiner could not determine with certainty whether she was alive or dead at the time her abdomen was cut open.
The timeline suggested Greywind’s body had been in the river for several days. Investigators later recovered additional evidence linking Hoehn to the disposal, including surveillance footage and witness statements.
The charges and plea agreements
Brooke Crews was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and providing false information to law enforcement. Prosecutors did not charge her directly with murder, citing evidentiary challenges in proving which act caused Greywind’s death.
William Hoehn was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and providing false information. He accepted a plea deal in exchange for testimony. In December 2017, Hoehn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and lying to police. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Crews proceeded to trial. In February 2018, a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, and false information charges. She was sentenced to life without parole.
During sentencing, the judge described the crime as “cruel and vicious.” Greywind’s mother addressed the court, calling Crews’ actions unforgivable. Crews did not speak.
The federal response and Savanna’s Act
Greywind’s death drew national attention to violence against Indigenous women. Advocates and lawmakers cited her case as evidence of systemic gaps in response and coordination when Native women go missing or are killed.
In 2020, Congress passed Savanna’s Act, legislation aimed at improving communication and data collection in cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people. The law requires federal agencies to coordinate with tribal governments and maintain better records on these cases. It also mandates training for law enforcement and guidelines for responding to reports involving Native victims.
A second piece of legislation, the Not Invisible Act, was signed into law the same year. It established a commission to increase accountability and develop best practices for addressing violence in Native communities.
Greywind’s family supported both efforts and continues to advocate for policy changes and awareness.
The questions that remain in the record
The case against Crews and Hoehn relied heavily on Hoehn’s statements and forensic evidence recovered from the apartment. Crews maintained she did not kill Greywind, and her trial raised questions about the precise sequence of events and whether Hoehn’s account was complete.
The medical examiner could not determine if Greywind was alive when her child was removed. That ambiguity shaped the charges and the legal strategy. Prosecutors used conspiracy charges to secure convictions without needing to prove the exact cause of death.
Both defendants are serving life sentences. Haisley Jo was raised by Greywind’s family and remains with them. The case is closed. The record reflects a crime that was planned, brutal, and motivated by a desire to claim another woman’s child.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Savanna’s Act: A Fight for Justice” (Investigation Discovery)
- Book: “The National Epidemic: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women” by Sarah Deer
- Podcast: “Crime Junkie” (audiochuck)
