Breeanna Ward: Family confirms identity of missing Williston woman found dead on Mother's Day

WILLISTON, NORTH DAKOTA: The identity of the woman found dead in Williston on Mother's Day was confirmed to be Breeanna Ward by her sister, Chelsey Francis.

Even though Ward was last seen on February 25, she appeared to be active on Facebook before her body was seemingly discovered by authorities, as per MinotDailyNews.

The Williston Police took to their Facebook page to state that officers responded to a report of an unresponsive individual, believed to be deceased, at the 400 Block of 11th Avenue West on Sunday afternoon.

Chelsey Francis confirms body found in Williston is her sister Breeanna Ward

Upon arrival, the officials confirmed the presence of a deceased individual fitting the description of Breeanna Ward, who was reported missing on February 28.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the individual's death is ongoing, with the Williston Police Department actively collecting relevant information and promising updates as they become available.

In the Facebook post, the Williston Police Department noted, "Preliminary indicators suggest that the deceased individual is Breeanna Ward, however positive identification has yet to be made."

However, Ward's sister, Francis, confirmed that it was indeed her. On Monday, she mentioned that an autopsy was in progress, expressing optimism that it would shed light on Ward's disappearance and subsequent demise, according to InForum. 

Although Williston authorities have been communicating with Francis, who led the effort to find her sister, she emphasized that much remains unknown, including the circumstances of Ward's death and any potential foul play.

"There's not really any information yet. I'm hoping the autopsy gives us more information on that. It's just an odd situation," remarked Francis. 

Ward's friends have initiated a GoFundMe campaign with the aim of collecting approximately $10,000 to cover her funeral costs.

Breeanna Ward's boyfriend Joseph Lachance was identified as a person of interest in her missing case

In the initial weeks following Ward's disappearance, her family raised concerns about activity on her Facebook page, later confirmed to be posted by her boyfriend, Joseph Lachance, 43. He claimed he was making these posts to aid in locating her.

According to Francis, Ward first encountered Lachance in 2022 while residing in Fairview, Montana, where she had graduated from high school in 2014. They then relocated to Williston but had been "bouncing around" and staying in various places over the past two years.

Francis noted Ward, who had a history of substance abuse, had been clean since 2019 until she became involved with Lachance.

Francis mentioned encountering Lachance only once during her sister's year-and-a-half-long relationship with him. In a March interview with The Forum, she shared, "He made me uncomfortable. And I saw signs of the physical abuse he inflicted on Breeanna."

Although Williston police initially questioned Lachance as a person of interest in the case, Francis disclosed that he later disappeared. In March, Williams County issued a bench warrant for Lachance after he failed to appear for court-ordered drug tests since February 19, as per court records.

On March 9, Lachance was incarcerated at the Williams County Jail on charges unrelated to Ward—specifically, two felony counts of methamphetamine possession, his second such offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

As of Monday, he remained in custody at the Williams County Jail, with his bail set at $5,000. 

Who was Breeanna Ward?

In March, Francis acknowledged her sister's "imperfect past" but noted that she appeared well during their last conversation on February 20.

Francis remarked, "There was clarity, which she only had when she was clean and sober. Her demeanor was connected and clear. She had started working again." 

Maintaining a close bond well into adulthood, Francis and her "baby sister" frequently exchanged messages. Their parents still reside in Texas, while Ward's three-year-old daughter has been under family care since she relocated to Williston.

Describing Ward as vibrant and sociable, Francis highlighted her sister's propensity for laughter and her empathetic nature. "She would reach out to her friends if they were having a hard time, even when she was having a hard time herself," added Francis.

Ward had a passion for singing, adored the color purple, and cherished nature and animals, particularly cats. Francis shared that Breeanna cared for her own cats and even attracted strays to her home with food.

She also collected items related to frogs and sported a massive tattoo of a blue frog.

While awaiting further details surrounding Ward's death, Francis expressed gratitude for the search efforts conducted over the three-month period, especially praising the assistance of the Badlands Search and Rescue organization.

She expressed, "I'm just really sad she was found that way, but we also needed closure, I feel so terrible for those families who go through this for long periods of time, or even their whole lives not knowing what happened. We know now where she is, but it doesn't make it any better."