Recovery of Vehicle Parts from Columbia River May Identify Missing Martin Family
A dive team has recovered vehicle parts from the Columbia River that may belong to the missing Martin family, whose disappearance in 1958 has remained unsolved. The recovery follows a diver’s discovery of an old station wagon and aims to provide closure. Investigators will verify the vehicle’s identity while searching for further evidence. This case has captivated public interest for decades.
On the second consecutive day, a dive team recovered a vehicle from the Columbia River near Cascade Locks, which might provide closure in the long-standing case of the missing Martin family since 1958. A spokesperson from the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a car frame and tires were retrieved from the river. This recovery follows a diver’s discovery of an old station wagon in a specific area of the river known as “the pit” in November 2024, prompting the authorities to plan its extraction for identification.
The Martin family, consisting of Kenneth and Barbara Martin and their three daughters aged 11, 13, and 14, vanished while searching for Christmas greenery in the Columbia River Gorge on December 7, 1958. Theories surrounding their disappearance have abounded, but lack of evidence has hindered any resolution until now. JB Fisher, author of “Echo of Distant Water,” expressed that this discovery could answer lingering questions about the family’s fate.
Fisher recalled the Martins’ insistence on wearing seat belts, an unusual practice for the time, emphasizing their commitment to safety. Subsequently, two of the Martin daughters’ bodies were found months later, prompting continuous dive operations as investigators believed their vehicle likely entered the river. The sheriff’s office reported that the recent recovery occurred over March 6 and 7, with divers encountering significant debris around the vehicle after it had remained underwater for over 66 years.
During recovery efforts, the vehicle’s chassis detached due to debris weight, but the engine was successfully extracted and transported for examination. Investigators are now focused on identifying numbers to confirm ownership, while the remaining vehicle parts will stay submerged for the time being. Pete Hughes, a Hood River County Sheriff’s deputy, asserted that the recovered vehicle appears to match the Martin family’s description.
The search for the Martins captivated national attention at the time, leading to speculation of foul play and a $1,000 reward for information. Diver Archer Mayo, who had searched for the vehicle for seven years, ultimately located it upside-down and concealed beneath debris at a depth of approximately 50 feet. This significant development has been regarded as a critical milestone in a case that has lingered in public consciousness for over six decades.
The Martin family consisted of Barbara, 14; Virginia, 13; and Sue, 11, who took a trip to gather Christmas decorations. Their sudden disappearance left their home in disarray, including an unfinished load of laundry. Following their disappearance, leads indicated that Martin used a credit card for gas at a station close to Cascade Locks, which was critical to tracing their last known movements.
Reports indicated they may have been seen at a snack bar shortly before sunset on the day they disappeared. Months later, the bodies of Virginia and Susan were discovered in the Columbia River, but the other family members were never found. Don, the Martins’ son, suspected his family perished, highlighting the case’s enduring public interest. Mayo, who also finds lost items in the river, utilized research and modeling to locate the vehicle, with collaboration from law enforcement agencies facilitating its recovery.
This ongoing investigation aims to find identification numbers for the vehicle to verify its association with the Martin family, further revealing the fate of this tragic case.
The potential discovery of the Martin family’s vehicle marks a pivotal moment in a case that has remained unresolved for 66 years. The retrieval of car parts from the Columbia River may lead to significant insights about the family’s fate, which has drawn public interest since their disappearance in 1958. Investigators are now focused on confirming the vehicle’s identity while continuing the search for further evidence. This case exemplifies the complexities involved in long-term investigations, particularly regarding historical disappearances.
Original Source: katu.com
