Mystery of family who disappeared 60 years ago finally 'solved' after car plunge
The Martin family disappeared more than 60 years ago after going Christmas shopping - and although two of the bodies were later found, the case has remained unsolved.
The enigma of a family who vanished over 60 years ago may have finally been 'solved' following a diver's startling find.
On 7 December 1958, Kenneth and Barbara Martin and their three daughters set off for a Christmas shopping trip by car. Tragically, the entire Martin family failed to return home that day.
They were reported missing when the parents didn't show up for work two days later. An investigation was initiated with authorities speculating they may have drowned if their car had accidentally reversed into a river.
A month on, a firearm was discovered near the location of their disappearance, hinting at a possible shooting. However, it wasn't collected as evidence then, and years later, the gun owner's widow revealed to local media that it had dried blood on it.
In May 1959, the bodies of the two youngest daughters, Virginia, 13, and Sue, 11, were found floating in a river, their deaths attributed to drowning. But there was no trace of the eldest daughter, Barbara, 14, or their parents, reports the Mirror.
Finding only two bodies added to the mystery and conjecture. Their eldest son, Donald Martin, who was 28 and residing in New York at the time, expressed his disbelief to authorities that their deaths were accidental.
For the past seven years, independent diver Archer Mayo has taken it upon himself to seek answers to this unresolved case.
In a remarkable journey to uncover the fate of a missing family, Mayo utilised predictive modelling and astonishingly located their station wagon in November last year. The car was submerged in what's known as the "pit" of the river straddling Oregon and Washington, which Mayo promptly reported to the authorities.
Boasting extensive diving experience, Mayo has undertaken "hundreds" of dives in that very river. He previously confided to Columbia Gorge News: "I can move around with zero visibility in this giant pit, because I've spent so much of my lifetime trying to solve this mystery."
Efforts to retrieve the vehicle were initiated, but the operation faced challenges due to the car's fragmented state and missing components, making extraction from the river problematic. Consequently, the car broke apart during the process, leaving some parts behind, as detailed by Oregon Live.
Undeterred, Mayo resumed his mission this summer, revisiting the site to further investigate the split vehicle. With better access, he dived once more and unearthed evidence that had been concealed underwater for ages.
His efforts led to an astonishing find - human remains were discovered, including some within a nylon stocking. These findings were communicated to the Hood River County Sheriff's Office, and Mayo awaits confirmation on whether the remains belong to the Martin family, who disappeared so many years prior.
It's understood that the case remains an ongoing inquiry. Despite rumours suggesting it wasn't accidental, no murder investigation has ever been initiated, and the police have yet to identify any suspects.