A car pulled from a river could solve the 66-year-old mystery of the Martin family, who vanished in 1958.
Oregon police found a station wagon in the Columbia River. They think it belonged to the Martin family. The family disappeared 66 years prior. Ken and Barbara Martin drove it with their three daughters. They vanished in December 1958. They gathered Christmas decorations.
The disappearance shocked the whole nation. Two girls were found in the Columbia River. The parents and one child remained missing. Police thought their car fell into a river or canyon. Ken Martin made a gas station purchase. Searches near the station found nothing.
Authorities were baffled by this chilling case. A newspaper asked where to search next. Logic and clues had been exhausted. The damaged car offers hope for a solution.
Removing the car damaged it severely. Only the frame and wheels are intact. The wreckage went to a forensic warehouse. Experts will analyze it for new clues. Many people will watch the lab tests.
A diver named Archie Mayo discovered the car. He searched for the Martins’ vehicle for years. He thought it was in Hood River County. Divers launched a search with police approval. They retrieved the car last Friday.
Sheriff’s Deputy Pete Hughes verified the discovery. Everything seems like the Martins’ car. The case has been interesting for years. Investigators will search the car remains. They seek evidence to solve the cold case.