Although there have been other instances of people disappearing in the United States of America, the vanishing of the Martin Family is uniquely perplexing. Their disappearance has left many puzzled and has been labeled as one of Oregon’s “most puzzling” enigmas, leading to the state’s largest manhunt at that time.
The reality of the Martin Family vanishing
In the 1950s, Portland was infamous across the country as a hub of immorality and vice. The ongoing violence and vandalism in Portland, Oregon have combined with the city’s negative aspects, including poor infrastructure and high crime rates.
Similar to the disappearance of Alice Creed, there was a family consisting of Ken Martin, his spouse Barbara, and their three young daughters. They eagerly left their residence in Northeast Portland in December 1958 to gather Christmas greens.
Regrettably, they never returned home, triggering Oregon’s most extensive search for missing persons, and the case remains unresolved to this day.
What occurred to the Martin Family?
Kenneth Martin, aged 54, made the decision to take his family on an excursion to the Columbia Gorge countryside on December 7, 1958. Martin’s 48-year-old wife, Barbara, and their daughters, 14-year-old Barbie, 13-year-old Virginia, and 11-year-old Susan, set out in a cream and red 1954 Ford station wagon around 1 pm.
They had a late start and were last spotted at Cascade Locks around 4 p.m. when they refueled their car. They then ventured eastward. They made a stop in Hood River at a restaurant before disappearing altogether.
Prior to their disappearance, the family had informed their friends that they would return in the evening after going out to pick a Christmas tree and greenery. Their absence was noticed when Ken Martin didn’t show up at his workplace, and Barbie and Virginia were absent from school.
Considering the circumstances, the police visited the Martins’ home late at night and found household chores left unfinished. There were no signs of disturbance, and no money had been withdrawn from Ken Martin’s bank account. The only family member not present was Martin’s older son, Donald, who was serving in New York as a navy veteran.
The Martin Family disappearance took a peculiar turn
An abandoned car was discovered near Cascade Locks on the same day the Martin family disappeared, approximately 40 miles from their home. Although the car was not theirs, its discovery raised suspicion.
Near the abandoned car, a .38 Colt Commander revolver coated in dried blood was found in the bushes. This discovery was unusual as the pistol had been stolen from a department store by Donald Martin, the eldest son of Ken and Barbara.
As time passed, the investigation took an unnerving turn, leading to the discovery of tyre marks matching the Martin family’s car and the recovery of the bodies of Susan and Virginia Martin along the Columbia River.
Where is Donald Martin now?
Upon the disappearance of his family, Donald remained in New York and only returned to Oregon once, in March 1959, to settle the family’s inheritance as the sole beneficiary. Donald Martin passed away in 2003.
Final thoughts
Despite the depth of the investigation, no conclusive evidence has been found to unravel the mystery of the Martin family’s disappearance. As perplexing as it is, the case remains a mystery, leaving us to speculate on whether it was a murder or a case of homicide.
