The Martin Family Mystery

On December 7, 1958, the Martin family of Portland, Oregon set out on what should have been a routine Sunday drive. Kenneth Martin (54), his wife Barbara (48), and their three daughters—Barbara "Barbie" (14), Virginia (13), and Susan (11)—planned to gather Christmas greenery in the Columbia River Gorge. They never returned home.

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The family's disappearance triggered an extensive search operation throughout the rugged terrain of Hood River County. Their cream and red 1954 Ford Country Squire station wagon seemed to have vanished without explanation. The Martins' eldest son Donald, serving in the Navy in New York, was the only family member spared from whatever fate befell his parents and sisters.

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Complicating the investigation were several puzzling elements. The day after the family vanished, authorities arrested two ex-convicts in the area and recovered a stolen handgun, though investigators could never definitively connect these events to the Martins' disappearance.

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The first break in the case came months later when the body of 11-year-old Susan Martin was discovered downstream on the shores of the Columbia River. Shortly after, Virginia's remains were found approximately 30 miles away, also along the riverbank. The discoveries only deepened the mystery—what had happened to Kenneth, Barbara, and young Barbie?

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Police theorized the family's station wagon might have plunged into the Columbia River, but despite extensive searches, the vehicle was never recovered. Paint chips matching their Ford were reportedly found near an aluminum plant along the river, suggesting a possible entry point, but the evidence remained inconclusive.

For over six decades, the case had remained open, joining the ranks of America's enduring mysteries.