The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office announced plans to recover a vehicle from the Columbia River, believed to be linked to the Martin family who disappeared in 1958. Kenneth and Barbara Jean Martin vanished with their three daughters while traveling to the Columbia River Gorge for Christmas greenery on December 7, 1958.
- Martin family disappeared in 1958.
- Bodies of two daughters recovered in 1959.
- Diver Archer Mayor has searched since 2018.
- Vehicle believed to be Martin's located.
- Recovery treated as a criminal investigation.
- Hope for closure for surviving family members.
Kenneth and Barbara Jean Martin went missing along with their daughters—Barbara, Virginia, and Susan—after telling neighbors they would visit the Columbia River Gorge. Their disappearance was reported by a neighbor on December 7, 1958. In 1959, the bodies of Virginia and Susan were recovered from the river near Camas, Washington, and Bonneville Dam respectively. However, Kenneth, Barbara Jean, and their oldest daughter remain missing.
Diver Archer Mayor has been searching for the family’s vehicle since 2018. He claims to have located a car in fall 2024 that he believes is almost certainly the Martin’s vehicle—a cream-colored 1954 wagon. The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that this vehicle is submerged near Cascade Locks and will be retrieved using a crane on Wednesday.
- Vehicle type: Cream-colored 1954 wagon
- Location: Near Cascade Locks in the Columbia River
- Status: Recovery operation ongoing; treated as criminal investigation
The sheriff’s office has observed visible parts of the vehicle including license plate fragments and emblems but has not yet confirmed its identity. Mayor expressed hope that recovering this vehicle could provide closure for surviving family members of the Martins as investigators continue their search for answers regarding this long-standing mystery.
This recovery effort marks a significant step in an ongoing investigation into one of Oregon’s most enduring mysteries involving the Martin family’s tragic disappearance nearly seven decades ago.
