Authorities announced Thursday that bodies recovered from a car in the Columbia River have been confirmed through DNA testing to belong to an Oregon family that vanished in 1958 while searching for Christmas greenery.
The state medical examiner identified the remains as those of Kenneth and Barbara Martin and their daughter, Barbie. These were found inside the wreck of their car, according to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office has wrapped up its investigation, concluding that there is no evidence of foul play.
A Ford station wagon, believed to be the family’s vehicle, was located in 2024 by divers who had been on a years-long search for it.
Authorities managed to retrieve a portion of the car from the river in the following year.
The Martin family disappeared in December 1958.
While the bodies of two of their children were found months later, the other family members remained missing.
The search at the time garnered national attention, with speculation about possible foul play leading to a $1,000 reward for tips.
An article from the Associated Press in 1959 reflected on the challenges faced, pondering, “Where do you search when you’ve already covered all logical areas based on fragmentary clues?”
Due to sediment heavily encasing the vehicle, only the frame and some parts were recovered, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
After some analysis of the recovered items, investigators confirmed it was indeed the Martin family’s car.
In late 2025, divers discovered human remains, which were subsequently sent to the state medical examiner’s office.
Scientists extracted DNA from these remains and created a profile for comparison with relatives of the Martin family, enabling the identification process, according to authorities.
