MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

Mystery of Entire Family Who Vanished Is Solved 68 Years Later

The family disappeared in December 1958 while on a trip to gather Christmas greenery.

The decades-long mystery of an Oregon family of five who vanished in 1958 has been solved after DNA analysis identified remains found in a submerged car in the Columbia River, authorities said Thursday. The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said the state medical examiner identified the remains as Kenneth and Barbara Martin and their daughter, Barbie. Investigators concluded their probe and found no evidence of a crime. The family disappeared in December 1958 while on a trip to gather Christmas greenery. Months later, the bodies of two children were recovered, but the parents and one daughter were never found, fueling speculation of foul play and a nationwide search. The breakthrough came after diver Archer Mayo discovered a Ford station wagon believed to belong to the family in 2024. Authorities recovered part of the vehicle in 2025, though it was heavily encased in sediment. Later that year, Mayo located human remains. Texas-based lab Othram conducted forensic DNA analysis on the remains, assisting investigators in the identification of the remains. “It’s not going to get more resolved than it is now, and so that feels good,” Mayo told CBS-affiliate KOIN-TV. “And that really lets us write the last chapter of that book.”