Car Believed to Belong to Martin Family Missing Since 1958 Found in Oregon River

Authorities work to recover a vehicle from the Columbia River that may hold answers to a 66-year-old mystery involving a Portland family of five.

The Martin family disappeared in December 1958 during a trip to collect Christmas greenery, with only two of the daughters' bodies found months later near the Bonneville Dam.
A diver, Archer Mayo, located a submerged station wagon in the Columbia River last fall after a seven-year search, matching part of the car's license plate to the Martins' vehicle.
The car, found upside down and encased in mud and debris, is believed to be largely intact, though authorities are not yet certain it is the Martins' vehicle.
Efforts to recover the car, along with other nearby submerged vehicles, began on March 6 and are ongoing, with investigators hoping to uncover new evidence about the family's disappearance.
The case has remained a significant mystery in Portland for over six decades, with authorities now treating the discovery as a major development in the investigation.