CASCADE LOCKS, ORE – On 03/07/2025 The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Columbia Gorge Major Crimes Team, continued the recovery process of a vehicle believed to be from the 1958 Martin Family missing persons case (Multnomah County case 1958-57457).
On March 6th and 7th, divers and crew from Advanced American Construction worked to dredge out the vehicle located in the old locks of the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. The vehicle was encased and filled with rock and debris from being in the river for more than 66 years at a depth of about 50 feet. At about 3:45pm on March 7th, while attempting to pull the vehicle out, the chassis detached from the rest of the vehicle due to the weight of the debris and condition of the vehicle. They were able to remove the chassis with the engine. The vehicle was then transported to a secure facility to be examined by investigators. The debris and parts of the vehicle left in the water were not able to be examined at this time. No human remains were found at this time due to the debris.
Investigators will now work on finding identification numbers from the engine and chassis of this vehicle to ensure it is in fact the Martin car. It is uncertain how long this process will take. The Sheriff’s Office will send out further communication once the identification has been made.