April 22, 2005 article

Remains belong to man who was missing

Kevin Martin, 21, had vanished after leaving a bar in downtown
Des Moines last July.

By TIM PALUCH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

Human remains found in the Des Moines River in February are those of missing Des Moines man Kevin Martin, police said Thursday.

Laboratory results matched DNA from the remains to a family member of Martin, a 21-year-old who was last seen leaving a downtown bar in the early morning hours of July 18, 2004.

In February, bones were discovered in a pile of sticks and trash on a sandbar near an abandoned railroad bridge just downstream from Principal Park.

At that time police found materials near the bones, including keys and some clothing, that matched items belonging to Martin.

Police said the body was never completely recovered because it was so badly decomposed, so they don't know what happened to Martin or how he ended up in the water.

Sgt. David Ness said authorities do not suspect foul play.

"There's no way to definitively rule out foul play, but detectives have conducted a lengthy investigation and have no reason to believe foul play was involved," Ness said.

Martin had been depressed, police have said. It is still not clear how he ended up near the river.

He had been living in Des Moines and was working at Flanagan's Restaurant and Lounge at 2120 Ingersoll Ave.

In November, several dozen volunteers joined Martin's mother, Patricia Gilson Martin, and searched the riverbanks for him after a psychic told her he could be "by the water."

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050422/NEWS08/504220401/1001

Anthropologist to study bones found downtown

Human bones unearthed from a frozen sandbar near downtown Des Moines on Tuesday and Wednesday will be examined by a forensic anthropologist.

Animal bones also were found in the area, just downstream from the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers near an abandoned railroad bridge.

Some clothing was recovered, as well as a belt and buckle and some keys.

The person's identity remained unknown Thursday. The skull was not recovered.

Meanwhile, investigators were going through missing-persons reports. They said they hope to know the sex and height of the person soon.

Experts may be able to determine the cause of death, but with only parts of a body to work with, there is no guarantee that information will become available, authorities said.

Feb. 2, 2005 article

Police collect bones found on sandbar

Police on Tuesday were investigating the discovery of bones on a sandbar near downtown Des Moines.

The bones, described by witnesses only as "large," were found in a pile of sticks, logs and trash. A piece of fabric also appeared to be in the pile. It wasn't immediately known whether the bones were those of a human.

Firefighters and police identification technicians took a boat to the sandbar, just downstream from the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers near an abandoned railroad bridge. Officials took the bones to a lab for closer examination.

In November, volunteers searched the river banks for Kevin Martin, 21, of Des Moines, who has been missing since July. Psychics told Martin's mother, Patricia Gilson Martin, that he could be "by the water," so that's where she looked for his body. She found nothing.

Nov. 9, 2004 article

Mom organizes search for son gone since July
By BRIANNA BLAKE
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
November 9, 2004

Patricia Martin, the mother of a Des Moines man who has been missing since July, is organizing a search on Saturday in hopes of finding her son's body and bringing closure for her family.

She's asking for volunteers to help her scour the southern downtown area.

"The more people we have, the better," Patricia Martin said Monday.

Police said Kevin Martin's friends last saw him at the Royal Mile pub, 210 Fourth St., about 2:15 a.m. Sunday, July 18.

"He was there with some friends," Patricia Martin said. "I still don't know the facts of what happened and what was said, but he left from there, and that was the last anybody has seen or heard from him."

Kevin Martin, 21, had been living in Des Moines and was working at Flanagan's Restaurant and Lounge.

At the time of his disappearance, Patricia Martin was living in upstate New York, caring for another son who was in the hospital. Kevin's second brother, Brian, was serving in Iraq with the Army National Guard. He was unable to come home until last week. He will be in Des Moines for the search Saturday, Patricia Martin said.

Des Moines police said Monday that the case is still under investigation.

"At this point, we don't suspect foul play," police Detective Jeff Shannon said. "We don't have any leads, and we are still trying to locate the man."

Patricia Martin, who traveled to Des Moines from her home in New York to organize the search, said she is worried the family is running out of time.

"We just haven't gotten anything yet, and it's been about four months," she said.

Martin also hopes the search will bring about any new information people may have about her son's disappearance.

"After a certain amount of time people forget," she said. "I'm really hoping that it will jog people's memory of anything they remember."

July 22 article

People/Places

Metro Record
By REGISTER NEWS SERVICESREGISTER NEWS SERVICES

July 22, 2004

Man, 21, is missing, may be ill, police say

Des Moines police are trying to find Kevin A. Martin, a 21-year-old man whom friends and relatives haven't seen since early Sunday.

Police said Martin's friends last saw the Des Moines man at a tavern in the 200 block of Fourth Street about 2:15 a.m. Sgt. Tony Steverson said Martin, who did not report for work this week, might be suffering from "health issues."

Call police at 283-4811 to report information about Martin.

Articles Donna sent

Thursday, February 03, 2005 4:23 PM

Police: Bones discovered were human

By TOM ALEX

Police today said bones discovered on a sandbar near downtown Des Moines were both animal and human. An investigation continues to determine if the bones represent a crime scene.

The bones were found Tuesday night in a pile of sticks, logs and trash.

Firefighters and police identification technicians took a boat to the sandbar, just downstream from the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers near an abandoned railroad bridge. Officials took the bones to a lab for closer examination.

In November, volunteers searched the river banks for Kevin Martin, 21, of Des Moines, who has been missing since July. Psychics told Martin's mother, Patricia Gilson Martin, that he could be "by the water," so that's where she looked for his body. She found nothing.

Police collect bones found on sandbar

Police on Tuesday were investigating the discovery of bones on a sandbar near downtown Des Moines.

The bones, described by witnesses only as "large," were found in a pile of sticks, logs and trash. A piece of fabric also appeared to be in the pile. It wasn't immediately known whether the bones were those of a human.

Firefighters and police identification technicians took a boat to the sandbar, just downstream from the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers near an abandoned railroad bridge. Officials took the bones to a lab for closer examination.

In November, volunteers searched the river banks for Kevin Martin, 21, of Des Moines, who has been missing since July. Psychics told Martin's mother, Patricia Gilson Martin, that he could be "by the water," so that's where she looked for his body. She found nothing.

WOI TV article

Bones Found On Des Moines River

Above: Investigators found the bones near the railroad bridge.

E-mail: sangleson@woitv.com

DES MOINES- The watchful eyes of a fisherman led authorities to a suprising discovery in the Des Moines river. Tuesday afternoon, a fisherman said he saw what looked like human bones stuck on the log jam in the river. The remains were found near SE First St. at the railroad bridge.

Officers and detectives were immediately on the scene, and one on-looker says it's scary this is happening in her neighborhood. Jennifer Reigel, from Des Moines, said, “Lots of people down here are afraid of the river because things like this turn up. There's been people who have turned up dead around here so we're cautious of it here in the neighborhood.”

Investigators say the remains were made up of a rib cage and other bones, along with some clothing fabric. According to Sgt. Tony Steverson, the bones have been identified as human, and have been sent to a lab in Kansas City, Missouri to undergo more tests.

WOI tv article July

Metro Police Asking For Public's Help

(Des Moines)-- No one knows for sure where 21-year-old Kevin Martin is, but one friend says he's prepared for the worst. Grant Hitsman, a friend of Martin said, "If he is gone, he's happier. Because he wasn't happy here." Grant Hitsman has known Kevin Martin since middle school, and says he's seen his friend unhappy for quite some time. Part of him expects the unthinkable. Hitsman said, "I'd like to think he's hiding out, but I've known Kevin for a long time, and I'm ready to accept what's happened."

No one has seen Martin since he left the Royal Mile on Court Ave. early Sunday morning. Back at his apartment at 1808 Pleasant Street his cat Marilyn waits in his room, which has been cleaned out by family. Hitsman says whatever happened to his friend and roomate- he'd just like closure. Hitsman said, "It doesn't do any good to sit and wonder. I'd like to know if he's some place okay or if he's some place not okay."

If anybody has any information about the where abouts of Kevin Martin, the Des Moines Police are asking you to call them or the Polk County Crimestoppers at 515.223.1400.

reported by: Katie Janssen

http://www.angelsmissing.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t522.html