70 years ago family went to buy Christmas tree and vanished - now mystery solved

70 years ago family went to buy Christmas tree and vanished - now mystery solvedDNA samples from human remains dating back to the 1950s were examined in a bid to uncover the fate of a family who were later found in the same river as the vehicle they travelled inCommentsNewsAnders Anglesey News Reporter15:04, 18 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesThe mystery surrounding the family went unsolved for decades (Image: Family Photo)A nearly 70-year-long mystery of a family who vanished while on their way to get a Christ tree has finally been solved.‌Detectives discovered the fate of the family who disappeared in their car in December 1958. Two of the children were tragically found dead several months after the search was launched, but the fate of other members of the family remained unknown.‌The remains of their parents Kenneth and Barbara, as well as another of their children Barbie Martin, have been identified. Their remains were found in Oregon's Columbia River, according to officials.‌The Hood River County Sheriff's Office concluded the decades-long investigation, and despite speculation, they had found "no evidence of a crime." The sheriff's office said: "The remains of Virginia and Susan Martin were found downstream months later, but the parents, Kenneth and Barbara, and oldest daughter Barbara (Barbie) were never found despite extensive searching and diving."View 3 ImagesBarbara, Ken, Barbara, Sue, Donald and Virginia pictured in December 1952(Image: AP)READ MORE: Police review case of Lee Boxell who vanished 38 years ago 'after defying paedo'READ MORE: Killer boxer filmed boasting about being called 'The Shovel' after murdering widowA Ford station wagon, believed to belong to the family, was found in the Columbia River in 2024 by independent researcher Archer Mayo, reports MailOnline. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office took DNA samples from the remains as well as ones from the Martin family's relatives in...