In the winter of 1988, 38-year-old Sharon Virginia Martin was last seen in Knoxville, Tennessee. A mother with brown or auburn hair and green or hazel eyes, her disappearance has left her family with unanswered questions for decades. Sharon, who sometimes went by the nicknames Oglevie, Cope, Shope, or Sam, was last seen after her release from the Knox County Detention Facility. She had a distinctive tattoo of angel wings on her left hand, nestled between her thumb and index finger.
Standing between five feet and five feet three inches tall and weighing between 105 and 130 pounds, Sharon vanished without a trace, leaving a void in the lives of those who knew her.
The circumstances surrounding Sharon's disappearance are shrouded in uncertainty, with the exact date of her release from the detention facility remaining unclear. For many years, her absence was not officially documented as a missing person case. It wasn't until October 19, 2018, that her daughter formally reported her missing to the Knoxville Police Department, nearly three decades after she was last seen. This significant passage of time has undoubtedly complicated the investigation, as memories fade and potential evidence becomes more difficult to uncover. Despite the challenges, law enforcement has continued to seek information that might shed light on what happened to Sharon after she walked out of the detention facility that day.
The investigation into Sharon Martin's disappearance remains open, a cold case filled with more questions than answers. Information provided to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System indicates her last contact was in late 1986, though she was physically last seen in 1988. This discrepancy highlights the vague timeline investigators are working with. The case is a poignant reminder of the enduring pain and uncertainty that families of the missing endure. The Knoxville Police Department continues to hold the case file, hoping that one day a new lead will emerge, finally providing answers and a sense of closure for Sharon's loved ones who have waited so long for any news.Last Seen: Dec 31, 1986
