On April 21, 2016, a 19-year-old college student named James Martin Roberts, who was known to friends and family as Martin, vanished from the mountain town of Boone, North Carolina. Originally from Kernersville, he was a student at Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute with aspirations of re-enrolling at Appalachian State University in the fall. That Thursday, he told his roommates he was heading to the library. The last confirmed sighting of Martin was around 12:30 p.m.
near the Appalachian State University Convocation Center, at an Appalcart bus stop on the corner of Rivers Street and Blowing Rock Road. In a chance encounter, he briefly spoke with his cousin, telling her he was going to his fraternity house. Surveillance footage from the bus captured him walking away from the stop, but the camera lost sight of him as he neared the intersection of Rivers Street and Hardin Street. At the time he disappeared, he was wearing khaki shorts, a black three-quarter sleeve shirt, an Appalachian State University windbreaker, gray New Balance shoes, white socks, and a white visor.
The days following Martin's disappearance brought a troubling discovery and a deepening mystery. After not hearing from his son, Martin's father grew concerned and contacted the landlord. His roommates checked his room and found that Martin was gone, but had left behind his cell phone and other electronic devices. He also left a note. The contents of the note have been described as vague; it expressed that he was leaving because he was disappointed in himself and had not taken advantage of the opportunities he had been given. Both his family and law enforcement have been hesitant to classify it as a suicide note, as it did not explicitly state any intent to harm himself. The investigation later revealed that Martin had been facing some personal challenges. He had received a DUI citation the previous year and had subsequently taken a semester off from Appalachian State University to work and improve his academic standing at a community college. Friends noted that upon his return to Boone, he seemed more reserved and less social, though more focused on his schoolwork. It was also discovered that he had stopped attending his community college classes weeks before he went missing.
The search for James Martin Roberts was extensive, involving multiple agencies and spanning a vast and challenging terrain. Law enforcement, with assistance from the North Carolina Highway Patrol and their specialized helicopter equipped with infrared technology, scoured densely wooded areas. Dive teams searched local waterways, and numerous land searches were conducted by officers and civilian volunteers throughout the High Country. Investigators looked into a potential but unconfirmed sighting of Martin in the Trout Lake area along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a place he was known to enjoy hiking and camping. The investigation has followed up on tips from across the country, from the Outer Banks to Virginia and even Ohio, but none have led to his whereabouts. Over the years, the Boone Police Department has had the case reviewed by outside experts for a fresh perspective, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released an age-progressed photo to show what he might look like today. Despite these exhaustive efforts, no credible or confirmable information has surfaced to explain what happened to Martin. The case of the young man with a passion for the outdoors and distinctive tattoos of mountains and a Bob Marley quote remains an unsolved and painful mystery for his family and the community that continues to hope for answers.Last Seen: Apr 21, 2016
