On the evening of November 2, 2004, a 32-year-old man named Wilbert Martin disappeared from the small community of Klagetoh, Arizona, located within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation. He was last seen at his mother's home between 9:30 and 11:00 p.m. before he ran off into the night on foot. Wilbert, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, did not have a vehicle, and it is believed he may have attempted to hitchhike or catch a ride with a passing motorist. The circumstances surrounding his departure are not entirely clear, but his family has expressed the belief that he might be in a psychiatric hospital in either Arizona or New Mexico, given that he is mentally disabled and may not recall his identity or how to return home.
Wilbert is described as a Native American male with black hair and brown eyes. At the time he went missing, he stood between 5'4" and 5'5" and weighed approximately 130 to 140 pounds. He has several distinguishing physical characteristics that could aid in his identification. These include a number of scars on his head and body, such as a two-and-a-half-inch surgical scar extending upward from his navel and a scar running from his front hairline to the back of his head. He also has a tattoo on his upper arm of a "low-rider girl with a cholo hat." Past injuries have left him with screws or pins in his jaw and right knee, and he walks with a noticeable limp. He also needs glasses for both nearsightedness and farsightedness but did not have them with him when he disappeared.
The investigation into Wilbert's disappearance has been ongoing for many years, with the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation and the BIA OJS Missing and Murdered Unit seeking information from the public. His case is classified as an endangered missing person due to his mental condition and the cold temperatures on the night he vanished. Despite the passage of time, his family has held out hope, suggesting he might be in a care facility, unaware of his own identity. The case highlights the jurisdictional complexities that can arise when a person goes missing from tribal lands, and it remains an open and active investigation. The lack of concrete leads has left his loved ones without answers for over two decades.
Last Seen: Nov 2, 2004
