Caitlin

They invited the Martins to have dinner together that evening, the night of December 7th, but Barbara declines. She says that she's going on a day trip to collect Christmas greenery. Barbara doesn't really specify where they're going to drive to, though. She just says that they're going up the highway, and that usually means driving out to the Columbia River Gorge on Highway 30.

They invited the Martins to have dinner together that evening, the night of December 7th, but Barbara declines. She says that she's going on a day trip to collect Christmas greenery. Barbara doesn't really specify where they're going to drive to, though. She just says that they're going up the highway, and that usually means driving out to the Columbia River Gorge on Highway 30.

So around 1 to 2 p.m., the precise time has kind of been debated. But around that time, the family leaves their Portland home in their cream and red 1954 Ford station wagon. About an hour after leaving, they stop for gas at Dean's Chevron service station in the small city of Cascade Locks. Around three to four, the Martins stop at a cafe called the Paradise Snack Bar in Hood River.

So around 1 to 2 p.m., the precise time has kind of been debated. But around that time, the family leaves their Portland home in their cream and red 1954 Ford station wagon. About an hour after leaving, they stop for gas at Dean's Chevron service station in the small city of Cascade Locks. Around three to four, the Martins stop at a cafe called the Paradise Snack Bar in Hood River.

So around 1 to 2 p.m., the precise time has kind of been debated. But around that time, the family leaves their Portland home in their cream and red 1954 Ford station wagon. About an hour after leaving, they stop for gas at Dean's Chevron service station in the small city of Cascade Locks. Around three to four, the Martins stop at a cafe called the Paradise Snack Bar in Hood River.

And that's about 20 miles from Cascade Locks. They're just continuing down the road. A waitress comes forward as a witness later on and confirms that she did see the family eating a meal here. And then they left about an hour after they had their meal and they started heading back towards Portland. And that brings us to our very first clue.

And that's about 20 miles from Cascade Locks. They're just continuing down the road. A waitress comes forward as a witness later on and confirms that she did see the family eating a meal here. And then they left about an hour after they had their meal and they started heading back towards Portland. And that brings us to our very first clue.

And that's about 20 miles from Cascade Locks. They're just continuing down the road. A waitress comes forward as a witness later on and confirms that she did see the family eating a meal here. And then they left about an hour after they had their meal and they started heading back towards Portland. And that brings us to our very first clue.

Yeah, it was pretty empty in the place.

Yeah, it was pretty empty in the place.

Yeah, it was pretty empty in the place.

Yeah, those are all very different times of day. Yeah. Which, yeah, really matters in an investigation like this.

Yeah, those are all very different times of day. Yeah. Which, yeah, really matters in an investigation like this.

Yeah, those are all very different times of day. Yeah. Which, yeah, really matters in an investigation like this.

Right. And so one thing that was super interesting about December 7th is there was a tip that was reported directly to the FBI saying,

Right. And so one thing that was super interesting about December 7th is there was a tip that was reported directly to the FBI saying,

Right. And so one thing that was super interesting about December 7th is there was a tip that was reported directly to the FBI saying,

There were two women, Kelsey and Doris Knutson, some say Knutson, were out for a sightseeing drive on December 7th when they noticed that there was a light-colored station wagon heading west towards Portland from around the area of the Paradise Snack Bar at about 4.30 p.m. A lot of reason to believe that that was the Martin family.

There were two women, Kelsey and Doris Knutson, some say Knutson, were out for a sightseeing drive on December 7th when they noticed that there was a light-colored station wagon heading west towards Portland from around the area of the Paradise Snack Bar at about 4.30 p.m. A lot of reason to believe that that was the Martin family.

There were two women, Kelsey and Doris Knutson, some say Knutson, were out for a sightseeing drive on December 7th when they noticed that there was a light-colored station wagon heading west towards Portland from around the area of the Paradise Snack Bar at about 4.30 p.m. A lot of reason to believe that that was the Martin family.