Case Details

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This person was missing Missing Since 11/27/1985

Missing Since:

Missing Since 11/27/1985

Missing From:

Missing From Elkton, Florida

Classification:

Classification Endangered Missing

Gender:

Female

Race:

Race White

Date of Birth:

Date of Birth 03/26/1973 (51)

Age:

Age 12 years old

Height and Weight:

Height and Weight 4’5, 70 pounds

Clothing/Jewelry Description:

Clothing/Jewelry Description A matching two-piece bathing suit.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Martha’s upper front teeth protrude slightly. She has birthmarks on the front of her right thigh and on her upper left chest.

Details of Disappearance:

Martha Lambert disappeared from St. Augustine, Florida on November 27, 1985. She was 12 years old and lived with her troubled family. There was a lot of fighting at home, her father was an alcoholic, and the children had been in foster care before. While Martha was friendly, she was often neglected.

Initially, police thought she ran away, but they later suspected foul play. Extensive searches found nothing. Martha’s mother believed her daughter was abducted, but police suspected her older brother, David.

David gave conflicting stories about the night Martha disappeared. He changed his account multiple times. In 2000, he told police he killed her and buried her body near a coquina mine, but no evidence was found. Then, in 2009, he confessed to accidentally killing Martha during an argument near an abandoned college. He said he pushed her, and she hit her head. He panicked and buried her.

Police believed David’s 2009 confession, even though cadaver dogs only showed a reaction and no body was found. However, no charges were filed because David was a minor when it happened and the time limit for prosecuting the crime had passed. The college was later demolished, making it impossible to find Martha’s remains.

After his confession became public, David retracted it, claiming he lied to please the police. His mother also denied his confession.

Despite David’s retraction, investigators believe his initial confession was truthful. Martha is still missing, and her case remains unsolved. The police suspect foul play.

Agency:

St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office 904-824-8304

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