1000 x 90

Missing for 2 Years, James Martin Roberts Still Dearly Missed

By Luke Weir

Two years ago, James “Martin” Roberts disappeared from Boone. Despite local law enforcement’s best efforts to find the 19-year-old student, months turned to years of searching have yielded no obvious answers.

The last confirmed sighting of Martin is from security camera footage near the AppalCart bus stop next to Appalachian State University’s convocation center on Thursday, April 21, 2016, around 12:30 p.m.

Since Martin’s disappearance, Boone Police Department, assisted by several other law enforcement agencies, searched exhaustively for any signs of Martin, but turned up nothing. A Facebook group started by his family called Help Find Martin Roberts is now almost 4,000 members strong.

About one year after going missing, Martin was featured on two episodes of a popular podcast called The Vanished. The podcast features extensive interviews with Martin’s father, John Roberts, and spread the search to a broader audience.

More recently, John Roberts said in an April 2 interview with WFMY News 2 that the family is trying to further expand outreach of their son’s case beyond North Carolina. John Roberts said in the WFMY News 2 interview he hopes to spread word of Martin’s disappearance to a larger audience by putting his son’s face on national television.

To broaden the search, Martin’s story will be featured on an episode of Investigation Discovery’s Disappeared television series Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m., according to a post by his father on the Help Find Martin Roberts Facebook page.

Martin is dearly missed by his family, who continue to hold out hope for him with each passing day. Saturday, on the second anniversary of Martin’s disappearance, his mother, Abbie, posted a heartfelt message to her son on the Help Find Martin Roberts Facebook page.

“We search for you, we wait for you and pray every day for some word from you,” Abbie Roberts’ post said. “More than anything, just know how much we love you and how much we miss you and that we are counting the seconds until we see your sweet face again.”

Martin’s parents set up a Charity Ball webpage raising money in honor of Martin and his lifelong love of soccer. According to the page, money donated to the Charity Ball purchases soccer balls benefitting poverty-stricken communities.

Anyone with information regarding Martin’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Boone Police Department at 828-268-6900, or submit a tip to High Country Crime Stoppers either online, or by calling 828-268-6959 or 828-737-0125.