Eugene Martin was 13 when he vanished from Des Moines, Iowa, on the morning of August 12, 1984. He left home about 5 a.m. to deliver newspapers alone that day, which was unusual because he normally worked the route with his older stepbrother. Witnesses saw him speaking in a friendly manner with a man in his 30s near Southwest 12th Street and Highview Drive between about 5:30 and 6:00 a.m.

Eugene’s newspaper bag was later found full of undelivered papers, but he was not. Authorities conducted extensive searches and followed thousands of leads, but no solid evidence has ever been produced and the case remains unsolved. The disappearance drew stark comparisons to another Des Moines paperboy, and Eugene’s family helped raise awareness about missing children; his case contributed to wider national attention and programs that followed.

If anyone remembers seeing Eugene that morning or has information about the man seen talking with him, please come forward.