Ashley Renee Martinez-Missing 9 Years

ON July 6, 2004, 15 year-old Ashley Renee Martinez was dropped off at Krug Pool, which was located at Krug Park in St. Joseph, Missouri, around noon with her then 13 year-old little brother. Witnesses stated Ashley hung around the pool for a couple of hours after being dropped off by her mother. Later on that day Ashley's mother, Tammy Mack, returned to Krug Pool to find only her son waiting for her. Ashley was nowhere to be found.

Ashley had run away once before in 2001, but was only gone for one day. That incident also did not involve her leaving state or having any plans to leave state. She also returned home at her own will. She was an 8th grader at Robidoux Middle School when she vanished.
Ashley was 15 years old when she vanished, and was 5'3"-5'5" and weighed 110 pounds. Ashley has a scar on her left wrist and had sandy blond hair (which would be dyed now) and blue eyes. (At the time she vanished, she may have appeared older than she really was). She also has her tongue, ears and navel pierced. Her sizes in 2004 were size 5 for shoes and size 1 for jeans in women's sizes, or 11 in junior sizes. She may also smoke cigarettes (especially Menthol's), drink alcohol or smoke marijuana. On the day Ashley vanished, she was wearing blue jean shorts, a black top, a black bikini printed with red cherries under her clothes, Reebok sneakers with red accents and a ring with two hearts joined together.
Ashley's disappearance is classified as a Runaway, but whether or not she left entirely of her own accord does not matter, because she is in danger due to all her medical conditions. Ashley suffers from bipolar disorder, and requires bipolar medication to prevent violent mood swings and risky behavior. She left her medication (along with many personal belongings) behind, and as a result may be a danger to herself or others. As an infant, she was also diagnosed with asthma attacks, and carries an inhaler with her, despite rarely having asthma attacks anymore.

This is Krug Pool, located at Krug Park in St. Joseph, Missouri. This marks the last time and place anyone would have a legitimate sighting of 15 year-old Ashley Martinez. -Image from FourSqaure.com

Further investigation uncovered that Ashley had planned to run away to California with 32 year-old Christopher M. Hart, who lived only a few minutes away from her. It was reported they were traveling in a stolen grey 1995 Pontiac Bonneville with the Missouri License Plate 377MPY.
Hart had a history of coming into contact with the law, with the marks of second degree assault, resisting arrest, drug possession and unlawful use of a weapon. Eleven days later, Hart would come into contact with the law once again by for snatching a woman's purse. Only this was not in California or Missouri, but instead Olympia, Washington, living at his cousin's residence. Hart gave a false name at first to evade the fact he was currently wanted in Missouri for the disappearance of Ashley Martinez. He was released, only to be arrested again on September 7, 2004 once he true identity was uncovered.
He remained in custody as the main suspect in Ashley's disappearance. Hart's cousin insists he had never seen Ashley or even heard Hart talk about her. Hart continues to refuse to cooperate and give any information about Ashley's current whereabouts. Later on, he began to exhibit bizarre behavior in jail, and was sent to the mental state hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Ashley's disappearance is frustrating because the one person who has information about what happened to Ashley is refusing to speak about her to this day. And there is nothing anyone can do about it, because there is no proof, evidence or witnesses to confirm that Ashley left with Hart that day. However, friends confirmed that Ashley borrowed one of their cell phones to call Hart from the pool that day, only to be missing later. It was reported Ashley had actually been "seeing" Hart, and he had promised to take her away to California. Before Hart supposedly left on July 6, he also stopped by an acquaintance's house, saying he had his car packed, and that he was going to pick up Ashley. I have been searching for an update on Hart. Has he committed anymore crimes? Is he incarcerated? What is his status in the investigation concerning Ashley? Being Hart, a 33 year-old man, had a relationship with then 15 year-old Ashley, was he ever charged as a sexual predator?

                                                   

Ashley may have appeared older than 15 years at the time she vanished in 2004.

It was also confirmed that Christopher Hart and Ashley had been "seeing" each other. I wonder how they met. Putting together the fact that he lived only minutes away from Ashley, and had a charge for drug possession makes me wonder if drugs are what brought these two together. Many websites state that Ashley had tried smoking Marijuana. Is it possible this is what linked these two together? Defining Ashley as a runaway is also troublesome to me for a variety of reasons. One is that she was only fifteen years old. I doubt a fifteen year old could make the wisest choices. Chances are, he offered he an adventure, maybe a road trip, to California with the promise of her coming home. The thought of the beach, freedom, adventure, and no rules would be alluring to any teenager, especially if it was with someone they thought a lot of. Next, she went missing with a convicted felon, decades older than her. Supposedly they were also having a relationship. That all by itself is alarming. I do feel is Ashley's disappearance was classified as "Endangered Missing" or "Non-Family Abduction", she would have received much more media attention. Ashley also has bipolar and asthma attacks. She is without medication for both. ALL her personal belongings were also left behind. All in all, I have also read that Ashley came from a great, tight-knit family. Her mother is determined to move mountains to bring her daughter home. I cannot see Ashley willingly dropping contact with her family and friends.

Although this is not the exact same car that was stolen, this is an example of a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville, which was the supposed vehicle Ashley and Hart were traveling in. It is still missing as well.

All these questions have been difficult to find any contributing information to, as their is no further information on Christopher Hart, except for the fact he has been uncooperative, and refuses to give up any information about Ashley. And what about that stolen Pontiac Ashley and Hart supposedly left in? Why is that still missing? I doubt Ashley, being 15 at the time, would have the knowledge to conceal or continue to use a stolen car with Missouri license plates. I am always curious as to how cars can remain missing with, well, the missing. In this scenario, he may have hid it because the Pontiac contains damning evidence, or he could have sold or given it to someone else. Either would make sense, because the car's license plate number was being circulated, so the car itself put him in danger of being caught, when he was already wanted for parole violation. Missouri license plates in Washington would not be difficult to spot.
Somewhere, out there, someone knows what happened to Ashley, other than Christopher Hart. If he talked about his plans to leave with her to some acquaintances, it is hard for me to believe that he has not shared any other information with anyone else about Ashley's whereabouts. If Hart will not come forward and give information, it is up to any acquaintances, family or friends of his to help, along with anyone who may have seen the pair traveling in the grey 1995 Pontiac Bonneville. Even if Hart did "help her runaway", and just dropped her off somewhere, knowing where she was left at would help tremendously. Many accounts state Ashley may be in California, Washington or Kansas City, Missouri. Other sites also list Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio as possible whereabouts as well. There is no evidence that Ashley ever even left Missouri, so it is very possible she is still within the state. But what happened between Hart's travel from Missouri to Washington? What was Hart's intentions with Ashley? Was he involved in any drug trade activity? (At this point, it seems unlikely he ever went to California. Being he had family in Washington, I'm betting that was his intended destination to begin with.)

Ashley is described as a fun-loving, adventurous and spirited girl.

I believe anything is possible in this case, it is hard to even place a theory because there are so many possibilities. I think a huge part of it is finding out Hart's motive for offering to take her to California. Did Hart even leave the state with Ashley? There are many possible sightings of Ashley in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as within Washington. We must remember girls Amanda Berry, Gina Dejesus and Michelle Knight were only blocks away from their homes, therefore it is very possible Ashley is somewhere nearby as well. She would be 24 years old as of January 2013. Please share her story, be observant and aware. When you look at her pictures, I ask you not to see a rebellious, runaway teenager, but a girl who is endangered missing, and may be in need of immediate help to be brought home to her family.
Ashley's disappearance is very active. Her mother, Tammy Mack, will not give up and vows to continue the search for her daughter by circulating her pictures, sharing her story and holding candle light vigils. Her family wants nothing more than to have her home, or to at least know she is alright.

Age progression of what Ashley may look like today. She also looks a lot like her mother, and a photo of her is on the side panel with other searching families.

If you have ANY information about the whereabouts of Ashley Renee Martinez, please contact:

Saint Joseph Police Department

(816) 271-4777

OR

NAMUS Regional Administrator 

Brenda Galarza 

E-Mail: namus@ncmec.org

Phone: 703-837-6276

OR

1-800-THE-LOST

(You can remain anonymous).

SOURCES:
Charley Project
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/martinez_ashley.html
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEP6GpdqkE0
Million Dollar Memory
http://www.milliondollarmemory.net/misperson.htm
Tammy Mack Interview:
http://www.newspressnow.com/localnews/26664836/detail.html
Kansas City News Article
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansa...on/12059922.htm (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/12059922.htm)
Ashley on NAMUS
https://findthemissing.org/cases/6356/8/