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30th anniversary of paperboy's disappearance just ahead

Photo of Eugene Martin from 1984 and age progressed to what he might look like today.
Photo of Eugene Martin from 1984 and age progressed to what he might look like today.
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30th anniversary of paperboy's disappearance just ahead
The 30th anniversary of a Des Moines paperboy's disappearance is fast approaching.Watch video of this storyMartin disappeared on Aug. 12, 1984, in Des Moines while delivering newspapers. He was last seen between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.Today, he would be 43 years old. The age progressed photo shows what he would look like at age 39."Certainly the serious cases are extremely important to Des Moines Police Department," said spokesman Sgt. Scott Raudabaugh.He said older cold cases are looked at on a yearly basis. The department has a select group of officers who specifically look at very old cases.Police will examine old pieces of evidence from cold cases with new technology like DNA testing."Everything that could be done was done to take advantage of technology that exists now that didn't exist maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago," said Raudabaugh. "If in any way we can develop a suspect and follow up on that we certainly do."Martin has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a scar on his right knee and has had a broken right wrist. His birth date is Aug. 17, 1970.When he disappeared, a paper bag was found outside of Des Moines with papers still inside.The disappearance happened about two years after Johnny Gosch was last seen delivering newspapers in West Des Moines on Sept. 5, 1982.Anyone with information about Martin is asked to call the Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864 or your local police department. Authorities said calls are kept confidential and may be made anonymously.

The 30th anniversary of a Des Moines paperboy's disappearance is fast approaching.

Watch video of this story

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Martin disappeared on Aug. 12, 1984, in Des Moines while delivering newspapers. He was last seen between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Today, he would be 43 years old. The age progressed photo shows what he would look like at age 39.

"Certainly the serious cases are extremely important to Des Moines Police Department," said spokesman Sgt. Scott Raudabaugh.

He said older cold cases are looked at on a yearly basis. The department has a select group of officers who specifically look at very old cases.

Police will examine old pieces of evidence from cold cases with new technology like DNA testing.

"Everything that could be done was done to take advantage of technology that exists now that didn't exist maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago," said Raudabaugh. "If in any way we can develop a suspect and follow up on that we certainly do."

Martin has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a scar on his right knee and has had a broken right wrist. His birth date is Aug. 17, 1970.

When he disappeared, a paper bag was found outside of Des Moines with papers still inside.

The disappearance happened about two years after Johnny Gosch was last seen delivering newspapers in West Des Moines on Sept. 5, 1982.

Anyone with information about Martin is asked to call the Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or the Des Moines Police Department at 515-283-4864 or your local police department. Authorities said calls are kept confidential and may be made anonymously.