The case of Marta Jean Lambert: On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1985, 12-year-old Marta Jean Lambert disappeared after leaving her home in Florida with her 14-year-old brother, David. The family had been experiencing financial difficulties and marital problems, leading to a tense atmosphere at home. David initially reported that Marta had gone missing after they separated while exploring an abandoned college campus. Despite a thorough search, no one was able to find Marta, and the case remained unsolved for 24 years.
In 2009, David, then 38 years old, confessed to the police that he had accidentally killed Marta in a fight at the abandoned college. He claimed that he had pushed her, and she fell, hitting her head on a piece of metal, which pierced her skull. David said he had been afraid to tell the truth due to fear of his mother's reaction. The police believed David's confession, but due to mitigating factors, including his age at the time and lack of evidence, the prosecutor decided not to charge him with homicide.
Marta's mother, Margaret, still doubts David's confession, believing that her daughter was kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. The case remains unsolved, and Marta's disappearance is the longest in the county's history.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Marta Jean Lambert was born on March 26, 1973, in San Agustín, Florida.
2. Marta was 12 years old when she went missing on November 27, 1985.
3. She was a seventh-grader and a blonde who was short for her age.
4. Marta lived with her parents, Margaret and her husband, and her older brother, David.
5. The family had financial issues and often left the children alone at home to go to work.
6. Marta's father was an alcoholic, and there were frequent fights in the house.
7. On the day Marta went missing, her mother had burned the Thanksgiving dinner, causing a fight.
8. David, Marta's brother, suggested they leave the house to get away from the fighting.
9. David and Marta went to an abandoned college nearby to hang out.
10. The abandoned college was a known place for kids to play, but it was also considered dangerous.
11. David and Marta got into an argument at the college, and Marta asked for more money to buy sweets.
12. David refused, and Marta hit him in the face.
13. David pushed Marta, who fell and hit her head on a piece of rusty metal.
14. The metal pierced Marta's skull, and she died.
15. David panicked and hid Marta's body in a hole near the college.
16. David returned home and told his parents that Marta was missing.
17. The police and neighbors searched for Marta, but she was never found.
18. 24 years later, in 2009, David confessed to the police that he had killed Marta.
19. David claimed he had been afraid to tell the truth because he feared his mother's reaction.
20. The prosecutor decided not to accuse David of homicide due to mitigating factors, such as his age at the time and the lack of evidence.
21. Marta's mother, Margaret, still believes that Marta was kidnapped and is alive.
22. Marta's disappearance remains the longest unsolved case in the county.