MS MS - Jones 'Maurice' Martin, 22, Moss Point, 11 Sept 1987

[Jake479]

findthemissing.org/cases/39790

 

[iulia]

He was missing from Mississippi — and a database that's the best shot at finding him

Jones Maurice Martin was 22 when he sat down with his mother. He told her he would be leaving Moss Point to do some traveling.

That was in September of 1986. Mamie Gayle hasn't seen or heard from her son in more than three decades.
[...]
It wasn't until 2017 that someone noticed Martin was not listed in the national database of missing persons.

Jeremiah Gayle's girlfriend mentioned to a coworker that her boyfriend's brother had been missing since the 1980s. That coworker, Samantha Bignell, is no stranger to missing person cases. She's part of an online community of "web sleuths" who are dedicated to finding answers to cases like Martin's.

Bignell checked NAMUS and saw there was no entry for Martin. She helped the family put his details online.

 

[JerseyGirl]

He was missing from Mississippi — and a database that's the best shot at finding him

 

[doodles1211]

Human remains found on Molden Street in Moss Point, investigation ongoing

 

[jbsb344]

Still working potential situations that could have caused Maurice (Jones Maurice Martin) to have disappeared. I spoke with an Uncle and he said that Maurice had a verbal altercation with his mothers husband shortly before his disappearance. Since that time the mothers husband was deported back to Jamaica.

I am the Samantha Bignell that is referenced in the article. If you have any suggestions on how we can proceeded I would love to hear them!

 

[YaYa_521]

Adding another photo from the article.

He was missing from Mississippi — and a database that's the best shot at finding him

 

[YaYa_521]

Human remains found on Molden Street in Moss Point, investigation ongoing

These remains were identified as Shawn Martin (26).
"Martin had been missing since March 21st. His family said he was supposed to be headed to Atlanta."
Identified! - MS - Human remains found in Moss Point wooden area on Molden St, 14 April 2019- Shawn Martin

 

[YaYa_521]

Still working potential situations that could have caused Maurice (Jones Maurice Martin) to have disappeared. I spoke with an Uncle and he said that Maurice had a verbal altercation with his mothers husband shortly before his disappearance. Since that time the mothers husband was deported back to Jamaica.

I am the Samantha Bignell that is referenced in the article. If you have any suggestions on how we can proceeded I would love to hear them!

Hi, @jbsb344! Thank you for working with Maurice's family to help bring him home. Have you considered this JD as a potential match? His partial skeletal remains were discovered about 36 minutes away from Moss Point, MS in a wooded area in Prichard (Mobile County), Alabama back in 2003. His estimated year of death is between 1950 and 2003. Race, age, and height all match with Maurice's stats.

The title and first post in JD's WS thread says he had gold front teeth. That information is no longer shown on his Doe Network profile or on his NamUs and LSU Faces profiles. I'm not sure if that was a typo at DN or if the file was updated by the ME or LE investigators. Either way, this might be worthy of a comparison request or at least more information about JD's dentals, imo. I hope this helps to bring answers to Maurice's family.

CASE NUMBER - 710UMAL
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Case #03-45 - LA Repository for Unidentified & Missing People
AL - AL - Mobile, Blk/NtvMale 710UMAL, 18-26, gold front teeth, May'03

 

[jbsb344]

Hi, @jbsb344! Thank you for working with Maurice's family to help bring him home. Have you considered this JD as a potential match? His partial skeletal remains were discovered about 36 minutes away from Moss Point, MS in a wooded area in Prichard (Mobile County), Alabama back in 2003. His estimated year of death is between 1950 and 2003. Race, age, and height all match with Maurice's stats.

The title and first post in JD's WS thread says he had gold front teeth. That information is no longer shown on his Doe Network profile or on his NamUs and LSU Faces profiles. I'm not sure if that was a typo at DN or if the file was updated by the ME or LE investigators. Either way, this might be worthy of a comparison request or at least more information about JD's dentals, imo. I hope this helps to bring answers to Maurice's family.

CASE NUMBER - 710UMAL
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Case #03-45 - LA Repository for Unidentified & Missing People
AL - AL - Mobile, Blk/NtvMale 710UMAL, 18-26, gold front teeth, May'03

Just following up in this thread for clarity. We have submitted Maurice as a PM for every John Doe who matches his age within 30 years either way. We were told since they both had STR DNA in NAMUS, that it would have match in the system if it was a match. It still shows Maurice as a potential match and not on the rule out list yet. Maurice has no dentals. His Mama told me he never went to the dentist. That is also included in the police reports and NAMUS.
I am going to have Darren Versiga (lead investigator on this case) reach out and and find out if we can get an official rule out.

 

[YaYa_521]

Just following up in this thread for clarity. We have submitted Maurice as a PM for every John Doe who matches his age within 30 years either way. We were told since they both had STR DNA in NAMUS, that it would have match in the system if it was a match. It still shows Maurice as a potential match and not on the rule out list yet. Maurice has no dentals. His Mama told me he never went to the dentist. That is also included in the police reports and NAMUS.
I am going to have Darren Versiga (lead investigator on this case) reach out and and find out if we can get an official rule out.

Awesome! Ty again for advocating on Maurice's behalf. I'll keep Maurice, his loved ones, and you in my thoughts and prayers. I look forward to your update after comparison.

 

[Aurora90]

Did he ever tell the mother where specifically he wanted to go?out of state? Somewhere specific? East coast? West coast? I know that when sons/daughters start wanting to leave the nest, most mothers would ask where? Mama birds usually like to know how far away their babies are planning to go when leaving the nest.

 

[jbsb344]

Did he ever tell the mother where specifically he wanted to go?out of state? Somewhere specific? East coast? West coast? I know that when sons/daughters start wanting to leave the nest, most mothers would ask where? Mama birds usually like to know how far away their babies are planning to go when leaving the nest.

He did not. He left after an argument with his Uncle who was living in their home. It was not the first time he had walked away after an argument. He had extended family in the New Orleans area and Selma Alabama area.

 

[Aurora90]

I have submitted this John Doe as a possibility.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Jones Martin — MissingSippi

www.missingsippi.org

5354DMMS - Jones Maurice Martin

Jones Maurice Martin – The Charley Project

• 
  
  
  

Martin, circa 1987

• Missing Since 09/11/1987
• Missing From Moss Point, Mississippi
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race Black
• Age 22 years old
• Height and Weight 5'10 - 6'0, 180 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.
• Medical Conditions Martin has been hospitalized before for depression.
• Distinguishing Characteristics African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance​

Martin was last seen in Moss Point, Mississippi on September 11, 1986. He told his mother he was leaving town to do some traveling. He didn't have a vehicle and was carrying only $200 in cash when he went missing. He has never been heard from again. His mother reported him missing about a year after his disappearance.

According to his family, Martin was quiet, reclusive and self-sufficient. After his father died when he was a teenager, he spent time in a psychiatric hospital because of his grief. His mother is still alive and his family hopes he can be located.

Investigating Agency​

• Moss Point Police Department 281-475-1711
• Pascagoula Police Department 228-762-2211

Source Information​

• NamUs
• The Clarion Ledger
• Mississippi Missing and Unidentified

Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 8, 2019; picture added, details of disappearance updated.