Deceased/Not Found HI - Samuel Martinez, 23, from Nebraska, missed flight home, Kauai, 12 May 2021

[Inthedetails]

I received an update that they located someone who talked to him at Kokee State Park. So they are working up from there.

Great! Now we know he made it to the first state park on his list. Okay....let's hope this gives some specific direction to search.

Again, there are trails from that location listed here (scroll down past the red box):

Kōkeʻe State Park

 

[Inthedetails]

Here's Sam's planned itinerary:
Kokee State Park campsite #2 5/12-5/13.
Wailkoali campsite #1 5/14-5/16.
Kawaikoi campsite #1 5/16-5/18.
Napali Coast State Wilderness Park campsite in the Kalalau area 5/18-5/19.
Sugi Grove campsite #1 5/19-5/21.
Wiliwili 5/23-5/25.

That's a lot of moving around during the short time he was planning to be there. Was he planning to hike from campsite to campsite? Or use some form of public transportation? Rely on the generosity of strangers to get around?

Looks like there is a bus service on the island: Kauai Bus Schedules - Kauai.gov

I am assuming he would use Uber/Lyft as it seems more convenient? Or was he up for hiking from camp to camp? Hoosier made a map and it looks like he intended to stay on one side of the island:

HI - Samuel Martinez, 23, Kauai, 12 May 2021 - Google My Maps

 

[zencompass]

Yes he gave an itinerary (I apologize, I thought it was posted on here. I attached it). He was communicating with immediate family up until May 12, but doesn’t post on social media much.

Along with everyone else, I am so glad you are here. I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances.

I am hoping and praying that Samuel is found soon, safe and sound. We have seen other cases where a lost hiker has been located safe.

My only suggestion was if someone from Samuel's family would consider sending a facebook message to Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, inquiring if she or her staff there could provide suggestions or assistance in locating Samuel.

Because of her genuineness and compassion she has always shown, I believe either Senator Hirono or her staff will respond. I believe this wholeheartedly.

A direct tweet or facebook message to Senator Hirono could help. Another idea is to directly phone her office.

Hoping for the best,

Here is the contact information for Senator Hirono (Hawaii):

Senator Mazie K. Hirono

https://twitter.com/maziehirono?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Also her telephone number:

+1 202-224-6361

www.hirono.senate.gov

 

[zencompass]

It would be important to know if the Kauai Police Department have already employed scent tracking dogs in the search for Samuel.

Perhaps the K.P.D. have already told Samuel's family that they are using tracker dogs.

We have a renowned expert Tracker here at Websleuths, @Trackergd, and I will ask him if he has any advice as to who to contact in Hawaii in this situation.

The Kauai Police Department does have search and rescue dogs, according to the following article:

New ‘King’ arrives at Kauai Police Department | The Garden Island


Featured Instructors – PNWK9

Owner of Hawaii K-9 Koncepts. The retired officer, K-9 handler and trainer for the Honolulu Police Department after twenty-eight years of service. Fourteen years handling and assisting in the training of police service dogs while employed with HPD and nine years since retirement. Worked with various types of detection dogs: explosive, narcotics, search and rescue, etc.

 

[Inthedetails]

It's morning now in Hawaii - I'm hoping we hear some news in the coming hours now that they've likely pinpointed him to place #1 on his list. Hawaii is six hours behind east coast time on the mainland.

jmo

 

[rainynights]

His Twitter account: https://twitter.com/samjmartinez

The last "like" is a tweet dated May 10.

 

[Inthedetails]

Here is a map I made in case it would help anyone. I was getting confused. I cannot locate Samuel's last stop of the itinerary from FB. Also not sure on stop #2. HI - Samuel Martinez, 23, Kauai, 12 May 2021 - Google My Maps

If you zoom in this map, trails show up.

Thanks @Hoosier952 for making it.

 

[JaredScheppers]

Along with everyone else, I am so glad you are here. I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances.

I am hoping and praying that Samuel is found soon, safe and sound. We have seen other cases where a lost hiker has been located safe.

My only suggestion was if someone from Samuel's family would consider sending a facebook message to Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, inquiring if she or her staff there could provide suggestions or assistance in locating Samuel.

Because of her genuineness and compassion she has always shown, I believe either Senator Hirono or her staff will respond. I believe this wholeheartedly.

A direct tweet or facebook message to Senator Hirono could help. Another idea is to directly phone her office.

Hoping for the best,

Here is the contact information for Senator Hirono (Hawaii):

Senator Mazie K. Hirono

https://twitter.com/maziehirono?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Also her telephone number:

+1 202-224-6361

www.hirono.senate.gov

This has been done, thank you so much!

 

[Trackergd]

It would be important to know if the Kauai Police Department have already employed scent tracking dogs in the search for Samuel.

Perhaps the K.P.D. have already told Samuel's family that they are using tracker dogs.

We have a renowned expert Tracker here at Websleuths, @Trackergd, and I will ask him if he has any advice as to who to contact in Hawaii in this situation.

The Kauai Police Department does have search and rescue dogs, according to the following article:

New ‘King’ arrives at Kauai Police Department | The Garden Island


Featured Instructors – PNWK9

Owner of Hawaii K-9 Koncepts. The retired officer, K-9 handler and trainer for the Honolulu Police Department after twenty-eight years of service. Fourteen years handling and assisting in the training of police service dogs while employed with HPD and nine years since retirement. Worked with various types of detection dogs: explosive, narcotics, search and rescue, etc.

Hawaii LE does have scent dogs. There is also Ohau Search and Rescue https://www.oahusar.org/ and Maui Search and Rescue: Maui Search and Rescue

 

[ClaireNC]

I live on Maui. I feel as if it is really difficult to search for tourists when they go missing here because you don't get the same sort of response from the community as you do when the missing person is local. When tourists go missing, it's almost an assumption that they deserved to go missing because they were doing something or going somewhere they shouldn't have. I am not saying this is the case or this is how I feel personally but it is a very common attitude here. Are any of his family or friends able to travel to Kauai to help search efforts? I hate to say it, but without anyone from his circle on island pushing for search efforts, I don't see much effort being put into finding him especially when they aren't entirely sure where to look besides his potential itinerary. I currently have friends form Maui hiking on Kauai and have forwarded them Samuel's picture and itinerary.

Thanks so much for your local perspective. Especially the confirmation about the local reaction to missing tourists in Hawaii.

It's going to be very important to keep Sam in the media spotlight - both mainstream and social - until he is found. Some great ideas have already been mentioned and I've seen others mentioned on Facebook:
-Contact Senator Hirono for help and advice. (The family should do this.)
-Contact other local officials
-Keep sharing his story on social media - not just Facebook.
-Reach out to local and national news channels with the story
-Post comments on the Kauai Police Dept FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Show that a lot of people care about this young man. Log into Facebook
-If friends or family members can't get to Hawaii to help with search efforts, consider hiring someone to do this. SAR groups in Hawaii??
-What else?

 

[Inthedetails]

Thanks so much for your local perspective. Especially the confirmation about the local reaction to missing tourists in Hawaii.

It's going to be very important to keep Sam in the media spotlight - both mainstream and social - until he is found. Some great ideas have already been mentioned and I've seen others mentioned on Facebook:
-Contact Senator Hirono for help and advice. (The family should do this.)
-Contact other local officials
-Keep sharing his story on social media - not just Facebook.
-Reach out to local and national news channels with the story
-Post comments on the Kauai Police Dept FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Show that a lot of people care about this young man. Log into Facebook
-If a friends or family members can't get to Hawaii to help with search efforts, consider hiring someone to do this. SAR groups in Hawaii??
-What else?

If his family in Nebraska belongs to a church, perhaps there is a fellow congregation in the same denomination on Kauai who would be willing to form a search group, post signs, post on local social media, etc.

jmo

 

[rainynights]

Samuel is studying microbiology at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln senior reported missing in Hawaii

Looks like graduation for UNL happened before his trip to Hawaii and I see him described as senior rather than graduate. Not sure if he graduated, or planned to continue studies in the fall. Was the trip a graduation gift to himself? Did he have summer plans - internship, job, etc.?

jmo

Adding his listing in the UNL student directory, as well.

Sam Martinez | Directory | University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Sam Martinez
STUDENT
Senior
Microbiology
CAS

 

[aarroyo]

@JaredScheppers I suggest trying to reach out to Kimberlyn Scott. She is local and quite involved and connected in the world of "missing people" in Hawaii. She is the mother of a local girl who was missing and ultimately murdered a few years ago. She is usually the go to person when someone goes missing on Maui but I know she has been involved in cases on other islands. She could probably point you in the right direction for additional resources. You can find her on Facebook under the name Kimberlyn Scott, she lives in Huelo and her profile picture is an underwater picture.

ETA link to Kimberlyn's daughter's case:GUILTY - HI - Carly Joann 'Charli' Scott, 27, pregnant, Makawao, 9 Feb 2014 - #1

 

[10ofRods]

I thought I read that Samuel had gone to hike Waimea Canyon.

Church groups on Kauai might be very helpful. I don't think denomination needs to match what's back in Nebraska.

 

[zencompass]

Hawaii LE does have scent dogs. There is also Ohau Search and Rescue https://www.oahusar.org/ and Maui Search and Rescue: Maui Search and Rescue

Thank you @Trackergd!

 

[zencompass]

I've been looking for email addresses for news reporters so that we can contact
them and ask for updates on Samuel Martinez.

I've started sending twitter messages to reporters inquiring about an update.


HNN News Team
About Us

Also,
Contact Us | The Garden Island
Nebraska man still missing | The Garden Island

 

[zencompass]

Stellar idea of the posters who mentioned contacting churches!

 

[zencompass]

Hawaii LE does have scent dogs. There is also Ohau Search and Rescue https://www.oahusar.org/ and Maui Search and Rescue: Maui Search and Rescue

Thank you @Trackergd for these resources for the family to communicate with.

Greatly appreciated!

 

[Hoosier952]

I hope someone familiar with Sam's plans can confirm, but while I was making up the map, it seemed to me like he was planning on hiking camp to camp, except for maybe his night around Kalalau which doesn't appear to have a trail from other campsites/trails since it's an in and out hike. The entrance/exit seems to be most easily accessible via Kuhio Hwy/560 all the way north/northwest.

 

[zencompass]

Hi there guys! I’m a friend of Sam’s and I would like to hop into the conversation to provide more information/get answers, if that’s okay! The grocery store was the Big Save in Eleele.

Hi @JaredScheppers,

It's important and so good to know that Senator Hirono has been contacted. I would strongly recommend that the family gets in touch with the two SARS resources that @Trackergd linked.

@JaredScheppers, have the Nebraska news stations communicated with Hawaii news stations? This is something that you would know best.

I'll continue to send tweets inquiring about updates to the news stations/ reporters.

When contacting the camping websites, I'll include the media account of Samuel missing and ask if the camping areas could put up posters.

The more people who send messages, the better - as @ClaireNC recommends.



I've reposted @ClaireNC's list as it is excellent:

Thanks so much for your local perspective. Especially the confirmation about the local reaction to missing tourists in Hawaii.

It's going to be very important to keep Sam in the media spotlight - both mainstream and social - until he is found. Some great ideas have already been mentioned and I've seen others mentioned on Facebook:
-Contact Senator Hirono for help and advice. (The family should do this.)
-Contact other local officials
-Keep sharing his story on social media - not just Facebook.
-Reach out to local and national news channels with the story
-Post comments on the Kauai Police Dept FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Show that a lot of people care about this young man. Log into Facebook
-If friends or family members can't get to Hawaii to help with search efforts, consider hiring someone to do this. SAR groups in Hawaii??
-What else?

Edit:
Contact Information:

Office of the Mayor - Kauai.gov

Governor David Ige of Hawaii:
https://twitter.com/GovHawaii?

Lt. Governor Josh Green of Hawaii:
@LtGovJoshGreen

This website needs to be updated to include Samuel in the Missing Persons section:
Missing People - Kauai.gov

Articles from two additional news sites:

Hawaii police ask for help finding missing Nebraska man

Nebraska man missing in Hawaii