10 Mysterious Details Surrounding Dennis Martin, The 6-Year-Old Who Disappeared In The Smoky Mountains

6 /10 Morning Search

Family members and three rangers from Cades Cove interviewed anybody they came across leading to and from Spence Field.

Everyone they saw around the area was also interrogated. The weather was moderate in the early morning on Sunday 15.

The search began at 5:00 am but with more people and equipment this time. Three trucks and nine jeeps transported more searchers from the Bote Mountain Road to Spence Field.

The search party on Day 2 was comprised of 240 people. That said, poor coordination and inadequate supplies for the personnel involved made the search ineffective for the most part.

5 /10 24-Hour Watch

A heavy thunderstorm the previous night posed a serious physical risk to the 6-year-old boy. As more personnel arrived, some groups began to look for any sign of Dennis in the drainages.

Among those involved in the search effort were rescue squad crews from North Carolina, park rangers in training, and local boy scouts.

Authorities also acquired a helicopter to haul some additional equipment. By 1:00 pm, the park set up a 24-hour watch at Spence Field.

Lack of coordination and experience negated the effort a great deal. For example, the boy scouts covered the terrain with child-sized footprints in every direction.

4 /10 A Flood Of Searchers

In the following week, around 1,400 people were stomping the search ground.

Even Special Forces from the Fort Bragg, who happened to have exercises near the Smokies in the North Carolina side, provided assistance navigating the dense jungle terrain.

Military helicopters made loud noises as they transported search teams to Spence Field. The search party grew in number by the day, but not inefficiency.

It was not clearly defined what every searcher should and should not do. Every clue to Dennis’ location was most likely trampled. There were just too many people doing too many things.

3 /10 Like A Forest Fire

Hundreds of searchers probably ruined all possible clues that the rain had not washed away. Every single one of them came with good intention, but it did not change the fact that an unmethodical search effort yielded poor results, if at all.

According to Dwight McCarter, an expert tracker and retired park ranger, the search was conducted as if people were handling forest fire; they surrounded the area and drowned it.

A famous psychic contacted the Martin family and gave some suggestions. The search party followed them to no avail.

2 /10 Insufficient Evidence For Kidnapping Case

As days came and went, theories ran rampant surrounding the disappearance of Dennis. Some thought an animal might have attacked the boy; others said he must have been drowned and washed away.

The shoreline heading toward Fontana Lake from the mountain top was also searched. The family offered a reward for Dennis’ return in fear that the disappearance might be a kidnapping case.

The authorities never took the possibility of kidnapping because there was not enough evidence to assume that Dennis had been abducted confidently.

1 /10 Search Closed

By the end of June, the search party dwindled to fewer than 70. Rangers also reopened Cades Cove to traffic. FBI agents informed park officials that kidnapping was not possible, supported by any evidence.

A trio of trackers kept up the search effort for the next 50 days, but still, they found no sign of the boy. Finally, on September 11, 1969, park officials decided to close the search.

Despite many searchers, including Special Forces, and months of investigation, Dennis Martin remains a missing person. He has been missing for more than 52 years.