Missing Paperboys /// Chapter 4 /// Milk Carton Kids

This episode of True Crime Garage delves into the 1984 disappearance of 13-year-old Eugene Martin, a Des Moines Register paper boy, who vanished on his route just two years after Johnny Gosch’s similarly mysterious disappearance. The case unfolds with a hauntingly familiar pattern: a responsible boy preparing for his route, seen alive at 5:10 a.m. by a neighbor, then vanishing without a trace, leaving behind a full carrier bag of newspapers. Despite an immediate, large-scale search involving the FBI, Des Moines police, and thousands of volunteers, no physical evidence emerged. Investigators pursued vague leads—anonymous tips about a green Chevy Malibu, a man in light clothing speaking with Gene, and a green car—but none led to breakthroughs. The episode highlights how the Eugene Martin case, while more aggressively investigated than Gosch’s due to the precedent set by the earlier case, remains unsolved. The investigation’s failure to yield answers, combined with the psychological profile of a shy, trusting child, suggests a predator who could exploit familiarity. Over decades, the case has persisted through relentless efforts by the Martin family and law enforcement, including over 2,000 leads chased across the U.S. and beyond, yet no conclusive evidence has surfaced. The episode closes with a somber reflection on the enduring mystery and the national impact of the milk carton campaign, which began in part as a response to these very cases.