Police now calling disappearance of Enosburgh woman suspicious

ENOSBURGH, Vt. (WCAX) - Police are now calling the disappearance of an Enosburgh woman suspicious, but they aren’t yet saying why.

Roberta Martin, 82, was last heard from by her family on Tuesday and she was reported missing Wednesday.

Thursday, police continued to search the area near her home on Butternut Hollow Road.

Residents and neighbors we spoke with who know Martin said they’re heartbroken by the news of her disappearance.

“I didn’t sleep a whole lot last night. Worried about her. Yeah, it’s hard,” said Judy Leach of Enosburgh. “She’s just a lovely lady. We walk with the dogs, always stop and talk with her on the porch. She’s a great lady.”

Vermont state police investigators could be seen scouring Martin’s home and property Thursday, looking for evidence. Search and rescue crews wearing blaze orange searched nearby fields.

Police say they are treating her disappearance as suspicious but they would not say why.

“This is unlike her normal life patterns, where she is generally in touch with her family often on where she’ll be or what she’s doing throughout the day. We have collected some items of potential evidentiary value, but I again, I can’t speak to those,” Vt. State Police Maj. Dan Trudeau said.

Thursday afternoon, Martin’s neighbors were told to leave their home while crime scene technicians and uniformed troopers searched inside and in the backyard.

One man who lives in the neighboring home, Nathan Clifford, told me police were applying for a search warrant.

“I taped some wires together. They found duct tape in her house and her backyard, so when they saw the duct tape in my backyard, it didn’t matter it’s two years old and buried in the dirt. But they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do, it is what it is,” Clifford said.

Police say there has been a lot of misinformation about their investigation spread on social media and they’re asking the public to remain vigilant.

“I mean we’re treating this as though we’re still looking for her alive, that’s everybody’s mindset in here and all the searchers, as well,” Trudeau said.

While crews continue to search the area, those who know Martin are hopeful for a resolution.

“To know that it can happen close to home like that is scary, it’s real scary,” Leach said.

Troopers want to talk to anyone who may have been in the general area of Sand Hill Road and Butternut Hollow Road from 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, until noon on Wednesday, July 17.

Roberta Martin is about 5′1″ and weighs 115 lbs. She has white hair and brown eyes.

If you have information that could help, call the barracks in St. Albans at 802-524-5993 or you can provide an anonymous tip online.

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