Search continues for Brookston man last seen March 8

Macklin Caruso, The Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.
·4 min read

Apr. 25—BROOKSTON — Law enforcement is still searching for Peter Michael Martin, a Fond du Lac Band member who has not been seen since March 8.

"Where the hell is my cousin?" said Colleen Thompson, Martin's cousin. "You know what I mean? Every day that goes by, it's grimmer and grimmer."

The Fond du Lac Police Department, the lead agency on the search,

has held numerous search-and-rescue efforts

throughout the Fond du Lac Reservation, but they have yet to yield any substantive results. Efforts have since expanded to include support from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the tribal nation mobilizing all of its internal agencies to lend any available resources to aid in the search.

Martin, 31, was last seen at his home in the Mahnomen neighborhood of the Fond du Lac Reservation, near the Brookston Community Center. He is Native American, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 185 pounds and has dark-brown eyes. He has a small scar on his forehead and several tattoos across both arms, shoulders and chest.

Given the circumstances around his disappearance, authorities believe Martin may be in danger and in need of assistance, according to search warrants. Martin had two active warrants for domestic assault and violation of supervised release and because of this is considered a fugitive from justice. According to search warrants, police received additional tips from the public that indicate possible foul play.

On March 9, police responded to a welfare check requested by Martin's ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his child, after she went to Martin's house for a child custody exchange and found it in disarray, according to search warrants. Police reported that a television was smashed and there were holes in the walls.

Police found Peter's Minnesota driver's license and tribal ID lying on the kitchen floor. In the woods nearby, police found a black jacket hanging from a tree with Peter's phone in the pocket.

Peter's ex-girlfriend told police that Martin had been depressed and that he had been suicidal in the past. When she last saw him, on March 3, she reported using methamphetamine with Martin and that he was acting paranoid. She told law enforcement he was seeing and hearing things that were not there and that he threatened her with a box cutter.

On March 8, she briefly texted Martin, which would be the last time she heard from him.

At 3 a.m. that same day, Martin borrowed $40 from an acquaintance, exchanged an iPhone as a security deposit and promised that he would pay her back by noon the same day.

Shortly before the money was due, the woman followed up with Martin to ask if he was going to return the money he borrowed, to which Martin responded he would but was waiting for a ride to town to cash a check.

That was the last time she heard from Peter. An uncashed check from the state of Minnesota addressed to Martin for $500 was found at his residence.

That same day, Martin changed his Facebook profile picture to a photo of rapper Tupac Shakur.

In late March, the investigation was expanded to include the support of the BCA, providing additional forensic technologies and methods for crime scene processing not possessed by the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office or Fond du Lac Police Department.

Jessica Gidagaakoons Smith, a Bois Forte Band member and legal advocate for missing, murdered and Indigenous people, applauded the decision to involve the BCA in the search.

"Now that the BCA is involved, it makes a big difference," she said. "Because I think, for accountability reasons."

In March, Smith led a protest in front of the Federal Building in Duluth criticizing the Fond du Lac Police Department's handling of the investigation, and its perceived unwillingness to bring in the BCA and federal authorities to assist. The protest included friends and family of Martin and supportive community members.

Unknown to protestors at the time, the BCA joined the investigation four days before the protest.

Smith said there may be local people who could have information but do not trust local police. Now that the BCA is involved, she hopes people will be more comfortable sharing information regarding Martin.

In addition to the official search, Smith established a

$10,000 reward fund on GoFundMe

for information that leads to the location of Martin.

The Fond du lac Police Department did not respond to several requests for comment by the Pine Journal.