BOONE, N.C. — Thursday marks six years since an Appalachian State University student went missing.
James Martin Roberts vanished from Boone back in April 2016.
Over the years, police have conducted dozens of searches across the entire region and beyond, but there's never been any sign of him.
His dad and family are heartbroken and desperate to know what happened.
"We still have hope because we don't have a reason not to have hope," Roberts' dad said in 2019 to WCNC Charlotte's Michelle Boudin.
Police have been stumped. They've searched the woods near his apartment, lakes in the area and even brought in cadaver dogs.
"This area is heavily wooded," a detective described back in 2019. "We searched all this area."
But they've found no sign of him.
Roberts' cousin was the last known person to see him. She ran into him at a bus stop on the edge of campus which was caught on camera.
"[The footage shows] him walking away from the bus toward the intersection of River Street, and that's the last we see of him," a detective explained.
Roberts left behind a note at the apartment he shared with a few roommates. Both police and his dad are reluctant to label it a suicide note.
"It was kind of vague and just mentioned he wasn't happy with where he was and needed to make a change, his dad said years ago. "Don't know what the change was."
Last year, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent out an age progression image.
The image, created by forensic artists, shows what Martin might look like today. The photo on the left shows him at 19. The photo on the Right is the new age-progression image.
If you have any information about Roberts, you are asked to call the Boone Police Department at 1-828-268-6900.
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