The Disappearance of Courtney Taylor Martin
| Full Name | Courtney Taylor Martin |
| Age | 34 (at disappearance) |
| Height | 5'7" |
| Weight | 180 lbs |
| Hair | Light brown |
| Eyes | Brown |
| Tattoo | "CM" — left shoulder |
| Last Seen Wearing | Baseball cap ("Cadet"), nose stud, floral bag |
| NamUs | MP123746 |
Courtney Taylor Martin
Courtney Taylor Martin was a 34-year-old woman from Tyler, Texas, in Smith County. She lived approximately 1.4 miles from the intersection where she was last seen. Courtney had been diagnosed with autism and was described by those who knew her as someone who trusted people easily, a quality that those closest to her believed made her vulnerable to exploitation.
In the weeks before her disappearance, Courtney had recently befriended a new individual, described by investigators as a man whose identity has not been publicly disclosed. According to NamUs, Courtney was last seen exiting a vehicle this man was driving near the intersection of County Road 42 and Highway 110 North. The man left Texas shortly after Courtney disappeared, and investigators believe he may be connected to her case.
Courtney's mother was the last person to hear from her. On May 16, 2023, Courtney called asking for a ride and described her location. Her mother drove there immediately, arriving within minutes, but Courtney was gone. That phone call was the last known contact anyone had with her. She was officially reported missing by her family on May 24, 2023.
What We Know
On May 16, 2023, Courtney Taylor Martin called her mother from the intersection of County Road 42 and Highway 110 North in Tyler, Texas, asking for a ride. The intersection was approximately 1.4 miles from her home. Her mother left immediately, but when she arrived only minutes later, Courtney was not there. No further contact was ever made. Courtney was officially reported missing by her family on May 24, 2023, over one week after that final phone call.
According to records from NamUs, Courtney was last seen exiting a vehicle driven by an unidentified man shortly before her mother arrived at the intersection. Investigators believe this individual is connected to her disappearance. He left Texas not long after Courtney went missing, and his identity has not been publicly disclosed. The Smith County Sheriff's Office publicly announced in May 2025, two years after her disappearance, that foul play was suspected.
On July 3, 2025, two young men discovered Courtney's backpack next to a pond on private property off County Road 42 in New Harmony, in the western part of Smith County. They reported the find to law enforcement. A Texas DPS dive team was deployed on August 26, 2025, and located partial skeletal remains in the pond within about an hour of beginning the search. The remains were positively identified as Courtney Taylor Martin through dental records. The Smith County Sheriff's Office confirmed the investigation would continue as a suspected homicide. Detectives planned to re-interview individuals, revisit phone records, and conduct additional investigative work.
How It Unfolded
The Investigation
The Smith County Sheriff's Office has led the investigation into Courtney's disappearance since she was reported missing in May 2023. Details released publicly have been limited. Investigators identified a person of interest early in the case, described as a man Courtney had recently befriended who was seen driving the vehicle she was last observed exiting. That individual left Texas shortly after Courtney disappeared. His identity has not been publicly disclosed and no arrest has been made.
The discovery of Courtney's backpack in July 2025 near a pond off County Road 42 in New Harmony provided a significant new lead after the case had stalled for over two years. The location of the backpack and the subsequent recovery of remains from the same pond placed the scene approximately in the same area where Courtney made her final phone call on May 16, 2023. Sheriff Larry Smith confirmed that the investigation would continue with re-interviews of individuals connected to the case, review of phone records, and additional investigative steps.
The Smith County Sheriff's Office has confirmed foul play is expected. The manner of death has not been officially determined, as the investigation remains active. Anyone with information about Courtney's disappearance or death is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff's Office.
If You Have Information
The Smith County Sheriff's Office is actively investigating Courtney's death as a suspected homicide. No arrests have been made. Investigators are asking anyone who knew Courtney, had contact with her in the days or weeks before her disappearance, or has any information about the unidentified man she was last seen with to come forward. All tips are taken seriously.
She Is Not Forgotten
Courtney Taylor Martin was 34 years old. She trusted people. She called her mother when she needed help. She was someone who reached out when she was afraid and someone who deserved to be found. For more than two years, her family lived in the painful uncertainty of not knowing where she was or what had happened to her. That uncertainty ended in August 2025, but the grief did not. Her mother said she was glad to have some closure, and in the same breath, made clear she still wants to know what happened to her daughter. That is not a small thing to carry.
Courtney's case is one of many in Smith County and across East Texas where families have waited years for answers. The discovery of her remains near the same intersection where she last reached out for help is a reminder that cases do not go cold because families stop caring. They persist. They endure. And sometimes, two young men fishing on a summer afternoon find what investigators could not.
The investigation into who is responsible for Courtney's death continues. She deserves justice. Her family deserves answers. If you know something, please say something.
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