HT Exclusive: How Missouri twin sisters’ resilience led to arrest of their father’s alleged killer after 35 years
In an interview with HindustanTimes.com, Andrea Martin Lynn opened up about her and her sister's fight to seek justice for their slain dad, Jimmie Wade Martin
A man has been charged 35 years after a beloved father was murdered in a small Missouri town southwest of St. Louis, thanks to the resilience of his twin daughters – Andrea Martin Lynn and Angela Martin Williams, both 46 now. Jimmie Wade Martin, 29, was killed in Bonne Terre, a short distance from the since-closed Coal Bin Tavern, in the early hours of October 13, 1989.
It is believed many people witnessed the murder. Jimmie was found lying dead on a sidewalk. He had sustained injuries after being struck with a blunt object.
While a 27-year-old man named David White was initially arrested and charged with murder, the second-degree murder charge was dismissed three days before he was set to be tried in court. Now, years later,a 69-year-old man has been indicted by a grand jury. Wesley P. Marler was charged with first-degree assault on August 22. He was arrested on August 30.
‘Without the podcast, there probably would’ve never been an arrest’
Andrea and Angela were just 11 years old when their dad was snatched from them. As they grew up without their father’s love, they were constantly reminded of the injustice Jimmie faced – until they decided to take matters into their own hands.
The sisters, who are both mothers now, spent days and nights gathering information, trying to put them in place and get justice even as they looked after their families. A big role was played by a true crime podcast – Small Town Forgotten – which went through evidence, reports, and case files in an attempt to reveal the truth, along with the twins.
Clearly, the twins and the podcast’s efforts were not in vain. The investigative series is directed by Portland/Los Angeles film and theatre director/producer Shawn Lee Martin, who told HindustanTimes.com in a statement that they will “continue to help other families in small towns that have been forgotten, and bring attention to their stories and provide support and a voice.”
“We feel that without the podcast, there probably would’ve never been an arrest,” Andrea told HindustanTimes.com in an interview. “We begged for help before the podcast, but with no luck. Once the podcast stepped in, we had a team of support – researching, interviewing, driving out of state to find witnesses. It gave us the confidence to know we were on the right path. The podcast opened doors that had been closed for too long.”
Describing their first reaction after learning about the arrest, Andrea said, “We cried, we screamed, we called our family, and our bodies shook for several hours. Our emotions were all over the place.”
The St Francois County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, in conjunction with the St Francois County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reopened the case again a few years ago.
‘His fun-loving personality was contagious’
Andrea recalled that her father was “a joy to be around.” “He was full of life and his fun-loving personality was contagious. He loved his family and when he was around, you were definitely in for a good time,” she added.
The twins met Wesley in court, and got to read a victim impact statement. “We got to tell him how his actions impacted our lives for the last 35 years, all the while he evaded consequences,” Andrea said. “We have paid dearly. We stood less than four feet away from him and he couldn’t look us in the eyes.”
At the moment, what the twins feel is “a sense of relief and liberation.” “It feels as though a heavy burden has been lifted off our shoulders. But justice will be served when the man who killed our father is sentenced by a jury.”
‘Mr. Marler will be exonerated on this charge and his innocence will come to light’
Meanwhile, Wesley’s Defense Attorney, Christopher Hartmann, released a statement, as per reports. “As of right now, Mr. Marler is innocent until proven guilty. The unique circumstances of this case and the time that has passed will have a great impact on the evidence and how it is viewed in this matter. We believe that when all of the evidence has been presented and reviewed Mr. Marler will be exonerated on this charge and his innocence will come to light,” Hartmann said.
According to the suspect’s indictment, “[Marler] either acting alone or knowingly in concert with another knowingly caused serious physical injury to confidential victim by hitting confidential victim with a blunt instrument on the head.” The confidential victim in question in Jimmie.
Wesley has pleaded not guilty. He is being held in the St. Francois County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
