Doe Network

267DFFL - Jennifer Sophia Marteliz

Jennifer S. Marteliz Jennifer S. Marteliz Jennifer S. Marteliz Jennifer S. Marteliz Jennifer S. Marteliz
Mouse over to enlarge. The image on the left was taken the day of her disappearance. The two images on the right are age-progressed to 33 and 38 years.

Name: Jennifer Sophia Marteliz
Case Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Missing Since: November 15, 1982
Location Last Seen: Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida

Physical Description

Date of Birth: June 8, 1975
Age: 7 years old
Race: White/Hispanic
Gender: Female
Height: 4'0"
Weight: 60 lbs.
Hair Color: Black. Long.
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Nickname/Alias: Firecracker
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Cleft chin and pierced ears. She has a mole on the right side of her nose, on her upper chest, on her collarbone area and on the back of her right thigh.

Identifiers

Dentals: Available. Large top front teeth.
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: Orange print dress with yellow flowers and maroon shoes.
Jewelry: Gold necklace and heart-shaped gold post earrings.
Additional Personal Items: A hair comb with flowers and pink ribbons.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Marteliz was last seen after school at around 3:00 p.m. near 15th Street and 109th Avenue, one block from where she lived with her father. She was walking home with a friend, when the two came to the corner where they split up. Marteliz asked her friend to watch as she walked home; the friend did watch Marteliz, who lived a street away, until she lost sight of her.

Authorities have long had a suspect in her disappearance, Steven Visnosky, who was a friend of the Marteliz family. Although some evidence was located in the case, he was never proved to be directly involved and has never been charged with any part in Marteliz's disappearance. Members of the child's family have also been cleared. Visnosky died of coronary artery disease in 1992 in a Tampa hospital. Marteliz's body has not been located.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Tampa Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Detective Sarita Baker
Agency Phone Number: (813)-276-3200
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 82-065972

NamUs Case Number: 6346
NCIC Case Number: M-186647380

Information Source(s)

NamUs
NCMEC
Trib Live
City of Tampa
Tampa Bay Times
Fox News
Tampa Bay Sarasota -
7/6/2012
,
9/13/2016
The Indiana Gazette

Admin Notes

Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 05-18-2022 - By: Htmlcnvtr


Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team

** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.

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