Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said the body of a retired judge was found just after 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, after he had been lost in a remote area of Newton County.
Wheeler said the body of Tommy Martin, retired Newton County District Court judge and a long-time private attorney, was found near Brasel Creek northwest of the Newton County Fairgrounds.
Wheeler said Martin called the sheriff’s office Monday morning. He said he had gotten his pickup stuck and needed a tow truck.
“We found his truck pretty quickly, within the first hour or so of looking,” Wheeler said. It was found about a mile and a half down a logging road off of any maintained road, but Martin was not in the area.
The search began that afternoon and went on through the night until about 5 a.m. Tuesday, Wheeler said. The search started again about 8 a.m. Tuesday and lasted until about 11 p.m., then started again at 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Wheeler said there had been some contact with Martin by phone during the first night of searching, but officials weren’t able to get a ping signal from the phone. The phone battery died Monday night and that was the last contact anyone apparently had with Martin.
Wheeler said Martin told rescuers on the phone Monday night that he could see flashlights and hear voices, but they weren’t able to determine his exact location. Wheeler said it was his understanding that Martin had recently developed throat cancer and had a tracheotomy that kept him from calling out for rescuers.
The area received substantial rain Monday night with temperatures dipping into the 40s and 50s.
“Definitely cold enough for hypothermia to be a real threat, especially with the rain,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said no foul play was suspected.
