A Press release from the family:

July 1, 2005
For Immediate Release

A Candlelight Vigil for missing child, Ashley Martinez, will be held at 8pm on July 6, 2005 in the Southwest corner parking lot of Krug Pool located at the North Side Complex at 3541 St. Joseph Avenue, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Special guests and speakers include Missouri Representative Ed Wildberger, Sgt. Jill Voltmer from the St. Joseph Police Department, Kelly Jolkowski, from nonprofit organization Project Jason, and Susan Church, mother of missing and recovered Ashley Church. In case of rain this event will move to the Woodson Chapel Christian Church located at 2525 St. Joseph Avenue. Prayers will be lead by Dean Haybrock from St. Peters Lutheran Church, and the Prayer Vigil will be done by Minister Robert Hodkins from the Woodson Chapel Christian Church. Candles will be provided and we ask that everyone attend to show support to Ashley and her family.

There is a $5000.00 reward that was established by the Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation leading to the safe return of Ashley. Ashley is described as 5’3” tall, she weighs 110 lbs, and she has sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, and scars on her left wrist.

Ashley was last seen in the area of Krug Pool on the north side of St. Joseph on July 6, 2004. The investigation revealed that Ashley had left town with a 33-year-old man. That man was arrested in Olympia, Washington on arrest warrants issued out of Jackson County, Missouri. Since his arrest this man has refused to divulge any information to investigators about Ashley Martinez. Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Ashley R. Martinez, who is now 16 years of age, is asked to call the St. Joseph Police Department Missing Persons unit or Sgt. Jill Voltmer at 816-271. It is believed Ashley traveled out of town in a 1995 gray Pontiac Bonneville with Missouri license 377MPY. If you have information and wish to remain anonymous you can call the TIPS Hotline at 816-238-TIPS.