Derontae Martin’s family visits with FBI more than 2 years after death

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The family of a 19-year-old man who died in a rural Missouri town met with federal officials Wednesday.

The family of Derontae Martin, the man who died at a party in Fredericktown, Missouri, met with the St. Louis FBI regarding the investigation into his case.

The family told First Alert 4 the meeting didn’t uncover any strong leads.

In April 2021, a classmate picked up Martin from his home in Ferguson, Missouri, and then drove to Fredericktown, Missouri, for a party. Fredericktown is about 90 miles south of St. Louis.

Martin’s grandmother lives in Park Hills, where Martin spent significant time growing up. Martin also planned to visit his grandmother on his trip south. Park Hills is about 30 minutes from Fredericktown.

Shortly after Martin died, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Madison County, Missouri, officials told Martin’s family he died by suicide from a gun, but during a coroner’s inquest a few months later, a jury ruled Martin died violently. Martin’s family paid for a separate autopsy that found the gun was shot from a distance, not consistent with suicide.

One person at the 2021 inquest testified the person who owns the home where the party happened bragged about killing Martin, but another person testified that Martin shot himself.

No one has ever been charged with a crime related to Martin’s death.

“We haven’t really had anybody to really come forth and say that, ‘I was there. I witnessed this,’” Kimberly Lotts, Martin’s grandmother, said. “You just go to whatever entity that you can go to ask for help.”

Lotts wanted the new Madison County, Missouri prosecutor, Michael Ligons, to revive the case. She said it appears Ligons hasn’t made any traction with the investigation.

“I put my hope and trust in none of them,” she said.