Documentary now underway: Coroner hopes for closure in 1981 cold case

County Coroner Peter Martin has seen a lot in his years as coroner. He has witnessed families in distressing times and seen several crime scenes. The case that still haunts him, though, happened 36 years ago.

Martin had been serving as coroner for just four months when, in July of 1981, a dismembered body was discovered in the Snake River. The body was determined to be Kristin Noelle David. She had disappeared on a bike ride from Moscow to Lewiston on June 26, 1981. The University of Idaho student was 22.

“It was the most horrific homicide I've seen in my whole tenure as coroner,” said Martin.

Martin told the Board of County Commissioners Monday that there is still a detective in Asotin working on the case, and there is a strong hope for the case to have closure. Martin said “there is a great deal of interest in the case still,” and he wants to help in any way possible.

“It was a major event that ran through most of '81, and now it's coming back,” said Martin. “We're hopeful that with all this new interest that this cold case may be solved.”

Last week, Martin was interviewed by a group from Canada that is producing a documentary on the case.

“There's a group from Toronto doing a review of the whole case, and they're putting out a program next year,” Martin told the board Monday during an update on the activities of his office.

“They interviewed me, and they're getting all the facts they can.”

Martin said when David's body was discovered, all the agencies in the area and the FBI were working on the case.

“Everyone who worked on that was upset and really affected by it,” he recalled.

Nobody has ever been arrested for the murder. Martin said he hopes there is still someone who can come forward with the information needed to solve the case.

“Whoever caused that terrible crime, we would like them to come to justice,” he said. “The family would appreciate it. It would give them some closure. All this effort and all these resources will make a difference.”

According to a 2009 report by The Portland Oregonian, some authorities believe David's disappearance to be linked with four others. Christina White, 12, disappeared from the Asotin County Fair on April 28, 1979, and no trace of her has ever been found. On Sept. 12, 1982, three people went missing from or in the vicinity of the Lewiston Civic Theatre, where David had actually worked at one point prior to her death. Step-sisters Kristina Nelson, 21, and Jacqueline (Brandi) Miller, 18, were found deceased in March of 1984 at the bottom of a steep embankment near Kendrick. Steven Pearsall, 35, who also disappeared the same night, has never been found.

Anyone with possible information is asked to call the Asotin County Sheriff's Office at 509-243-4717.