Police: Man faked death to avoid child support

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » January 19, 2006 11:01 pm

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Police arrested a man accused of faking his death more than 25 years ago to avoid paying child support.

Johnny Sterling Martin, 58, had a relative call Family Court in 1979 and report that he died during a bar fight in Alabama, authorities said. That call came a few months after he escaped from a work detail while serving a one-year jail term for failing to pay $4,120 in support for two children.

He was captured Tuesday and jailed, and now owes more than $30,000 in child support and faces an escape charge, authorities said.

“Johnny Martin is the ultimate deadbeat dad, faking his own death to avoid paying money to support his young children who were living in Lexington County,” Sheriff James Metts said.

Martin has been living in Myrtle Beach, about 150 miles away, and had been using his real name for about 20 years, investigators. He has been married four times — twice since his disappearance — and has a third child, sheriff’s Maj. John Allard said.

The investigation was reopened last week when police got a tip from one of Martin’s ex-wives that he was alive and living in Myrtle Beach. A fingerprint analysis confirmed Martin’s identity, investigators said.

They are working to identify the caller who told family court Martin was dead.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Mr Play · Post by **Mr Play** » January 19, 2006 11:07 pm

I can't imagine what his kids are going through right now - I hope they turned out ok despite it all...

msu#1 · Post by **msu#1** » January 19, 2006 11:11 pm

What a

GrannaC · Post by **GrannaC** » January 19, 2006 11:13 pm

No chance, not one at all, that you couldn't have found him at a NASCAR race.

davesnik · Post by **davesnik** » January 19, 2006 11:18 pm

being in a "dead-beat" dad situation, it is difficult, however, usually the kids are better in the long run without a person with bad traits that they could pick up on. I know I am sad for my son because his dad doesn't give a rat's a** about him....but I know deep down inside that I don't want him around his father because of the type of person he is.

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » January 20, 2006 12:06 am

put him to work..

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » January 20, 2006 5:13 am

pride in S.C.

creeky · Post by **creeky** » January 20, 2006 5:54 am

Weird that a court would not ask for a death certificate ......

diamonddan · Post by **diamonddan** » January 20, 2006 9:21 am

I bet he got the idea from Earl Hickey.

Earl faked his death to break up with a girlfriend.

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » January 20, 2006 10:26 am

What a freakin' schmuck. I hope his kids hate him.

sy · Post by sy » January 20, 2006 10:28 am

buffettbride wrote:What a freakin' schmuck. I hope his kids hate him.

Sad part is if he did this to avoid supporting them, he probably doesn't care if they hate him.

iuparrothead · Post by **iuparrothead** » January 20, 2006 10:29 am

After all that time he still only owes $30,000!?!? WTF?

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » January 20, 2006 10:29 am

sy wrote:
buffettbride wrote:What a freakin' schmuck. I hope his kids hate him.
Sad part is if he did this to avoid supporting them, he probably doesn't care if they hate him.

One of these days he will. Especially when he's old and decrepid and no one is there to take care of him. Karma is gonna screw this dude.

MelliJellyBean · Post by **MelliJellyBean** » January 20, 2006 10:30 am

LOSER!!

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » January 20, 2006 10:50 am

I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...

iuparrothead · Post by **iuparrothead** » January 20, 2006 10:55 am

RinglingRingling wrote:I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...

Underfunded and overworked agencies probably don't make much of an effort to track down dead people. They were probably happy to have one less open file on their desk... only to make room for 3 more...

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » January 20, 2006 11:12 am

iuparrothead wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...
Underfunded and overworked agencies probably don't make much of an effort to track down dead people. They were probably happy to have one less open file on their desk... only to make room for 3 more...

and the use of the same social sec. # didn't trip a flag? I am not arguing, just asking.

iuparrothead · Post by **iuparrothead** » January 20, 2006 12:05 pm

RinglingRingling wrote:
iuparrothead wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...
Underfunded and overworked agencies probably don't make much of an effort to track down dead people. They were probably happy to have one less open file on their desk... only to make room for 3 more...
and the use of the same social sec. # didn't trip a flag? I am not arguing, just asking.

I know... it seems obvious to us now, but I bet at the time, there was no one actively looking for that guy so it was much easier for him to slip into obscurity... all the while getting to keep his identity. It's a lot easier to get away with something wrong when no one's bothering to watch you do it... or check up on you after the wrongdoing.

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » January 20, 2006 12:15 pm

RinglingRingling wrote:
iuparrothead wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...
Underfunded and overworked agencies probably don't make much of an effort to track down dead people. They were probably happy to have one less open file on their desk... only to make room for 3 more...
and the use of the same social sec. # didn't trip a flag? I am not arguing, just asking.

I think computers between states, federal, etc. are much better these days. Seems reporting a death from another state enabled them to slip through...what a jerk.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » January 20, 2006 12:21 pm

Quiet and Shy wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:
iuparrothead wrote:
RinglingRingling wrote:I am amazed that they never caught up to him with that 20 years of living under the same name, and the two remarriages...
Underfunded and overworked agencies probably don't make much of an effort to track down dead people. They were probably happy to have one less open file on their desk... only to make room for 3 more...
and the use of the same social sec. # didn't trip a flag? I am not arguing, just asking.
I think computers between states, federal, etc. are much better these days. Seems reporting a death from another state enabled them to slip through...what a jerk.

so using that Canadian passport I have for international travel might be a bad idea?