Family of missing Muscatine man hosts search parties, prayer vigil

IOWA CITY — The family of a Muscatine man who went missing from Iowa City over the weekend hosted a prayer vigil Tuesday evening, and has been working with police on ongoing search efforts.

Cristian Martinez, 20, had gone to Iowa City with some friends who last saw him in the alley behind Bardot Iowa, a bar at 347 S. Gilbert St., sometime before 1 a.m. Saturday. His phone had died earlier in the evening, according to the Iowa City Police Department.

Martinez was reported missing Saturday after his family noticed he hadn’t come home with his friends. Iowa City police investigators found security footage that showed Martinez at 12:56 a.m. in the 100 block of W. Harrison Street, walking west.

Police have been searching the Iowa River, Ralston Creek and other surrounding areas.

Family, friends and other community members gathered Tuesday at the downtown Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City to hand out flyers and show support.

“We’re a very faith-based family. We just felt like we needed more guidance from above,” Brianda Salamanca, Martinez’ cousin, said at the prayer vigil.

Salamanca said various groups from Iowa City, including University of Iowa students, have reached out to let the family know they’ll be out searching.

The family has started a GoFundMe account to help with hiring a private investigator, and any other expenses as the search continues. As of Wednesday afternoon, the account had raised almost $10,000.

Jerry Martinez, Cristian Martinez’ older brother, said the support from the community has been a tremendous help.

“Community support has been very strong. Very, very strong. And it’s just going to continue to get stronger until we have any concrete evidence of what’s actually happened with my brother,” Jerry Martinez said. “We are working with as many organizations as we can, while the police department does their part.”

Cristian Martinez works at HON Oak Laminate facility in Muscatine and spends his free time making workout videos for his YouTube channel, according to his brother.

“He was always there for anybody and everybody. Whether he knew you or not, he was there to help in any way,” Jerry Martinez said. “If he ever did any wrong, he was definitely going to make it right.”

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