According to open source information, Viola Martin was last seen leaving the Glenwood, Illinois residence of her adult daughter, Angela Martin, on or about the morning of 12/26/2009.

Martin was reportedly going to visit her other daughter, Latrina, who had just been released from the hospital, and lived about fifteen or twenty minutes away. Martin never arrived, and her family reported her missing on 12/29/2009, after their own search efforts were without success. 

On 12/30/2009, law enforcement found Martin's tan 1999 Chrysler Cirrus abandoned, parked illegally on a street in Dixmoor, Illinois, far from Latrina's home. There was no sign of Martin at the scene. Martin worked at a local medical facility and never picked up her last paycheck. Since the time of her disappearance, there have been several reported sightings of Martin in the Chicago area, however none of the reported sightings have been confirmed.