Marina Boelter lived in Bloomfield, Indiana. The 18-year-old had an 8-month-old son named Landen with her ex-boyfriend, DJ Lockhart, and she worked at the deli counter at IGA with dreams of becoming a pastry chef. At the time, Landen was in foster care, and Marina had visitation rights.
Loved ones described Marina as a petite girl with a larger-than-life personality. Her nickname was "tornado." Marina loved to write poetry and journal and her favorite color was purple.
In 2014, Marina started dating a married man named Toby Deem in secret; he was a close friend of her mother, Tressie. Toby helped Marina get an apartment a few blocks away from his home where he lived with his wife. Tressie reportedly knew about the affair and did not approve.
On December 31, 2014, Marina finished her shift at IGA at 6 pm. She planned to go home and get ready for a New Year's Eve party that Toby and his wife were hosting at their home.
Marina was on the phone with Toby when she said, "Oh s*** it's DJ." She hung up and told him she would call him back but she never did. It was at that point that DJ and three friends confronted Marina outside of the IGA; DJ wanted Marina to go to a different party with him that night but she refused.
DJ claimed that Marina got into a car with an unknown Caucasian male wearing glasses and they headed in the direction of her apartment. A few weeks later, the man came forward. As it turned out, he was a regular IGA customer who offered Marina a ride home. The man claimed that Marina asked him to drop her off at Mill Street Pizza because she did not want him to know where she lived.
Marina was reported missing by her co-workers after she failed to show up for her shift the next day. She also missed visitation with her son, Landen, which was highly unusual.
The pizza shop was in fact directly across the street from Marina's apartment, however, she was never seen or heard from again. Her phone last pinged in the vicinity of the pizza shop/her apartment at the time that the man said he dropped her off. He was ultimately cleared of any involvement.
DJ and his friends all passed polygraph tests and they were also ruled out. Unfortunately, DJ passed away just six weeks later in an unrelated incident that was ruled self-defense.
Marina's neighbor, Vernon Gayle Briner, is a registered S/O. He claimed he was at work on NYE 2014 and was ultimately ruled out; investigators said Vernon's alibi was "rock solid" but have not provided specifics. He moved out of the apartment complex just a month after Marina went missing.
Marina was last seen wearing a black and purple plaid peacoat, jeans, pink and white Nike sneakers, and a cross necklace. She was also carrying a purse that had "LOVE" imprinted on its side. Marina is 5'3" and 120 lbs with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. Today, she would be 26.
If you have any information, contact Bloomfield PD at 812-332-4411.
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