CREAL SPRINGS—The death of a young Creal Springs man days after he experienced what’s being reported as a “brutal beating” has friends and family up in arms and demanding answers.
However, none are forthcoming from Williamson County officials except to produce a terse press release the day after Trevor Martin died of his injuries while undergoing treatment in a St. Louis hospital.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Department acknowledge in the release, days after the June 28 incident, the basics of it: that it occurred at 308 Jefferson Street in Creal Springs around midnight that Friday, and that Martin, 22, was pronounced dead at 10:13 a.m. the following Wednesday, July 3, having been transferred from Heartland Regional Medical Center to St. Louis.
The release stated that an autopsy had been scheduled for the upcoming Saturday at the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office, that the Williamson County State’s Attorney’s Office had been advised of the incident, and that it was a focus of an investigation being conducted by the sheriff’s office. The state’s attorney’s office, it stated, would review the case upon completion of the investigation and, if warranted, decide what charges are appropriate.
The release stated that “no weapons or other instruments were involved in the incident,” and that there would be no further information released because of the ongoing investigation.
Truth somewhere in between
This, friends and family have openly stated, causes them to believe there is much more to Martin’s death than what the authorities are willing to admit…or that they are out of their league in contending with the case.
The truth may be somewhere in between the two assessments.
Sources in Marion who were familiar with what happened that night describe it this way:
There was a party being held at the residence in Creal Springs for a woman who had just gotten out of prison after doing more than 20 years.
Martin was at the party and, likely under the influence, was making what was termed to be “lewd remarks” to women about their breasts.
At some point in time, some of the other partygoers knocked Martin down, where his head struck the concrete, and these attendees began shoving and hitting him while he was down.
Reports indicate that there were a number of people involved in the physical assault.
As a result of this assault, he was grievously injured, and taken away for medical treatment.
He died the following Wednesday as enumerated above.
At first believed object was used
Friends and family advised Disclosure that it was their belief initially that the beating took place with a pole or other metal object.
However, they now believe that this was just an estimation by physicians when attempting to treat the most serious wound and determine how it was inflicted; as it turned out, the likelihood that it was caused by a concrete structure of some sort, sticking up out of the ground, is a better guess.
The initial guess of three and maybe four perpetrators on Martin is merely an estimation; there may have been more than that, as most at the party were described as “a bunch of scumbags” who were all well-lit by alcohol and/or other intoxicating substances.
Further, it appears no party attendee will give up who the person was who knocked Martin down, nor who was involved in shoving/ hitting him.
This is what’s literally stifling the investigation.
Sources close to the incident speak out
Still, there are those who, while not admitting that they were at the party, are claiming they are aware of who it was that created the situation, at least, wherein Martin was beaten: Danny “Dink” Dunn, who, it’s been confirmed, did at least tell police he hit Martin “once” before Martin fell and hit his head on the concrete.
Reports are that Dink’s son, Jake, 16, was also present; however, whether the boy, along with one of his friends (who has not been identified) were involved in the fight remains unclear.
One source indicated that Martin may have owed Dink hundreds of dollars, allegedly over dope.
Another source indicated that present at the party were at least two emergency medical technicians as well as a registered nurse; it’s been reported to Disclosure that these three medical personnel did nothing, however, when it became apparent that Martin had been gravely injured in the assault.
Family and friends are hoping that public pressure, kept on the authorities as well as those—whomever they are—who inflicted the beating, continues, and perhaps something will break along the way—or someone will get a conscience—and arrests can be made in the young man’s death.