October 21, 2003
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

AGE ENHANCED PHOTO OF MISSING DELTONA BOY RELEASED

Nearly two-and-a-half years after Joshua Bryant along with his grandmother vanished from their Deltona home without a trace, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office released a photo enhancement Tuesday depicting what Joshua might look like today. Still aggressively investigating the disappearance, the Sheriff’s Office hopes the photo image will generate new leads to help solve the case.

Despite an intensive investigation involving local, state and federal agents, the Sheriff’s Office has been unable to verify whether Joshua Bryant and his grandmother, Lillian Martin, walked away from their home on West Seagate Drive or were the victims of foul play. “This case is as baffling as any we’ve ever encountered,” said Captain Dave Hudson, head of Investigative Services for the Sheriff’s Office and a 27-year law enforcement veteran. “We’ve said many times before that media coverage may be one of the very best tools for solving this case. We’re hopeful that the age enhancement photo of Josh will bring some renewed public attention to this case and generate leads that will help us solve this puzzle.”

Joshua was 10-years-old at the time of his disappearance. Martin was 77. The two were reported missing on May 12, 2001 and have been featured on news reports, missing persons web sites, billboards, postcards, race cars and T.V.’s “America’s Most Wanted.” The photo enhancement was created at the FBI lab in Quantico, VA. The Sheriff’s Office has received hundreds of tips and suspecting sightings, but none have panned out. The investigation continues to be active, and the Sheriff’s Office remains hopeful that the case will be solved. “Somebody out there knows what happened to these two people,” said Captain Hudson. “It only takes one good tip to break this case, and we won’t rest until it’s solved.”

Anyone with information about the disappearance is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (386) 736-5999. For those who wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Crime Stoppers of Volusia & Flagler Counties, toll-free, at 1-888-277-TIPS. Callers to Crime Stoppers can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000. Information also can be put in writing and mailed to: P.O. Box 10334, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-0334.