Mathieu comes from Aussonne, near Toulouse. He went missing on August 2018 while traveling alone in northern Argentina.
Mathieu, a passionate traveller, leaves Toulouse mid-September 2017 for a tour around the world.
He will make several stopovers before entering Argentina end of July 2018.
August 8th, 2018, he contacts his family, specifies that he is located in the north part of Argentina, in Tilcara, a place he is about to leave in order to go further north towards Iruya, province of Salta, and the Argentine mountain ranges, before joining Paraguay and then Brazil to meet his family there early November.
Days are going by and Mathieu does not give news. He has never spent more than 10 days without providing updates.
His family and friends tried to contact him in vain.
Mathieu went officially missing on August 28th, 2018 after his parents informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Embassy in Buenos Aires, the various Argentinian consulates and local authorities.
Actions and events timeline
August
2018
September
2018
October
2018
November
2018
December
2018
February
2019
March
2019
May
2019
July
2019
August
2019
October
2019
November
2019
December
2019
January
2020
February
2020
March
2020
September
2020
October
2020
November
2020
Early September 2018, first researches. Reconstitution of Mathieu's route to the northern Argentinian mountains 40 km from Iruya.
Mid-September 2018, his parents and sister arrive in Argentina. They get political commitments and media involvement.
Early October 2018, the Argentinian army intervenes for 10 days in the framework of the first special research commission. Mathieu is still missing.
Mid-November 2018, the family hires a French lawyer.
November 25th, 2018Mathieu’s family and relatives organize a march in Toulouse to request the reopening of the investigation and the continuation of the research in Argentina. More than 800 people participate.
Early December 2018, the research resumes with on ground large-scale investigations and important resources for three weeks.
Mid-December 2018, the Northern Argentinian justice places in custody two brothers living near the area where the authorities lose track of Mathieu. The Prosecutor of the
Salta Province opens a homicide investigation.
End of February 2019, the family goes back to Argentina to follow up with
the embassy, the consulate and local authorities.
Early March 2019, the family is received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She met one of the Argentinian President’s advisors, the prosecutor in charge of the case and
Honorary Consuls of France.
None of the objects collected and presented to the family, to recent companions and to other relatives of Mathieu will be identified as belonging to him. These objects will then be subjected to DNA assessments based on samples taken from his parents.
End of May 2019, a criminal prosecutor in charge of the case evokes alleged locations in which Mathieu’s body could be found. Nevertheless, researches cannot be carried out because of geographical characteristics justifying dangerous grounds.
The family hires an Argentinian lawyer, who is in contact with the French lawyer. He allows them to officially become a civil party and to have access to most of the investigation evidence.
July 2019, the family officially creates the Association : « Ensemble pour retrouver
Mathieu »
Early August 2019, two new prosecutors in charge of the case announce the resumption of researches in mountain areas around the «Huacaloma» and «Higueras Volcano» locations.
End of August 2019, research is resumed for a week in this difficult area. There will be no results.
1 October 2019, meeting between the Attorney General of the Province, the Consul General of France and the Minister of Security to assess the situation.
October 31st, 2019, first public meeting of the association in Aussonne, welcoming anyone interested. It was crowded. The association presented its objectives and shared with participants the latest available news.
12 November 2019, the two criminal prosecutors ask the Judge of Guarantees to close the preliminary investigation and proceed with the trial of the two brothers as the perpetrators of Mathieu’s murder. A report from their Molecular Biology Service established a genetic profile from a bracelet recovered from one of the brothers.
November 30th, 2019, in Aussonne at the Christmas market. The association has a stand allowing membership and donations. It continues to mobilize and publicize the association.
Early December 2019, Mathieu’s parents are back in Argentina. Accompanied by their Argentinian lawyer, they will meet the Attorney General of the province, criminal prosecutors and the Director of the Department of Criminal Research.
Mid-December 2019, they are received by the Governor of Salta with, among others, the Consul of France and the Minister of Security of the Province of Salta, who together will assure them they will do the best they can, and in particular to plan actions in order to launch new research. The French government promises to provide the necessary technologies to carry out this task.
January 11th, 2020 a rugby match is held in honour of Mathieu in Blagnac where he was a player in his youth. A Blagnac/ Lannemezan match took place at the Ernest-Argelès stadium, the association was present via a stand. They received a part the profits of the game.
End of January 2020, his parents are received at L'Élysée by one of the advisers of the French President who assures them once again of the effective and priority attention and commitment of the French government regarding the file of their son. They will also be received at the Central Office for the Repression of Violence against Persons in order to resume all the investigations carried out and those to come, to evoke the inconsistencies and grey areas and their expectations.
January 31th, 2020 With the help of Carrefour Market in Aussonne, where Mathieu had previously worked, a raffle was organised. The association was there all weekend.
February 2020, the Consul of France informs the family of the postponement of the Trial of the two brothers to a later unspecified date and for unknown reasons.
February 22nd, 2020, volunteer at FestiJam for two years Mathieu was active in this festival. The FestiJam organized a concert dedicated to Mathieu, a booth represented the association. It allowed to join the associaton and make donations.
March 7th and 8th 2020, the fair of south-east Toulouse was held in Labège Diagora. The association held a booth to collect memberships and donations, publicize our cause and especially continue to mobilize around Mathieu.
End of March 2020, the Minister of Security of the province of Salta kept the family informed of the future resumption of the research, the latter has not yet taken place.
September 2020, the association was present at the forum of associations of Aussonne.
October 2nd, 2020, the first general assembly of the association was held. They presented the associative life during this first year. The Martin family is in contact with professional research teams to initiate private investigations on site.
November 9th, 2020, beginning of the trial related to the disappearance of Mathieu Martin in Argentina.
We would like to thank you for your participation and support in past and future events of the association.
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