Human remains discovered last week in the Flying Hills community have been identified as those of a Reading man who had been missing for nearly a year, the Berks County coroner’s office announced Tuesday.
The skeletal remains found Dec. 28 in a wooded area off Lakewood Drive in Cumru Township were identified as those of Travelle Martin, who had been reported missing in January 2025.
Cumru police, Berks County detectives and deputy coroners responded to the scene after the remains were discovered about 20 yards off a golf cart path.
According to the coroner’s office, the remains were examined by forensic odontologist Tammy Balatgek and forensic pathologist Dr. Neil Hoffman, who made the identification. Hoffman is scheduled to conduct a forensic autopsy on Friday, after which the remains will be sent to a forensic anthropologist for further examination.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause or manner of death.
According to investigators, Martin, 26, was last seen Jan. 2, 2025, after fleeing the Flying Hills residence of his girlfriend following an alleged domestic assault. Police obtained an arrest warrant the next day charging him with simple assault and robbery, the latter stemming from the alleged theft of the woman’s cellphone. He was later declared a fugitive.
Cumru Police Chief Madison Winchester previously said investigators believed it was possible the remains belonged to Martin because of the proximity of the discovery site to the residence where officers reported seeing him flee out a back door.
“I know this area was searched numerous times by the family and law enforcement,” Winchester said last week.
Those efforts included a two-day search in May by members of a U.S. Marshals task force and volunteers with Middle Creek Search & Rescue, which did not uncover any remains at the time.
Authorities said the remains are not believed to be connected to another unidentified human remains case in Cumru. In April, decomposed remains of a woman were found in a wooded area off Interstate 176 near the Green Hills exit. That investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Cumru police at 610-777-9595 or county detectives at 610-478-7171.