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Natalie Martin, an 18-year-old hailing from Ohio was found strangled to death on Wednesday, June 7, in a hotel room in Maison Drive by the Horry County Police Department. Blake William Linkous, Martin's ex-boyfriend, has been arrested for allegedly murdering the victim. Martin is survived by her parents and two brothers.
At the time of her death, Martin was on a trip to Myrtle Beach with her friends in order to celebrate the group's graduation from Philo High School. The Horry County Police Department has stated that Martin reportedly died due to a premeditated act of manual strangulation in her hotel room there. The motive behind the murder is yet to be established.
Martin's friend, Brooklyn Ferrell, while speaking to media outlets, revealed that the victim and Linkous had dated for several years and eventually had decided to part ways at the beginning of this year. The two, however, had resolved to remain friends thereafter.
Natalie Martin's body was found in a hotel room in Myrtle Beach
Natalie Martin, who hails from Roseville, Ohio, graduated from Philo High School, located in Duncan Falls on May 26, 2023. Her death comes in the wake of the search for Amina Alhaj-Omar and Riley O’Connell, missing fellow residents of Ohio.
Martin's death has been a tragic event for the people around her. Principal Troy Dawson has expressed his shock after being informed of the incident:
"We're hurting. It's a tragedy. We are just shocked with disbelief," he said.
Speaking about Martin, he went on to add:
"She was well-liked by her classmates and teachers and was very sweet and very funny.”
The local district authorities have supposedly pledged to provide counseling services for distraught residents. Kacey Cottrill, Superintendent of the Franklin Local School District, has expressed that these services are meant for students and others in the community to help them reckon with Martin's death. Additionally, a GoFundme has been started by Martin's friend, Ferell, in order to raise expenses for her funeral.
At the time of writing this article, the fundraiser has accumulated nearly $32,000, exceeding its initial aim of $15,000, on the strength of 483 donations. An obituary written in her memory notes the impact that Martin had on the people around her:
“Natalie's beauty shined like a ray of sunlight and her smile could brighten a whole room...Her glowing blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes represented that she was truly an angel here on Earth.”
Blake Linkous, Natalie Martin's ex-boyfriend, has been arrested for the alleged murder
Blake William Linkous, Natalie Martin's ex-boyfriend, is the chief suspect in her murder reportedly. The former graduated alongside the victim and was a part of the graduation trip that Martin was also present in. As per his arrest warrant, Linkous is accused of manually strangling Martin on June 7, before abandoning her body.
The Horry County Police Department arrested Linkous on June 8. While addressing Martin's death and Linkous's apprehension, the department stated:
"Blake William Linkous did with malice aforethought cause the death of Natalie Martin...The defendant did so by manually strangling the victim."
Currently, Linkous is reportedly being detained at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, without any bond.
