Man finally arrested 27 years later
A South Carolina man who faked his own death 27 years ago to get out of paying child support has been arrested and now faces more than $30,000 in back child-support payments to his two children.
Johnny Sterling Martin, 58, walked off a work detail in 1979 while serving a one-year jail term for failing to pay child support. He later had a relative call Columbia, S.C. family court to report that Martin had been killed during a bar fight in Alabama.
Police said Martin has been living under his real name in Myrtle Beach, S.C. about 150 miles from Columbia. He has been married a total of four times, twice since his "death" in 1979.
"Johnny Martin is the ultimate deadbeat dad, faking his own death to avoid paying money to support his young children," Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said.
Police found Martin after they received a tip from one of his ex-wives.
For those who are still trying to locate deadbeat parents-don't give up.
