5M News

January 11, 2010

Missing Berwick woman’s body found

Cause of death of Joyce Martini, of Berwick area, not revealed by coroner.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Steve Mocarsky on Facebook   |   @TLSteveMocarsky on Twitter

The body of a Berwick area woman who had been missing since Dec. 22 was found on Friday in Luzerne County.

Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran confirmed that the body of Joyce Martini, 51, was found in Luzerne County, although he would not disclose the location.

He also would not release the cause or manner of death.

“We ruled out foul play, but it’s still under investigation,” Corcoran said on Sunday.

A spokesman for the family said in a phone interview that Martini’s body was found on Friday near a Wilkes-Barre area hospital.

Martini’s sister, Sharon Cisco, had reported to police in Hemlock Township, where Martini had been staying, that Martini had been missing since Dec. 22.

“The Cisco and Martini families are deeply saddened by the loss of Joyce and are mourning privately,” said the spokesman, who was reached at the Cisco residence in Chevy Chase, Md.

“We wish to thank the Bloomsburg community for their support in this trying time. Details of the funeral are being made and have not been finalized,” the spokesman said.

Cisco and her two sisters had offered a $1,000 reward for information that would enable police to find Martini, the Press Enterprise newspaper in Bloomsburg reported on Dec. 28.

Martini had been to a doctor the day she disappeared and learned she had cancerous nodules in one of her lungs. After Martini informed Cisco of the development, no one from the family had been able to reach her, the newspaper reported.

Martini’s name had been entered into a national database of missing persons. Police departments across the nation had been alerted to be on the lookout for her and her vehicle, a 2001 Chrysler 300M.

Police said they exhausted all means in their search.

Steve Mocarsky, a Times leader staff writer, may be reached at 970-7311.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

This story also appears on the following websites...