An amber alert beaverton investigation is underway after authorities issued an emergency alert for 3-year-old Joshua Ovalles, who was last seen in the Beaverton area of Oregon. Investigators are asking the public to remain vigilant as they work to locate the young child and determine his whereabouts.
The case has drawn urgent attention across the Portland metropolitan area because authorities believe Joshua may be traveling with Mari Martinez, a non-custodial parent. Investigators have also identified a vehicle they believe may be connected to the disappearance: a white 2022 Mercedes SUV displaying Oregon license plate MAMIII.
Authorities are urging anyone who sees the child, Martinez or the vehicle to contact law enforcement immediately rather than attempting to intervene.
Joshua Ovalles Remains the Focus of an Urgent Search
Joshua Ovalles is 3 years old and was reported missing after he was last seen in Beaverton.
Authorities say the child was last seen at approximately 10:05 a.m. Tuesday, October 6, in the vicinity of Southwest Western Avenue and Southwest Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway.
The location is an important part of the investigation because it gives detectives a starting point for determining where Joshua and the vehicle may have gone afterward.
An AMBER Alert was issued Wednesday, October 7, as investigators continued searching for the child. The alert was distributed to the public because authorities determined the circumstances met the requirements for an emergency child-abduction notification.
The case remains active, and the search could extend beyond Beaverton because investigators have not publicly established a confirmed destination or direction of travel.
Who Is Mari Martinez?
Authorities have identified Mari Martinez as a person believed to be traveling with Joshua.
Investigators describe Martinez as a non-custodial parent of the child. Police have also reported concerns about previous threats of harm involving the child.
Authorities have warned that Martinez may be armed with a firearm, making the situation especially serious.
For that reason, members of the public should not approach Martinez if they believe they have spotted her. Even if someone is confident they have identified the vehicle or individuals involved, the safest response is to move away from the situation and immediately contact police.
The information released by authorities is intended to help investigators locate Joshua, not to encourage members of the public to conduct their own searches or confront anyone.
Vehicle Information Released to the Public
One of the most important pieces of information in the investigation is the description of the vehicle believed to be associated with Joshua’s disappearance.
Authorities are searching for a:
- 2022 Mercedes SUV
- White exterior
- Oregon license plate: MAMIII
The vehicle may be especially important to the investigation because motorists and residents could potentially recognize it even if they do not recognize the people inside.
Police are encouraging people in Beaverton and surrounding communities to remain aware of their surroundings while traveling. The vehicle could potentially appear outside the immediate area where Joshua was last seen.
Drivers should not follow the SUV if they believe they have spotted it. Instead, they should safely record the location, direction of travel and other relevant details and provide that information to authorities.
Why the Public’s Help Matters
AMBER Alerts are designed to quickly bring the public into an urgent child-abduction investigation.
The system works by distributing information about a missing child, suspected abductor and potentially involved vehicle. The objective is to give law enforcement thousands of additional eyes and ears while time remains critical.
Oregon State Police explains that an AMBER Alert is used in serious child-abduction cases when law enforcement believes the child faces an imminent risk of serious bodily harm or death and enough identifying information is available for public assistance to potentially make a difference.
That makes accurate public information particularly valuable during the first stages of an investigation.
A driver who notices a matching vehicle on a highway, for example, could potentially provide investigators with information that helps establish a travel route. A resident who sees a vehicle matching the alert description could also provide a useful location or time.
Even seemingly minor observations may become significant when combined with information gathered by investigators.
What People Should Do If They See Joshua
Anyone who believes they have seen Joshua should avoid attempting to approach him or anyone accompanying him.
The appropriate response is to contact 911 immediately and explain exactly what was observed.
People who report a possible sighting should try to provide useful details such as:
- The exact location
- The time of the sighting
- The direction the vehicle or individuals were traveling
- The vehicle’s color and model
- The license plate, if visible
- A description of the people involved
- Any other details that could help officers identify the vehicle
The most important priority is safety. A person who believes they have found the vehicle should not attempt to block it, follow it, confront the driver or physically intervene.
A safe and timely call to law enforcement can give investigators the opportunity to respond appropriately.
Search May Extend Beyond Beaverton
Although Joshua was last seen in Beaverton, investigators are not necessarily limiting their search to the city.
The Portland metropolitan area includes numerous interconnected communities and major roads. A vehicle leaving Beaverton can quickly travel into another jurisdiction.
That is why the alert is relevant to people throughout the surrounding region rather than only those who live close to the original sighting location.
Motorists should pay particular attention to the vehicle description while traveling through the area, but they should avoid making assumptions about where the vehicle may have gone.
At this stage, publicly confirmed information about the vehicle’s subsequent movements remains limited.
Authorities Warn Against Direct Intervention
The reported possibility that Martinez may have access to a firearm makes public intervention particularly dangerous.
People who believe they have identified the suspect should not attempt to stop the person themselves.
This is especially important in crowded areas, parking lots, gas stations, shopping centers and busy roads where an attempted confrontation could place children, pedestrians and other motorists at risk.
Instead, witnesses should move to a safe location and contact law enforcement.
Providing authorities with an accurate description and location can help officers respond without unnecessarily putting civilians in danger.
How to Recognize Reliable Information During the Search
Missing-child investigations can generate a large amount of information online. Social media posts may spread quickly, but not every claim appearing online has been verified.
Families, residents and readers following the case should be careful when sharing information about Joshua.
Unverified claims about alleged sightings, travel routes or possible suspects can complicate an investigation and potentially send members of the public or law enforcement toward incorrect locations.
The safest approach is to rely on information released by law enforcement and established news organizations reporting confirmed developments.
People should also avoid sharing speculative information as though it were fact.
If someone genuinely believes they have information connected to the investigation, contacting police directly is more useful than posting the information publicly.
What an AMBER Alert Means in Oregon
Oregon’s AMBER Alert program is a statewide emergency response system involving law enforcement, media organizations and the public.
The program is intended for the most serious child-abduction situations. Before an alert is activated, law enforcement must determine that specific requirements have been satisfied.
Among the criteria are confirmation that a child has been abducted, that the child is 17 or younger, and that authorities believe the child faces imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death.
There must also be sufficient descriptive information for an alert to potentially help locate the child, suspected abductor or vehicle.
Once activated, an alert can reach a large audience through emergency communications and other public-information channels.
That broad distribution is particularly valuable when investigators believe the child could be moving quickly from one location to another.
Latest Status of the Beaverton Search
As of the latest verified information available for this report, authorities had not announced that Joshua Ovalles had been safely located.
The investigation remains active, with law enforcement continuing efforts to determine where Joshua may be and to locate the vehicle associated with the alert.
The latest information continues to identify the child as 3-year-old Joshua Ovalles and the vehicle as a white 2022 Mercedes SUV with Oregon plate MAMIII.
The case number associated with the investigation is SP26-328966.
Anyone with information that could help investigators should contact emergency services or follow the reporting instructions provided in the active alert.
Because this is an evolving investigation, the situation can change quickly. A later announcement could provide information about a confirmed sighting, a vehicle location, the child’s recovery or other developments.
What Beaverton Residents Should Remember
The most useful role for members of the public is to remain observant and provide accurate information to investigators.
Residents do not need to search private property, confront strangers or attempt to follow a suspicious vehicle. Instead, they can help by remembering the identifying details released in the alert and reporting credible information promptly.
For people driving around Beaverton and the greater Portland area, the white Mercedes SUV and Oregon plate MAMIII are among the most important details to remember.
Anyone who sees a vehicle matching that description should not assume it is unrelated simply because it appears in another community. At the same time, a matching vehicle alone does not prove that it is connected to the investigation.
The appropriate response is to provide the information to law enforcement and allow investigators to determine whether it is relevant.
Why Every New Update Matters
The first hours and days of a missing-child investigation can be critical. Information about sightings, vehicles and possible travel routes can help investigators reconstruct movements and narrow the search area.
For Joshua’s family and everyone involved in the investigation, the priority remains locating the child safely.
As the search continues, residents should pay attention to verified emergency updates and avoid spreading rumors that could distract from the investigation.
For anyone searching online for an amber alert beaverton update, the most important development remains whether Joshua has been located and whether authorities have confirmed new information about his whereabouts.
At the latest reporting point, no verified announcement had confirmed that Joshua was safely recovered.
Bottom Line
Joshua Ovalles, 3, remains at the center of an urgent Oregon missing-child investigation after authorities issued an AMBER Alert following his disappearance from the Beaverton area.
Investigators believe he may be with Mari Martinez and are searching for a white 2022 Mercedes SUV with Oregon license plate MAMIII. Authorities have emphasized the seriousness of the situation and urged anyone who sees the child, Martinez or the vehicle to contact law enforcement immediately.
The public can help most effectively by staying alert, remembering the identifying information in the alert and reporting credible sightings without attempting direct intervention.
As the investigation develops, verified information from law enforcement will remain the best way for residents to understand the latest status of the search.
Have you seen a new verified update about Joshua Ovalles? Share confirmed information responsibly and stay alert for further developments.