NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - #10

[Captain_Khan]

Real quick on this - No way. Or at least highly doubtful she would have mistook one for the other.

I went to the same university and lived on campus all four years - and had a car the last year I was there...and frequently used Route 116 in and around Amherst, Hadley, etc. It's a relatively small state route (as NH-116 appears to be too) - and they are NOT connected in any way. Route 116 in Mass runs North/South (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_116); Route 116 in NH runs East/West and seems like basically a rural route to the White Mountains.

Not only that - these routes are nearly 150 miles (a 2.5 hour drive) away from each other at their closest points.

I know that a sober, rational and unafraid person could not confuse the two - but I also notice that the Route 116 near the University in Mass also crosses a Route 112...

It just bugs me. Why was she on 112 (NH)? It makes so little sense - there is no rational reason for her to be on that road. It doesn't lead anywhere that she couldn't get to by an easier route. That to me is a huge question that hangs over the case.

 

[Nordicpete]

I know that a sober, rational and unafraid person could not confuse the two - but I also notice that the Route 116 near the University in Mass also crosses a Route 112...

It just bugs me. Why was she on 112 (NH)? It makes so little sense - there is no rational reason for her to be on that road. It doesn't lead anywhere that she couldn't get to by an easier route. That to me is a huge question that hangs over the case.

Having followed this case for years I'd say that if Maura wanted to drive from Amherst, MA, to Lincoln/Woodstock,NH, she would likely have taken I-91 north from Amherst, US 302 through Wells River, VT, and Woodsville,NH, and then NH 112 East towards Lincoln/Woodstock, which is the very road where she had her second accident. This would make complete sense to me.

 

[Captain_Khan]

Having followed this case for years I'd say that if Maura wanted to drive from Amherst, MA, to Lincoln/Woodstock,NH, she would likely have taken I-91 north from Amherst, US 302 through Wells River, VT, and Woodsville,NH, and then NH 112 East towards Lincoln/Woodstock, which is the very road where she had her second accident. This would make complete sense to me.

Yup, good work. Typing that into google maps shows Route 112 as the 'best' way to get there. Next question, then, is why? What could be in Lincoln or Woodstock that is worth driving all that way for?

 

[Nordicpete]

Yup, good work. Typing that into google maps shows Route 112 as the 'best' way to get there. Next question, then, is why? What could be in Lincoln or Woodstock that is worth driving all that way for?

Captain Khan,

Thanks for the thumbs up!
I believe it likely that Maura very possibly was intending to spend the night in the Lincoln/Woodstock, NH, area, either on her own or in the company of some other person, and I think that this might have been the very reason why she ended up on NH 112 in the first place.
Apparently, Maura had likely never been on the western section of NH 112 before, so she could not possibly have known that the strech between US 302/NH 10 near Woodsville, NH, and the NH 112/NH 116 intersection in particular is not a good road to drive in the dark on snowy and icy surfaces in the midst of winter. That stretch is winding, narrow and with several sharp bends and turns before NH 112 turns into a far better road to the east of the easternmost NH 112/NH 116 intersection.

I do believe that all of Maura´s plans were ruined by her crash at the Weathered Barn curve on NH 112 and that she just had to desperately improvise after that. I frankly could come up with perhaps ten different scenarios as for what happened afterwards and even after all these years I keep wavering about which scenario is the most likely one.

I still believe it possible, though, that an alleged sighting of Maura in a Barton, VT, church on Father´s Day 2005 might have been legit. I have never read a public comment on that sighting by LE and it remains unclear whether this alleged sighting was ever seriously followed up by LE.

 

[Captain_Khan]

I believe it likely that Maura very possibly was intending to spend the night in the Lincoln/Woodstock, NH, area, either on her own or in the company of some other person, and I think that this might have been the very reason why she ended up on NH 112 in the first place.

Out of those options, I think being alone is more likely - firstly because she had been searching for places to stay (rather than knowing she could stay with someone), and secondly because I think if she failed to arrive and meet someone, the alarm would be raised sooner (unless she was there to do something non-kosher).

 

[southernyankee]

I believe it likely that Maura very possibly was intending to spend the night in the Lincoln/Woodstock, NH, area, either on her own or in the company of some other person, and I think that this might have been the very reason why she ended up on NH 112 in the first place.
Apparently, Maura had likely never been on the western section of NH 112 before, so she could not possibly have known that the strech between US 302/NH 10 near Woodsville, NH, and the NH 112/NH 116 intersection in particular is not a good road to drive in the dark on snowy and icy surfaces in the midst of winter. That stretch is winding, narrow and with several sharp bends and turns before NH 112 turns into a far better road to the east of the easternmost NH 112/NH 116 intersection.

Agreed that it seems logical that if Maura was intentionally on Route 112 driving east that Lincoln, NH is a plausible destination - perhaps for an overnight stay, to be near the mountains. It's a small town by most standards (population ~1500) but for that region of the state, it's a population center.

Same with Woodstock, not too far south of Lincoln - Waterville Valley Ski Resort is there and is a fairly popular destination.

Captain Khan - I hear you on giving M the benefit of the doubt that she could've been confused, but too many other actions of hers that day appear rather deliberate (withdrawing cash, purchasing alcohol, packing her things). While I'm not sure he had a particular destination or plan in mind (except maybe get out of town, go chill in the mountains/away from life for a few days), I just find it difficult to believe she legitimately confused two routes nearly three hours away from each other...

The thing that bugs me about Maura being on that road is that it isn't the most obvious or easiest route to Lincoln or Woodstock, if either of those is indeed where she was headed. She should've taken an earlier exit.

What bugs me MOST about the whole accident scene (well, short of Maura disappearing) - is the business of that rag in the tailpipe.

I feel like this is potentially the most damning + overlooked physical element in this case...and yes, I know what Fred Murray said. But it doesn't make any sense, and I don't question the man's intelligence - which is why his initial explanation for it being there strikes me as bunk.

I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts on the rag in the tailpipe. Seriously.

 

[Jmoose]

I have to confess that I have no idea why somebody puts a rag in their car's tailpipe-unless they are deliberately trying to back up the exhaust into the car. Is this everybody else's understanding?

 

[Captain_Khan]

Captain Khan - I hear you on giving M the benefit of the doubt that she could've been confused, but too many other actions of hers that day appear rather deliberate (withdrawing cash, purchasing alcohol, packing her things). While I'm not sure he had a particular destination or plan in mind (except maybe get out of town, go chill in the mountains/away from life for a few days), I just find it difficult to believe she legitimately confused two routes nearly three hours away from each other...

The thing that bugs me about Maura being on that road is that it isn't the most obvious or easiest route to Lincoln or Woodstock, if either of those is indeed where she was headed. She should've taken an earlier exit.

I agree that it certainly seems like she was acting deliberately. The 'confusing one route for another' theory came to me because I drive a fair amount, and often get two similar-sounding roads confused (The A120 and the A12 in Essex, UK, if anyone's interested!). If I lived in the States and the roads actually had the same name, I'd be done for...! But I agree it's unlikely.

I have to confess that I have no idea why somebody puts a rag in their car's tailpipe-unless they are deliberately trying to back up the exhaust into the car. Is this everybody else's understanding?

My understanding is that if you completely block the exhaust, then the car just won't start - like the old prank of squashing a potato in there. If it wasn't packed in tight, it would just blow out and the car would run fine (so long as it had no other issues). To get the fumes to enter the car, you need to find a sweet-spot where enough fumes can escape to allow the engine to start, but not enough to be harmless.

I don't think the rag is indicative of a suicide attempt. The crash site is visible from houses, and certainly not at all secluded - Maura could have been interrupted at any second (as, indeed, she was by meeting the bus driver). I still question exactly what that rag was - an old shirt? A towel? I used to think Maura put something there to stop someone driving the car away, but crazier theories exist... Maybe she was hiding whatever that rag was in the exhaust because she didn't want law enforcement to find it? Was it used to mop up alcohol, or blood from the crash? I don't know if the forensic findings have ever been released...

 

[Dixie811]

Captain Khan, I had not thought of the rag being used to mop up alcohol in the car and then being stuffed in the tailpipe so that LE would not see it when they arrived on scene. I think that is a pretty good theory. IF Maura had used the rag to mop up spilled alcohol in her vehicle (to avoid LE concluding that the accident was due to alcohol) she would not want to leave the wet rag in the car or on her person because it would smell strongly of alcohol. Stuffing it in the tailpipe serves the purpose of hiding the rag, and also could (?) make it more difficult for the alcohol soaked rag to be sniffed out.

Of course, we may never know what the real reason for the rag in the tailpipe was. None of the present theories seem to make 100% logical sense.

JMO.

 

[southernyankee]

These are all excellent points! And worth thinking about further... if that rag was indeed used to mop up alcohol, the tailpipe seems like a clever place to shove it...but would the tailpipe be hot to the touch after driving some distance? I guess she could've used a stick or something... (whoa, digression. Sorry.)

Another aspect of the rag/towel/tailpipe issue that makes me super-curious is that it wasn't exactly public knowledge in the early days of the case. I noticed that it's not even mentioned until Thread #4 here, in April 2006...check this out for the details: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1037514&highlight=tailpipe#post1037514

According to poster Peabody (Helena Dwyer Murray, who is a relative of Maura's by marriage), "It was the Murrays' understanding that Law Enforcement did not want the info released. Therefore, they never made mention of it except to their private investigators."

 

[Captain_Khan]

Has anyone brought up Israel Keys with relation to this mystery?

Keyes was a serial killer active across multiple States, who killed between the early 90’s and 2012 when he was apprehended.

His murders were usually planned extremely carefully, and he selected victims that had no connection to himself, usually very far away from his home. Two of his more-well known murders happened in Essex, Vermont, in 2011. Essex is extremely close to Burlington, a location Maura had printed directions to.

Keyes was also known to work in construction – and we know Maura crashed near a house under construction…

“Keyes said he would look for potential victims in remote locations, such as parks, campgrounds, cemeteries and boating areas. He would hide supplies in what he called a “murder kit” in the area he had selected for his next victim, far in advance of when he planned to strike.” From:
http://www.northjersey.com/hackensa...e_investigators_say.html#sthash.wibGvNG2.dpuf

Could he have noticed that bend was responsible for a lot of crashes, and simply lain in wait?

I think there is more evidence that suggests Keyes wasn’t involved than was. I generally think the idea Maura fell victim to a murder is unlikely. But I want to leave no stone unturned.

 

[Little Jedi]

I think it was brought up when the FBI asked for help, the posters on the Israel Keyes thread were looking into it to see if they could find anything.

 

[BillNH]

Has anyone brought up Israel Keys with relation to this mystery?

Keyes was a serial killer active across multiple States, who killed between the early 90’s and 2012 when he was apprehended.

His murders were usually planned extremely carefully, and he selected victims that had no connection to himself, usually very far away from his home. Two of his more-well known murders happened in Essex, Vermont, in 2011. Essex is extremely close to Burlington, a location Maura had printed directions to.

Keyes was also known to work in construction – and we know Maura crashed near a house under construction…

“Keyes said he would look for potential victims in remote locations, such as parks, campgrounds, cemeteries and boating areas. He would hide supplies in what he called a “murder kit” in the area he had selected for his next victim, far in advance of when he planned to strike.” From:
http://www.northjersey.com/hackensa...e_investigators_say.html#sthash.wibGvNG2.dpuf

Could he have noticed that bend was responsible for a lot of crashes, and simply lain in wait?

I think there is more evidence that suggests Keyes wasn’t involved than was. I generally think the idea Maura fell victim to a murder is unlikely. But I want to leave no stone unturned.

Currently the most accurate timeline the FBI has for Israel Keys does not make it possible for him to be in the area at the time of MM's disappearance. The timeline was posted on the MMM facebook page.

 

[BillNH]

Yup, good work. Typing that into google maps shows Route 112 as the 'best' way to get there. Next question, then, is why? What could be in Lincoln or Woodstock that is worth driving all that way for?

Lincoln is a Mecca of sorts for hikers. Many mountains of the Presidential Chain are close by. Scoops is dead on with his theory in this respect. She was headed to Lincoln for the night to write her note and head up in the morning. Very convincing.

 

[BillNH]

Thank you for the info, guys. I really like to know all the little details of this case - for example, what side of the road was Maura on when the local man spotted her? To me, that could be very important. In the wet, dark and icy, I could imagine it would only take a small misstep to stumble and find yourself falling down a sharp bank...

It looks like the river is almost frozen over in February, but with free-flowing water underneath. If someone were to smash through that and find themselves waist-deep in icy cold water, I think it would be very, very hard to get out again, and only a matter of time until you were in very serious trouble. It would only take a matter of hours for the river to freeze over again, and if it snowed you could be hidden and inaccessible for a while. Couple that with that huge rush of water a few weeks later...

I never believed Maura intended to kill herself - to me, her situation seemed bleak but not dire, and the method of supposed suicide seemed bizarre. Accidental death, however, i could certainly believe in.

Yes the river would have been frozen, probably very thick ice, but even if it was thin, you would not be in water much deeper than your knees. This is not a deep river. People pan for gold in this stretch of river and stand in it while doing so and the water is rarely halfway to the knee. For a long stretch thats closest to the road east of the accident scene the riverbed looks empty because there are so many rocks that the water flows underneath the rocks, always. Only in extreme circumstances would this river be high enough to be a problem. The situation in the video happens usually close to the end of March, about 2 months after MM disappeared, after an extended period of thawing temperatures. Some years it does not happen at all. If she by some chance broke through and twisted an ankle and got stuck, I believe with the heightened awareness by drivers and the searchers she would have been found. There was no significant snowfall in the days after she went missing, or at least not enough to conceal her.

 

[gnomony]

The situation in the video happens usually close to the end of March, about 2 months after MM disappeared, after an extended period of thawing temperatures.

This video shows the ice going out on March 6 (2011); MM disappeared on February 9 (2004). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYbrqsLFySY

 

[Captain_Khan]

Lincoln is a Mecca of sorts for hikers. Many mountains of the Presidential Chain are close by. Scoops is dead on with his theory in this respect. She was headed to Lincoln for the night to write her note and head up in the morning. Very convincing.

Respectfully, I disagree with the theory that Maura planned to write her note at a motel then commit suicide the next day. It always seems to me that the suicide theory was always lacking the proof of a note, and the idea she'd planned to write one but hadn't got round to it yet was a convenient way to explain away that lack of evidence.

It just all seems such a complicated plan, especially for someone who supposedly was grappling with suicidal thoughts, if the theory holds water. Packing up your room, emailing people to tell them you are taking a few days off, not leaving a note or even speaking to anyone, plotting and driving an totally unknown route, no computer searches for anything relating to suicide or depression, returning a borrowed lab coat, phoning to try to book a condo rather than just choosing the first place with vacancies, picking up insurance forms - they just really don't strike me as the actions of a suicidal person. It appears to me that she was planning for the future.

Add to that the fact that the bus driver who spotted Maura said she didn't appear to be too shaken up or distressed (probably unlikely for someone contemplating speeding up their suicide plan and hiking into the woods to die tonight), I just don't buy it.

I still think Maura planned to drop out of Uni (and possibly restart elsewhere), but she had something to deal with first. I'm even far more willing to believe that she wanted a day or two alone with her thoughts rather than committing suicide.

 

[scoops]

Respectfully, I disagree with the theory that Maura planned to write her note at a motel then commit suicide the next day. It always seems to me that the suicide theory was always lacking the proof of a note, and the idea she'd planned to write one but hadn't got round to it yet was a convenient way to explain away that lack of evidence.

It just all seems such a complicated plan, especially for someone who supposedly was grappling with suicidal thoughts, if the theory holds water. Packing up your room, emailing people to tell them you are taking a few days off, not leaving a note or even speaking to anyone, plotting and driving an totally unknown route, no computer searches for anything relating to suicide or depression, returning a borrowed lab coat, phoning to try to book a condo rather than just choosing the first place with vacancies, picking up insurance forms - they just really don't strike me as the actions of a suicidal person. It appears to me that she was planning for the future.

Add to that the fact that the bus driver who spotted Maura said she didn't appear to be too shaken up or distressed (probably unlikely for someone contemplating speeding up their suicide plan and hiking into the woods to die tonight), I just don't buy it.

I still think Maura planned to drop out of Uni (and possibly restart elsewhere), but she had something to deal with first. I'm even far more willing to believe that she wanted a day or two alone with her thoughts rather than committing suicide.

You don't pack up your dorm room, turn in your lab coat (which by the way you would still need since the semester just started) to go on a two day vacation after having just spent over a month on vacation like 10 to 14 days earlier.

But yeah, I'm the one explaining things away.

 

[BillNH]

This video shows the ice going out on March 6 (2011); MM disappeared on February 9 (2004). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYbrqsLFySY

Thanks for this but please note that I said "usually" and "after a extended period of thawing temperatures". This event does not follow the calendar, it follows the required weather conditions. This exactly the reason for my post. There are many that would think that since it happened in early March in 2011 it must happen in early march every year. Thank you for proving that point.

 

[southernyankee]

I feel like what makes this case so compelling is that it's impossible to really rule out any scenario with certainty! There've been times when I really go far down one of the rabbit holes and think, oh my word, that's it...and others when I've followed another path and see how it could well be the case instead.

Scoops, I have shamelessly stalked this forum for a while now + have read many of your past posts on your theory. While I personally believe suicide was not the ultimate fate of Maura, you have some strong points that point to some kind of...ending. Or a dramatic change, for sure.

I keep trying to put myself in Maura's shoes on February 9th, 2004...(we were on the same campus that day! aahh!) but like, what was her mindset...and I think whatever she was doing, whether she had deliberate plans or just wanted to get away, I think she was definitely taking those actions because she wanted to regain a sense of control over her life. However misdirected or maybe counterproductive some of those actions were (at the time or in hindsight) - she was still making choices and doing things deliberately.

Contrast this with her seemingly "catatonic state" late Thursday/early Friday before she went missing...this was someone who was going through something difficult, was processing it, and by Monday had decided she was going to do something on her own terms.

Whether that was as extreme as suicide or less drastically just giving life as she knew it the finger for a few days...we just cannot know at this point, but it's why digging deeper into all possibilities is useful to figuring it out.