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

[Fireweed]

Dropping out of school when you have already started the semester is a pretty big deal, and I am pretty sure that Maura, even if she had no intention of disappearing, had no intention of going back to school. There are just too many clues that point to that.

 

[Lolacat]

Dropping out of school when you have already started the semester is a pretty big deal, and I am pretty sure that Maura, even if she had no intention of disappearing, had no intention of going back to school. There are just too many clues that point to that.

I agree. Also, hadn't Maura already switched courses twice before already? Switching for a 3rd time would have been a huge deal to her family. It wouldn't reflect very well on her at all.

 

[Nordicpete]

On another note:

I have always thought that the possible sighting of Maura at a Barton, VT, church on Fathers Day 2005 IIRC has been too easily dismissed.
I personally belive that this mystery girl might well have been Maura.
Would be interested to hear your opinions on this matter!

 

[Fireweed]

I have always wondered about the two sightings.

 

[walkingdeadgirl]

I think it was said that it was the Red Cross or someone calling him for a donation.

LE have said that it was the Red Cross. SR says she confirmed the call did NOT come from the Red Cross. This is just one point of the case where LE and "family" don't agree. The Rausch family and Maura's family believe it was Maura. LE stands firm it was the Red Cross.

 

[walkingdeadgirl]

Of course, that is a possibility. Anything is a possibility really. However, based on Maura's actions prior to her disappearance, she doesnt appear to have a history of thinking things through over time. On the contrary, all of her decisions prior to her disappearing appear to show high levels of impulsivity. One thing I learned in psych is that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. People usually exhibit patterns of behaviour that they repeat over and over again. This is just my own opinion though and I could be completely wrong. Its just a gut feeling really. I feel like Maura's life was spinning out of control and I dont feel like any of the decisions she made were well thought out or well considered ones. Again, JMO.

Very good points. I think I have the tendency to see her as a planner because she is so disciplined in some of her activities, and that's not necessarily the truth.

 

[bravesjunkie706]

Nordicpete and Tssiemer- I have looked at nearby for missing persons. Surprisingly, in Vermont a girl named Brianna Maitland, dissapeared as well. I know the location isn't exact, but the disappearances have a few key points in common. Both of the same age, look similar as far as ht/wt/hair close in age and such. Both have abandoned their cars as the last known whereabouts. These two girls have more in common than any of the other cases I've studied. I'm no expert, and don't claim to be but these two for sure have more in common than not. IMO


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[Nordicpete]

Nordicpete and Tssiemer- I have looked at nearby for missing persons. Surprisingly, in Vermont a girl named Brianna Maitland, dissapeared as well. I know the location isn't exact, but the disappearances have a few key points in common. Both of the same age, look similar as far as ht/wt/hair close in age and such. Both have abandoned their cars as the last known whereabouts. These two girls have more in common than any of the other cases I've studied. I'm no expert, and don't claim to be but these two for sure have more in common than not. IMO

bravesnjunkie,

Yes, there are several similarities between the cases of Maura and Brianna.
Still, NH State Police and VT State Police maintain that there are likely no connection between the cases. I'm not entirely convinced, though....

 

[Katrinka]

Brianna's disappearance is almost-certainly drug related. She was involved with some very shady people.

 

[JamesRenner]

Maura's sister, Kathleen, was involved w/drugs up in Swanton, which is next door to St. Albans. Those are small towns where everyone knows everyone.

 

[socrates2006]

Hi everyone! long time lurker here, first time poster. A lot seems to be heating up with the 10th Anniversary and all of the renewed media interest I don't know it this has even been brought up but Mr. Murray seems to very much control a lot of what we know when it comes to the facts. l certainly do not want to say bad things about other people's families, but has anyone ever suggested or asked the question of abuse, physical and/ or sexual abuse? All of the posts and info I have read makes it sound like Mr. Murray is very controlling. When people who are used to having control me longer have control, or if it sums like one is losing control they will do anything they can to regain it. I in no way Am accusing this, I am just wondering if it has been brought up.

 

[Lolacat]

Hi everyone! long time lurker here, first time poster. A lot seems to be heating up with the 10th Anniversary and all of the renewed media interest I don't know it this has even been brought up but Mr. Murray seems to very much control a lot of what we know when it comes to the facts. l certainly do not want to say bad things about other people's families, but has anyone ever suggested or asked the question of abuse, physical and/ or sexual abuse? All of the posts and info I have read makes it sound like Mr. Murray is very controlling. When people who are used to having control me longer have control, or if it sums like one is losing control they will do anything they can to regain it. I in no way Am accusing this, I am just wondering if it has been brought up.

Welcome There has been some discussion along those lines on James's blog if you do a search. I have my own thoughts on it, but I feel very uncomfortable speculating about sensitive issues like that when there is no evidence. But I completely agree with you that Fred definitely presents as a person who needs to be in control all of the time.

 

[goldiegirl]

Maura's sister, Kathleen, was involved w/drugs up in Swanton, which is next door to St. Albans. Those are small towns where everyone knows everyone.

Hi, James. Just curious - you seem to believe she was traveling in tandem with someone and escaped to start a new life. So how would her sister's drug use factor in in this case, and how would her disappearance relate to Briana's? Thank you!

 

[JamesRenner]

It's just strange.

 

[Katrinka]

Maura's sister, Kathleen, was involved w/drugs up in Swanton, which is next door to St. Albans. Those are small towns where everyone knows everyone.

But at the time of Maura's disappearance, Kathleen was living in Hanover, MA.

 

[Fireweed]

Both Maura's sister and brother are involved in using drugs (according to information from Renner). When two siblings are into drugs, it does give me pause. It certainly points to (but does not prove) a difficult childhood and an inability to deal properly with anxiety.

 

[Curiosum]

Maura's sister, Kathleen, was involved w/drugs up in Swanton, which is next door to St. Albans. Those are small towns where everyone knows everyone.

But weren't KMC's issues in Swanton, VT in Summer 2011? That was more than 7 years after her sister and Bri's disappearance so I think this is a bit of stretch. Additionally, Swanton is almost an hour from Montgomery, VT, where Bri disappeared from.

 

[walkingdeadgirl]

Welcome There has been some discussion along those lines on James's blog if you do a search. I have my own thoughts on it, but I feel very uncomfortable speculating about sensitive issues like that when there is no evidence. But I completely agree with you that Fred definitely presents as a person who needs to be in control all of the time.

I agree. I think a lot of his problems with LE have been a result of this trait. I've read James' blog on the subject as well, and it would definitely be a reason to disappear, but lacking evidence, I don't feel comfortable speculating about it, either.

 

[JamesRenner]

Kathleen did not use Swanton as a permanent address until later but she was spending a considerable amount of time in that region of Vermont. I'm not sure it means anything, but the fact they both Kathleen and Brianna were involved in the drug scene around St. Albans is worth noting.

 

[Darcyline]

LE have said that it was the Red Cross. SR says she confirmed the call did NOT come from the Red Cross. This is just one point of the case where LE and "family" don't agree. The Rausch family and Maura's family believe it was Maura. LE stands firm it was the Red Cross.

One of my biggest regrets about this case is the fact that he deleted that voicemail. I understand why he did it and I sympathize completely with his pain, but I would love to hear for myself if that was really Maura crying on the other end or not. I would think that it would be weird if Red Cross left a voicemail with young female crying on it (and a HUGE coincidence) but I guess we just don't know and if the sound was muddled maybe it wasn't a human sound at all. Confirming that was Maura or not would really change how I feel about what happened in the hours after the accident. But, I guess there is no way anyone will ever know.