NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - # 2

[murraydwyer]

A couple of points

One news report also states there is no cell coverage in the area but I have not confirmed that to be so. The buss driver was only 100 yards or so from home & so he went eastward to his home. He had trouble getting through to police. His neighbor called police but I don't know how neighbor knew to do that - whether busdriver asked him to or neighbor saw Maura. The police came within 10 minutes & yet Maura was gone when they arrived. Later it is reported someone saw Maura walking or jogging east on the road. And later a dog search is reported to have lost her scent on the road east near the busdrivers house. Docwho​

I have confirmed that there is no cell coverage. I had the same phone service with a dual band phone (meaning it would search for another type of signal)...if my memory serves me correctly, it wouldn't even go into search mode...forget what it said, but there was nothing.

The neighbor has told friends and family members that they heard a car accelerate (exactly what I did further east on that road when my car was losing power) and then a thud. Now I've wondered whether Maura might have gotten stuck and tried to get out of the snow on the side of the road??

 

[murraydwyer]

Thank you for Spotlighting Maura and Brianna. There are so many missing person, and every bit of attention to these cases helps.

 

[docwho3]

A couple of points . . .

Just a quick note to say I haven't forgotten you all. I am still digesting all this info as well as looking into a few other forums. Then I also have to go do normal everyday stuff too, paying bills, shopping etc.

I did notice the bit about the extra police car on the webpage & have also been looking into finding reported instances of such a thing happening in relation to New Hampshire in particular. I actually found a few instances of such a thing.
It evidently isn't a thing totally unheard of for people to do.

fake police officer News - September 22, 2005
Pelham teen accused of impersonating a police officer
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=60753

Portsmouth, NH Tuesday, June 3, 2003
Four face charges after being arrested in fake police cruiser
http://www.seacoastonline.com/2003news/06032003/south_of/32113.htm

Man arrested for using fake badge
Updated: 8/4/2004 10:51 PM
http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=87582&SecID=33

Police seek victims of police impersonator k victims of police impersonator: 7/15/01
http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-01/07-15-01/a03wn018.htm

Hampton, NH Friday, January 9, 2004
The impersonating an officer charge stems from an incident on Sept. 28. On that date, Parks was stopped in the parking lot of Master McGrath’s in Seabrook by Seabrook Sgt. Michael Gallagher. Asked for identification, Parks showed Gallagher a sheriff’s badge identifying him as a deputy sheriff out of New London, Conn.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/2004news/hampton/01092004/news/69476.htm

 

[murraydwyer]

Found the July 2001 article particularly interesting...there were other instances of police impersonators more recent, too...I'll try to find them.

There are a few reasons the 2001 article is of interest

Police seek victims of police impersonator
By The Associated Press
"He's all over the state of New Hampshire."

Robert Loud, 51, was arrested Friday in Nashua, three days after a Merrimack woman raised questions about being pulled over in the city.

The woman in the Nashua case said an unmarked police cruiser with flashing blue lights pulled her over on the Daniel Webster Highway Tuesday afternoon.
A man in a police uniform said he stopped her because a tail light was out. He had the woman sit in his car while he searched hers,


Sprankle said Loud told investigators he stops suspected drunken drivers at night and drives them home after searching their cars.

He said officers found a huge collection of police gear at Loud's home, including ammunition, handcuffs, radios, flashlights, police clothing and hats, about 20 real police badges and about 1,000 patches from various police departments around the country.
They also found various magnetic police seals that can be affixed to car doors to make vehicles look like police cars, he said.
They found no weapons or items such as pepper spray, Sprankle said.
He said Loud has been convicted of impersonating a police officer in the past. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department investigated him in 1993, Sprankle said, and state police also investigated him in connection with car stops on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua.
Police are asking anyone who believes they may have been stopped by Loud to call (603) 594-3554. They also are interested in talking to anyone Loud may have driven home.
"Our concerns are two-fold," Sprankle said, "for his safety and the citizens' safety, dealing with an individual representing himself to be the police."

 

[docwho3]

Found the July 2001 article particularly interesting...there were other instances of police impersonators more recent, too...I'll try to find them.

There are a few reasons the 2001 article is of interest

Police seek victims of police impersonator
By The Associated Press
"He's all over the state of New Hampshire."

Robert Loud, 51, was arrested Friday in Nashua, three days after a Merrimack woman raised questions about being pulled over in the city.

The woman in the Nashua case said an unmarked police cruiser with flashing blue lights pulled her over on the Daniel Webster Highway Tuesday afternoon.
A man in a police uniform said he stopped her because a tail light was out. He had the woman sit in his car while he searched hers,


Sprankle said Loud told investigators he stops suspected drunken drivers at night and drives them home after searching their cars.

He said officers found a huge collection of police gear at Loud's home, including ammunition, handcuffs, radios, flashlights, police clothing and hats, about 20 real police badges and about 1,000 patches from various police departments around the country.
They also found various magnetic police seals that can be affixed to car doors to make vehicles look like police cars, he said.
They found no weapons or items such as pepper spray, Sprankle said.
He said Loud has been convicted of impersonating a police officer in the past. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department investigated him in 1993, Sprankle said, and state police also investigated him in connection with car stops on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua.
Police are asking anyone who believes they may have been stopped by Loud to call (603) 594-3554. They also are interested in talking to anyone Loud may have driven home.
"Our concerns are two-fold," Sprankle said, "for his safety and the citizens' safety, dealing with an individual representing himself to be the police."

I thought you might find that one interesting.
But the question is where was he on that particular night in question. Was he in jail or already out? It could be the way it happened . . . .Search her car, walk back to his own car (where she was) & he is carrying a few bottles 'for evidence' and then gets in to either 'take her in' or to 'drive her home'. . . .

In my mind it's at least a possibility so far.

And these links I found may only be what little the public knows about that made the easily findable internet pages. I wonder how many other impersonators there were when maura disappeared that we don't yet know about.


It's not my pet theory yet because I don't have one but that sort of thing sounds possible at first look.

 

[Grassyknoll2]

Hi guys...this impersonating issue is one I looked at a while ago...



POSTED: 12:14 p.m. EST January 10, 2005
UPDATED: 6:07 p.m. EST January 10, 2005


Story by thewmurchannel.com

SALEM, N.H. -- A Massachusetts man accused of impersonating a police officer was scheduled to appear in Salem district court Monday, but he never showed up.

Eric Williams, 22, of North Andover, Mass., was accused of pretending to be a cop, driving an unmarked cruiser and carrying a phony badge. He faces five felony charges and two misdemeanors. Prosecutors said Williams bought a 1998 Crown Victoria in Salem using a forged check from his mother. Police said they later found the car equipped with a police blue-light package, and weapons were found at his home.

Not sure of the source of this article, the poster on Brianna Maitland's site didn't include it:
July 30, 2004

PORTSMOUTH — A convicted sex offender has been charged with impersonating a police officer and then handcuffing and sexually assaulting a woman.

Ann Hope , a police spokeswoman, said Kenneth Allen Downer , 41, of the 200 block of Beacon Road was arrested Thursday.


He is charged with abduction with intent to defile, forcible sodomy, sexual battery, indecent exposure and unlawful use of police paraphernalia.

Downer is a registered sex offender, Hope said.

and this
CASE #04D301890
TROOPERS
Trooper Andrew McLaughlin and Sgt. James Cruise
AGENCY
State Police Bethel
DATE
05-06-04
LOCATION
The White River area
>DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

Trooper Andrew McLaughlin and Sgt. James Cruise of the VT State Police out of Bethel were advised that a male was identifying himself as a Vermont State Trooper out of the Bethel Barracks. The male told two females that he was Trooper Potter working out of Bethel. Potter convinced the females that he was able to handle a criminal matter that they were involved with and that they need not contact the state police for further assistance. The females did not contact the state police because Potter told them he

would handle the matter. Trooper McLaughlin charged Potter with impersonating a police officer and further criminal charges could result pending further investigation.


or this
Man Charged With Impersonating Police Officer

Police Seize Several Weapons From Car, Apartment

POSTED: 6:22 pm EDT May 27, 2005

NEWTON, N.H. -- Police in Newton said that what appeared at first to be a simple traffic stop ended in arresting and charging a man with impersonating a police officer.

Elija Hannan, 22, was found sleeping in his car parked outside his Newton apartment at about 6:30 a.m. Friday. An officer investigating a report of a stranded driver said that he saw Hannan wearing a jacket and hat marked "Police," along with a shotgun in the back of the vehicle and a handgun on Hannan's hip.

http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/4542286/detail.html

 

[Marisa714]

Do you guys think this could be what happened to Maura? Hmmm I wonder....it seems that impersonating officers isn't as uncommon as I had thought! My own hairdresser was pulled over by a man impersonating an officer, she asked to see his badge though and he refused! It ended up that they drove down to a gas station at a busy intersection and the 'cop' followed them and got into an accident!!!! Stupid guy! I don't know why these people do things like that....don't they have something better to do? Geez! Sorry, it frustrates me! So what does everybody think? I'd like to know! My mind is always changing when it comes to Maura, so little coverage of it and it doesn't seem like the investigation has progressed AT ALL! Let's form a troop of our own and go help Maura's family! I seriously do wish there was something I could do :-(

 

[gatetrekker44]

docwho3-but not for the reasons you may think!

I have been following Maura's case from the very beginning-and everything in my previous post was referenced in links on Maura's original thread. Unfortunately, when the thread was being moved, all the info was lost. But you can be certain that I would not knowingly put out unsubstantiated info-simply because it would only cloud the quest for what really happened for Maura.

My anger stems from the fact that after than 18 months there are simply no more answers for her friends and family than at the start. And since you are somewhat newer to Maura's postings(although I realize you may have been a "lurker" out there reading the info but simply not posting)please understand that at various times, I and others who questioned the handling of Maura's investigation(I use the term loosely!)were villified and verbally attacked by some other individuals that went so far as to publicly accuse Maura's family of lying to LE and the media about Maura's frame of mind, etc.

I stand by my statements-but I certainly defend your right to your opinions.


Bring Maura home!

 

[Marisa714]

docwho3-but not for the reasons you may think!

I have been following Maura's case from the very beginning-and everything in my previous post was referenced in links on Maura's original thread. Unfortunately, when the thread was being moved, all the info was lost. But you can be certain that I would not knowingly put out unsubstantiated info-simply because it would only cloud the quest for what really happened for Maura.

My anger stems from the fact that after than 18 months there are simply no more answers for her friends and family than at the start. And since you are somewhat newer to Maura's postings(although I realize you may have been a "lurker" out there reading the info but simply not posting)please understand that at various times, I and others who questioned the handling of Maura's investigation(I use the term loosely!)were villified and verbally attacked by some other individuals that went so far as to publicly accuse Maura's family of lying to LE and the media about Maura's frame of mind, etc.

I stand by my statements-but I certainly defend your right to your opinions.


Bring Maura home!

Every time I think about Maura and what could have happened...most of the time I question LE. IMO, the way they have handled this investigation, the secrecy, and the false comments regarding Maura being suicidal to the media ALL make me question LE. I'm not accusing but just questioning.
Gatetrekker~I wish people didn't react to your opinions the way they did! And to go as far as accusing members! I don't think I got to read these comments but it bothers me anyway! I hope I'm not attacked here

 

[MrsMush99]

Some more links:

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

Link

More to come...

 

[docwho3]

Some track runners can go a long way, many miles in fact.
I wonder how far could Maura have gone if alternating between jogging & walking- with a headache. I know most long distance runners can run with pain.
So I wonder what was her limit given the temp and the headache? 5 mi? 10 mi? long marathon?

I also wonder which way did L.E. come from that night?

 

[gatetrekker44]

was the fact that Maura had 2 accidents within a short time frame(less than two weeks). On the previous thread, I had brought up the possibility that she may have suffered a cumulative head injury that made her unable to act rationally. Just another of the many ?? but just too few answers!


Bring Maura home!

 

[docwho3]

was the fact that Maura had 2 accidents within a short time frame(less than two weeks). On the previous thread, I had brought up the possibility that she may have suffered a cumulative head injury that made her unable to act rationally. Just another of the many ?? but just too few answers!


Bring Maura home!

Actually that possibility is something that I think we should keep in the mix until we have evidence to the contrary, at least where the jogging away is concerned. Its one of the reasons,though not the only one, why I was interested in knowing how far Maura would have been able to go before being too tired to carry on. I felt the searches seemed to have been too close to the scene of the accident when you consider this was a 'standout' track athlete.

Also I keep remembering the boyscout that was lost awhile back and he went in directions not expected by the searchers and was found a long ways off but alive. Obviously Maura has been gone a very long time but the distance part of the story could still hold true.

That's just one of many questions & thoughts we encounter in this case- sigh.

 

[Grassyknoll2]

Thanks for the reminder about that discussion, Gatetrekker. This is one of the posts from the closed thread:

http://www.airbaginjury.com/how_can_the_brain_be.htm
Did you know?
Air bags can hurt or kill, now or later!
Air bags can cause immediate impact trauma or death.
Air bag fumes can cause immediate or delayed sickness or unnecessary death.
Air bags can cause delayed neurological muscle damage or brain injury.

The brain is vulnerable to traumatic damage in two ways. The cerebral cortex can become bruised - contused - when the head strikes a hard object (or a hard objects strikes the head). Or, the deep white matter can suffer diffuse axonal injury when the head is whiplashed without hitting a hard object (or being hit by one). In serious whiplash injuries, the axons are stretched so much that they are damaged.

When a moving head comes to a quick stop, the brain continues in its movement, striking the interior of the skull. This can cause bruising of the brain (a contusion) and bleeding (hemorrhage). Injury in these types of accidents occurs in parts of the brain closest to the point of impact, quite often the tips of the frontal and temporal lobes. In cases of blunt head trauma the brain can also be injured directly opposite the site of trauma -- on the other side of the brain, an injury known as contrecoup. This injury typically occurs when a moving head strikes a stationary object like the windshield. At impact the brain opposite the site of impact is pulled away from the skull, injuring the brain there.

Indirect Trauma
Medical research has discovered another mechanism of brain injury besides direct blunt trauma to the skull. The well-known phenomenon of the Shaken Baby Syndrome is an example. Severe shaking greatly stretches and damages delicate nerve cells, at times causing very significant injury or even death. In adults, severe whiplash can involve severe forces that may shake or rotate the brain enough to cause permanent brain damage.

Diffuse Axonal Injury
The brain consists of billions of nerve cells located in the gray matter which communicate with distant nerve cells through long nerve fibers called axons, composing the white matter. Severe sudden twisting or torquing of the brain, as occurs in a sudden acceleration/deceleration - whiplash -- accident, can stretch, twist, and damage these delicate axonal fibers. Under the microscope the axonal damage is called Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI). Although diffuse axonal injury generally results from a severe whiplash injury that renders a patient comatose, recent studies have shown that diffuse axonal injury can also occur - but to a lesser degree -- when there has been only brief loss of consciousness (LOC). Because Diffuse Axonal Injury causes microscopic damage, it cannot be visualized on CT or MRI scans.

http://www.airbaginjury.com/how_can_the_brain_be.htm

 

[Marisa714]

Actually that possibility is something that I think we should keep in the mix until we have evidence to the contrary, at least where the jogging away is concerned. Its one of the reasons,though not the only one, why I was interested in knowing how far Maura would have been able to go before being too tired to carry on. I felt the searches seemed to have been too close to the scene of the accident when you consider this was a 'standout' track athlete.

Also I keep remembering the boyscout that was lost awhile back and he went in directions not expected by the searchers and was found a long ways off but alive. Obviously Maura has been gone a very long time but the distance part of the story could still hold true.

That's just one of many questions & thoughts we encounter in this case- sigh.

Dochoo,
Good point about the boyscout. I think that's a good possibility, wasn't that boy scout found like pretty far away? Sorry I can't quite remember how far it was. I wonder how well the searches were done....

 

[docwho3]

Dochoo,
Good point about the boyscout. I think that's a good possibility, wasn't that boy scout found like pretty far away? Sorry I can't quite remember how far it was. I wonder how well the searches were done....

Yes He was found 5 miles away from start point but he went over a mountain to do it and he did it at only 11 yrs old.

"....He was in a very rugged area. He was in an area that they thought was a low-percentage area, in terms of searching, because it was so far away. And they had been there once before, but they went back again. ..."

"....GRACE: Very quickly, before we go break, back to Ted Rowlands, CNN correspondent. Ted, he got actually over a mountain, a mountain range?
ROWLANDS: Yes, well, it was a summit. And wait until you see it. It`s right behind us here. He walked, basically...
GRACE: Holy moly!
ROWLANDS: ... all across that summit and was found on the other side. And it was an area where they really didn`t search too heavily because they didn`t think that an 11-year-old boy would make his way across that summit. But he did. And that is where they eventually found him. ..."
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/21/ng.01.html

boy scout found 5 miles north east of camp. And this was only an 11 years old.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160189,00.html

 

[Marisa714]

Yes He was found 5 miles away from start point but he went over a mountain to do it and he did it at only 11 yrs old.

"....He was in a very rugged area. He was in an area that they thought was a low-percentage area, in terms of searching, because it was so far away. And they had been there once before, but they went back again. ..."

"....GRACE: Very quickly, before we go break, back to Ted Rowlands, CNN correspondent. Ted, he got actually over a mountain, a mountain range?
ROWLANDS: Yes, well, it was a summit. And wait until you see it. It`s right behind us here. He walked, basically...
GRACE: Holy moly!
ROWLANDS: ... all across that summit and was found on the other side. And it was an area where they really didn`t search too heavily because they didn`t think that an 11-year-old boy would make his way across that summit. But he did. And that is where they eventually found him. ..."
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/21/ng.01.html

boy scout found 5 miles north east of camp. And this was only an 11 years old.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160189,00.html

Geez!!!! 5 miles!!! That is sooo far! Especially over a mountain, I hadn't considered Maura wandering THAT far before but now I'm not so sure. Wasn't the search radius like 2 or 3 miles? Throwing that off the top of my head...I'll go look for it.

 

[Marisa714]

Ok, I found this over at Maura's website...

SEARCHES

2/14/04 Boston Herald - Meanwhile, Haverhill, N.H., police said they have ended the search of the area where Murray crashed the car but continue to investigate her disappearance. A witness said she emerged from her car uninjured and disappeared when the witness left to call police.

2/15/04 Boston Globe - Using tracking dogs, helicopters, and trained searchers, local and state police, as well as state fish and game officials, covered nearly 20 miles along Route 112, but found no trace of Murray's footprints in the snow. The tracking dogs lost her scent within 100 feet of the accident, leading investigators and her loved ones to believe she either hitched a ride and continued on her way, or was abducted.

http://mauramurray.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=163

It's at the bottom of the page!

 

[docwho3]

Ok, I found this over at Maura's website...

SEARCHES

2/14/04 Boston Herald - Meanwhile, Haverhill, N.H., police said they have ended the search of the area where Murray crashed the car but continue to investigate her disappearance. A witness said she emerged from her car uninjured and disappeared when the witness left to call police.

2/15/04 Boston Globe - Using tracking dogs, helicopters, and trained searchers, local and state police, as well as state fish and game officials, covered nearly 20 miles along Route 112, but found no trace of Murray's footprints in the snow. The tracking dogs lost her scent within 100 feet of the accident, leading investigators and her loved ones to believe she either hitched a ride and continued on her way, or was abducted.

http://mauramurray.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=163

It's at the bottom of the page!

Notice that the entry about the feb 15th date says they used a combo of dogs, searchers, and helicopters.
And other reports that I read seemed to say that the ground searches only extended to about 5 miles & the rest was done by air. I will look them up again.

 

[Marisa714]

Notice that the entry about the feb 15th date says they used a combo of dogs, searchers, and helicopters.
And other reports that I read seemed to say that the ground searches only extended to about 5 miles & the rest was done by air. I will look them up again.

Ya know thats exactly what I was thinking when I read that too! Before I read that today I hadn't remembered reading about a search that seemed so professional (only word I can think of)...and I'm positive I never saw that a search was done as far as 20 miles away! Maybe that particular news station goofed or elaborated? Maybe it's right? Let me know if you find anything...I'll look too.