NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - # 6

[Darkness]

This case has haunted me since I saw the episode of Disappeared on the ID channel. It's truly baffling because so little has been released to the public. It leaves a multitude of possibilities and I have heard so many theories. I feel so badly for her family and can't imagine their anguish not knowing what happened. I hope that there will be a resolve to this case.

I completely agree Scaredpost! What are the odds that in the middle of nowhere you meet up with a stone cold predator and are never seen again. It is unbelievable that this could happen. I pray that someday someone comes forward with some small piece of this puzzle and we all find out what happened!

 

[Peabody]

Prayers for Maura and her family............yesterday, June 9, 2009, she has been missing SIX ( 6 ) YEARS & FOUR ( 4) MONTHS - Way too long! Hope that LE truly are working this cold case.

 

[scaredtopost]

I'm just wondering why LE would come out and say they are testing new evidence. It has been months now without a response. Even if they didn't find anything useful, they could have let us know. It's really been frustrating me. Just like the 75% chance of conviction comment. This girl needs to be brought home!

 

[McSpy]

I'm just wondering why LE would come out and say they are testing new evidence. It has been months now without a response. Even if they didn't find anything useful, they could have let us know. It's really been frustrating me. Just like the 75% chance of conviction comment. This girl needs to be brought home!

There were a few occasions over the last 6 years when they had tested potential evidence. Early in the investigation, Maura's sister found womens panties in the vicinity of the accident scene area. They tested negative. I also found out through internet searches that the carpet, with traces of blood, which was located in the A frame's closet, was apparently menstrual blood. The theory is that the floor of the closet was used as a clothes hamper or a hamper in the closet had dirty clothes overflow on to the closet floor from time to time. I read this on the internet somewhere, so I don't know if the source of this info is correct or originally from official sources. I did come across some info on new evidence recently. A hiker found some duct tape with hair and clothing fabric attached to it. He told the police of his find and an officer met him in the woods (the location of the evidence) and took the potential evidence for testing. Again, I don't know if this is actually true, because it wasn't from official sources. If it is true, there are a few other missing people in NH, so the discovery may be potentially helpful in those cases too. This evidence could also be nothing. Maybe it is just trash blown off a truck. There was also the knife given to Fred Murray by a man, who believes his troubled brother had possibly something to do with Maura's disappearance. I haven't heard anything further on the knife.

It is possible the police may have a suspect in mind, but are not saying anything, until they have some physical evidence. Everything is a mystery with Maura's case. Even what the police are thinking and doing is a mystery!

 

[McSpy]

I read this on the internet somewhere, so I don't know if the source of this info is correct or originally from official sources. I did come across some info on new evidence recently. A hiker found some duct tape with hair and clothing fabric attached to it. He told the police of his find and an officer met him in the woods (the location of the evidence) and took the potential evidence for testing. Again, I don't know if this is actually true, because it wasn't from official sources. If it is true, there are a few other missing people in NH, so the discovery may be potentially helpful in those cases too. This evidence could also be nothing. Maybe it is just trash blown off a truck.

Correction: I meant to say "hunter" not "hiker."

 

[NHwoodsman]

I've followed this case on numerous websites, seeing the area after a couple visits is an eye opener. I have hiked N.H. and some area in Haverhill, I have a few comments and theories.
Maura was obviously in a stressful state as this seemed to be her reason for taking a short hiatus from school and life. I do not feel the reason she left has anything to do with her ultimate disappearance. I think she may have been somewhat despondent and stressed out over the accident with her fathers car but I also think there were other issues, she was bulimic and and appeared to be an overachiever. people with bulimia usually have a self esteem issue which may account for the overachiever aspect. When she crashed her dads car she may well have seen this for much more than it was.

I do feel she intended for a temporary retreat as she was searching for lodging and researched maps. She also took books and other items that were found in the car.
Now she wants to get away, she leaves her phone off because she wants solitude to think and people will ask questions like what are you doing, where are you etc.
She obviously had some alcohol and it appears that she may have been short on rest, this never leads to good decision making. She gets to rt.112 and wrecks her car, she has now had 2 accidents in 3 days. She has been drinking and if not DUI she is still getting a citation for an open container.

As stated she is likely fatigued, stressed and has had alcohol. She is now worried because someone has stopped and she likely knows the police will be called, also she may have heard the cruiser running code in the distance. She panics and flees the scene, all the witness's stated they are sure NO vehicle came by before officer Smith arrived.

The red truck, this is a problem I read it was reported at a later date, then I read that red trucks were being stopped the same night. The truck may well have been just someone on Bradley hill stopped for a pee break. Also the red truck has been described as 2 different vehicles, in front of Swiftwater store its a Toyota type with wooden rails, and on Bradley hill as a Jeep?

The contractor, here's where I have concerns, he stated he was home watching TV at the time of the accident, then he says he saw someone running 4-5 miles away on rt.112 after reviewing work records, but didn't know about the accident, how could he miss the fire and police as well as the commotion when he lives not many yards away? Either he is one of those people who loses touch with dates and time, or he needs to be checked into more deeply.

The dogs, well dogs aren't perfect and neither are scent trails. The bigger issue I see is they used an air scent dog and not a ground scent dog. With this much passage of time and with all the people and traffic that transpired it doesn't surprise me they lost the scent. Then there's the issue of the glove, she may not have even worn it. We just saw a case of the N.H. woman found in Maine, the dogs lost her scent on the other side of the highway and they felt she too got a ride. Her body was found 1/4 mile away on the same side as her car and she died from hypothermia.

I feel Maura was not suicidal when she left Mass. then she's tired, upset and drinking, now she wrecks a second car, all bets are off on her mental state, she may well have felt like a total loser and had a total meltdown. She flees the scene, and has no phone reception, she may be avoiding traffic also. Maybe she went up a trail or logging road to try to get better reception and got lost. Maybe it was her running down the road and she got sweaty and when she slowed down she got cold and started to get hypothermia and with that delusion, irrational action and death.

She could well be just off the road somewhere, the woods there are very thick and steep in places and many hunters and hikers avoid these areas. Look at Chanda Levy, she was very close to a path in a park in DC that has thousands of jogger's hikers and tourist. Yet it took a year to find her even after a search of the area and it was only a fluke. A man was walking his dog and the dog brought him down to the area she was in and he saw some of her remains. Now picture trying to find Maura in the unforgiving remote wilderness of most of rt112. Sadly the initial search was only westerly on rt.112, perhaps an easterly search and we wouldn't be here speculating.

After 6 years I don't believe she ran off and started a new life and no trace of her, possible but not likely. A serial killer roaming deserted rt.112 looking for prey, not likely, a killer of opportunity, perhaps. The investigators have claimed she didn't go trek off the road as no tracks were found, well there are many side trails, roads and long driveways. Also if she was the jogger, by the time this all came about tracks could be washed out from the sun. The enormity of the area and the amount of possible places she could have walked from the road undetected, I think its absurd to say she absolutely didn't end up in the woods or far enough off the road not to be found.

The phone call to Billy, if it was Maura then she was alive almost 3 days later. Did she make her way to a phone? Are there any phones at the campgrounds or other area's off rt112 besides the Swiftwater store she may have gotten to? Sadly this call was never tested through forensics, if so it could have been a telling clue had it been Maura.

If Maura is no longer with us I prefer to believe she perished from the elements and not at the hands of a monster.

 

[scaredtopost]

Before February of this year, I had never visited any kind of on-line forum. I have always been interested in crime/ forensic/ real-life mystery shows. However, no show has ever resonated with me like the episode of Disappeared featuring Maura Murray. I connected with her in some ways and felt so terrible for her family. I spent hours that night searching on the internet for any available information. It was then that I came across the Topix Forum. I was appalled at some of the terrible things that were being said on there. There were even threats towards other members (hence the moniker). I read from afar and rarely posted. Mainly, because I was attacked after posting anything contrary to the ongoing story line. I am so thankful to have found such a wonderful forum. Thank you moderators for such a welcoming and informative atmosphere. It was because of Maura that I joined Websleuths. However, I find myself constantly drawn into new cases. I'm hoping they find Kyron soon! Anyway, on to the point, sorry for the rambling.

I remember seeing in the Haverhill Police Logs mention of a suspicious person the day after Maura disappeared. I don't believe there was much more than just the date and time that the suspicious person was seen. Was there any discussion about this early on? I haven't had time to read through everything on here, but I have read through tons of other forums. I don't think I've ever seen this discussed. Thanks for your help.

 

[NHwoodsman]

Perhaps you mean the suspicious red truck, a woman walking to Swiftwater stage store said a red truck slowed down and she felt the driver was trying to get a good look at her. The woman stated that it didn't scare her but I have read it the other way that it did. A red truck was also seen on Bradley hill rd. but I think this information came at a later date. The red truck by the store was described as a P/U with wooden sides like a truck that would carry wood. The red vehicle described on Bradley hill was said to be a jeep and the person who described owned one at one time. This appears to be two separate trucks, the one on Bradley hill was parked and I believe there was no one in it when it was seen. Some speculate it could have been one of the responders to Maura's accident. I don't recall a suspicious person other than the red truck incident.

 

[McSpy]

The contractor, here's where I have concerns, he stated he was home watching TV at the time of the accident, then he says he saw someone running 4-5 miles away on rt.112 after reviewing work records, but didn't know about the accident, how could he miss the fire and police as well as the commotion when he lives not many yards away? Either he is one of those people who loses touch with dates and time, or he needs to be checked into more deeply.

Wow! I agree with your theories on Maura's case. I have been thinking about her case for months. I've come to the conclusion that I had to keep the facts in context with her age (very young adult) and that she ran to New Hampshire ---NOT to a fast place like Las Vegas or NYC. I believe she was emotional--not suicidal. At times, who wasn't emotional or impulsive at 21 years old? I also agree that she may have become disoriented and succumbed to hypothermia.

I'm curious about the contractor. I wasn't aware that he was questioned about Maura's disappearance in the beginning of the investigation. I do know that he lived close to the accident scene. How long after Feb. 9th did the police question the contractor, when he answered that he was watching TV that night? Was it days or weeks?

 

[reportertype]

Excellent, excellent post, NH. I agree with your assessment.

I thought I did remember reading that some who lived along that road reported that a few cars did pass by between the accident and the police's arrival. However, even if that is the case, I think the chance that one is a predator is fairly slim.

 

[NHwoodsman]

Wow! I agree with your theories on Maura's case. I have been thinking about her case for months. I've come to the conclusion that I had to keep the facts in context with her age (very young adult) and that she ran to New Hampshire ---NOT to a fast place like Las Vegas or NYC. I believe she was emotional--not suicidal. At times, who wasn't emotional or impulsive at 21 years old? I also agree that she may have become disoriented and succumbed to hypothermia.

I'm curious about the contractor. I wasn't aware that he was questioned about Maura's disappearance in the beginning of the investigation. I do know that he lived close to the accident scene. How long after Feb. 9th did the police question the contractor, when he answered that he was watching TV that night? Was it days or weeks?

The contractor contacted police on April 29th, his home was about 520 feet from the accident scene and if he was home someone should have noticed his blue van.

If he was driving home from Franconia as he stated on the 29th, it seems impossible he didn't see the fire and police vehicle's. He lives right there and if he was headed home and saw the jogger at 8am 4-5 miles away the police arrived at 7:46 and fire at 7:47. Officer Smith didn't clear until 9:29, so either officer smith and Atwood should have noticed his van, yet I have found no statements as of yet from either of them regarding this. Yet the construction worker claims he knew noting of the accident until a friend mentioned it.

The construction workers statements are conflicting, and sometimes people involved in a crime get involved to try to find out what police know. Like I said either he is one of those dazed and confused people or there is something that needs further investigating. Also if and I say IF he was involved in Maura's disappearance it would be smart to try to bring the search and investigation away from your area and this would make the possibility Maura alive. This would throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the investigation. I hate to throw someone under the bus, ironic but that's what happened to the bus driver on some forums because he was the last to see Maura and the scent trail ended between his house and the construction workers.

Maura's windshield was cracked and police say it was from the inside and had the indications of her head hitting it. Many people who sustain head injuries can appear and function somewhat normally until pressure from a brain bleed starts to have an effect. Maura could very well have functioned for 1/2 hour or more and then become confused and done anything. There is also debate that the seat belt hit the windshield, Maura's airbag was deployed though, unless she didn't have her seat belt on and she torpedoed over the air bag somehow and hit the windshield.

This disappearance has more bizarre twists to it than an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

 

[McSpy]

The contractor contacted police on April 29th, his home was about 520 feet from the accident scene and if he was home someone should have noticed his blue van.

If he was driving home from Franconia as he stated on the 29th, it seems impossible he didn't see the fire and police vehicle's. He lives right there and if he was headed home and saw the jogger at 8am 4-5 miles away the police arrived at 7:46 and fire at 7:47. Officer Smith didn't clear until 9:29, so either officer smith and Atwood should have noticed his van, yet I have found no statements as of yet from either of them regarding this. Yet the construction worker claims he knew noting of the accident until a friend mentioned it.

The construction workers statements are conflicting, and sometimes people involved in a crime get involved to try to find out what police know. Like I said either he is one of those dazed and confused people or there is something that needs further investigating. Also if and I say IF he was involved in Maura's disappearance it would be smart to try to bring the search and investigation away from your area and this would make the possibility Maura alive. This would throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the investigation. I hate to throw someone under the bus, ironic but that's what happened to the bus driver on some forums because he was the last to see Maura and the scent trail ended between his house and the construction workers.

Maura's windshield was cracked and police say it was from the inside and had the indications of her head hitting it. Many people who sustain head injuries can appear and function somewhat normally until pressure from a brain bleed starts to have an effect. Maura could very well have functioned for 1/2 hour or more and then become confused and done anything. There is also debate that the seat belt hit the windshield, Maura's airbag was deployed though, unless she didn't have her seat belt on and she torpedoed over the air bag somehow and hit the windshield.

This disappearance has more bizarre twists to it than an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

I know what you mean about throwing someone under the bus. These guys could have nothing to do with Maura's disappearance and are only trying to be helpful.
Here are some of my thoughts on the contractor:

I agree that he should have seen the accident scene, even if he arrived home before the police arrived. Atwood suggested to Maura that she should put on the car's flashers to warn other drivers of her car sticking out into the road. I think, she complied.

I read that the police didn't question the contractor until 10 days after the accident. I also read that he left work in Franconia at 7pm. Franconia is around 17 miles from his house and Maura's accident. It makes me question how he could have seen her around 8pm at the location he claims he had seen her. One would have to question why it took him over an hour to get from Franconia to his house. It should be less than a 30 minute drive. In fairness, maybe he stopped somewhere or he got the times wrong, but I have to say the times he had stated don't add up.

Here is a weird thought: Maybe he waited to tell his tale to the police at the very end of April, because the ground is soft and the ice on the lakes have melted. In other words, he told the police this tale after he disposed of the evidence. He wanted to make sure the authorities would never find anything, before he approached them with the concocted the jogger story.

Interestingly, the search dogs stopped 100 yards east of the accident, which should be very close to the contractor's home.

 

[McSpy]

Maura's windshield was cracked and police say it was from the inside and had the indications of her head hitting it. Many people who sustain head injuries can appear and function somewhat normally until pressure from a brain bleed starts to have an effect. Maura could very well have functioned for 1/2 hour or more and then become confused and done anything. There is also debate that the seat belt hit the windshield, Maura's airbag was deployed though, unless she didn't have her seat belt on and she torpedoed over the air bag somehow and hit the windshield.

This disappearance has more bizarre twists to it than an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

I agree that she may have received a head injury and didn't succumb to it right away. Although, I have heard that the deployment of an airbag can crack a windshield. I don't know if this is true or just someone's opinion (I got this info from another forum). Also, I'm wondering if an airbag stays inflated after 2 impacts. Maybe, it was only partially deflated when she hit the snowbank. If it had deflated after the first impact, then it is quite possible she could have hit the windshield with her head when she hit the snowbank, because the airbag was probably useless at that point.

 

[NHwoodsman]

I agree that she may have received a head injury and didn't succumb to it right away. Although, I have heard that the deployment of an airbag can crack a windshield. I don't know if this is true or just someone's opinion (I got this info from another forum). Also, I'm wondering if an airbag stays inflated after 2 impacts. Maybe, it was only partially deflated when she hit the snowbank. If it had deflated after the first impact, then it is quite possible she could have hit the windshield with her head when she hit the snowbank, because the airbag was probably useless at that point.

Good point about the airbag, I also wonder if she was in the habit of wearing a seat belt. Mass has a secondary seat belt law, meaning they cannot stop and ticket you for the sole violation of not wearing the belt, one must also have a primary valid cause for being stopped. N.H. has no seat belt law pertaining to adults.

The contractors statements and time lapse is curious, also N.H. AG's office made a statement regarding Fred Murray's lawsuit for obtaining the investigative records. They said there's a 75% chance this case will go to court or be prosecuted and releasing the records could be compromise the case, not sure which term they used but that was the gist of it. The only issue I have is this a courtroom tactic to get the judge to agree so the records wouldn't go public? The state AG's office, the state police and just about anyone and everyone involved has waffled and made conflicting statements, trying to cipher through the B/S and get to the truth is difficult to impossible. I haven't heard anything about the cold case unit lately either.

The alleged jogger seen ducking up a side road by the contractor, if a he did indeed see a jogger, it seems very likely it could have been Maura. I say this because people who are usually in the habit of jogging do so in the same area and usually near the same time frame and surely someone would realize this and would have come forward to dismiss this siting. Also as you pointed out his travel time is odd but as you stated he could have stopped someplace. The problem is if he was interviewed as a suspect we are not privy to any investigative information which leaves us to a huge void for speculation on all fronts.

I also believe the contractor had a girlfriend living with him, I am going to do more research on that when time permits. She would be of interest also for questioning as their stories could be compared and worked on for discrepancies, and if she's a willing witness she could perhaps state if he had a change of habits or personality during that time frame. All I know is panicked, upset, young, emotional, alcohol and sleeping pills are a recipe for disaster, and I think the sleeping pills may have been missing along with the alcohol.

 

[iluvmua]

I hope this case gets solved SOON.

If anybody has not seen the segment about Maura's case, it is now on Youtube:

( first part) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxJHPT9fNlo&feature=related

 

[scaredtopost]

I'm not sure if the Grafton County Sherriff's Log is posted on this site or not. But, I'm sure most people following this case closely have seen it. I am referring to the mention of a suspicious person at the bottom of page 20 and the top of page 21. I find the entire log questionable, since there are large sections completely missing. But, at first mention is says Suspicious Person- Investigated. Then, on 02/2010 (I'm assuming after midnight) it says: Suspicious person
Could Not Locate
White Male, 5'10"
It says the officer attempted to make contact and the person took off on foot. I believe the corresponding officer was Cecil Smith. There are other details, but they are very hard to read.

I find the timing quite curious. I don't remember ever reading much about this and I find that strange.

 

[bdawk20]

I so hope that she will be found. My heart just breaks for her father every time I see something about this case. He still searches for her.

 

[McSpy]

I so hope that she will be found. My heart just breaks for her father every time I see something about this case. He still searches for her.

I hope they find at least one clue like her backpack or the bottle of Baileys --something----anything!

Part of me thinks she is somewhere, in the woods, off the side of a road. Although, I think she would have had a very hard time seeing her way down the road. The area is so dark at night. One could easily become disoriented. It would have been almost impossible to make any headway. One could literally walk off the road accidently. All signs seem to indicate that she had headed east, which goes deeper into the wilderness. One mystery in this case: Did she have a flashlight? None of the news articles mention a flashlight. They do mention the emergency kit in the trunk. The rag, found in the tailpipe, was from the kit, but no other emergency kit item was mentioned. I might be wrong, but this is what I recollect.

 

[Kristin83]

I'm really starting to think Maura died from exposure to the elements.

I used to think a predator got her, but it just seems so unlikely that there was an evil predator lurking on that road when she happened to be on it.

Also used to think she either committed suicide or ran away to start a new life, but I dunno, it seems by now someone would have found her remains (how can you hide yourself committing suicide) or spotted her living somewhere.

To me being lost/hypothermic in the woods best explains the strange phone call of her sniffling/shivering (if it was her).

 

[ThePhantom]

This is very tragic -- I, too, once felt Maura may have committed suicide. Then I was suspicious of the person who last saw her alive. Then I pondered whether someone in uniform abducted her. In thinking about it further, I feel like Maura did wander into that vast forest of trees, ridges and hills, in the bitter cold, and may have died. Why the tracking dogs failed to pick up her scent is an unknown to me. With an area like that, it often seems like a prayer must be answered in order for a missing soul to be found. As an example, they're still trying to find out what happened to poor Brandon Swanson.