NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - # 7

[OldSteve]

I picture someone coming along side her in a vehicle and asking her if she needed any help. It may have been a friendly clean cut guy. Even though she knew it was risky, she took his help, because he came across as a nice guy. For some reason, I don't picture her hitchhiking, but I could be wrong. Succumbing to the elements could have definitely happened. I had an experience with hypothermia and it can come on you very quickly. It is hard to get out of it without help, once it starts.

BBM
Is it not possible that someone of authority took her? Let us think of what everyone says she wanted to avoid... now let's think perhaps she didn't avoid it after all...
I think if she wandered off into the woods she would have been found. Don't think she ever made it deliberately into the woods. I believe the dog that tracked her scent got it right - I think that's as far as she made it before she was stopped...

 

[OldSteve]

I think better wording would have been something like this, "packed boxes were found on her bed neatly stacked" instead of saying she packed them. The way LE worded it implies she packed them that day (Feb. 9th) or in vicinity of that day, which is a leap, because it was an assumption.

The assumption is more apparent when mention is made of her taking her pictures off the wall before her trip ... IIRC she took them down before the break, for fear they would damaged/stolen, and she never got to put them back up when she returned from the break.

 

[McSpy]

Mcspy,

I think we might slightly disagree there. If the police think the note yields to motive for Maura disappearing, then they will not let anyone see it while they are investigating.

If they were unclear of the note's meaning to the whole situation, then yes, I would think that they would contact the boyfriend and maybe even show him the note for clarification.

even a straight-up sucide note. I don't think the parents would see that, until a body is found, but that is just my honest opinion.

You could be right, but I would think they would have not mentioned it to the media, if it was not going to be shown to the boyfriend. I understand what you are saying, but they usually don't mention something like that at all, so they can use it later to trap someone in a lie or an inconsistancy. JMO

 

[McSpy]

BBM
Is it not possible that someone of authority took her? Let us think of what everyone says she wanted to avoid... now let's think perhaps she didn't avoid it after all...
I think if she wandered off into the woods she would have been found. Don't think she ever made it deliberately into the woods. I believe the dog that tracked her scent got it right - I think that's as far as she made it before she was stopped...

Quite possible. The person may have put 2 and 2 together (her disabled car and her running down the road) and stopped to ask her if she needed help. It could have been anyone--a local, someone passing through, etc., LE included. JMO

 

[scoops]

there have definitely been theories put forth that an LE might have been up to no good that night. there is one LE that wasn't listed by name (I don't believe) that supposedly reported out to the crash scene ahead of anyone else. And his actions were unaccounted for foraround 2 hours (never reported back in, never made any statement or filled out any reports).

Some say he was an off-duty cop. I know Fred Murray wanted to have more information released about this mysterious cop and what exactly he was up too or what he found or if he even actually did go out to the scene.

 

[I Care]

there have definitely been theories put forth that an LE might have been up to no good that night. there is one LE that wasn't listed by name (I don't believe) that supposedly reported out to the crash scene ahead of anyone else. And his actions were unaccounted for foraround 2 hours (never reported back in, never made any statement or filled out any reports).

Some say he was an off-duty cop. I know Fred Murray wanted to have more information released about this mysterious cop and what exactly he was up too or what he found or if he even actually did go out to the scene.

I've always assumed that Trooper John Kapp-Monaghan was off duty that evening and that when he drove by the accident scene and when seeing no driver or occupants, it would appear as the familiar sight of just another abandoned vehicle off the road. It would make sense that If he was off-duty and without a 2-way or scanner, he'd leave it to local PD to tow the vehicle. It would also explain why no reports were made by him. As for statements, he most likely (I hope) was deposed by the investigating officer and it was entered into record. I doubt anyone outside of the justice system will see it until the case is solved.
In my opinion he was not "up to no good." A similar scenario occured with Brianna Maitland's case and a Vermont trooper, except he was on duty and the vehicle was impounded before the realization that she was missing.
If you want to learn more about Trooper Monaghan, just do a Google search on his name.
I find it a little odd that it's so easy to get this information. LE usually scrubs the net of personal information so that they are not traced back to their homes and families by the bad element.

Moderator: if citing names aren't allowed on this board, please feel free to edit or delete my post.

 

[flightlevel]

There are a zillion ways to look at this case. Do we really know for sure that Maura "took her books with her" or did they just happen to be in her car. When I was in college I would just toss books and other things in my car and they may stay there for days on end until I needed or thought about them. Did the books she "took" correspond with the current classes and specific assignments in whatever classes she had? If so then I would be more apt to believe that she specifically "took her books" with her.

 

[McSpy]

I've always assumed that Trooper John Kapp-Monaghan was off duty that evening and that when he drove by the accident scene and when seeing no driver or occupants, it would appear as the familiar sight of just another abandoned vehicle off the road. It would make sense that If he was off-duty and without a 2-way or scanner, he'd leave it to local PD to tow the vehicle. It would also explain why no reports were made by him. As for statements, he most likely (I hope) was deposed by the investigating officer and it was entered into record. I doubt anyone outside of the justice system will see it until the case is solved.
In my opinion he was not "up to no good." A similar scenario occured with Brianna Maitland's case and a Vermont trooper, except he was on duty and the vehicle was impounded before the realization that she was missing.
If you want to learn more about Trooper Monaghan, just do a Google search on his name.
I find it a little odd that it's so easy to get this information. LE usually scrubs the net of personal information so that they are not traced back to their homes and families by the bad element.

Moderator: if citing names aren't allowed on this board, please feel free to edit or delete my post.

Where has it been said that he was off duty? I'd like to see a link if possible.

 

[McSpy]

There are a zillion ways to look at this case. Do we really know for sure that Maura "took her books with her" or did they just happen to be in her car. When I was in college I would just toss books and other things in my car and they may stay there for days on end until I needed or thought about them. Did the books she "took" correspond with the current classes and specific assignments in whatever classes she had? If so then I would be more apt to believe that she specifically "took her books" with her.

Here is something on her books in the car:

"Maura must have packed her college textbooks as well since they were later found in her car. Maura had been getting rides from friends at school due to her car problems, says Sharon Rausch, so it is unlikely the textbooks would have already been in the car. "

https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=112345878791938&topic=18

 

[scoops]

I've always assumed that Trooper John Kapp-Monaghan was off duty that evening and that when he drove by the accident scene and when seeing no driver or occupants, it would appear as the familiar sight of just another abandoned vehicle off the road. It would make sense that If he was off-duty and without a 2-way or scanner, he'd leave it to local PD to tow the vehicle. It would also explain why no reports were made by him. As for statements, he most likely (I hope) was deposed by the investigating officer and it was entered into record. I doubt anyone outside of the justice system will see it until the case is solved.
In my opinion he was not "up to no good." A similar scenario occured with Brianna Maitland's case and a Vermont trooper, except he was on duty and the vehicle was impounded before the realization that she was missing.
If you want to learn more about Trooper Monaghan, just do a Google search on his name.
I find it a little odd that it's so easy to get this information. LE usually scrubs the net of personal information so that they are not traced back to their homes and families by the bad element.

Moderator: if citing names aren't allowed on this board, please feel free to edit or delete my post.

I Care,

Yes not long after I typed my post out, I was thinking that they did have the name of the cop (that maybe he was from a separate police division)
I just recently ran into an old televised interview with Fred Murray (If I am recalling correctly) in which he brought up that state trooper, using that as an example of information he believed was being withheld from him when he tried to get the files from his daughter's case released to him)

 

[McSpy]

Here is some links mentioning the state trooper, who stopped at the accident scene. None of them say he was off duty.


http://caledonianrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=43893&TM=51756.1

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=35310

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/2402751.html?m=y&smobile=y&c=y

"At 7:56 p.m, 10 minutes after Sgt. Smith arrived, EMS arrived on the scene followed by a fire truck one minute later.*

New Hampshire State Trooper John Monahan also stopped by the scene of the
accident. It is not clear what time he arrived, if he was dispatched to the accident, or if he stopped on his own accord.*

Monahan, who is now assigned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, did not respond to several requests for clarification. Assistant Attorney General Jeff Strelzin, who is now handling documents for the case, said he was not sure he could provide specifics, but would look into the matter. No further information was available at press time."

https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=112345878791938&topic=18

 

[scoops]

McSpy

that is just it, even those articles imply that the state trooper may have stopped by the scene on his own accord (off-duty)

But because there is no official statement, report or him being on the record about what he was up to.. all that is left is a bunch of theories concerning him.

I think even if he had no responsibility to fill out a report or make a statement, that he would have stumbled upon information that would be valuable to the investigation. And I would think if I were the parent of the missing child, I would darn sure want to know what this guy saw that night, or what he was doing. (did he search for her in areas the others didn't) Did he arrive before everyone else, if so then what was the scene like when he got there?) Did he even actually even ever make it out to the crash scene or did he go off somewhere else.
Was he off-duty and just curious ... even so, then what was his involvement in the situation that night.

 

[Mr. Noatak]

My opinions only, no facts here:

I constructed a very carefully written and thoughtful first post here yesterday, it successfully transferred, and today it is gone. Or at least after a long search I cannot find it anymore. It outlined how to figure out this case.

So, I will repeat only part of that post. The Maura Murray case is not as complex as it seems. Everything that happened up to the point of the car going off the road is sensory overload, just white noise, unrelated to the crime. In my opinion, none of the named people in this case harmed Maura. But this is NOT a truly random crime. There is a connection. OK, that is all for now. If this post does not disappear by tomorrow, then I have more to say to my friends here.

 

[flightlevel]

Looking forward to hearing more from Mr. Noatak. Not sure what happened to your post. It is interesting to hear different perspectives.

 

[telemag]

My opinions only, no facts here:

I constructed a very carefully written and thoughtful first post here yesterday, it successfully transferred, and today it is gone. Or at least after a long search I cannot find it anymore. It outlined how to figure out this case.

So, I will repeat only part of that post. The Maura Murray case is not as complex as it seems. Everything that happened up to the point of the car going off the road is sensory overload, just white noise, unrelated to the crime. In my opinion, none of the named people in this case harmed Maura. But this is NOT a truly random crime. There is a connection. OK, that is all for now. If this post does not disappear by tomorrow, then I have more to say to my friends here.

So when you say everything do you mean even the possibility of sabatoge to Maura's car? I notice that you call this a crime so I take it that you do not believe that she went off into the woods and got lost. A lot of people think that she got into a car especially since the dogs lost her trail on the road. If I remember correctly I read either here or someone where else that dogs can have a hard time trailing a scent on asphalt. Personally I do not think that she got into a car, but I'm sure it's possible. One other thing, how hard were the people that were across the road from accident looked into, does anyone know?

 

[pittsburghgirl]

I like the question about the textbooks. It's in the same vein as the questions about the packed boxes and the pictures not hanging on the wall.

We don't know when she packed up the room. Whether she packed up the room JUST before the trip, or before leaving for the winter break, we don't know why she packed. With the exception of trip-related items and the alcohol, we can't be SURE she took anything deliberately, or just tossed her books in there after a study session or left other stuff in the car because it's hard to clean a car in the winter (I teach--my car always has books, jackets, and other stuff in it.)

But there is this powerful urge to make all of these points into a coherent narrative. It's clear something was bothering Maura, but there's a lot of evidence (needing no interpretation) that she
was in reasonable contact with people and taking care of routine business. She talked to the boyfriend and texted him; she picked up the insurance papers as she had told her father she would. She emailed her instructors and employer (she didn't just blow off class or quit the job). She tried to make reservations. She packed for the trip. None of this looks like suicide to me.

And that is what makes the implication by Scarinza so disturbing-- that an old note FROM her boyfriend was a note left BY Maura with her just-packed stuff. He wouldn't be the first LE officer to be happy to close a case as suicide (even if it wasn't). But I wonder about the haste to do that, to close the case in Massachusetts (as if the important evidence were there, and not at the actual site at which she disappeared) without EVER checking into the calls she made to NH, without talking to the very person who might have been told why she was making the trip--the person she talked to about renting a condo. It took her boyfriend's mother to make that call long, long, after the fact, and by then the condo owner didn't recall talking to Maura. So at the very least, it was a shoddy investigation from the start. Incompetence? Ego? Indifference? Covering up for the local tourist resorts? or worse? I have no idea.

 

[McSpy]

McSpy

that is just it, even those articles imply that the state trooper may have stopped by the scene on his own accord (off-duty)

But because there is no official statement, report or him being on the record about what he was up to.. all that is left is a bunch of theories concerning him.

I think even if he had no responsibility to fill out a report or make a statement, that he would have stumbled upon information that would be valuable to the investigation. And I would think if I were the parent of the missing child, I would darn sure want to know what this guy saw that night, or what he was doing. (did he search for her in areas the others didn't) Did he arrive before
everyone else, if so then what was the scene like when he got there?) Did he even actually even ever make it out to the crash scene or did
he go off somewhere else.
Was he off-duty and just curious ... even so, then what was his involvement in the situation that night.

I could be wrong, but if the state trooper was off duty, LE would have probably said that when asked about his role that night. Why keep it a secret? It would explain why he didn't file any report or look for Maura. He may have just asked the local police on the scene, if they needed assistance. I wish there was a way to find out for sure, but why was it reported that he didn't call in for 2 hours after her accident? That doesn't sound like he was off duty, if he was expected to call in with traffic stops or other police matters. IMO, he was on duty.

JMO

 

[McSpy]

I like the question about the textbooks. It's in the same vein as the questions about the packed boxes and the pictures not hanging on the wall.

We don't know when she packed up the room. Whether she packed up the room JUST before the trip, or before leaving for the winter break, we don't know why she packed. With the exception of trip-related items and the alcohol, we can't be SURE she took anything deliberately, or just tossed her books in there after a study session or left other stuff in the car because it's hard to clean a car in the winter (I teach--my car always has books, jackets, and other stuff in it.)

But there is this powerful urge to make all of these points into a coherent narrative. It's clear something was bothering Maura, but there's a lot of evidence (needing no interpretation) that she was in reasonable contact with people and taking care of routine business. She talked to the boyfriend and texted him; she picked up the insurance papers as she had told her father she would. She emailed her instructors and employer (she didn't just blow off class or quit the job). She tried to make reservations. She packed for the trip. None of this looks like suicide to me.

And that is what makes the implication by Scarinza so disturbing-- that an old note FROM her boyfriend was a note left BY Maura with her just-packed stuff. He wouldn't be the first LE officer to be happy to close a case as suicide (even if it wasn't). But I wonder about the haste to do that, to close the case in Massachusetts (as if the important evidence were there, and not at the actual site at which she disappeared) without EVER checking into the calls she made to NH, without talking to the very person who might have been told why she was making the trip--the person she talked to about renting a condo. It took her boyfriend's mother to make that call long, long, after the fact, and by then the condo owner didn't recall talking to Maura. So at the very least, it was a shoddy investigation from the start. Incompetence? Ego? Indifference? Covering up for the local tourist resorts? or worse? I have no idea.

My bold
Very good points. I agree. If she was going to commit suicide, she would not have bothered to write an email with an excuse to skip classes for a week. I think LE didn't really think it through.

 

[Kiln Wood]

I agree that Maura did not commit suicide. Every night when I log on, the first case I check is Maura's; thank you to all for your insightful posts!!

 

[McSpy]

My opinions only, no facts here:

I constructed a very carefully written and thoughtful first post here yesterday, it successfully transferred, and today it is gone. Or at least after a long search I cannot find it anymore. It outlined how to figure out this case.

So, I will repeat only part of that post. The Maura Murray case is not as complex as it seems. Everything that happened up to the point of the car going off the road is sensory overload, just white noise, unrelated to the crime. In my opinion, none of the named people in this case harmed Maura. But this is NOT a truly random crime. There is a connection. OK, that is all for now. If this post does not disappear by tomorrow, then I have more to say to my friends here.

My bold

I agree. Good way of putting it.