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

[scoops]

Unless there is something to the vasi hit and run, then I believe that maura took her own life and was not aided by anyone in that final outcome.


Where I get the suicide theory is by having poured through all the news articles, interviews, and factual documents such as accident reports and some of the items James has released on his blog. And also from physically visiting her school campus and accident site myself last summer.

I fully understand that not every news article is 100 percent factual and accurate, but you can take a cumulative look at all the articles and compare them and find out where misinformation exists and where the story-line remains very consistent throughout.

I look and put more credence into the articles done in the early days after maura went missing. There was less chance for those reports to feature spin in them (from family and rumors etc.)


My theory as it stands until proven otherwise.

Maura was depressed. She packed her dorm room (to save everyone the trouble of having to deal with it after her suicide), and only packed enough clothes and items to get away for a night or two.

I think she planned on staying the night likely near a mountain or hiking area she was very familiar with. She brought a few clothes but she also brought some sentimental items such as some jewelry and a teddy bear etc. and the alcohol, possibly as a way to have one last night of reflection.

I think she originally was going to do what her father thought and go drink herself to death on a mountain the next day after having spent a night in a hotel near her final destination.

Her second car wreck (unless the vasi angle has something to do with her) was UNPLANNED. She had started drinking early and lost control of her vehicle.

I think she first attempted to unfree her car and leave the accident site (nbased on news reports that noted the car's taillights coming on and off), but then the school bus driver approached the scene and she was stuck.

She lied to the school bus driver told him not to call for assistance and when he went back to his house after telling her he was calling the police anyway, I believe she freaked out and made a split second decision to leave her car.

She (most notably) left her clothes and sentimental items behind, yet managed to take her backpack and bottles of alcohol with her. (very telling)
I think she locked her car up knowing that police would get it and it would eventually be turned over to her father (therefore he gets the accident forms as well).

She definitely got out of the immediate area (most likely by foot) and iMHO, she either got tired of walking and accepted a ride further east from the accident or somehow managed to hike the distance herself.

If she accepted a ride, I don't think anything sinister happened. the person that picked her up was just doing a good samaratin type thing and never put any more thought into it after dropping maura off at her final desitination.

In my theory,maura can be found somwhere near one of the mountain trails she was familiar with. Her body hasn't been found because all searches for her have been done near her car. I think she would tuck herself pretty far in somewhere if she was going to take her own life, to have her last moments on earth in peace.

Anything from animals to weather could have played a big part in disrupting anyone all these years from discovering her body.

 

[AWOLNATION]

more on Owl's head


Owl's Head is located in the western lobe of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, just east of Franconia Notch. Access is easiest from the south, using the
Lincoln Woods trailhead on the Kancamagus Highway (rte 112). Rte 112 crosses Interstate 93 in the town of Lincoln.

Wasn't maura on the Kancamagus Highway at the time of her disappearance?

Just saying.

No, she was west of route 93. The Kancamagus starts in Lincoln, ends in Conway.

 

[scoops]

No, she was west of route 93. The Kancamagus starts in Lincoln, ends in Conway.

tsk tsk ... that is splitting hairs haha.

My question was rhetorical in nature. Sorry for the confusion. She was on the road that becomes the Kanc.

the theory (that her own father even subcribes to) is that looking at a map and coming from I-91, it appears that taking the 302 to the 112 is a shortcut to get to the Kanc and the woodstock area. the N. woodstock/lincoln area is the start of where Maura was familiar with according to news reports and family quotes.

She may have been better served getting onto I-93 instead which on a map looks like a much farther round about way of getting to the Kanc coming from I-91. I made the mistake of taking I-91 to I-93 to get to my hotel in littleton when it was much easier had I taken the same exit maura took and drove the 302 straight into littleton. But that was summer and roads were clear and fine whereas maura was driving in winter.

Maura was alleged to be very familar with bartlett and had stayed in bartlett before. It makes sense that (if she was coming from I-91 and looking at a map to guide her and not taking into consideration road conditions because of winter) that she would take the exit that she did end up taking.

Bartlett is a pretty straight forward shot from where she exited I-91. It is way east and all means driving into the white mountains, but a pretty straight shot never the less. had she arrived to bartlett it puts her right in the middle of hiking/mountain country.

 

[AWOLNATION]

tsk tsk ... that is splitting hairs haha.

My question was rhetorical in nature. Sorry for the confusion. She was on the road that becomes the Kanc.

the theory (that her own father even subcribes to) is that looking at a map and coming from I-91, it appears that taking the 302 to the 112 is a shortcut to get to the Kanc and the woodstock area. the N. woodstock/lincoln area is the start of where Maura was familiar with according to news reports and family quotes.

She may have been better served getting onto I-93 instead which on a map looks like a much farther round about way of getting to the Kanc coming from I-91. I made the mistake of taking I-91 to I-93 to get to my hotel in littleton when it was much easier had I taken the same exit maura took and drove the 302 straight into littleton. But that was summer and roads were clear and fine whereas maura was driving in winter.

Maura was alleged to be very familar with bartlett and had stayed in bartlett before. It makes sense that (if she was coming from I-91 and looking at a map to guide her and not taking into consideration road conditions because of winter) that she would take the exit that she did end up taking.

Bartlett is a pretty straight forward shot from where she exited I-91. It is way east and all means driving into the white mountains, but a pretty straight shot never the less. had she arrived to bartlett it puts her right in the middle of hiking/mountain country.

My bad, just didn't want confusion.

- This is AWOLNATION

 

[McSpy]

Unless there is something to the vasi hit and run, then I believe that maura took her own life and was not aided by anyone in that final outcome.


Where I get the suicide theory is by having poured through all the news articles, interviews, and factual documents such as accident reports and some of the items James has released on his blog. And also from physically visiting her school campus and accident site myself last summer.

I fully understand that not every news article is 100 percent factual and accurate, but you can take a cumulative look at all the articles and compare them and find out where misinformation exists and where the story-line remains very consistent throughout.

I look and put more credence into the articles done in the early days after maura went missing. There was less chance for those reports to feature spin in them (from family and rumors etc.)


My theory as it stands until proven otherwise.

Maura was depressed. She packed her dorm room (to save everyone the trouble of having to deal with it after her suicide), and only packed enough clothes and items to get away for a night or two.

I think she planned on staying the night likely near a mountain or hiking area she was very familiar with. She brought a few clothes but she also brought some sentimental items such as some jewelry and a teddy bear etc. and the alcohol, possibly as a way to have one last night of reflection.

I think she originally was going to do what her father thought and go drink herself to death on a mountain the next day after having spent a night in a hotel near her final destination.

Her second car wreck (unless the vasi angle has something to do with her) was UNPLANNED. She had started drinking early and lost control of her vehicle.

I think she first attempted to unfree her car and leave the accident site (nbased on news reports that noted the car's taillights coming on and off), but then the school bus driver approached the scene and she was stuck.

She lied to the school bus driver told him not to call for assistance and when he went back to his house after telling her he was calling the police anyway, I believe she freaked out and made a split second decision to leave her car.

She (most notably) left her clothes and sentimental items behind, yet managed to take her backpack and bottles of alcohol with her. (very telling)
I think she locked her car up knowing that police would get it and it would eventually be turned over to her father (therefore he gets the accident forms as well).

She definitely got out of the immediate area (most likely by foot) and iMHO, she either got tired of walking and accepted a ride further east from the accident or somehow managed to hike the distance herself.

If she accepted a ride, I don't think anything sinister happened. the person that picked her up was just doing a good samaratin type thing and never put any more thought into it after dropping maura off at her final desitination.

In my theory,maura can be found somwhere near one of the mountain trails she was familiar with. Her body hasn't been found because all searches for her have been done near her car. I think she would tuck herself pretty far in somewhere if she was going to take her own life, to have her last moments on earth in peace.

Anything from animals to weather could have played a big part in disrupting anyone all these years from discovering her body.

I always thought she left with the alcohol in her backpack, but according to Renner's blog, he said LE told him the alcohol was all accounted for. I am confused about what he states on his blog on the subject. In other words, did the police say they found all the bottles in her car, OR did they mean they knew what she purchased that evening, because of the receipt? it isn't clear to me. JMO

 

[Pisces_Sun]

I just do not see Maura taking her own life that night. If she did kill herself, and she did do it by climbing a mountain with booze to freeze to death, it would have to be during the daylight hours, IMO. I get that the crash in NH would've put a wrench in her plans but it was so dark outside that night, she would've been nearly blind trying to go up the mountain. It doesn't make any sense that she would start scaling a 4000 ft. mountain in the middle of the night, even if she was suicidal. At -7 degree low temp that night (at regular altitude, let alone on a mountain), she would not have made it very far at all and would've had to get a ride to even make it to one of the mountains to begin with.

So she would've had to get a ride that night, reach one of the 4000' mountains, and it's still dark by the time she reaches her destination - where did she stay that night? She didn't have much cash on her, and her cards were not used. People who kill themselves usually try to make it as painless as possible, I don't know why Maura would want to spend her last few minutes in terror blindly climbing up a mountain in the middle of the night. It's possible, I guess.

There's also the question of what, if any, alcohol did she even take from the car? She bought stuff to make White Russians, was she mixing herself drinks on a mountain somewhere on a suicide mission? Was all the booze in the car and "accounted for"? That part is unclear.

I still think there are too many things that don't make sense in the suicide theory. She would've had to have been absolutely bound and determined to kill herself, with total tunnel vision that nothing, no matter what, was going to stop her.

Maybe Maura wanted to make people think she killed herself? Maybe she never had any intention of going to the mountains and was leaving a false trail?

In any case, I agree that all of the mountains she searched for on the internet should be thoroughly checked for a potential body. There is a chance Maura is on one of them - but IMO, just a chance.

 

[scoops]

I always thought she left with the alcohol in her backpack, but according to Renner's blog, he said LE told him the alcohol was all accounted for. I am confused about what he states on his blog on the subject. In other words, did the police say they found all the bottles in her car, OR did they mean they knew what she purchased that evening, because of the receipt? it isn't clear to me. JMO

McSpy,

I brought that up to James and while he never fully clarified, it was all but concluded that it was a mis-interpretation of what he was told from the officer.

An officer told James the alcohol was accounted for.

James made the leap that it meant that officers had the actual alcohol in their possession.

What is likely the truth is that officers have the receipt (that was left in Maura's car) and they know about the box of wine that the responding officer found in the backseat floor of the driver's side of maura's car.

Having the receipt which lists purchased alcohol and knowing about the box of wine is technically accounting for all of the alcohol.

 

[scoops]

I just do not see Maura taking her own life that night. If she did kill herself, and she did do it by climbing a mountain with booze to freeze to death, it would have to be during the daylight hours, IMO. I get that the crash in NH would've put a wrench in her plans but it was so dark outside that night, she would've been nearly blind trying to go up the mountain. It doesn't make any sense that she would start scaling a 4000 ft. mountain in the middle of the night, even if she was suicidal. At -7 degree low temp that night (at regular altitude, let alone on a mountain), she would not have made it very far at all and would've had to get a ride to even make it to one of the mountains to begin with.

So she would've had to get a ride that night, reach one of the 4000' mountains, and it's still dark by the time she reaches her destination - where did she stay that night? She didn't have much cash on her, and her cards were not used. People who kill themselves usually try to make it as painless as possible, I don't know why Maura would want to spend her last few minutes in terror blindly climbing up a mountain in the middle of the night. It's possible, I guess.

There's also the question of what, if any, alcohol did she even take from the car? She bought stuff to make White Russians, was she mixing herself drinks on a mountain somewhere on a suicide mission? Was all the booze in the car and "accounted for"? That part is unclear.

I still think there are too many things that don't make sense in the suicide theory. She would've had to have been absolutely bound and determined to kill herself, with total tunnel vision that nothing, no matter what, was going to stop her.

Maybe Maura wanted to make people think she killed herself? Maybe she never had any intention of going to the mountains and was leaving a false trail?

In any case, I agree that all of the mountains she searched for on the internet should be thoroughly checked for a potential body. There is a chance Maura is on one of them - but IMO, just a chance.

I think if she doesn't have that second wreck, she has enough money to stay one night (which I believe was her plan all along) at a hotel in the bartlett area and head for the mountains the following day.

With her second wreck. It would be unclear how she would respond after fleeing the scene.

She may have skipped out on going to a hiking trail all-together, she may have hitched a ride to the bartlett area and either accelerated her plans or waited out the night holed up in the woods somewhere.

 

[scoops]

it is also important to note that the temperature range the night maura went missing only sunk down to 28.4 degrees.

I made the same mistake of going to the almanac and looking back at the weather temps for that area on Feb 9, 2004, but you have to look at Feb 10, 2004 instead, because that is when maura would've been in the area and exposed to the evening weather cool down.(after midnight).

The temp range in the area maura went missing never got below 28 degrees on Tuesday morning Feb 10, 2004.

It did get to (-7) degrees on the morning of Feb 9, 2004, but Maura was still in amherst at the time.

 

[OldSteve]

Been away from this case for a time, but checking in to see what's happening...
Interesting to see if the those I know here have changed their theories...
As for me, since I've last been here, and following a number of new cases, I'm more convinced she was murdered.

Seems suicide is always mentioned when a mission person cases, but it doesn't happen (in the one's I follow).

Instead, simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time is the cause.

Regardless of what places a person at that wrong place, the wrong time turns out to be a who happens to cross paths with the victim.

Murderers often go to great effort to hide their victims, where someone committing suicide doesn't (don't know of any who have even tried).

 

[Pisces_Sun]

I think if she doesn't have that second wreck, she has enough money to stay one night (which I believe was her plan all along) at a hotel in the bartlett area and head for the mountains the following day.

With her second wreck. It would be unclear how she would respond after fleeing the scene.

She may have skipped out on going to a hiking trail all-together, she may have hitched a ride to the bartlett area and either accelerated her plans or waited out the night holed up in the woods somewhere.

If this is true, Maura really, really wanted to die and was very determined to do so. I wonder if she had a history of depression and suicidal thoughts/suicide attempts?

I don't buy the suicide theory unless Maura had been planning to kill herself for a long time, and the events leading up to her disappearance date triggered her plans into motion. It truly doesn't make sense to me that Maura would go through so many leaps and bounds to kill herself on a snap decision. If she had acute suicidal thoughts after some traumatic events (car crashes, CC debt, possible hit-and-run, fights with dad/boyfriend, etc.), I would think the car crash in Haverhill would actually snap her out of it in a way. After having encountered so many roadblocks on an impromptu suicide mission, it would seem that a person without a history of mental health issues or someone who had not been actively planning a suicide for some time would have given up.

I can't wrap my head around Maura holing up somewhere outdoors for the night and then climbing up a mountain in the morning to die. I respect the suicide theory because I do believe some evidence points toward it, but when I think about the type of person Maura seems to be, and what it would have actually taken for her to have successfully taken her own life on a mountain after the crash, it becomes somewhat unlikely to me unless Maura was in some type of psychosis, or had been very actively planning her death for months.

 

[scoops]

If this is true, Maura really, really wanted to die and was very determined to do so. I wonder if she had a history of depression and suicidal thoughts/suicide attempts?

I don't buy the suicide theory unless Maura had been planning to kill herself for a long time, and the events leading up to her disappearance date triggered her plans into motion. It truly doesn't make sense to me that Maura would go through so many leaps and bounds to kill herself on a snap decision. If she had acute suicidal thoughts after some traumatic events (car crashes, CC debt, possible hit-and-run, fights with dad/boyfriend, etc.), I would think the car crash in Haverhill would actually snap her out of it in a way. After having encountered so many roadblocks on an impromptu suicide mission, it would seem that a person without a history of mental health issues or someone who had not been actively planning a suicide for some time would have given up.

I can't wrap my head around Maura holing up somewhere outdoors for the night and then climbing up a mountain in the morning to die. I respect the suicide theory because I do believe some evidence points toward it, but when I think about the type of person Maura seems to be, and what it would have actually taken for her to have successfully taken her own life on a mountain after the crash, it becomes somewhat unlikely to me unless Maura was in some type of psychosis, or had been very actively planning her death for months.

If you take the evidence that has been reported as a whole many things add up.

Maura packed her dorm room up as to not return --- (although disputed by family, fellow dorm dwellers on record have confirmed her dorm room was packed up and not just not unpacked from a winter break). --- that bit of info IMHO rules out that maura was just taking a week off to clear her head and return to school.

Maura left a note on top of her packed boxes --- it was incorrectly called a suicide letter by police, but although the note wasn't freshly written it did deal with some very personal issues that would leave very little reasons for it being left out in the open unless someone was trying to send a powerful message to whomever found her dorm room.

maura drove a car suppossedly on its last legs hours away --- IMHO, you don't do this if you care about your safety at all. You especially don't drive it miles into the forest in the middle of nowhere. A person who is suicidal wouldn't care one way or the other. it was their last hurah.

Maura emptied her bank account but yet packed enough stuff for just a day or two ---- odd behavior for sure. Someone going to meet someone and run away would bring their stuff with them. Someone getting away for a week's worth of vacation would take a week's worth of stuff with them. Someone having a final destination would take just enough to get them there.

Maura's father's admitted statement to his children was real --- although it has been downplayed, he really did tell his children that if he ever got to a point where he felt worthless he would take some jack daniels to a mountain and drink himself to death. The degree of seriousness to that statement can be debated but the fact that he initially thought about that statement when he heard maura went missing is very telling to how serious he felt his kids took his own words. and that maura may have followed suit.

Suicides can actually be well hidden if NO ONE is looking for a person in a particular area. Deaths near mountains/cliffs woods happen all the time. Some are accidental deaths that involve vehicles and Some aren't found for years unless it is a known last location that HAS BEEN SEARCHED and even that doesn't mean results. Where maura was was unfortunately about the best place one could be to get lost. Woods go on for miles and then you have all the hiking trails/mountains etc. Unless you have a pinpoint location to search for someone, you likely aren't finding them unless hunters or hikers stumble upon it. Sounds like maura was quite resourceful. If she did take her own life on a trail, I doubt it was right in the middle of one where foot traffic was common.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

If you take the evidence that has been reported as a whole many things add up.

Maura packed her dorm room up as to not return --- (although disputed by family, fellow dorm dwellers on record have confirmed her dorm room was packed up and not just not unpacked from a winter break). --- that bit of info IMHO rules out that maura was just taking a week off to clear her head and return to school.

Maura left a note on top of her packed boxes --- it was incorrectly called a suicide letter by police, but although the note wasn't freshly written it did deal with some very personal issues that would leave very little reasons for it being left out in the open unless someone was trying to send a powerful message to whomever found her dorm room.

maura drove a car suppossedly on its last legs hours away --- IMHO, you don't do this if you care about your safety at all. You especially don't drive it miles into the forest in the middle of nowhere. A person who is suicidal wouldn't care one way or the other. it was their last hurah.

Maura emptied her bank account but yet packed enough stuff for just a day or two ---- odd behavior for sure. Someone going to meet someone and run away would bring their stuff with them. Someone getting away for a week's worth of vacation would take a week's worth of stuff with them. Someone having a final destination would take just enough to get them there.

Maura's father's admitted statement to his children was real --- although it has been downplayed, he really did tell his children that if he ever got to a point where he felt worthless he would take some jack daniels to a mountain and drink himself to death. The degree of seriousness to that statement can be debated but the fact that he initially thought about that statement when he heard maura went missing is very telling to how serious he felt his kids took his own words. and that maura may have followed suit.

Suicides can actually be well hidden if NO ONE is looking for a person in a particular area. Deaths near mountains/cliffs woods happen all the time. Some are accidental deaths that involve vehicles and Some aren't found for years unless it is a known last location that HAS BEEN SEARCHED and even that doesn't mean results. Where maura was was unfortunately about the best place one could be to get lost. Woods go on for miles and then you have all the hiking trails/mountains etc. Unless you have a pinpoint location to search for someone, you likely aren't finding them unless hunters or hikers stumble upon it. Sounds like maura was quite resourceful. If she did take her own life on a trail, I doubt it was right in the middle of one where foot traffic was common.

I get all of that, but I still stand by my statements that I don't believe suicide is the most likely scenario unless some very important information about Maura's mental health history is being concealed. There was an exorbitant amount of effort put into completing this suicide mission, if that is indeed what happened. As I said, Maura must've been VERY determined to die on one of those mountains considering all of the obstacles if she was indeed successful.

I think all of the points you mentioned can be explained away as fitting into the "Maura intentionally ran away to start a new life" theory, or even the "Maura was abducted" theory. That's what makes this case so baffling, really, anything could've happened and I don't feel the evidence points strongly in any particular direction. If anything, it seems like LE is treating the case as though they believe Maura met with foul play.

A) From what I have read, the "personal note" left with Maura's belongings was a printed out email, not any type of a note that would indicate suicide explicitly. In the accounts I've researched, it was an email about her boyfriend cheating that had been printed out and put on top of a pile of other emails she had also printed.

B) Maybe she did pack up her room, leave the accident forms in the Saturn, and tie up other loose ends because she knew she would be gone for good - not because of an impending suicide, but because she was planning a new life. Maybe she wanted to make it out like she WAS suicidal and staged her death in a way. Perhaps it was a spiteful act in revenge against
her father, I'm sure the suicide comment he made always stuck out in her head because that's a pretty odd thing to say to a daughter. She Googled multiple 4000' mountains from her computer in an effort to make the search for her harder. Meanwhile, she's been researching ways to create a new life for herself on campus/library computers. If someone wanted to create confusion so they could disappear, this would be a good way.

C) She WOULD drive the crappy car if she wanted to stage an accident in order to not only cover up evidence of a hit and run, but to add even more mystery to her disappearance.

D) Maura emptied her bank account but yet packed enough stuff for just a day or two - I don't think the behavior is that odd considering she only had about $300 in that account. It doesn't prove that she left with intentions of suicide, it actually makes sense that she would empty out the account if she wanted to go away for 3-5 days. She brought enough with her for a few days' trip if that was indeed her original intention upon disembarking UMass.

E) I would have to research more about the potential areas where Maura may have suicided to really know how to respond to this. As for Fred's statements about him committing suicide on a mountain with a bottle of Jack, that doesn't prove anything, nor does the fact that it came to his mind. I'm sure his mind was RACING with worst case scenarios of what could've happened to Maura and was searching his brain for any clues. It especially makes sense that he would reflect back on that statement when he learned that Maura had been searching for directions to different mountains right before she disappeared. It's not proof that Maura killed herself.

It still seems to me that after the crash interrupted her journey, it would've taken an extraordinary amount of effort on Maura's part to complete her suicide mission. The only thing that would lead me to suspect suicide as the #1 option would be the discovery that Maura's friends and family have been concealing some very important information about Maura's mental and emotional state, as well as her mental health history. I don't think a young girl without a history of suicidal tendencies who just "snapped" from stress one day would go through so much effort to kill herself. It would be enough time for her to snap out of that "moment of passion" suicidal mindset.

I understand your reasons for thinking Maura killed herself, but even with the points presented, I personally, just my own opinion, still think there are a lot of holes in the suicide theory.

 

[scoops]

I get all of that, but I still stand by my statements that I don't believe suicide is the most likely scenario unless some very important information about Maura's mental health history is being concealed. There was an exorbitant amount of effort put into completing this suicide mission, if that is indeed what happened. As I said, Maura must've been VERY determined to die on one of those mountains considering all of the obstacles if she was indeed successful.

I think all of the points you mentioned can be explained away as fitting into the "Maura intentionally ran away to start a new life" theory, or even the "Maura was abducted" theory. That's what makes this case so baffling, really, anything could've happened and I don't feel the evidence points strongly in any particular direction. If anything, it seems like LE is treating the case as though they believe Maura met with foul play.

A) From what I have read, the "personal note" left with Maura's belongings was a printed out email, not any type of a note that would indicate suicide explicitly. In the accounts I've researched, it was an email about her boyfriend cheating that had been printed out and put on top of a pile of other emails she had also printed.

B) Maybe she did pack up her room, leave the accident forms in the Saturn, and tie up other loose ends because she knew she would be gone for good - not because of an impending suicide, but because she was planning a new life. Maybe she wanted to make it out like she WAS suicidal and staged her death in a way. Perhaps it was a spiteful act in revenge against
her father, I'm sure the suicide comment he made always stuck out in her head because that's a pretty odd thing to say to a daughter. She Googled multiple 4000' mountains from her computer in an effort to make the search for her harder. Meanwhile, she's been researching ways to create a new life for herself on campus/library computers. If someone wanted to create confusion so they could disappear, this would be a good way.

C) She WOULD drive the crappy car if she wanted to stage an accident in order to not only cover up evidence of a hit and run, but to add even more mystery to her disappearance.

D) Maura emptied her bank account but yet packed enough stuff for just a day or two - I don't think the behavior is that odd considering she only had about $300 in that account. It doesn't prove that she left with intentions of suicide, it actually makes sense that she would empty out the account if she wanted to go away for 3-5 days. She brought enough with her for a few days' trip if that was indeed her original intention upon disembarking UMass.

E) I would have to research more about the potential areas where Maura may have suicided to really know how to respond to this. As for Fred's statements about him committing suicide on a mountain with a bottle of Jack, that doesn't prove anything, nor does the fact that it came to his mind. I'm sure his mind was RACING with worst case scenarios of what could've happened to Maura and was searching his brain for any clues. It especially makes sense that he would reflect back on that statement when he learned that Maura had been searching for directions to different mountains right before she disappeared. It's not proof that Maura killed herself.

It still seems to me that after the crash interrupted her journey, it would've taken an extraordinary amount of effort on Maura's part to complete her suicide mission. The only thing that would lead me to suspect suicide as the #1 option would be the discovery that Maura's friends and family have been concealing some very important information about Maura's mental and emotional state, as well as her mental health history. I don't think a young girl without a history of suicidal tendencies who just "snapped" from stress one day would go through so much effort to kill herself. It would be enough time for her to snap out of that "moment of passion" suicidal mindset.

I understand your reasons for thinking Maura killed herself, but even with the points presented, I personally, just my own opinion, still think there are a lot of holes in the suicide theory.

I completely respect your opinion.

I for one do not believe maura was suffering from any kind of mental disease.

However, if you go back to the night at her security burrito, the way her supervisor described maura's state when she found Maura is very troubling and not at all typical with someone just having a bad night or someone in a bad mood.

Something deep was going on with maura (and I guess I would make the leap that whatever it was, could've been the trigger to pull her over the edge.

Most normal people (sorry hikers, mountain men/women) would never dream of spending their last few minutes at a mountain peak for instance. But that is where maura was different from others. Her and her father especially as has been explained were literally obsessed with the mountains which to me makes her wanting to head for one in her final days not so extreme or not so odd.

I will also go back to the book "Not Without Peril." I know the family have done everything in their power to explain away why maura just happened to have that particular book with her, but I have never (even before I had a suicide theory) ever believed that the book was just a non-factor (she just happened to have it at the time) kind of issue. From day one, it seems like the family has been quick to explain that book away and I have always found that odd. Let's call it what it is. The book is a little creepy not by itself but when you consider where maura was likely headed and the fact that she has disappeared.

 

[scoops]

here is an excerpt from a book review of "Not Without Peril. In this excerpt the reviewer quotes a part from the book. Interesting to get into the mind-set of someone who is comfortable around mountains.

"Howe makes no judgment about those whose misfortunes he chronicles; there are tender moments that manage to stay faithful to a crusty Yankee sensibility, as in the tale of Lizzie Bourne, who died in a snowstorm while huddled in a makeshift lean-to. Howe quotes her uncle George: "She was dead--had uttered no complaint, expressed no regret or fear, but passed silently away."

 

[Pisces_Sun]

I realize that Maura loved the mountains, so death on a mountain would be a natural fit if she did in fact want to commit suicide.

The "Not Without Peril" thing is creepy, and the family's reaction has been somewhat odd.

I completely respect your opinion as well, and it makes about as much sense as any other theory. I just can't shake the feeling that suicide wasn't Maura's ultimate fate. It's definitely a nicer thought that Maura is off living a new life somewhere as opposed to dead on a mountain, but besides that, I truly believe it could go either way. I can't discount foul play, either, as much as I think it's even more unlikely than suicide.

Edited to add: I think in the Vanished episode, Fred claimed that the whole family passed the book "Not Without Peril" around and took turns with it - and it just so happened to be Maura's turn to read it. That didn't ring true with me.

 

[AWOLNATION]

I've never put much stock into the suicide theory, but I got thinking, what if both accidents were both intentional and both failed suicides? Might kinda fill in some of the blanks.

- This is AWOLNATION

 

[scoops]

I've never put much stock into the suicide theory, but I got thinking, what if both accidents were both intentional and both failed suicides? Might kinda fill in some of the blanks.

- This is AWOLNATION

I haven't made that leap, but I will say (especially considering her first wreck) that the way she wrecked was sort of odd.

She had ample time to see the flashing light that signifies the three-way stop. As soon as she pulled out of her dorm parking lot in fact, you start seeing the flashing light that awaits at the intersection where she wrecked. And it sounds like she did quite a bit of damage to the car at what would've been for her a pretty routine driving location.

The fact she got out of that wreck scott free from the law, is something that has also always bugged me. I wonder what her state was when the officer responded and if the officer didn't just give her a break after feeling sorry for her.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

More on the "note" Maura supposedly left in her dorm:

Exclusive: Note left in dorm was email from Bill.
This is another one of those clues everybody got kind of wrong.

Here's what the Daily Collegian reported orginally:

In a June interview with WCVB-TV, the police officer in charge of the investigation, Lt. John Scarinza of the New Hampshire State Police, Troop F, claimed that authorities had found a note in Maura's dorm room that she had wrote to her boyfriend, Army Lt. Billy Rausch of Ohio, indicating troubles in their relationship.

"Sometime between Sunday and Monday morning, she packed up all her belongings in her dorm room, to include taking all her pictures off the walls, taking everything out of her bureaus, [and] put them all in boxes [and] left [them] on her bed," Scarinza told WCVB-TV, "[She] left a personal note to her boyfriend on top of the boxes."

Maura's mother, Laurie Murray, told the Daily Collegian in August that the relationship between her daughter and Rausch was a "very, very good relationship."

Raush's mother, Sharon Rausch, reiterated that statement in a recent interview. She said there was a point where the couple's relationship was rocky in the spring of 2002, but they had resolved their problems by summer and had a good relationship since then.

Her son arrived at Maura's dorm room with police just two days after she went missing. He said there was no recent letters to him from Maura that were found.

"There is no note," Sharon Raush said.

Well, actually it depends on what you mean by "note".

What was left on the boxes of Maura's belongings was a printed out email not from her to Bill, but a message from Bill to Maura. It was part of a longer conversation about Bill cheating on her. Whether it was merely an allegation of infidelity or a confession, only the police and few others know. Bill, for his part, will not return messages.

When a note like that is left behind on boxes of belongings, you have to wonder what Maura's motive could have been. Did she intend for him to find it? Was it a message? Why had she printed it out in the first place?

Source: http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011/07/exclusive-note-left-in-dorm-was-email.html

 

[scoops]

More on the "note" Maura supposedly left in her dorm:

Exclusive: Note left in dorm was email from Bill.
This is another one of those clues everybody got kind of wrong.

Here's what the Daily Collegian reported orginally:

In a June interview with WCVB-TV, the police officer in charge of the investigation, Lt. John Scarinza of the New Hampshire State Police, Troop F, claimed that authorities had found a note in Maura's dorm room that she had wrote to her boyfriend, Army Lt. Billy Rausch of Ohio, indicating troubles in their relationship.

"Sometime between Sunday and Monday morning, she packed up all her belongings in her dorm room, to include taking all her pictures off the walls, taking everything out of her bureaus, [and] put them all in boxes [and] left [them] on her bed," Scarinza told WCVB-TV, "[She] left a personal note to her boyfriend on top of the boxes."

Maura's mother, Laurie Murray, told the Daily Collegian in August that the relationship between her daughter and Rausch was a "very, very good relationship."

Raush's mother, Sharon Rausch, reiterated that statement in a recent interview. She said there was a point where the couple's relationship was rocky in the spring of 2002, but they had resolved their problems by summer and had a good relationship since then.

Her son arrived at Maura's dorm room with police just two days after she went missing. He said there was no recent letters to him from Maura that were found.

"There is no note," Sharon Raush said.

Well, actually it depends on what you mean by "note".

What was left on the boxes of Maura's belongings was a printed out email not from her to Bill, but a message from Bill to Maura. It was part of a longer conversation about Bill cheating on her. Whether it was merely an allegation of infidelity or a confession, only the police and few others know. Bill, for his part, will not return messages.

When a note like that is left behind on boxes of belongings, you have to wonder what Maura's motive could have been. Did she intend for him to find it? Was it a message? Why had she printed it out in the first place?

Source: http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011/07/exclusive-note-left-in-dorm-was-email.html

A lot from this board do know that info already.

I think the police initially made the leap that it was some sort of suicide note (which I can't blame them because Fred was the one who introduced suicide as an option first concerning his daughter).

Then the press fouled it up a bit.

And then it was discovered to be a printed out email from years earlier.

But the fact remains is that the letter was printed out and purposefully left. And if maura was planning on returning herself to her dorm, does it make much sense that she would leave herself a note on top of her packed boxes?

I believe she left it for whomever was going to eventually come and clean her dorm room of all her things.

I definitely had a problem with Billy's mom's quotes on the note issue and brought it up on the board way back.

It would be one thing for her to say, no there was no new note from maura the note they found was old and definitely not a suicide note, but instead she is quoted in a news article as saying there was no new note.

That is very misleading on her part. And intentionally done so I might add. Her son was in the room when they discovered the note. Her son knows what the contents of the note were all about, yet his mom was trying to make the police out to look like they were making the whole thing up and there was nothing there but some packed boxes. She could've at least acknowledged that the police did find a note.