czechmate7 said:
:truce: What has drawn me to Maura's case wasn't the fact that she was just another missing person. This case has lots of unknown factors and elements to discuss and explore. She wasn't a missing who was driving down the road one day, got into an accident and never was heard from again. There were several events prior that I felt may have contributed to this possibly being someone who needed to find herself. In words of another poster, the case seemed "sexy".
As I started to read articles and gain info from other posters thoughts and ideas began to circulate in my mind. I felt it important to try to bring out as much *factual* what and why as possible.
Every discussion that I have speculated about has been shot down by *pure speculation*. Most of the time the facts regarding the idea or event that I have tried to discuss can not even be brought out due to speculation of some posters.
I have become very tired of this case because of it. It is clear that until otherwise known some will look at this case with a "glass half full" approach and others with a "glass half empty". I have chosen not to look at all. I wish I can say I have enjoyed posting her, but my resolve is tired and drained..I can see why certain posters have left this thread in the past.
I will no longer be posting on this thread, but I do hope Maura is well and/or the family finds peace with her in the future.
I would hate to see you leave this forum. I have found your posts to be interesting and your logic sound. I have followed this case for a long time, but sometimes fear to post. I don't want to risk offending anyone, but unfortunately, to get at the truth, a lot of hard questions must be asked. I'm sure, that Maura, wherever she is, would be mortified to know that absolute strangers are dissecting her life. For my part in that, I apologize. I also apologize to close friends and family, for the anguish they are going through, based on things written and discussed here. I also feel strongly, that (with the possible exception of one poster) no one on this board has ever been intentionally disrespectful, nasty, hateful, or vicious, in any way, shape or form. With that in mind, and with all due respect, some of us are definitely blurring fact and speculation. Speculation is good because this is a MYSTERY. Speculation does not hurt. But speculation posing as fact is counterproductive and only serves to cut off discussion and hence, the possibility of solving the mystery. Here are a few examples that come to mind:
Fact #1- Maura had her school books, folders and syllabus with her in her car.
Speculation-She wasn't running away because why would she take her books with her if she wasn't planning on returning.
Speculation masquerading as fact-She intended to return to UMASS because her books/folders/syllabus were in the car.
Alternate theory-Maura took her books/folders/syllabus because she wanted to continue studying nursing somewhere else. She may have been perfectly happy with nursing as a career decision and may STILL have had issues severe enough to want to escape family and friends and start a new life somewhere else. Although, the books and course syllabus were UMASS's idea of nursing preparation, they certainly would be useful for Maura to use in succeeding in any other college's nursing program. Maybe she knew it might be awhile before she could enroll somewhere else, given identity issues. Maybe she wanted to stay as current as possible. She may also have left with the intention of coming back. IF she did not commit suicide, succumb to the elements or meet with foul play, then she must have ended up somewhere and must have started a new life. IF that's what happened, then she may have made the decision not to return to her old life at ANY point along the way. Does this make sense? Maybe, maybe not, but it is an alternative theory that is entirely plausible and does fit the known facts. It can certainly be debated. Debate would bring about the strengths and weaknesses in the argument.
Fact #2-Maura made several attempts to contact Lt Rausch-(Maura calls Lt Rausch on 2/8 4:49AM and speaks to him; emails him 2/9 around 1:00PM; calls him from cellphone 2/9 2:18PM, presumably leaves a message). She speaks to her dad on 2/8 at 11:26PM. She does not indicate whatsoever, to either one of them, that she is leaving for a trip.
Speculation--"...it is logical that she would not leave a message of her plans for her dad or her boyfriend out of consideration that for them to receive such a message would create concern and possibly panic..."
Speculation masquerading as fact- She could not have contacted her dad because of his job restraints. She would never leave Lt Rausch, she talked about marrying him and having his children all the time and she made numerous attempts to contact him the day she disappeared.
Alternate theory-Maybe she did not want to speak to her dad. If she wanted to tell him that she was going away, she could have easily left him a cell phone message for him to retrieve outside of work. She did not have to tell him that she was traveling in the unsafe car. She could have easily left a reassuring message, if this was a situation of just needing to get away for a few days. As far as Lt Rausch was concerned, she could have been trying to contact him to tell him that she no longer wanted to be exclusive with him, that she needed time to herself to think things through, or that she had second thoughts about their relationship, or that they simply needed to see each other to talk. She also, may have been trying to contact him to buy time for herself. She was distraught on the phone with him on the 2/8 4:49AM phone call. She may have wanted to reassure him that she was okay, but may not have had any intention of telling him she was leaving on either a permanent or temporary basis. It's a fact that she tried to contact him. There is NO way to know what she wanted to say to him. She was 21 years old at the time. Even if she had intentions of marry him, she had every right to question her decision and/or change her mind. Her past history with him is not necessarily predictive of her future feelings. Women, especially those in their early twenties, can change their minds about long term committments. I have no doubt that she loved him and wanted nothing more than to marry him and have his children. But I also do not find it impossible that she could have changed her mind. Every one agrees that there was something huge bothering Maura before she left. I believe that even Lt Rausch felt that she was upset about something else besides the first accident when she spoke to him in the hysterical phone call (please correct me if I'm wrong). Could relationship doubt have caused this huge upset? Of course it could. Again, this alternate theory is entirely plausible and fits the known facts.
Just so we are all clear-- I am still extremely undecided about what I think happened to her. I think a lot of the theories presented on this board are plausible. Some seem like a real stretch to me, but I do not discount anything. I think about this case a lot and wish some kind of resolution could come about for the sake of Maura and her family. If she met with foul play, I would like to see justice. If she committed suicide or succumbed to the elements, I'd like to see her family put her to rest with a proper burial. And if she is alive out there somewhere I hope she finds it in her heart to contact her family and loved ones and deliver them from torment and limbo.
