Fred Murray wrote this regarding RF, the Witness in his May 2004 letter to NH Governor Benson:
Recently, nearly three (3) months after the accident, a motorist (Witness) who was driving west on Route112 at about 8:00 PM on February 9 reported seeing a young person acting furtively heading very fast in an easterly direction at a point about four (4) to five (5) miles away from the scene of the crash. The time line and description of the individuals appearance and clothing fits perfectly for this person to have been Maura.
This witness lives within just yards of the accident site, but said he had been confused about the exact date and time of that event because the state police had not interviewed him until 10 days had passed. As hard as this is to believe, it is actually true since an investigator helping the family questioned him on Sunday, February 15 and he said the police hadnt been there to talk to him yet. At this point I appealed directly to the state police to pay attention to rudimentary procedure and turned our notes over to them. This apparently prompted a belated response, which led to the questioning of this witness on Thursday, February 19. The letter goes on and can be read in its entirety at:
http://www.mauramurraymissing.com/Fredsletterstogovernor.html
Anyway
Witness apparently had a solid alibi for his whereabouts on February 9 at the time of disappearance. Ten weeks later (after Mauras disappearance) Witness tells W at SSS on April 29, 2004 that he saw someone running 4-5 miles east on February 9 around 8pm. W in turn tells Fred Murray who relays this to LE who then re-interview Witness which prompts a search of that area on May 8, 2004 (or so).
Obviously Witness didnt recall the sighting when he spoke to the Murray family investigator on February 15, or Fred would have mentioned that in the letter and searching would have, most likely, taken place at that time in that area 4-5 miles further east on Rte. 112.
If Witness told LE about the sighting on when he was interviewed on February 19 by LE perhaps they didnt take it seriously? Or perhaps on February 19 Witness didnt remember what hed seen 10 days earlier and therefore wasnt able to tell LE at that time? If Witness told LE on February 19 that he saw someone running 5 miles down the road and they didnt react, perhaps he thought it would help nudge them into action if he told W at SSS in late April?
Or, possibly, Witness only put all the pieces together in late April (10 weeks and two interviews later) and decided to pass it along to W at SSS? It makes sense that he could have misplaced the business cards of LE and private investigator.
If you were interviewed by a private investigator on February 15, 6 days after Maura disappeared and didnt remember seeing someone 4-5 miles down the road on that fateful night what would help jog your memory 9 weeks later? Or maybe there was nobody running there at all and Witness just got time and place confused?
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