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

[OldSteve]

Problems with suicide are -
Would she want to hurt her father/family by keeping them looking/guessing all these years?
Even if she doesn't care about father/family, would she purposely make it difficult for her body to be found?

Let's say she was going to make one last trip to her favorite mountain top - wouldn't she leave a note or call her father to say goodbye?

So, even if everything points to her planning to leave this world, I don't think she made it to where she was heading. Someone got to her first.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

Problems with suicide are -
Would she want to hurt her father/family by keeping them looking/guessing all these years?
Even if she doesn't care about father/family, would she purposely make it difficult for her body to be found?

Let's say she was going to make one last trip to her favorite mountain top - wouldn't she leave a note or call her father to say goodbye?

So, even if everything points to her planning to leave this world, I don't think she made it to where she was heading. Someone got to her first.

IMO, if she could walk away from her life without looking back and start somewhere anew, she could've just as easily gone somewhere to die in a similarly mysterious manner. If Maura ran away successfully (for good) or killed herself - either way, she did so in a vindictive manner which suggests she was saying a final "F.U." to her family by leaving such a mystery in her wake...justifiably or not. The only reason Maura would have to purposely create such discord by vanishing without a trace or killing herself without leaving a note or allowing her body to be found would be revenge. Well, another reason for her leaving for good might be possible impending legal troubles and her theoretical involvement with the Vasi hit-and-run. But if Maura did indeed kill herself, which I don't believe to be too likely (IMHO), then the way she did it was indeed very defiant and vengeful.

Now of course, we don't know that any of the above scenarios happened and if Maura did in fact meet with foul play that night, then all bets are off.

 

[clueless]

I think that's the most frustrating thing with this whole case. We don't truly know much of anything.

What we don't know was if she:

• was involved in the Vasi incident

• was involved in credit card fraud

• was kicked out of West Point

• was going to be potentially kicked out of UMass

• was planning to commit suicide

• was running to avoid the cops & getting a DUI

• was running to start a new life

• took the alcohol with her or if it's accounted for

• was reading Not Without Peril because she was suicidal or innocently (I shudder to think what people would assume about me based on the books I'm reading at any given time. Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite books, but I have no desire to murder anyone!)

• actually dated the track coach

• was promiscuous as the track coach allegedly said

• if her car was really unreliable or not

• we don't know the true state of her relationship with Billy

• if her father has been completely honest or is keeping secrets about himself or Maura

• whether her dorm room was packed versus had never been un-packed

• whether the printed emails were of any significance

• whether there was one email or several printed

• where she was going

What we DO know is:

• Maura is missing.

• she left school (either intended to be temporary or permanent...)

• she had 2 wrecks in a very short amount of time

• where she wrecked and in what direction she was traveling

• SOME of the items she had her car

• that she was seen immediately after the wreck by more than one person and appeared to by physically OK

• she nearly emptied her bank account

• bought the alcohol

• she locked the car door after the accident (We don't know if it means anything or not. It could have just been habit.)

Did I forget anything?

ETA: Btw, I'm not saying that just because we don't KNOW these unknown things that they aren't true. They very well may be. At least some of them probably do have at least a grain of truth to them. But I don't think we can take the leap to assume they are true, especially without some kind of proof.



IMO, if she intended to get away temporarily to just think, study or whatever, then nothing leading up to her disappearance really matters. The only thing the events did was make her vulnerable to be taken or succumb to the elements. If she intended to disappear or commit suicide, then those events mean everything. :moo:

Maura, where are you?

 

[scoops]

Concerning the alcohol bottles:

I guess We can turn to James Renner himself for the answer.


Here is an excerpt from an interview he did with Lt. Scarinza, a retired cop who did work on the maura murray case and was around for the inventory of what was found in maura's car.


Lt. Scarinza

The car Maura was driving at the time was registered to her father, Fred. Haverhill P.D. tried to contact him early on Tuesday, but only got the answering machine. In the meantime, the police obtained a search warrant to open the car and examine the contents. Inside they found a box of wine, a book about the dangers of the White Mountains (Not Without Peril), and a receipt from a liquor store.

"She had purchased Kahlua, wine, and a six pack of Seagrams. The box had splashed all over the car. The bottle of kahlua was not there."




I for one think the alcohol does matter. She chose to take alcohol with her and not her clothes and valuables when she left the scene.

Maura knew police were on their way, so I will make the assumption she didn't think her car would be there in the same spot the next day.

I think she locked her car up and left the contents inside to include the insurance forms (from her first accident) because she knew that the stuff would eventually be turned over to her family just like the stuff left in her dorm room.

 

[clueless]

Ok, but how do we make the leap and assume that "the bottle of kahlua was not in the car" means Maura took it with her? That means the alcohol was NOT all accounted for.

Granted, the most likely scenario is that Maura did take it, but that doesn't make it FACT.

IMO and all that. ETA: And of course, if Maura hitched a ride with someone that ended up killing her, then the whole debate about the alcohol is moot. It still comes back to we really don't know, but I guess if we did then we would have found Maura by now.

 

[scoops]

I think that's the most frustrating thing with this whole case. We don't truly know much of anything.

What we don't know was if she:

• was involved in the Vasi incident

• was involved in credit card fraud

• was kicked out of West Point

• was going to be potentially kicked out of UMass

• was planning to commit suicide

• was running to avoid the cops & getting a DUI

• was running to start a new life

• took the alcohol with her or if it's accounted for

• was reading Not Without Peril because she was suicidal or innocently (I shudder to think what people would assume about me based on the books I'm reading at any given time. Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite books, but I have no desire to murder anyone!)[/LIST]
  • actually dated the track coach
  • was promiscuous as the track coach allegedly said
  • if her car was really unreliable or not
  • we don't know the true state of her relationship with Billy
  • if her father has been completely honest or is keeping secrets about himself or Maura
  • whether her dorm room was packed versus had never been un-packed
  • whether the printed emails were of any significance
  • whether there was one email or several printed
  • where she was going
  
  What we DO know is:
  
  • Maura is missing.
  • she left school (either intended to be temporary or permanent...)
  • she had 2 wrecks in a very short amount of time
  • where she wrecked and in what direction she was traveling
  • SOME of the items she had her car
  • that she was seen immediately after the wreck by more than one person and appeared to by physically OK
  • she nearly emptied her bank account
  • bought the alcohol
  • she locked the car door after the accident (We don't know if it means anything or not. It could have just been habit.)
  
  Did I forget anything?
  
  ETA: Btw, I'm not saying that just because we don't KNOW these unknown things that they aren't true. They very well may be. At least some of them probably do have at least a grain of truth to them. But I don't think we can take the leap to assume they are true, especially without some kind of proof.
  
  
  
  IMO, if she intended to get away temporarily to just think, study or whatever, then nothing leading up to her disappearance really matters. The only thing the events did was make her vulnerable to be taken or succumb to the elements. If she intended to disappear or commit suicide, then those events mean everything. :moo:
  
  Maura, where are you?

• 
  
  
  Here is a problem I have and no it's not with you at all.
  
  But to come out and say (like her family has done) that they have no earthly idea where maura was heading and then you have a girl that has driven into the white mountains with a book about the white mountains in her car ... and you can't (or don't want to) make the leap that maybe she was headed to the white mountains. ... very fishy to me. (again not you, more or less referring to people that knew maura).
  
  
  
  I have not read the book not without peril but I have read a ton of reviews by people that not only enjoyed the book but were also avid hikers themselves (or claimed to be).
  
  the book utimately is about unprepared hikers taking on the white mountains and not being able to survive.
  
  It is not a horror book that just wants readers to be shocked at the torture that some of these hikers endured. It is a book that kind of commends and (for lack of a better word) romantisizes the efforts and things that these hikers did to try and survive despite being unprepared (not wearing the proper clothes, underestimating the weather and wind etc)...
  
  
  the book is a lot about courage and how far someone can push as much as it is about death and the horror that comes from being in that situation.
  
  to the average person who never wants to set foot on a hiking trail in a mountain, it all may seem crazy and unimaginable, for someone that had experiecne and was gung ho about mountains and hiking, the white mountains may have been more of a once in a lifetime-challenge that you just had to undertake before you died.
  
  I do think the book has significance (and with her father being much like Maura in their love of the mountains) I am quite alarmed that he would be so quick to dismiss the book's significance.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

Concerning the alcohol bottles:

I guess We can turn to James Renner himself for the answer.


Here is an excerpt from an interview he did with Lt. Scarinza, a retired cop who did work on the maura murray case and was around for the inventory of what was found in maura's car.


Lt. Scarinza

The car Maura was driving at the time was registered to her father, Fred. Haverhill P.D. tried to contact him early on Tuesday, but only got the answering machine. In the meantime, the police obtained a search warrant to open the car and examine the contents. Inside they found a box of wine, a book about the dangers of the White Mountains (Not Without Peril), and a receipt from a liquor store.

"She had purchased Kahlua, wine, and a six pack of Seagrams. The box had splashed all over the car. The bottle of kahlua was not there."




I for one think the alcohol does matter. She chose to take alcohol with her and not her clothes and valuables when she left the scene.

Maura knew police were on their way, so I will make the assumption she didn't think her car would be there in the same spot the next day.

I think she locked her car up and left the contents inside to include the insurance forms (from her first accident) because she knew that the stuff would eventually be turned over to her family just like the stuff left in her dorm room.

1. This account states that only Kahlua, boxed wine, and Seagram's were purchased. That conflicts with other accounts that Maura had purchased all of the above PLUS Bailey's and vodka, suggesting that she was going to make mixed drinks. Kahlua + vodka + Bailey's = White Russian (I think milk is in this drink, too...but it makes sense that she would buy the milk at her final destination, not at the liquor store). Franzia + vodka was said to have been Maura's drink of choice, and in fact she was said to have been drinking the Franzia and vodka combo during the infamous dorm get together. It's not a stretch to imagine Maura adding the Seagram's to her Franzie & vodka to add a little something. As was suggested by a WS'er in the link below, this isn't consistent with Maura wanting to drink herself to death. She would've gotten something potent, like hard liquor, or if she really wanted some poetic justice against her father (theoretically), a bottle of Jack Daniels (a reference to Fred's statement about how he would drink himself to death on a mountain with a bottle of Jack). I think, if we are going to really examine the alcohol, that signs point to Maura wanting to "get away" rather than drink herself to death on a mountain. I doubt she lugged all those bottles with her and made mixed drinks til she died. Sure, the bottle of vodka may have been enough for her theoretical mountain suicide, but why would she bother buying all of those mixers? And based on the fact that we know she loved Franzia with vodka, it all seems to point towards Maura's anticipated drinking was to be recreational as opposed to a suicide tool.

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011/11/about-that-alcohol-in-car.html

2. Again though, she could've taken the alcohol with her for any number of reasons. Also, we have no way of knowing based on the evidence and accounts presented whether or not Maura could've packed a second bag and grabbed that, leaving the bag with less items behind - likely as part of the "staged" crash. Even if she set out that day intent on suicide, she DID pack and bring AT LEAST one bag of clothing and sundries with her, presumably because she was going to use them at some point. I don't see how the left behind bag is directly indicates in any way that Maura was suicidal. IMO, it points more towards foul play than suicide.

3. I don't think Maura locking the car is of any consequence. There are many explanations: to ensure that her family got the contents of the car, because she intended to come right back to the car, so police couldn't have easy access to the inside of the car, or out of sheer habit.

 

[clueless]

While I've not read the book, from what I read from the reviews I don't think we can assume that because Maura was interested in it that she was suicidal. That certainly doesn't mean it isn't significant, though. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. IMO, i think it's just as likely that the book is a warning to be prepared and don't take hiking in the wilderness lightly or you may become another victim.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

While we're talking about Maura and alcohol, let's get it out there that there are many known indicators that Maura could've been heading towards a serious alcohol problem: her mom was said to be an alcoholic, her dad seems to have some alcohol issues, and Maura was known to have been drinking a lot before her disappearance. She was probably drinking the night of the disappearance while driving her car, as indicated by the Diet Coke bottle with red liquid in it (boxed wine) that smelled strongly of alcohol that was found at the crash. You have to begin to speculate that Maura was most likely no stranger to drinking and driving, based on the evidence. If you're drinking booze WHILE DRIVING, you have a problem - especially if it's not even in the context of a bunch of young kids being dumb and carrying the party on in the car (which doesn't make it right). She was drinking alone and driving alone. Her desire to drink in and of itself is a reasonable explanation for why she bought so much alcohol. It didn't have to be because she wanted to die; it seems that Maura just liked to drink.

Having said all that, I wonder, if Maura IS still alive out there somewhere, perhaps she has not been sighted because not only is her case NOT very well known (even in the immediate area of where she lived and where she disappeared), but maybe she did indeed succumb to alcoholism and is now unrecognizable?

Maybe she has never surfaced because she isn't IN any type of "system", so her SSN would never show up active. People willingly leave and become homeless a LOT more often than you would ever imagine. Normal people just leave and become bums/nomads/live on the streets. It seems crazy, but it DOES happen. Maybe Maura decided that she was going to give in to the alcohol and live on the streets. I hate to say this, but perhaps she even turned to prostitution. I'm not trying to slander Maura in any way, but it would go a LONG ways to explain how she could possibly have "just disappeared" and started a new life without any traceable activity - and without bringing many belongings. I think at this point, with so little to go on, every theory has to be looked at. I don't think that the "Maura living a beautiful new life in Quebec" is the only possible scenario if Maura is in fact still with us.

 

[Karenlisam]

I found it interesting while reviewing James Rennes uploaded docs to find mention that the officer searching the abandoned car found in addition to the burst wine box , a coke bottle containing red liquid that smelt alcoholic

If this was a smaller come bottle then does this confirm
The drinking while driving school of thought

I'm becoming more convinced that Maura was drunk , crashed and then still ran quite a way from the crash scene before dying from exposure

 

[rosierider]

I am not totally convinced that Maura had an alcohol problem. Why do you think that? Because she went to a party the prior weekend? Because she went to a bar and a party? Lots of college kids do that. When my husband and I were young and invincible and heading on a camping trip or weekend getaway, we would often break open a beer the last 30 minutes of so of the drive....when we got close to our destination. Just because Maura had a drink fixed in a coke bottle, doesn't mean she was intoxicated. Stupid, but not necessarily drunk. To me it means she was close to her destination.

 

[Pisces_Sun]

I am not totally convinced that Maura had an alcohol problem. Why do you think that? Because she went to a party the prior weekend? Because she went to a bar and a party? Lots of college kids do that. When my husband and I were young and invincible and heading on a camping trip or weekend getaway, we would often break open a beer the last 30 minutes of so of the drive....when we got close to our destination. Just because Maura had a drink fixed in a coke bottle, doesn't mean she was intoxicated. Stupid, but not necessarily drunk. To me it means she was close to her destination.

Well, there is alcoholism in Maura's family (which would predispose her to it), and she was drinking a lot. Alcohol was involved in at least one of the two car accidents Maura had in a row and probably was involved in both. She went on a trip by herself and brought a ton of liquor. She drank alone. All of those point to a developing or existing alcohol problem.

I mean, Maura's mom was an alcoholic. Maura's aunt basically said this, that the mom had a drinking problem. The dad seems to drink. The story about Maura handing him a beer after they climbed a mountain, an act which he called "classic Maura"...Fred and Maura's mutual love of brew pubs, Fred's own proclamation that when he becomes useless he will drink himself to death on a mountain. It's pretty evident that this runs in the family - strongly. Everyone likes to drink now and then but it really seems to be a focus for this family.

This may seem mean but in some of the most recent photos of her she looked like she had aged beyond her years. It doesn't mean much, and it could be explained away by many things (bad photo, Maura just didn't look her best that day, tired from studying), but it is something to thing about. She's a beautiful girl, but she really does look worn down in a few of the photos I saw of her. Alcohol abuse is a possible explanation for that.

Trust me, I know kids in college party. Hell, I did. And I did some stupid things. But it seems that with Maura, it went beyond normal college partying.

 

[scoops]

About Maura's final destination:

It is a true statement that unless we know what maura was running from, we can't figure out 100 percent for certainty where she was going.

there is a lot of contrast from being involved in a hit and run and trying to destroy evidence or lay low for awhile or having personal problems and taking off somewhere.


And I am not trying to make light of this situation at all by over simplifying the following explanation

But if I had a a daughter and she went missing, her car was found on the exit ramp that leads to disneyland and inside her car was a map of disneyland, then I think I would have a pretty good clue on where my daughter was headed.

Yes, I would search in the immediate area where my daughter's car was found, for both her and for also clues.

But If she had done computer searches for the disneyland area, had a map of disneyland in her car and was on the exit ramp to disneyland, I don't think my reaction to the media when being interviewed about my missing daughter would be "I have no idea where she was going? Oh and the map of disneyland means nothing.


Just odd to me.

 

[scoops]

1. This account states that only Kahlua, boxed wine, and Seagram's were purchased. That conflicts with other accounts that Maura had purchased all of the above PLUS Bailey's and vodka, suggesting that she was going to make mixed drinks. Kahlua + vodka + Bailey's = White Russian (I think milk is in this drink, too...but it makes sense that she would buy the milk at her final destination, not at the liquor store). Franzia + vodka was said to have been Maura's drink of choice, and in fact she was said to have been drinking the Franzia and vodka combo during the infamous dorm get together. It's not a stretch to imagine Maura adding the Seagram's to her Franzie & vodka to add a little something. As was suggested by a WS'er in the link below, this isn't consistent with Maura wanting to drink herself to death. She would've gotten something potent, like hard liquor, or if she really wanted some poetic justice against her father (theoretically), a bottle of Jack Daniels (a reference to Fred's statement about how he would drink himself to death on a mountain with a bottle of Jack). I think, if we are going to really examine the alcohol, that signs point to Maura wanting to "get away" rather than drink herself to death on a mountain. I doubt she lugged all those bottles with her and made mixed drinks til she died. Sure, the bottle of vodka may have been enough for her theoretical mountain suicide, but why would she bother buying all of those mixers? And based on the fact that we know she loved Franzia with vodka, it all seems to point towards Maura's anticipated drinking was to be recreational as opposed to a suicide tool.

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011/11/about-that-alcohol-in-car.html

2. Again though, she could've taken the alcohol with her for any number of reasons. Also, we have no way of knowing based on the evidence and accounts presented whether or not Maura could've packed a second bag and grabbed that, leaving the bag with less items behind - likely as part of the "staged" crash. Even if she set out that day intent on suicide, she DID pack and bring AT LEAST one bag of clothing and sundries with her, presumably because she was going to use them at some point. I don't see how the left behind bag is directly indicates in any way that Maura was suicidal. IMO, it points more towards foul play than suicide.

3. I don't think Maura locking the car is of any consequence. There are many explanations: to ensure that her family got the contents of the car, because she intended to come right back to the car, so police couldn't have easy access to the inside of the car, or out of sheer habit.

For the record:

in a book entitled "Real Girls, Real-life stories True Crime (seventeen magazine compiled stories) Maura's family and friends state that maura wasn't at all a drinker. For what its worth.


The book also mentions a open can of skyy blue malt liquor found in the front seat that police saw when they first peered into her driver's side window.

Again for what its worth. Obviously the can of skyy blue malt liquor was not mentioned in the police report (yet before you can just laugh off the seventeen book) they were factually correct about the contents that were found in maura's bag in the back seat of her car (clothes, stuffed monkey, diamond necklace etc).

I don't know personally what to believe about the alcohol

The retired Lt, noted that a bottle of alcohol (at minimum) was missing.

I think he is 100 percent accurate with that and would remember that detail.

The fact he said that there was a six pack of seagrams, (Does he really remember that off memory as being on the receipt) or is he just taking a stab at what the alcohol was years later when interviewed by james


Point is, I believe there was alcohol removed from the car by maura (for whatever reason).


I believe the actual alcohol that police have in their custody from the maura murray case is not physical bottles of booze but rather the receipt that they discovered in her car. They likely do have the receipt on file.

I still contend that it is telling that maura left her clothes and valuables but (all appearances point to --- that she did remove the alcohol and abandoned her car before carrying on somewhere.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

Well, there is alcoholism in Maura's family (which would predispose her to it), and she was drinking a lot. Alcohol was involved in at least one of the two car accidents Maura had in a row and probably was involved in both. She went on a trip by herself and brought a ton of liquor. She drank alone. All of those point to a developing or existing alcohol problem.

I mean, Maura's mom was an alcoholic. Maura's aunt basically said this, that the mom had a drinking problem. The dad seems to drink. The story about Maura handing him a beer after they climbed a mountain, an act which he called "classic Maura"...Fred and Maura's mutual love of brew pubs, Fred's own proclamation that when he becomes useless he will drink himself to death on a mountain. It's pretty evident that this runs in the family - strongly. Everyone likes to drink now and then but it really seems to be a focus for this family.

This may seem mean but in some of the most recent photos of her she looked like she had aged beyond her years. It doesn't mean much, and it could be explained away by many things (bad photo, Maura just didn't look her best that day, tired from studying), but it is something to thing about. She's a beautiful girl, but she really does look worn down in a few of the photos I saw of her. Alcohol abuse is a possible explanation for that.

Trust me, I know kids in college party. Hell, I did. And I did some stupid things. But it seems that with Maura, it went beyond normal college partying.

I have always remembered the answer by Sharon (Billy's Mother) and I don't have a link, this was on the old Maura Murray forum that the family took down, when asked if /MM had an alcohol problem said (paraphrasing). "Oh, no, she liked her mudslides and liked a shot of bailey's in her coffee in the morning as an eyeopener."

Might just be me, but, I have always thought anyone who needed an eyeopener just might have a wee problem. MOO

 

[clueless]

About Maura's final destination:

It is a true statement that unless we know what maura was running from, we can't figure out 100 percent for certainty where she was going.

there is a lot of contrast from being involved in a hit and run and trying to destroy evidence or lay low for awhile or having personal problems and taking off somewhere.


And I am not trying to make light of this situation at all by over simplifying the following explanation

But if I had a a daughter and she went missing, her car was found on the exit ramp that leads to disneyland and inside her car was a map of disneyland, then I think I would have a pretty good clue on where my daughter was headed.

Yes, I would search in the immediate area where my daughter's car was found, for both her and for also clues.

But If she had done computer searches for the disneyland area, had a map of disneyland in her car and was on the exit ramp to disneyland, I don't think my reaction to the media when being interviewed about my missing daughter would be "I have no idea where she was going? Oh and the map of disneyland means nothing.


Just odd to me.

I agree...I guess I meant more specific of where she was going. Otherwise, she would have been found by now. :waitasec: Based on the evidence, we do know the general area where she was headed, but we don't know if she was going into the woods to commit suicide, to a hotel to think for a few days or using the trip as the beginning of running away to start a new life.

I'm not convinced she was suicidal. It's possible, but IMO she was going to get away for a few days to get her thoughts together and plan her next move. I do think she had a drinking problem, or the beginning of one, but that doesn't make her suicidal. :moo:

It's good to see this thread moving again! It got kinda quiet for a while. :seeya:

 

[Pisces_Sun]

I agree with Scoops about the places Maura searched for online, needing to be searched for her body. Hikers in those areas should be put on alert to keep an eye out for anything strange as well. I don't personally think Maura left with intentions to take her own life, but come on! It should be a no-brainer to at least LOOK in those known areas unless LE and the family know something drastic that would seriously refute the suicide theory. No stone should be left unturned at this point...

As for Maura's friends saying she wasn't a drinker - I have to discount that. She was only 21 when she disappeared, so maybe the drinking had spiraled out of control with her somewhat recently and her friends weren't aware. Maybe Maura hid it and drank in secret, which would indicate major issues with booze. Maybe her friends and family are covering up her problem, or don't see it as a big enough deal to disclose.

What I do know is that alcoholism is thought to be genetic, and at LEAST her parents had/have problems with it:

"My sister was an excellent mother...when the kids were little," says Janis, fighting back emotion. She doesn't like to speak ill of her sister but says as she got older, drinking became a problem. She never remarried. Neither did Fred. On May 4, 2009, Laurie died after a fight with cancer. It was Maura's birthday." - Maura's aunt Janis, her mom's sister

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html


If Maura was known to have an alcohol problem, that would change the course of what potential searching should be done. I think the theory I stated in an earlier post could make sense: that Maura is living off the grid as an alcoholic homeless person. Do I think it's the most likely scenario...no. But I do think it's possible. I do think it's worth looking into and putting feelers out to start a search.

Are there any current searches going on for Maura? Does her family just assume her to be dead? Are they even looking for a body? What's going on with the effort to FIND Maura right now? Does anyone know?

 

[scoops]

I agree with Scoops about the places Maura searched for online, needing to be searched for her body. Hikers in those areas should be put on alert to keep an eye out for anything strange as well. I don't personally think Maura left with intentions to take her own life, but come on! It should be a no-brainer to at least LOOK in those known areas unless LE and the family know something drastic that would seriously refute the suicide theory. No stone should be left unturned at this point...

As for Maura's friends saying she wasn't a drinker - I have to discount that. She was only 21 when she disappeared, so maybe the drinking had spiraled out of control with her somewhat recently and her friends weren't aware. Maybe Maura hid it and drank in secret, which would indicate major issues with booze. Maybe her friends and family are covering up her problem, or don't see it as a big enough deal to disclose.

What I do know is that alcoholism is thought to be genetic, and at LEAST her parents had/have problems with it:

"My sister was an excellent mother...when the kids were little," says Janis, fighting back emotion. She doesn't like to speak ill of her sister but says as she got older, drinking became a problem. She never remarried. Neither did Fred. On May 4, 2009, Laurie died after a fight with cancer. It was Maura's birthday." - Maura's aunt Janis, her mom's sister

http://mauramurray.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html


If Maura was known to have an alcohol problem, that would change the course of what potential searching should be done. I think the theory I stated in an earlier post could make sense: that Maura is living off the grid as an alcoholic homeless person. Do I think it's the most likely scenario...no. But I do think it's possible. I do think it's worth looking into and putting feelers out to start a search.

Are there any current searches going on for Maura? Does her family just assume her to be dead? Are they even looking for a body? What's going on with the effort to FIND Maura right now? Does anyone know?

About her family and friends saying maura wasn't a drinker:

I posted it from what was said in the book, but that doesn't mean I fully believe her family and friends.

They may just be wanting to maintain a certain positive image about maura (which is understandable) yet also would not be helpful in finding maura if false information is purposefully being fed to the media.


I don't know where I stand on maura being a possible alcoholic.

I don't think there has been enough evidence to support such claim or support the claim that she had some sort of eating disorder.


She was clearly disturbed by all accounts in her final few days before she went missing. I think it can be assumed that her decision-making in those frantic days may have been not the best.

I do think maura had a ton of positive qualities (driven, athletic, smart, maybe even a little stubborn) but those good qualities about her could've actually ended up being her own undoing, because the good qualities gave her the tools and courage that allowed her to follow through with whatever ultimate decision she made.

 

[McSpy]

Here is a problem I have and no it's not with you at all.

But to come out and say (like her family has done) that they have no earthly idea where maura was heading and then you have a girl that has driven into the white mountains with a book about the white mountains in her car ... and you can't (or don't want to) make the leap that maybe she was headed to the white mountains. ... very fishy to me. (again not you, more or less referring to people that knew maura).



I have not read the book not without peril but I have read a ton of reviews by people that not only enjoyed the book but were also avid hikers themselves (or claimed to be).

the book utimately is about unprepared hikers taking on the white mountains and not being able to survive.

It is not a horror book that just wants readers to be shocked at the torture that some of these hikers endured. It is a book that kind of commends and (for lack of a better word) romantisizes the efforts and things that these hikers did to try and survive despite being unprepared (not wearing the proper clothes, underestimating the weather and wind etc)...


the book is a lot about courage and how far someone can push as much as it is about death and the horror that comes from being in that situation.

to the average person who never wants to set foot on a hiking trail in a mountain, it all may seem crazy and unimaginable, for someone that had experiecne and was gung ho about mountains and hiking, the white mountains may have been more of a once in a lifetime-challenge that you just had to undertake before you died.

I do think the book has significance (and with her father being much like Maura in their love of the mountains) I am quite alarmed that he would be so quick to dismiss the book's significance.

It has pretty much been established that Maura loved the White Mountains, but I don't think the book means she wanted to commit suicide. I could be wrong, but this is how I see it:

I'm an avid sailor. When I first got into big boats, I read quite a few books on true stories about sailors sailing around the world. Some of the stories were tragic. Most had successful endings, but all the stories had close calls (storms, hit by whales, broken or lost vital equipment, etc.). I learned from reading their stories. I wanted to learn from their experiences and/or mistakes. Dealing with nature can be challenging, but also invigorating. So I'm thinking this may be why Maura enjoyed reading about the perils of mountain climbing. To me, it suggests she was possibly thinking of chilling out somewhere with a good book on a subject she enjoyed. Why bring the book in the first place, if she was going to end her life? You could be right, but I also think there is a lot of room to think she wasn't planning to commit suicide. JMO

 

[McSpy]

Well, there is alcoholism in Maura's family (which would predispose her to it), and she was drinking a lot. Alcohol was involved in at least one of the two car accidents Maura had in a row and probably was involved in both. She went on a trip by herself and brought a ton of liquor. She drank alone. All of those point to a developing or existing alcohol problem.

I mean, Maura's mom was an alcoholic. Maura's aunt basically said this, that the mom had a drinking problem. The dad seems to drink. The story about Maura handing him a beer after they climbed a mountain, an act which he called "classic Maura"...Fred and Maura's mutual love of brew pubs, Fred's own proclamation that when he becomes useless he will drink himself to death on a mountain. It's pretty evident that this runs in the family - strongly. Everyone likes to drink now and then but it really seems to be a focus for this family.

This may seem mean but in some of the most recent photos of her she looked like she had aged beyond her years. It doesn't mean much, and it could be explained away by many things (bad photo, Maura just didn't look her best that day, tired from studying), but it is something to thing about. She's a beautiful girl, but she really does look worn down in a few of the photos I saw of her. Alcohol abuse is a possible explanation for that.

Trust me, I know kids in college party. Hell, I did. And I did some stupid things. But it seems that with Maura, it went beyond normal college partying.

I agree with you on this. I think Maura had a possible budding problem. She was probably using alcohol to cope. It seems she wasn't just a social drinker. Adding alcohol to her morning coffee is not a good sign. JMO