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

[future criminologist]

I also just recently read about the FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative. It makes me wonder how far off a major highway route 112 is, and if Maura's case could somehow be connected.

Also wondering if Maura has been featured on any Cold Case Deck of cards that I've heard have been distributed in prison systems to prod and pull at the weeds a little and see what happens.

 

[chinacat67]

I both agree and disagree with you FC (as an attorney [yes, verified on WS] for the last 20 years--I am very good at doing both at the same time!)

Hindsight is always 20/20 to begin with. But, that being said, it is much much much more usual that the staties or the local LE run into drunk kids who didn't make the curve--which you must agree, is what MM's case initially looked like---than anything else up here. I know this because I have a 19 year old and a 16 year old and I HATE the idea of them driving around our back roads at night, every night. You can't get there from here--as the saying goes.

I do agree with you on LE digging in their heels later---to either cover for their own or because they can't admit they called it wrong in the first place. But you must also understand that we have VERY limited resources---no income taxes, no sales tax, live free or die attitude means (a) we have no excess funds and barely any operating funds and (b) we let people take care of their own business to the extent we can. It is a very closed culture--even more so away from the only real "civilization" we have (Manchvegas, Concord and the Seacoast, IMHO).

I have worked in state government and seen the true cost of a very low tax base---no resources. Should they have done more? Absolutely. Do I think they did an average at best job in the beginning and nothing later? Absolutely. But do I think they were either negligent or intentional in their work? No---just SOP at the time and too late later on. And absolutely too proud to change mid-stream. That is what I fault them for.

Additionally, what my legal training and two decades of experience with clients have taught me is never to believe one side 100%. I have, as much as possible, and even to the extent of pursuing Right-to-Know requests with the state, gone back to original sources on Maura's case because it is the strangest thing I have ever heard of. But, to me, everything but the original documents and original reports are tainted with hopes, CYA, and other human frailties and, as such, suspect.

In fact, I am still waiting on some documents, after which time, I hope to pursue my pet theory further. Patience is not a strong suit of mine, but a required one, I find, in dealing with LE and mysteries.

I wish you the best with your future studies and hope you keep the passion, idealism and fire!!

All, MOO!

Finally, I think that Krista Dittmeyer's case shows you that, in fact, Holly Bobo would NOT in fact have been blown off by LE or treated as you, in frustration, noted. I know frustration...but....

 

[OldSteve]

sniped:

Here's my rant: this case, and Molly Bish's, are the reason my handle is "future criminologist" .....

If you really want frustration, dig into the Joan Webster case:
http://joanwebstermurder.yolasite.com/

 

[OldSteve]

sniped:

I both agree and disagree with you FC (as an attorney [yes, verified on WS] for the last 20 years--I am very good at doing both at the same time!)
...................
.

I think a big complaint of FM was that LE did not simply take the time to drive east and look for MM, and when he asked about that, he got no answer...

 

[lieber32]

I got to thinking about futurecriminalogist (sorry if mispelled) comments and working in LE (talked to Tricia on Tuesday from work for verification purposes but didn't check up on it as the rest of my week has been very emotionally draining, you try telling a family member of a deseased love one that you can't give them more then a public release because its still an open-pending case. Had a lot more victims and family of victims this week then I or my co-workers have had for a long time. By the way for a living I sell police reports to the general public and conduct background checks. I have to read these police reports because most of the time I have things I have to redact (birthdates, social security numbers, juvenile names, sex victims name and address, wanted suspects info etc.). It is odd they didn't travel both directions, she was not from the area how would they have known that she knew another town was much farther down the road going the direction they didn't look. Also the lost evidence, never encountered a police report which stated evidence had been lost especially if it was something that was potentially a weapon. I don't think its odd that Fred Murray is not getting info especially if this is an open case, I heard when in doubt don't give it out and the law is the law is the law so many times this week if I heard it one more time I would scream. Also due to my work I know that there should have been an incident report. We know of the accident report but I have never seen any mention of an incident report. There should be both an accident and incident side. Leaving the scene of an accident is enough grounds for their being both an accident and incident side. I know that since this is an open case much would be left out of the incident side but even a public release which everyone is entitled to would give us a clue as to what type of case this was. I'm tired but will try and give an example, first page, date, time, street, below it Robbery 1st Degree, Armed Criminal Action, Victim Known, Suspect Wanted (you can change up quite a bit, known, unknown, wanted, crime everything from Homicide, Rape, Identity Theft, Non-Criminal Action etc). It would give us more to work with. Sorry if this does not make sense feel free to ask questions.

 

[RTC]

Wondering why no info on who called Maura and 1 am? Is this call not able to be traced for some reason? If she was seeing someone on the side, wouldnt one of her friends know? Was her car looked at to see if it could have been involved in the accident of the young man found in the middle of the road?

Sounds like Maura had a drinking and driving problem. I would reinterview the friend she went out with the Sat eve she crashed her Dads car. Most likely she has more info that she might even think relevant.

So frustrating for all who love her

 

[Princess of Oz]

Thinking of Maura tonight, while listening to the song her friend wrote and sang for her after she went missing. We're here, Sweetheart. We will help you get home, some how - some way.

 

[McSpy]

Also the lost evidence, never encountered a police report which stated evidence had been lost especially if it was something that was potentially a weapon.

I didn't realize there was lost evidence. What was the lost evidence?

 

[McSpy]

Wondering why no info on who called Maura and 1 am? Is this call not able to be traced for some reason? If she was seeing someone on the side, wouldnt one of her friends know? Was her car looked at to see if it could have been involved in the accident of the young man found in the middle of the road?

Sounds like Maura had a drinking and driving problem. I would reinterview the friend she went out with the Sat eve she crashed her Dads car. Most likely she has more info that she might even think relevant.

So frustrating for all who love her

Was the 1 am call the one that pinged off the Londonderry tower?

 

[McSpy]

sniped:


I think a big complaint of FM was that LE did not simply take the time to drive east and look for MM, and when he asked about that, he got no answer...

IMO, the state trooper should have done it, while the local cops handled the accident scene. I wonder why LE didn't answer FM?

 

[McSpy]

I both agree and disagree with you FC (as an attorney [yes, verified on WS] for the last 20 years--I am very good at doing both at the same time!)

Hindsight is always 20/20 to begin with. But, that being said, it is much much much more usual that the staties or the local LE run into drunk kids who didn't make the curve--which you must agree, is what MM's case initially looked like---than anything else up here. I know this because I have a 19 year old and a 16 year old and I HATE the idea of them driving around our back roads at night, every night. You can't get there from here--as the saying goes.

I do agree with you on LE digging in their heels later---to either cover for their own or because they can't admit they called it wrong in the first place. But you must also understand that we have VERY limited resources---no income taxes,
no sales tax, live free or die attitude means (a) we have no excess funds and barely any operating funds and (b) we let people take care of their own business to the extent we can. It is a very closed culture--even more so away from the only real "civilization" we have (Manchvegas, Concord and the Seacoast, IMHO).

I have worked in state government and seen the true cost of a very low tax base---no resources. Should they have done more? Absolutely. Do I think they did an average at best job in the beginning and nothing later? Absolutely.
But do I think they were either negligent or intentional in their work? No---just SOP at the time and too late later on. And absolutely too proud to change mid-stream. That is what I fault them for.

Additionally, what my legal training and two decades of experience with clients have taught me is never to believe one side 100%. I have, as much as possible, and even to the extent of pursuing Right-to-Know requests with the state, gone back to original sources on Maura's case because it is the
strangest thing I have ever heard of. But, to me, everything but the original documents and original reports are tainted with hopes, CYA, and other human frailties and, as such, suspect.

In fact, I am still waiting on some documents, after which time, I hope to pursue my pet theory further. Patience is not a strong suit of mine, but a required one, I find, in dealing with LE and mysteries.

I wish you the best with your future studies and hope you keep the passion, idealism and fire!!

All, MOO!

Finally, I think that Krista Dittmeyer's case shows you that, in fact, Holly Bobo would NOT in fact have been blown off by LE or treated as you, in frustration, noted. I know frustration...but....

Please, come back to this thread and share your pet theories. I've been going in circles with this disappearance and welcome fresh insight.

 

[OldSteve]

IMO, the state trooper should have done it, while the local cops handled the accident scene. I wonder why LE didn't answer FM?

Good question! Curious if you've read the latest article?
http://issuu.com/soco/docs/april11?m...&pageNumber=76

Of interest - good to see there's a PI working on the case.

Interesting to read comments from a local resident whom I've not heard of before.
The PI is most interested in the rag in the tailpipe. Also, because the gas tank was full, MM must have gotten gas locally, and could someone have deliberately used the rag so that her car would become disabled?
The PI also tunes into the inconsistencies of the where the car was found versus the accident report... that it hit a tree, etc..

 

[OldSteve]

Thinking of Maura tonight, while listening to the song her friend wrote and sang for her after she went missing. We're here, Sweetheart. We will help you get home, some how - some way.

I always found this clip below most haunting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJGNR3sWD7k

Can't help but think while watching it, "What are you thinking, where are going Maura.."

ETA: A bit more technical - notice the road conditions, they appear to be like the time when MM went missing. Picture that at night - as a former jogger, I just cannot imagine her jogging away from that scene, especially eastbound toward the forest.

 

[Salem]

Please do no cuss in your posts and please do not carry off topic conversations on in the threads.

Thanks,

Salem
Mod Squad

 

[scoops]

First time poster here:

I have always been fascinated with this case and like others, I have always been trying to wrap my head around certain events that took place.

I believe others have stated that the key to knowing what happend to Maura is to know what was going on in the days before she disappeared.

One very puzzling incident to me involves the party she went too that Saturday night in or around her dorm.

Her father, who was staying at an out of town hotel at least 10 miles away, let her use his (Brand new) car that night, so I am assuming he knew she might be drinking so he told her not to bother bringing it back to him until the next day.

But late in the night (I think around 2 or so) Maura insists on leaving the party and driving to her dad's hotel, even though her friends were trying to talk her out of doing so.

Why would someone do that, when you know your father is not expecting the car and is probably asleep anyway. Why risk drving farther than needed.

My theory on that is that she had something she had been carrying with her that was upsetting her. She got a little liquid courage in her on Saturday night and decided she wanted to break what ever it was to her father, and then she had an accident on the way over, which further complicated her problems and forced her to have to hold back talking to her father.

What do y'all think???????

 

[McSpy]

First time poster here:

I have always been fascinated with this case and like others, I have always been trying to wrap my head around certain events that took place.

I believe others have stated that the key to knowing what happend to Maura is to know what was going on in the days before she disappeared.

One very puzzling incident to me involves the party she went too that Saturday night in or around her dorm.

Her father, who was staying at an out of town hotel at least 10 miles away, let her use his (Brand new) car that night, so I am assuming he knew she might be drinking so he told her not to bother bringing it back to him until the next day.

But late in the night (I think around 2 or so) Maura insists on leaving the party and driving to her dad's hotel, even though her friends were trying to talk her out of doing so.

Why would someone do that, when you know your father is not expecting the car and is probably asleep anyway. Why risk drving farther than needed.

My theory on that is that she had something she had been carrying with her that was upsetting her. She got a little liquid courage in her on Saturday night and decided she wanted to break what ever it was to her father, and then she
had an accident on the way over, which further complicated her problems and forced her to have to hold back talking to her father.

What do y'all think???????

​

Very interesting theory and quite probable. Food for thought! I had always thought that there was the possibility she didn't want to add getting the car to her dad in the morning to her list of things to do for that day. In other words, she wanted to get the task done and out of the way. Yet, your theory is quite probable. Something could have been on her mind, which may even tie in with the time she broke down crying while at her work study job. No one knows the reason why she was upset that evening.

I'm not sure I agree that what happened days before her accident had much to do with why she disappeared in NH. I think the events of the previous days were the reason she ran to NH, but I think her disappearance was an accident or a crime. In my opinion, if she didn't get into that car accident in NH, she would have probably spent a few days in NH then went back to Amherst.

 

[scoops]

that is the million dollar question. What happened at her work that made her spontaneously breakdown and start crying.

I think a common belief is that she got a second phone call from some mystery person, but I actually don't believe there was a second phone call that night on her job, just based on doing some research and going back and hearing from people that were there the night she broke down at work.

I believe that she just broke down and starting crying and it freaked out the three or four people in the same building at the time and they immediately went and got her supervisor to come check on her.

I think the asumption that there was a second phone call is only because, people can't imagine someone to be acting normal one second than breaking down the next without some sort of trigger like bad news from a phone call.

 

[scoops]

I also found on the internet a first-hand account from the very supervisor that went to check on Maura as she was broken down. I guess the supervisor really was freaked out by how distraught Maura was. Even after calming her down some, and trying to get Maura to open up about what was bothering her, the supervisor walked maura back to her dorm but did not want to leave her alone in her current state. It took maura telling a fib about having a rommate that was home to get the supervisor to leave, thinking Maura would be in safe and good hands. Turns out, Maura didnt have a roommate. The supervisor waited until maura entered her dorm and then she left.

 

[ThePhantom]

If dogs didn't track her into the woods, it seems she got into a car, perhaps. There aren't many houses around there, and it was a late at night -- what are the odds a marauding wierdo just happened to pull up in the short amount of time from when the police were called. It seems more logical to me that one of the last people to communicate with her when she was alive would know the most about what happened to her.

 

[OldSteve]

I also found on the internet a first-hand account from the very supervisor that went to check on Maura as she was broken down. I guess the supervisor really was freaked out by how distraught Maura was. Even after calming her down some, and trying to get Maura to open up about what was bothering her, the supervisor walked maura back to her dorm but did not want to leave her alone in her current state. It took maura telling a fib about having a rommate that was home to get the supervisor to leave, thinking Maura would be in safe and good hands. Turns out, Maura didnt have a roommate. The supervisor waited until maura entered her dorm and then she left.

Do you have a link to the first-hand account?