NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - #12

[Pettibon Junction]

I really wish before they continue on this path that they would take the time to respect the fact that a real, actual human being is at the heart of all this.

That's always been my problem with Renner: he calls himself a journalist but seems incapable of treating the subject of Maura Murray as anything other than a script treatment for a David Fincher film. Over the course of the investigation, he's gone from Dragon Tattoo to Gone Girl to god knows where next - The Social Network, maybe? It's been difficult to take him seriously for a while now and these podcast guys, while seemingly sincere, are stuck spinning their wheels in Renner's mud. It's truly unfortunate .

 

[Fireweed]

That's always been my problem with Renner: he calls himself a journalist but seems incapable of treating the subject of Maura Murray as anything other than a script treatment for a David Fincher film. Over the course of the investigation, he's gone from Dragon Tattoo to Gone Girl to god knows where next - The Social Network, maybe? It's been difficult to take him seriously for a while now and these podcast guys, while seemingly sincere, are stuck spinning their wheels in Renner's mud. It's truly unfortunate .

He has become very unprofessional and it is sleazing up the online sleuthing of this case. The fact that he now has two sycophants on a podcast supporting his every move has led to nothing more that last Friday's nonsense. These three are little gods in their own world and it is clear to me that they have convinced themselves that they are destined to succeed where professional law enforcement has failed. They're just that good. :facepalm:

 

[wfgodot]

The book's not even published and yet, after this latest contretemps, it might be said to employ literally that literary device, the unreliable narrator.

One also can see the point of certain case principals who avoid giving information to those in whom might be seen a sort of dilettanteish, entitled smuggery antithetical to the task at hand.

 

[Pettibon Junction]

He has become very unprofessional and it is sleazing up the online sleuthing of this case. The fact that he now has two sycophants on a podcast supporting his every move has led to nothing more that last Friday's nonsense. These three are little gods in their own world and it is clear to me that they have convinced themselves that they are destined to succeed where professional law enforcement has failed. They're just that good. :facepalm:

The podcast has done one thing very right: it's introduced more people to Clint Harting, whose sober, reasoned voice has been a total breath of fresh air. A guy like him could well succeed in getting folks like Fred and Kate to go on record.

 

[sh61288]

What we know about the concealed info:

Lance from the podcast and Clint Harting were both told by James what it is

According to James, it "fits in" with the clutch of old Patriot-Ledger news articles that were posted on the blog in the last week or so

It concerns an incident in 2011

It concerns a "suspect" currently (newly) under investigation by the NHPD

This "suspect" was "close to Maura at the time her her disappearance"

It concerns a "piece" and/or "story" that may have come out in a newspaper in 2011

 

[sh61288]

(cot'd...)

It explains why Maura was in the White Mountains

It may explain what happened to Maura

It suggests to JR that Maura is more than likely dead

...I'm thinking it is about a sketchy acquaintance of Maura's at that time--maybe her new boyfriend--who finally got into trouble for something else in 2011.

 

[missy_g]

Ok, I don't know if my comments are getting deleted or if I'm just not seeing them or if the website is glitching but anyway...

I hate how he's leading everyone on with these "clues". Just tell us already or DONT tell us.

I'm kind of thinking this is a huge scheme and he's going to say, if you want to know, buy my book!!

 

[Fireweed]

What we know about the concealed info:

Lance from the podcast and Clint Harting were both told by James what it is

According to James, it "fits in" with the clutch of old Patriot-Ledger news articles that were posted on the blog in the last week or so

It concerns an incident in 2011

It concerns a "suspect" currently (newly) under investigation by the NHPD

This "suspect" was "close to Maura at the time her her disappearance"

It concerns a "piece" and/or "story" that may have come out in a newspaper in 2011

Well...that narrows it all down.

 

[Tarik]

With all due respect to James Renner (nice person, spoke to him once), what he says or how he feels about the case is irrelevant at this point hence why I probably won't be buying the book as I don't feel it will help in any concrete way. What's relevant is finding out what happened to Maura and bringing peace to the Murray family once and for all.

 

[Lolacat]

Looking at the interview/newspaper quotes is interesting:

""I think it was stress. I dont know what her and her boyfriend were going through. I think that might of triggered it"-
Kathleen

M and B were fighting obviously, the relationship was not going well.

"She was a very secretive person"- Katie Jones, childhood friend.
M clearly hid a lot from people and did things that surprised her close friends. Was she getting into things she didn't want her friends to know about? why?- shame? embarrassment?

"She had every intention of calling me"- Fred Murray
Why didn't she call Fred? did she intend to call Fred but something happened that prevented that or was she running away FROM Fred

There was no evidence of a struggle- according to John Scarinza
So, she went willingly with someone? tandem driver?

I want to talk to the last one to see her- Lauri Murray
Can we assume that the last one to see her was responsible for her disappearance? Might not necessarily be murder, but maybe she was running away from them too? why?

She held two jobs so she could fly to Oklahoma where Rausch is stationed at Fort Sill....then a new Murray came out, someone who could be somewhat flirtatious when she drank"- Kate Markopoulos
Could someone else from Fort Sill or UMASS be involved? someone who ISNT Billy?

 

[Caffeine]

I don't think there's ever been any inclination of a struggle at the scene, perhaps it's been discussed but I don't find it likely.

In my mind, she definitely got into a car. Whether it was a friend or stranger, I don't know but I believe she left quickly and by car would the fastest way.

As for Ft. Sill, Renner was requesting info from people stationed there in a blog post. I'm guessing the new info relates to that somehow, maybe in regards to Billy or perhaps a friend of him, who knows...

 

[Ricochet]

I think James started out with good intentions, but the blog was ill timed. Too much time between the creation of the blog and the release of the book. When the blog was first published the information was good, and i have no doubt James spent several hundred dollars on the various court papers he has in the document section on the blog. I think as the years have passed much of information has floundered or not been all the relevant along with several ventures being a complete bust.

- the Canada venture turned out to be a bust. I also believe there was supposed to be a big revelation with this that never materialized.

- I believe another instance the police contacted him to confirm whoever he thought might be Maura Murray wasn't nor did they have any involvement which then forced him post something advising people the person in question wasn't her or related to the case and not to contact her.

- The campaign to raise money for newspaper ads / billboards was dismal at best only producing a full page advert. No billboards like he wanted, and nothing significant was produced with the newspaper ads.

- I think taking an antagonistic approach with the Murray's, Sara Alfieri and Kate Markopolus was a mistake. I'm not sure why anyone would want to speak to him when he's taking that approach and with the way the blog is developing in my opinion they all made good decisions not to speak to him.

The recent claims that he wants to show how a book is developed in my opinion is a positive spin on blog posts that failed to materialize. Any claim now or in the past that seemed to stir the pot for a few days, gain interest was then either retracted or abandoned and in either case the post that stirred the pot was then often deleted. In a sense deleting the mistake. The latest situation is a perfect example of that.

He also seemed to box himself into a corner of firmly believing and limiting his investigation to the scenario of Maura was off alive living a new life somewhere. When this couldn't be proved the theme of the book changed from being about the disappearance of Maura to his being a true life crime addict. I'm not sure how the book could now be published in good faith when his viewpoint has gone from she's alive living a new life to now being 90% certain she's deceased.

I've never really believed the book would change people's opinions or theories, and whatever they believed before reading the book would most likely be their same belief afterwards. I was still interested in reading it for possible new information and out of curiosity, however after all the blunders its lost its appeal.

I suppose though people will have to buy the book to find out these revelations which will most likely be ok to publish by then, and maybe that was the whole point.

I still think James had good intentions, but failed in execution which has affected the credibility of the book as well as him.

 

[bessie]

If you can't talk about it, then don't.

Thank you.

 

[xjd]

annnnd now there is this update on Renner's blog that he is taking time off from the Maura blog to support his novel which is released Nov 10. And a reminder to pre-order his True Crime Addict book which comes out May 2016. and with the exception of a big break in the case he won't return until spring 2016. coincidence? i wonder if he really took a big gamble that neatly dropping the Maura bombshell would help create coverage and visibility with the release of novel with hawking the True Crime book. except of course the bombshell turned out to be a dud.

the dude's credibility is sinking fast.

 

[nycpizzaparty]

James Renner's blog is sloppy. There may have been good bits posted on there over the years, but currently it really isn't adding anything useful to the conversation. If anything, it's detracting. I think the whole sociopath bent was a good signal that he had taken a swift turn to sensationalism, which is where he currently resides, although he has removed his "Moratorium" post and re-jiggered the trajectory of his blog very recently. I think I am over the James Renner show but welcome new developments and facts if and when they emerge in this case and are reported rationally, hopefully through a different source without a bridge to sell.

annnnd now there is this update on Renner's blog that he is taking time off from the Maura blog to support his novel which is released Nov 10. And a reminder to pre-order his True Crime Addict book which comes out May 2016. and with the exception of a big break in the case he won't return until spring 2016. coincidence? i wonder if he really took a big gamble that neatly dropping the Maura bombshell would help create coverage and visibility with the release of novel with hawking the True Crime book. except of course the bombshell turned out to be a dud.

the dude's credibility is sinking fast.

 

[Fireweed]

At this point, a book which I was looking forward to for years, no longer interests me. Since I have now seen what immature and insecure person Renner is, my expectations of the book have dropped to zero.

 

[Ricochet]

I agree with the last couple of statements. My interest in his book has slowly diminished over the years and this latest debacle was the nail in the coffin.

Not surprised he deleted his post about the moratorium or the posts before that. I somehow suspect the book will be more about himself and everything he TRIED to do to solve the case rather than the disappearance of Maura Murray.

 

[Fireweed]

I agree with the last couple of statements. My interest in his book has slowly diminished over the years and this latest debacle was the nail in the coffin.

Not surprised he deleted his post about the moratorium or the posts before that. I somehow suspect the book will be more about himself and everything he TRIED to do to solve the case rather than the disappearance of Maura Murray.

The saddest thing about all this is that a truly great writer could have written a book about Maura and tied it in with other strange happenings in New Hampshire and that general area over the years. There is such a great story to be told here, and Renner, who is clearly not the great talent he thinks he is, has chosen to write a book about himself.

I would love to read a book about the Connecticut River Valley killer, Brianna Maitland, Nathaniel Kibby case (AH), Maura Murray. It could be a very eerie, noir look at rugged place full of unsolved and mysterious murders and disappearances. There is such an amazing true crime book that could be written. It is really too bad someone like Renner, who calls his blog readers and potential book buyers "trolls" and who has meltdowns on redd it whenever someone dares to challenge him, has been the person to take this on. I wonder what a mature, secure, and professional writer could have crafted.

 

[Max17]

Nothing to do with Maura but as a reference to the "she ran in to the woods" theory. This happened ~25 miles west of Maura's disappearance in fall of 2004. Jackman was just found after 11 years.



Hunter finds human remains police believe belong to fugitive (Oct 16, 2015)
http://www.wcvb.com/news/hunter-finds-human-remains-police-believe-belong-to-fugitive/35874774

Vermont State Police said the hunter was tracking with his dogs off Beard Road in Orange on Oct. 2 and made the discovery.
Jackman, 21, went missing in the fall of 2004 and was wanted on a state warrant for sex offenses.
Police found Jackman’s vehicle abandoned on Beard Road and believe he was suicidal and evading capture. Jackman was never found...

 

[TessDeco]

Nothing to do with Maura but as a reference to the "she ran in to the woods" theory. This happened just ~25 miles west of Maura's disappearance in fall of 2004. Jackman was just found after 11 years.


Hunter finds human remains police believe belong to fugitive (Oct 16, 2015)
http://www.wcvb.com/news/hunter-finds-human-remains-police-believe-belong-to-fugitive/35874774

Or this:

Remains of hiker in puzzling case found in Maine

"The search for her was one of the biggest in Maine history and included State Police, Maine wardens, the US Customs and Border Patrol, and the Civilian Air Patrol."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...bIJ/story.html?p1=Article_Related_Box_Article

“Some of our teams were within 100 yards of her. They were that close,” said Adam. He said that the density of the foliage hampered search efforts, as did the ruggedness of the terrain."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...story.html?p1=Article_Recommended_ArticleText


During their press conference today, LE/SARS showed a map of their search grid and they were so close to where Gerry was eventually found and even with search dogs, they didn't find her. I'm only sharing this because I've read a lot of posts stating how Maura can't possibly still be in the area where her car was found because it's been thoroughly searched. I think it's really important to avoid dismissing any possibilities just because some have made up their minds and posted their own conclusions. I just hope that one day soon, if Maura is out there, it will be her turn to be found too and returned to her family.