NH NH - Maura Murray, 21, Haverhill, 9 Feb 2004 - # 3

[Peabody]

I am wondering if anyone has ever considered that maybe Maura made it to her destination, and that is when foul play occurred. I mean the only remarkable about that accident that night she disappeared is the accident. But there was the call to her fiance's cell phone the next day. Perhaps what LE did in the case didn't make a difference. There is no evidence of foul play where she had the accident. SBD said she refused help, CW claims he saw her running on the road, then there was a phone call to the fiance the next day. Perhaps more time should be spent on where Maura was going, instead of blaming LE for not doing their job. I mean even the family thinks the phone call to the fiance was from Maura, which would seem to mean that she did in fact walk away from the accident. Has anyone ever tried to figure out if Maura made any reservations or anything, she did try to call someone about a place to stay. So, I would think it likely that she inquired other places. Perhaps someone should try to figure out where Maura was going. It seems to me she was only side tracked by the accident.

One other question for anyone who knows, did they find Maura's cell phone in her car, or did she take that with her?

The cell phone was missing, therefore it is assumed that she took it with her.

However, both the auto charger which was connected to the lighter and the electric charger which was packed in her bag were left behind.

This is ONE of the reasons that the family believes she was not planning on leaving and not returning to her car. Their reasoning (and I agree) is why would she take the cell phone and not take the auto charger?

 

[nnglas]

The cell phone was missing, therefore it is assumed that she took it with her.

However, both the auto charger which was connected to the lighter and the electric charger which was packed in her bag were left behind.

This is ONE of the reasons that the family believes she was not planning on leaving and not returning to her car. Their reasoning (and I agree) is why would she take the cell phone and not take the auto charger?

Okay, so why make the phone call the next day to the boyfriend from a pay phone or with a calling card? Is it possible that was done so it couldn't be traced? I mean, ok, you are Maura, you call your fiance, you get voicemail, or whatever, but you don't talk to him. Why not just call your mother, or sister, or father, or future mother in law? Ok, I know the theory is that maybe she couldn't call back, but why not just press 9 or whatever and dial another number? Surely if someone had kidnapped her, they wouldn't trust her alone enough to get to a payphone. Why not call 911, it is much easier to call then all the numbers you have to dial for a calling card call. Or run, we can be pretty sure she could have probably outran any regular person.

So what I am saying is, if Maura made that phone call she had to have runaway voluntarily, or after she made it to her destination then something happened to her. But if that is the case, then everybody, including LE and family have been looking in the wrong direction.

 

[docwho3]

. . .However, both the auto charger which was connected to the lighter and the electric charger which was packed in her bag were left behind.

This is ONE of the reasons that the family believes she was not planning on leaving and not returning to her car. . .

The phone was provided by her boyfriend and the bill went to them, and not her, which would allow them to know everyone & everywhere she called. That meant she would have no privacy. If she was running away the cell phone (possibly with its GPS chip:re post on murray website forum) would soon be worse than useless, it would be a liability. Maybe she knew she would never need to recharge it and so it was not worth the time needed to take the charger from the car. Also with the wreck and her imminent departure on her mind she might just have forgotten the charger at time of the wreck but with the phone being a liability she may have just tossed it later.

It is possible that she might have later bought a universal charger (radioshack carries them) but that would mean the GPS chip would make her traceable and so I doubt she did that.

 

[Peabody]

or perhaps the battery went dead?

or if the mystery prepaid calling card was her as the Rausches insist, then perhaps she could get no signal and it was necessary for her to use the calling card - then for some unknown reason, she was unable to call the boyfriend back when she could not reach him -\

perhaps at best she was in the final stages of hypothermia and at worst she was in some dangerous situation.........

her boyfriend said the phone call was "chilling" - it has been described as someone breathing labored, sniffing as one would with a bad cold or hard crying and ending with a muffled sob with the call being very "soft"........it certainly indicates a person in distress: could have been Maura in a similar state of mind as the previous Thurs hysterical episode OR could have been Maura in a dangerous situation - we really don't know.

Regardless of the realty of her situation at that time, in my opinion, IF the caller was indeed Maura, then I believe she has been unable to call back - why would she call the boyfriend numerous times the day she left on her trip, then call less than 36 hours after the accident (which was the time the boyfriend received the missed call/voice message) and then never call again???? Seems to me there must be some reason other than running away that would keep her from calling.

There are reasons other than being in hiding that would prevent/preclude her from using the cell phone.

..........IF she was concerned about being "tracked" why take the cell phone at all???????

 

[docwho3]

**************

. . .her boyfriend said the phone call was "chilling" - it has been described as someone breathing labored, sniffing as one would with a bad cold or hard crying and ending with a muffled sob with the call being very "soft"........it certainly indicates a person in distress: could have been Maura in a similar state of mind as the previous Thurs hysterical episode OR could have been Maura in a dangerous situation - we really don't know.

Where to start? . . .: Or L.E. could have been right in characterizing it as "someone humming." Sometimes I think that when something like this happens people look back and, knowing what they now know, the memory takes on sinister overtones.

I do think it is possible that the call was from Maura but I can't place much weight on that "guess" of mine. I have no corroborating evidence other than the family allegedly having listened and thinking it was her. (That does weigh in on the side of it possibly having been Maura.)

I agree that she might be out there, dead in the wilderness inspite of all the searching. I also agree that it is at least possible that she was prevented (against her will) from making further calls. But having said that, I note that it appears to me that Maura had a plan and I see nothing in the events of that evening that did more than put a minor crimp in that plan, causing her to leave without goodbyes.

. . .Regardless of the realty of her situation at that time, in my opinion, IF the caller was indeed Maura, then I believe she has been unable to call back - why would she call the boyfriend numerous times the day she left on her trip, then call less than 36 hours after the accident (which was the time the boyfriend received the missed call/voice message) and then never call again????. . .

Maybe all the time she would allow for goodbyes was until she reached her destination and then maybe she pitched the cell in the trash (maybe at the airport?) and then used the card but maybe only once if she feared the card might be traced as well. (Then again I don't know if the phone GPS is still being checked for activity.)

. . ...........IF she was concerned about being "tracked" why take the cell phone at all???????

I think she was planning to say goodbye in some way or at least give her boyfriend a chance to talk her out of it. I am only guessing but maybe she took the inability to contact him as a sign that it was meant to be that way.

 

[czechmate7]

or if the mystery prepaid calling card was her as the Rausches insist, then perhaps she could get no signal and it was necessary for her to use the calling card - then for some unknown reason, she was unable to call the boyfriend back when she could not reach him -\

perhaps at best she was in the final stages of hypothermia and at worst she was in some dangerous situation.........

I could be mistaken, but if a phone doesn't have a signal, I don't think a calling card will make it work. I would think if Maura were in either situation mentioned above she would not have been coherent enough or had enough time to find the calling card and punch in the ump-teen numbers. Why not call 911?? Why call the BF? He's miles away.
Also, I'm curious to know if they can trace the calling card (like a reverse search) to see if that particular card was ever used again.

 

[Peabody]

An annoucement has been made by the Murray and Rausch Families regarding Maura being featured on ABC 20/20 this coming Friday, March 17th @ 10 PM EST.

Their email copied below with permission is the actual annoucement.

Please mark your calendars to watch the show: It is my understanding that Brooke Wilburger will also be featured.

I am sure that both familes will appreciate us following through on the request by Bill Rausch to forward the message to all of our contacts as well as writing a thank you to ABC 20/20

Email Annoucement:
From: "Bill Rausch" <mauramissing@hotmail.com>
Subject: Maura Murray to be Featured on ABC 20/20 March 17
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 03:59:44 +0000

The family and loved ones of Maura Murray want you to know that ABC 20/20 is featuring a special about her and other missing coeds this coming Friday, March 17 on ABC at 10 PM EST.

Link: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id+1710316&page=4
"Friday, March 17: Vanished Coeds --
20/20 investigates cases that have shocked college towns from coast to coast.

We would very much appreciate your forwarding this message to everyone in your address book.

We would also be very grateful if you would take the time to send a thank you to 20/20 to express your appreciation for their efforts in this matter. While we do not know what the program will entail, we know that they have worked very diligently on it since early Dec 2005.. Their email address is 20/20@abc.com

Maura's websites: www.MauraMurray.com
www.spbowers.com\mauramissing.html

Thank You!


​

 

[Peabody]

Just a reminder to mark your calendars to watch the ABC News 20/20 Special featuring missing college coeds, Maura Murray and Brooke Wilburger, tomorrow, Friday, March 17th at 10 PM EST

 

[CW]

It's time to start a part 4. So i'm going to lock this thread and you can continue on.