Episode 78 Maura Murray
21 year old Maura Murray vanished on the night of February 9, 2004 after her car slid off the road on Rt. 112 in Haverhill, New Hampshire. More than one of the residents living near that area reported the crash to police who quickly responded to the scene. The witnesses saw a young woman, presumed to be Maura, on foot near the crashed car. She appeared to be physically okay, but by the time police arrived minutes later, Maura was gone. Extensive searches of the snow covered area failed to lead searchers to Maura, and she's been missing ever since.
Police discovered open containers of alcohol in Maura's Black Saturn when they searched the scene following her accident. They theorized that she had been drinking while driving and crashed as a result. When they began to look at Maura's actions and movements leading up to her disappearance, it only led to more questions. Maura, had been a track star, and a cadet at the prestigious West Point Academy. She was in a long distance relationship with her fiance. On the surface, it seemed as if Maura had a bright future, but below the surface, it appears as if Maura was struggling. She had left West Point after shoplifting some items, and had confided in her sister that she was struggling with alcohol. Maura attempted to pick up the pieces, and enrolled at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where she decided to pursue a career in nursing. Police learned that early on the day she vanished, Maura had emailed her professors telling them that there was a death in her family, and that she'd be leaving campus for a week; something that was not true. From there, Maura placed a call to the owner of a condominium in Bartlett, NH, which is a place that was special to Maura and that she had spent time at in the past with her family. That afternoon, Maura packed a bag with makeup, school books, and several days’ worth of clothes, and set out in her car. She stopped at an ATM and withdrew $280 in cash before buying $40 worth of alcohol. Just before 7:30 that night, police were called to the scene of her accident where they found her abandoned car.
What happened to Maura Murray? Was her disappearance connected to struggles she seemed to be dealing with leading up to her disappearance, or did she meet with foul play following her accident? Did she wander off from the scene, and pass away due to the WInter conditions and her remains were somehow missed in searches? There has been no shortage of speculation about Maura's fate. Her case has been the focus of podcasts, tv shows, books, and online forum discussions, yet despite all the attention on Maura's case, it remains an unsolved mystery.
When she vanished, Maura Murray was described as being a White Female with light Brown hair, and Green/Blue eyes. She stood 5ft7 and weight 120-125 pounds.
Anyone with information related to Maura Murray’s disappearance is asked to contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at (603) 223-3648 or via email at Coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov
To learn more about Maura's case, visit the website her family has set up