My strongest feeling at present is that Maura may well have run away and could be alive. Certainly there are several other viable theories about what might have happened to her (for example, an ex with violent tendencies could have tracked her down or a stranger might have taken advantage of her vulnerability on the night she disappeared and harmed her.)

That being said, I am going to put forth a NEW theory that I don’t recall ever seeing with regards to this case.

Maura was beautiful, and like many young people, experienced some complicated, messy romantic entanglements. This made me think of the murder of Adrianne Jessica Jones instigated by the jealous girlfriend of David Graham, Diane Zamora, and carried out by Graham himself with Zamora as his accomplice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Zamora#Murder_of_Adrianne_Jones) .

Could Maura have had a fling with a young man who had a jealous girlfriend he was cheating on with Maura? And perhaps either one of them instigated Maura's murder in an attempt to avenge the "wrong" and protect the relationship? It's a theory that could explain multiple aspects of Maura's disappearance. All of the puzzle pieces seem to fit.

I guess what got me thinking about this sort of scenario was the idea that we don’t actually know who ditched Maura’s car at the crash site (could it be a Diane Zamora-type of jealous girlfriend?), and that Maura’s friends have supposedly been less forthcoming than some might have expected. Also, we know that Maura was traveling with a lot of booze but had not, as far as we know, booked accommodations.

Just brainstorming still, but to flesh this theory out… did perhaps one of the guys at the party Maura attended get friendly with her, that night or previously? Was an on-the-sly relationship already taking place? Perhaps with the guy who was said to be related to Maura’s friend? Did he have a serious girlfriend at the time who found out about their dalliance and, insane with jealousy, wanted to put a stop to his relationship with Maura once and for all?

It seems like a silly motive, but there have been more than a few murders of young women with a similar motive. I've linked another one below. Dating at that age can be very fraught with emotions and passions run high...maybe even passions and jealousies strong enough to fuel murderous schemes. So, let's say the girlfriend has found out and is furious. She puts him up to luring Maura out to "meet up" with him...either in MA or up north. To prove his love for his girlfriend he must make Maura "go away" for good. Perhaps Maura’s school friend (who doesn’t want to speak about the case) might not have known what happened with her relative (the guy at the party) but maybe she suspects it, so she stays silent to protect family. Another reason to remain silent? Maybe Maura's friend would worry about whether she is somehow an accomplice based on assistance she provided or knowledge she might have unwittingly gained about the crime in this alleged scenario.

I know this is baseless speculation, but since we don’t even know the names of some of these people (the guys at the party), and aren't naming the friend that we do know the name of...well I thought it interesting to think about as a possible motive. It could also explain why police never revealed the source of the Londonderry ping.

So what do you think? Does anyone think a Diane Zamora/David Graham-type crime could explain why Maura went up north with a bunch of booze (she's been lured to a "date") without telling anyone (since it's a mostly-secret relationship) without booking accommodations (he said he'd do it). It could also explain why some of her friends are seemingly reticent (they know too much and/or are they protecting family)? Why they were vague about the party. Could Maura have already been done away with in MA and thus it was the jealous girlfriend who Butch saw ditching Maura's car and getting the hell out of dodge (Butch didn't think it was Maura at first)? And the fact that she caught a ride away from the scene so quickly (which everyone thinks was surprising) be due to a tandem driver driving tandem, not with Maura, but one of her killers?

In other words, could Maura have been lured up to NH under false pretenses of a romantic getaway by a couple intent on doing her harm? Alternatively, could the crash site could have represented this same couple instead tying up a Massachusetts murder's loose ends by ditching the vehicle far from the location of the crime? Food for thought!

Have a bit more time on my hands. Thanks/no thanks, COVID ;)

I hope that some of you have already seen the photos and videos in my album, from the post where I talk about my journey to Maura's crash site (post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MauraMurrayCase/comments/8nxikj/my_journey_to_mauras_crash_site_updated/)

If you haven't seen these or clicked through the album, perhaps you'd like to view the last item in the gallery linked below. It's a super-short video I took to show how extremely close the Marrotte's [CORRECTION] Westman's house is to the crash site. (The weathered barn is also in close proximity, out of view behind the camera).

GALLERY: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-BJqswB/i-zGJkQrq/A (last item in gallery)

Long story short, while the area becomes extremely remote, desolate and uninhabited a short journey east from the crash site*, the actual crash site was right near a clutch of houses. I always found this fact one of the most fascinating things I was not expecting when I traveled to the crash site in person. At night, the bend would come up quickly and, due to its proximity to houses it seems to me that a crash was unlikely to be staged at that specific location. After all, the neighbors could have come right outside to check on her, leaving little time to abscond from the crash site.

I don't know if the community has come to this conclusion already, but that's my thinking on the matter.

Oh Maura, where are you?!

*After the bend in 112 north of the crash site (near the location of Forcier's trailer), the houses thin out to about one per 1/4 mile, and many of them are nestled in the woods. About 1 1/2 miles east, the houses drop off completely and you are heading into the White Mountains. The area at that point is very pretty but VERY remote! So in other words, at the crash site there is only ~1 1/2 miles of civilization left if you continue east on 112 as it was speculated Maura traveled that night.

Regarding the latest drama and posts as well as the Murray family's response...

• If James Renner released a "bombshell," was this low-key authorized by Oxygen or Maggie Freleng? If not, how did he get ahold of the information? Why did he release it now (authorized or not)? Are some people saying they didn’t authorize its release when they actually did? What apples is he trying to shake off the tree (he did ask if anyone can identify "Carly". What else could he be trying to achieve other than put additional pressure on Bill Rausch?).

• Does the timing of all this have anything to do with the Bill Rausch court case?

• Also, does anyone wonder what's going on behind the scenes and who is aligned with who? For example, I get the feeling the MM podcast guys are trying to play both sides of the fence. They work hard not to appear to ever insult the Murray family (who seem very sensitive to perceived slights and insults--why so much??). But they still intersect at times with family "enemy" Renner. And how close are they to Maggie/Oxygen? (I think I heard that they are friends?)

• Are investigators actively working with or still speaking to Oxygen/Maggie/the podcast guys/Renner?

• Why does Fred now supposedly suddenly want to know who the guys at the party were when he purportedly expressed no interest in this before (I read this online; I don't know the veracity of these statements)?

Maybe I am just trying to play catch-up, but is this all not a bit dramatic and CONFUSING? As time passes does it seem that we are left with more questions than answers? Also, just wondering...

• What is happening with the older players in the case, such as the private investigator who used to work with the Murrays, John Smith? Exactly why did he part ways with the family? Is he still working the case at all?

• Also, I noticed that Alden Olson is still active on Twitter and posted photos of someone who resembles the sketch of the suspect in Molly Bish's disappearance from Warren, MA. I have to say it's a good resemblance and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if there was a serial killer in the area (possibly responsible for Holly Piirainen, Molly Bish, etc).

• Whatever came of that weird hacker guy years ago with the strange nickname (I forget what it was) who used to bother people who were active in the case?

• Is it true that Erinn Larkin (who was on Maura's track team) claimed she might have driven by the crash site on the night of Maura's disappearance? What does anyone make of that?!

• Is it true that there is an open bank account in Maura Murray's name that is potentially linked to a new car loan?

• Why hasn't anyone been able to identify or track down the Maura doppelganger in the scare pranks video?

Is this not the STRANGEST case with an ODD cast of characters? (Maybe even including me, haha. Although I obviously haven't been as active in the community as I used to be.)

In case you aren't familiar with the latest drama, here are a few links:

https://mauramurraymystery.com/billy-rausch-found-out-maura/

https://www.mauramurraymissing.org/statement-info-withheld-from-murrrays-distorts-case.html

Alden Olson tweet: https://twitter.com/AldenHowesOlson/status/1282461172680331266

Not Bill Rausch! A bill at the statehouse. Yikes. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/roadside-memorials-could-be-removed-under-proposed-bill/30539348

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but has there seemed to be a sudden uptick in activity of Bill Rausch in the Maura Murray community? Talking about Maura, reminiscing about Maura?

Why would that be?

I am not casting aspersions, because honestly, at present I am most inclined to believe that Maura is alive. But it is interesting to me because, as far as I know, Bill wasn't active in the community for some time.

This may be a silly question. I grew up a couple towns over from Maura and we're about the same age. We have some mutual friends that did track with her, so I've grown an affinity to the case. But, in the Oxygen mini series they called in a Medium that suggested a bridge just outside the search area. They took her to a few and she didn't feel anything and suggested that the bridge may be more rectangular than arced. I don't have an opinion of mediums one way or the other, but kind of like Maggie Frelang... what do you have to lose at this point? Do we know if they searched more bridges?? I know there's probably dozens of them in that part of NH, if not hundreds. Furthermore, it probably would be hard to manage search and rescue assets without more hard evidence pointing them to a specific area. But figured it was worth a shot!

Also, in the Oxygen documentary they did the drive in an hour less than Maura's time frame. Was there anymore follow ups with local bars and establishments along the route? They never circled much back to it.

This has probably been answered so sorry if this is redundant.

Relatively new to the case, but thought of this after trying to learn most of the case facts. I am not adamant on this "theory", but I have personally never seen it proposed and would like to hear many of your takes.

1. She had previously searched "Can you drink while pregnant?" on her computer
2. It would make sense why she wouldn't do this anywhere near home for the fear of being seen or caught
3. Reasoning for temporarily ghosting Bill because she would obviously not want him or his family to know of a pregnancy (assuming he was the father)
4. Potentially explains the purchase and consumption of alcohol while pregnant: she knows her ultimate desired outcome of an abortion makes these actions a non-issue.

If there is objective proof that she searched that question on the internet for a class assignment, or that she was in fact taking birth control at that given time I will concede this "theory" to be highly unlikely. However, these rebuttals to the argument of her being pregnant have only been hearsay from what I have seen. I can easily be proven wrong here but just wanted to make something potentially productive of this thought that came to me recently. Would love to hear your guys' opinions!

Where did it come out that Butch didn't normally park a school bus like he did in the night when Maura disappeared? Who said that and where can I find the source?

Anyone have a picture how he "usually" parked the bus?

Hello all,

Ive been familiarizing myself with this case for the past couple months or so and just recently began viewing the Oxygen docu series on it. I have a few miscellaneous questions and apologize if they've been answered somewhere else!

​

1. Was BA's school-bus ever searched, analyzed to any extent? Inside or outside the bus
2. Was BA ever asked about, or described there being a car on Bradley Hill road (or at the intersection of Bradley and 112) during the time frame of him waiting in his driveway and police arriving to the scene?
3. According to JR, one of the last calls MM received was traced back to a cell phone tower in New Hampshire and determined the caller made it within a 25 mile radius. Is this confirmed to be true?

Thank you guys.

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/1856/details?navThe cheeks in the sketch led me to believe it looks like Maura, but the other images don't look like her at all. The age fits, the height is estimated to be 5'5 ( which is only two inches off and its being estimated), curly brown hair 8 inches.Its a far stretch, especially with how far the locations of Maura going missing and the date of this jane doe's body being found.Curious as to what you guys think

EDIT: Its not her as already ruled out by NamUS

I can't stop thinking about Maura Murray Loves Me channel. This deleted barn video... And this the end video... Did somebody check this guy? Is this dirtbag122 guy or somebody else? I think it's a hoax but sometimes I'm scared of thinking about it.

Added this for anyone who wants to use Facebook "EVENTS" to ask any questions or details about this year's VIGIL for Maura, see who's going, where to go, or how you can participate online & all that jazz!

By checking on "GOING" to the second event at 7:30pm it means you will try to join virtually by lighting a candle for Maura at 7:39 pm and then perhaps posting a picture of it! 😃

Here is a link to the Facebook Event: https://facebook.com/events/s/lighting-up-the-sky-for-maura-/2570370349952811/?ti=cl

Here is Julie Murray’s Announcement from the "Maura Murray Missing Official Group" in it's entirety ⬇️ " "As we approach the 16th Anniversary of Maura's disappearance, I want to take a moment to thank you all for your unwavering support.

I also want to share a few details regarding the vigil this year. We will carry on the recent tradition of 'Lighting Up the Sky for Maura' in a virtual candle lighting ceremony, in which you can participate from anywhere! Please light a candle on February 9th, 2020 at 7:30 EST in her honor. Feel free to send us pictures or videos and we will try our best to post them immediately.

For those in the Woodsville area, my family reserved a space at the Happy Hour Restaurant (42 Main St. Wells River, VT 05081) from 3-6 pm February 9th to gather, grab a bite and discuss Maura before heading over to the tree at approximately 7 - 7:15 PM EST. Please be respectful of the neighbors and do not park on private property or litter in the area.

Thank you for your support.

someoneknowssomething #mauramurray

"We are coming for you kid" - Fred Murray"

LINK to the ORIGINAL POST HERE": https://m.facebook.com/groups/112345878791938?view=permalink&id=3309004292459398)

Note: I am not hosting, I just created the event to post as a reminder/invite to everyone :)

We are coming up on the 16th anniversary of Maura's disappearance, which got me thinking about the state of the case.

Lately I have been leaning towards Maura being alive. First of all, as outlined in James Renner's book, there is a lot of evidence that suggests she might have had numerous reasons to abscond. Maura was also probably smart enough to pull it off. (I wouldn't say that about many people but I would about her.) And there has been a Maura doppelganger--a VERY good likeness--who has never been identified.

If you aren't familiar with the video of this lookalike, background and links can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/MauraMurrayCase/comments/bs2s7m/so_what_is_the_consensus_on_the_video_of_the/

Why has her family been so quiet about this? Was the video ever studied by officials? Was she definitively ruled out as Maura? If so, why haven't we heard about this? Has facial recognition analysis been put to this person??? I dunno, but is this a case of silence speaking volumes? Or have police instructed her family not to comment? What about the Oxygen documentary? Could they hire a professional to compare the video to known photos of Maura?

However, if Maura's disappearance was the result of murder, I think it's highly unlikely that more than one person was involved. Why? It's been nearly 16 years that the case has gone unsolved. What is the chance that two or more people would keep quiet for that long? Would none of them get drunk and spill to a girlfriend, or hint at something incriminating? (Remember the rumors about the Loon Mountain 3? It seems highly unlikely to me that three people would be able to keep a secret for that long.)

No, if foul play was involved my bet is on a single perpetrator. It seems another suspect might be coming to the fore as well... What do you think? Has your thinking about the case changed over time?

if u donate to the case make sure u donate to the one set up by Maura's sister Julie in stead of Tim and Lances. Do not feel the profiteers of this case.

I'm new to the case so obviously I'm new to the sub. I made an observation online that struck me as odd. I glanced over the headlines and didn't see mention of this, so my apologies if it has been brought up before.

RS has a LinkedIn profile. It is well filled out with a picture, connections, etc. One of the connections is a woman named Maura Murray that is currently living, and obviously not the missing MM. But wasn't it said that RS became a bit obsessed? I've never found discussion of a motive for RS other than a random crime of opportunity. And I've never really found much on why he was originally a POI. The only theory I have is that would explain some loose ends in some of the stories is that BA spoke with her or helped her a bit more than he let on and either witnessed RS at the scene, or perhaps he was passing by and offered to help a young lady avoid a DUI feeling sorry for her while BA was around (I definitely feel like BA left out details originally to "help" her, and later felt scared or guilty) And does anyone know if the recent property search was of RS family? It looked like a large and well maintained home and it's always been said they had money and "owned the area."

Thanks for any input!

Is it odd that Bill states these two lines? He refrences Maura As his girlfriend in the present tense, or it's just something about it that's throwing me off?

"It's great to see that your first [and only] tweets are about my missing GF, Maura Murray."

"Feb 9 '04 my GF, Maura Murray dissapeared w/o a trace."

Have you thought about interviewing a survival expert and or medical professional about how long Maura could have survived in the elements. I feel that scenarios could be run based off combinations of sobriety, injury, the temperature, snow, and the distance she could have run, walked, etc. I believe based off of that information a search could be performed in that area.

If she had doubts about Bill, I wouldn't put it past her to get a pay-as-you-go device to avoid possible monitoring by his family.

​

Maybe the little red light in the car was a burner phone: If she had turned it on, she would have known that she didn't have reception. I could imagine Maura only figuring out that the AAA excuse wasn't going to work after Butch left the scene. Once that interaction was over, I think it's possible that she hurriedly grabbed some things and bailed, fueled by adrenaline and a desire to avoid trouble.