On February 9, 2004, at approximately 7:25 p.m., Maura Murray disappeared following a car accident on Route 112. Despite 19 years of relentless search efforts, no information has surfaced, rendering her disappearance one of the largest unsolved mysteries in American history.

Who was Maura Murray?

Born on May 4, 1982, in Brockton, Massachusetts, Maura Murray, the youngest child of medical technician Fred Murray and nurse Laurie Murray, had a childhood shaped in a working-class household in Hanson. Growing up with her older brother Fred Jr., sisters Kathleen and Julie, and younger brother Kurtis, Maura faced change early on when her parents split at the age of six.

A high achiever in academics and athletics, Maura was a beloved figure in her community for her kind heart, signature dimples, and lovely smile. Her journey led her to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she spent just under two years.

As fate would have it, at the time of her disappearance, Maura was a junior nursing student at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Join us as we delve into the captivating story of Maura Murray’s life, a narrative that continues to unfold.”

What Happened to Maura Murray – A Timeline of Her Disappearance

Here is the reconstruction of events that transpired just before the disappearance of Maura Murray –

February 9, 2004

At 1:24 p.m., Maura sent an email to her nursing school supervisor that she would be away for a few days as there had been a death in the family and she will contact them when she returns (this was not true as there was no death in the family).

Then she began researching cabins in the White Mountains, before packing a bag with toiletries, make-up, workout attire, school books, and several days’ worth of clothes.

At 3:00 p.m., Maura left campus in her 1996 black Saturn, headed toward the White Mountains in New Hampshire, just over the Massachusetts border

At 3:15 p.m., Maura stopped at an off-campus ATM and withdrew $280, emptying all but $16 in the account. Then she stopped at a liquor store and purchased $40 worth of liquor including Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua, Vodka, and a box of Franzia wine. She was alone at the ATM and the liquor store as recorded by the surveillance cameras.

According to the authorities, she left the Amherst/Hadley, MA area around 4:30 p.m. in her car and headed north toward New Hampshire. She neither revealed her plans to anyone nor why she was driving to New Hampshire on that Monday afternoon.

At 7:27 p.m., Faith Westman, a Woodsville resident phoned in to report an accident on Rte. 112 by phone. She said she saw a man in the car smoking a cigarette. She subsequently changed her mind and said she couldn’t determine if the driver was a male or a female and that the red light she saw (which she assumed was the lit end of a cigarette) could have been the light from a cell phone. Maura’s cell phone did, in fact, emit such a light at the moment. Given that Maura wore her long hair up, this could explain why Westman mistook her for a male from a distance and in dark conditions.

At 7:33 p.m., Butch Atwood, a local bus driver, arrived on the scene and spoke with Maura for a few minutes, asking whether she wanted him to contact the cops. Maura reportedly declined, claiming she had already phoned AAA (according to one police log, Maura “begged” Atwood not to call the cops). As there was no cell phone reception in the region, Atwood realized this couldn’t be true. He noticed that Maura was shivering and cold and she appeared inebriated. To him, she didn’t look to be injured.

Atwood walked a hundred yards up the road to the house, which he shared with his wife, and called 911. After initially failing to get through, he was able to report the accident at 7:43.

At 7:45 p.m., the first police officer, Sergeant Cecil Smith arrived on the scene and found the car but Maura was nowhere to be seen. The car doors were locked with both the airbags deployed. Damage was noted on the windscreen and front end of the car and a white rag was shoved in the tailpipe. Red wine stains were found inside as well as on the outside of the car.
The officer found a coke bottle that contained a red liquid with a pungent alcoholic odor. He also noticed a red liquid on the floor underneath the car.

The bus driver Butch Atwood’s interaction with Maura was the last known sighting. Since that time, there has been no trace of her and no activity on her cell phone or bank accounts.

Maura’s troubled past may hold a key to the disappearance

In August 2001, while at West Point, Maura was reportedly charged with theft for stealing cosmetics from a store at Fort Knox. An honorary investigative hearing was called on the commanding officer’s orders, indicating that they had enough evidence against her to “put her on trial” before the Cadet Advisory Committee.

The Council of Honor then recommended removing Maura from the cadet corps. This recommendation was forwarded to the Superintendent, who was to make a decision by the end of January 2002. However, Maura officially took a transfer from West Point on January 2, 2002, probably to avoid being expelled from West Point.

Maura then transferred to UMass, where she began her nursing studies. But it wasn’t long before Maura was in trouble again.

In November 2003, three months before her disappearance, Murray was charged with unauthorized use of a stolen credit card to order food from multiple restaurants. She had taken the credit card number of one of her dorm mates’ from a receipt she discovered in the trash while at UMASS. She then proceeded to order pizza delivery using this card number. The charge continued in December 2003, to be dropped after three months of good behavior.

On February 5, 2004, just four days before her disappearance, she spoke on the phone with her elder sister Kathleen. Murray was on her campus security duty at the time. They reportedly discussed Kathleen’s relationship problems with her fiancé.

Murray reportedly started crying around 10:30 p.m., while still working her shift. she appeared to be in a trance when her supervisor came to her desk. When asked what was wrong, she broke down in tears, and could only mutter, “My sister!”. The supervisor then returned her to her dorm room at 1:20 a.m.

A UMass student had been injured in a hit-and-run collision three nights before the disappearance of Maura Murray. Some have speculated that Maura may have been behind the wheel, but there has never been any proof of this.

The biggest theories about the disappearance of Maura Murray

There are several conflicting theories about the disappearance of Maura Murray. Here are some of the most credible theories –

Theory #1 – Maura may have been abducted

Many believe Maura was abducted by a serial killer – in the minutes between Butch Atwood’s last sighting of her and her disappearance.

According to this theory, a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, apparently offering assistance to Maura, then grabbed her into the car and drove away before anyone saw it.

Several persons of interest in Maura’s disappearance have been identified throughout the years, but no one has ever been charged or substantially probed.

Theory #2 – Maura planned her own disappearance

Some speculate that Maura planned her own disappearance since she was expecting a child. Author James Renner, who authored a book about Murray’s case, believes she left the country via an underground system and is now residing in Canada. Despite the fact that she had no money, some have speculated that she may have used the $4,000 from her father.

Murray did not call anyone after her accident, despite the fact that it is an intriguing possibility. In the 17 years since her disappearance, she has made no attempt to contact any of her family or acquaintances. However, Murray has never been seen in Canada or elsewhere.

Theory #3 – Maura was lost in the woods and died as a result of exposure

According to some theories, she could have strayed into the woods and died of exposure, or she could have gone into the woods and killed herself. Authorities, on the other hand, never discovered any tracks or footsteps leading into the woods. Despite the fact that the forests near the collision have been searched countless times, no trace of Murray has ever been discovered.

Theory #4 – Maura took her own life

Some speculate that Maura drove towards the White Mountains that night in order to commit suicide.

People who support this theory claim that Maura walked into the mountains after her car crashed and killed herself.

However, the skeptics have debunked this theory and claimed if this was the case the cadaver dogs should have discovered the trail of her scent leading into the White Mountains.

Theory #5 – The Tandem Driver theory

The propagators of this theory try to explain how Maura was able to flee the scene of the accident so quickly.

The theory believes that she had been going with a known driver and that driver would have either come across Maura’s crashed vehicle and picked her up or he/she turned back to get her once he/she realized she wasn’t behind him/her.

Update on the Maura Murray Disappearance

There are new findings in Maura Murray’s case as investigators continue the search for her almost 18 years after she disappeared.

The FBI has created a Violent Criminal Apprehension Profile for Maura Murray. It’s a system that allows many agencies and jurisdictions to share information.

Recently, there have been some new leads in the case. In 2021, authorities discovered bone fragments at the base of Loon Mountain, but the bones were not identified as belonging to Maura Murray.

107 Degrees Blog, a site committed to obtaining and reviewing evidence in Maura’s Disappearance, has a comprehensive array of records, including 911 transcripts, police dispatch logs, accident reports, and affidavits.

Anybody with information on the disappearance of Maura Murray is requested to call New Hampshire Cold Case Unit: (603) 223-3856.

Tips and information related to the disappearance of Maura Murray can also be submitted on the website launched by the family of Maura Murray as a tribute and resource in the investigation.

The disappearance of Maura Murray made international headlines, and the case has become one of the most followed missing person cases throughout the world. Her family continues to actively search for answers in an effort to find Maura.

Content and image source –

The Disappearance of Maura Murray

Maura Murray Missing