Where is MAURA MURRAY

FireCat wrote:

Wait, so now that you're married, you have an easier time picking up men????
LOL
Good night all. Maybe tomorrow we'll find Maura.......I know some of you will think that sounds incredibly naive, but isn't all hope of necessity (sometimes fiercely so) innocent?
Maybe tomorrow will bring us closer.

FireCat --- that's funny! Who gave you the "bad marks"??? Thanks again for last night. I wasn't trying to get attention, as you knew, I was frightened that I'd done something stupid and put my family in danger. Be well. Hope the forum edges closer to finding Maura.

Advocat(or), thanks for the Raykel update. Maybe the church was just covering its bases as the Salamones were, regardless of whether or not they'd been told to.

Once again, if someone contacted ME about a missing person, I'd probably refer them to the police myself, just to be on the safe side, regardless of what I told them myself.

but HOORAY that the NHSP took you seriously. That's encouraging and hopefully will be a bit of a balm to Fred et al, especially given the rough time they've had with LE.

FireCat wrote:

<quoted text>
If you look carefully at the photo you will see that they are the blossoming/flowering/seed heads of a tall stalk of grass that is growing beside the hubcap.(If it's hard to see, export the photo into preview/photoshop/whatever photo viewer you use and enlarge it; it becomes fairly obvious.)

You're right. I enlarged it as you suggested. Grass seed heads. In a way, it's a relief to know that investigators didn't just leave cloth fibers there. Thanks.

Shack - I will listen to what is more than just folk lore about stray cats, thx.

Shack wrote:

With just one more comment..to the attention of one Poster who thought Maura could run up 112 Eastbound. We communicated and he said he would/could run up 112 pulling a rick-shaw with me in it. We left it at that,in very good humor..my telling him that he would need an ox cart to get me up those mountains.
Hope he is lurking..and Rowing a water skier....
He was very much involved with this crime solving.

I hope he is lurking too. Excellent with separating facts from feces. Since he's an athlete as well as being in agreement with Fred, I wondered at first if Maura could've made that run. But the winter conditions, unfamiliar, irregular roads, snowbanks, etc. you mentioned do make it seem far less likely.

Advocator (& all),

Many thanks for your efforts and the info on the enigmatic "Raykel" case.

It would certainly have been highly interesting to know whether "Raykel" actually had the time to sign the visitors book of the church back in June 2005, as suggested in some media reports.
There are conflicting accounts on this point (yet again....).

Provided "Raykel" did indeed sign the visitors book in that Barton, VT, church it should be reasonably easy to compare her signature with the hand-writing of Maura´s in order to be able to rule this possible sighting of Maura in or out.

Carefully reading the available media reports and the comments by the witness in question ("99 percent sure it was Maura"), I feel reasonably confident that "Raykel" could indeed have been Maura.

FireCat wrote:

Advocat(or), thanks for the Raykel update. Maybe the church was just covering its bases as the Salamones were, regardless of whether or not they'd been told to.

What I thought was that in both these situations, our calls were referred one way or another to the NHSP, I surmise that the Barton, VT church contacted NHSP directly, so to me this means that the NHSP have probably been following up on these matters as they are brought to their attention even though they got a late start. We on the forum may not hear whether the person "Raykel" signed the guestbook, but at least we will know it has been checked out ... if "Raykel" does not lead to Maura we probably won't hear about that, but if "Raykel" does lead to Maura, we'll hear about that in due course.

Eurobserver wrote:

Provided "Raykel" did indeed sign the visitors book in that Barton, VT, church it should be reasonably easy to compare her signature with the hand-writing of Maura´s in order to be able to rule this possible sighting of Maura in or out.
Carefully reading the available media reports and the comments by the witness in question ("99 percent sure it was Maura"), I feel reasonably confident that "Raykel" could indeed have been Maura.

I did tell the detective about the guestbook/handwriting thought, because who knows if the person "Raykel" has been back to that church?

But on this possible sighting as well as the other (that was in a grocery store, I think), I understand why family would tend to be doubtful. Without comparing her photo side by side with a photo of me when I was about her age, it would be easy to say that she looks a great deal like I did at her age. But if you compare the photos, there are distinct differences -- I didn't have dimples, for example. And Maura is prettier!

And, years ago when watching something that had been filmed in Ireland, I realized to my surprise that several of the women looked a lot like me, enough to be cousins or even sisters. Had not realized before then how much heredity can play a part in what we look like on beyond our immediate parents.

Advocator wrote:

But on this possible sighting as well as the other (that was in a grocery store, I think), I understand why family would tend to be doubtful.

The person who had the store sighting does post on this board. At least, if it is the store sighting of which I'm thinking. I believe it was a convenience store, rather than a supermarket.

I wonder if this person might choose to identify him/herself to discuss the sighting and his/her feelings on it (then and now, if feelings have changed).

If this person would rather remain unidentified, that's understandable.(this person can/should also email me, if this person still has my email address! I've lost yours!)

OK--help me out here--how would anyone know Raykel's name if she DIDN'T sign the guestbook?

looking4amoose wrote:

OK--help me out here--how would anyone know Raykel's name if she DIDN'T sign the guestbook?

As I understood the story, a fella with last name Cook was introduced to a young lady named "Raykel" at that church on Father's Day of June 2005. He later noticed her leaving the church in a rush or in some kind of emotional state during the sermon about fathers. Some time later he learned about Maura Murray and upon seeing a picture of Maura, was convinced that "Raykel" was Maura with a change to hair cut and color. Cook apparently then contacted someone who is connected to Maura's case.

hi all .any thoughts on the packed room.would Maura have packed if she was coming back .would she have sent emails just to buy tlme.did she expect someone to be in her room.is it a fact that Billy was the first person ,that really knew Maura that was in her room.amherst is where Maura was when she decided to leave.someone there knows why or at least part of why she left.take care philip

Advocator & looking4amoose,

Yes, the young lady calling herself "Raykel" shook hands with and actually briefly spoke with the witness in the Barton, VT, church on Fathers Day in June 2005.
I believe the name of the witness is DS, not Cook. I have seen his name mentioned in a few media reports, but won´t mention it here for privacy reasons.
DS was quoted in press reports as having said that "Raykel" seemed slighly nervous, shy and somewhat sad, that her hair was tightly curled and that she had "unmistakable runners legs".
Apparently DS was shown pictures of Maura some time afterwards and said that he was 99 percent sure it was her.
As soon as the minister started mentioning fathers in his sermon "Raykel" apparently left the church in a hurry. No one in the congregation knew who she was or had seen her before.

I always feel that this possible sighting of Maura is the only glimmer of hope in this utterly heart-breaking case.
The geographical location of this sighting I find rather interesting. It´s not terribly far north of Haverhill,NH, and quite close to the Canadian border and the Green Mountains range of VT.
The northern part of Orleans County,VT, where Barton is located is just about as sparsely inhabited as things get in New England.
If you look at any map of the area, one is struck by how very few and far between the settlements are and how tiny they are population-wise.

By the way, I believe there was a poster on this forum some time ago who wrote that he/she had previously come across a web page from some kind of religious community in that part of Orleans County, VT, with a photo of a young lady who looked quite a lot like Maura.
I later tried to trace such a picture, but was never able to locate it.

whiston wrote:

hi all .any thoughts on the packed room.would Maura have packed if she was coming back .would she have sent emails just to buy tlme.did she expect someone to be in her room.is it a fact that Billy was the first person ,that really knew Maura that was in her room.amherst is where Maura was when she decided to leave.someone there knows why or at least part of why she left.take care philip

Only if she had packed, and not merely failed to unpack.

May I ask why you feel so strongly that someone there knows why or at least part of why she left? And also (by extension) that her leaving had something directly to do with her disappearance? Or is this just the gut of whiston speaking to him?

Not to debunk your gut, just remain curious. You've always maintained that, sometimes vociferously so.

hi Firecat and all.i think if Maura was happy before she left she would have told her family and friends ,hey i am taking a week off.nothing has been said from family and friends about this except for the emails to her teachers and boss at the mystery gallery.i don't know if she was coming back .why would she pack her room up,if she did was someone going to pick up the boxes for her.the first place i would have looked was in her room and to be honest i would not depend on anyone at amherst to look for me.i still dont' get why mrMurray would not have made a fifteen minute detour to check the dorm room himself on his way up to N.H.Maura left in the pm around 4 o'clock.she emailed her teachers and job in the early afteronon.she emailed Billy at 1.00p.m. and said i dont feel much like talking to anyone then 1 h.r, and 19 minutes later she called him.i think there is alot more than is being said about the phone calls.we wont know until p.d.releases more info about the phone calls and the video at the atm and liquor store.as i understand there are smarter people than me still looking for Maura.if she was a runaway i dont think they they would do that.as to Firecats question.Maura maybe left with $240-00.she had a stash or she got help either with a place to stay from someone.i would still like to know what groups were meeting at atttitash that could be connected to amherst friend.i hope p.d has looked at he guest list.Sharon R. said she called the Salamones 8 months after Maura vanished but it was known almost right after she vanished that she maybe checked her voice mail and called 1800 go stowe. weird .sorry for the long post .the frost is on my pumpkin and the hays not in the barn.yet. take care philip

hi all p.s. we don't know if Maura packed up to move or never unpacked her room.that is my point.we know some packed boxes were in a room and P.D.. says there was a letter or note .Sharon R says Billy said there was no note.someone is mistaken or someone is not being honest or P.D wants to rattle some cages . if Maura wanted to hide her trip why not use the phone in her room or did someone else have access to that bill take care philip

hi all .any calls to a sprint customer would show up on a bill even when it goes to voicemail.it would show time and date of call.what else was on the bill that Sharon R reviewed.who else called Muara feb 09 2004 and who did not after feb 09 2004.i would still like to know how Maura got the Salamones number.when i called them i was asked to call the p.d. dealing with the case. take care philip

Firecat, you directed a Post to Whiston. I'm sure he won't mind if I put in my 2 cents.
I feel that Maura had to have expressed some minimal discontent to any or some of the people around her during the last days before she packed Saturn.
For example, I won't/can't believe that in comforting Maura's sobbing, that a few
words were not stated by her, giving credence to her tears. I feel if she thought she was
in danger, she was intelligent enough to seek proper assistance. Her family, friends and
acquaintances surely have communicated with each other to compare their thoughts and accounts of what was she said during that last days/weeks. Perhaps what was deduced was considered "not for the public"...? I have to appease "my gut" that many interviews/questions/interroga tions were performed by investigators, whether FBI, SP..whoever....
Those pieces of conversation could possibly give direction, to Maura's destination.
I personally think she just needed "mind rest"...in her mountains, to regroup.

Advocator made mention recently, words to the effect "Maura's case is known coast to
coast"..(something like that) I would be pleased to know that Maura's name was known
in NH/VT...heck New England.....

Hey Philip, Hay is wet...needs to be tedded before storage in the barn...;-]

Shack, Whiston & all,

Pretty quiet here on board right now, so good to see you posting.

Whiston,

I certainly wish we had at least some clues as for your very valid questions from the Amherst angle.
In a sense Amherst remains a riddle as much as Haverhill, and I feel certain that there must exist a link between those two places, in the sense that what happened in Amherst somehow caused Maura´s Saturn to be found abandoned in Haverhill and Maura´s subsequent disappearance.

Shack,

Trawling through the Web there is depressively little, if any, reasonably recent media coverage that I´m able to find concerning Maura´s heart-wrenching case.

Despite being a journalist myself, I find it very hard to understand this almost complete lack of media interest in what from the sometimes sordid angle of the media world must seem like a very "mysterious" case and thus an appealing one to cover.

Why aren´t at least some of the NH and VT media (as well as other New England media) applying some kind of local, investigative research on Maura´s case?
Instead, they seem to sit about waiting to be spoon-fed news items from the NH SP and other LE
authorities. This seems to me a very dispiriting lack of initiative on the part of the media.

Maura´s plight needs a new dose of massive media coverage in particular in NH and VT, and the sooner the better....

If the media for whatever reason are not prepared to do what they should here, then I strongly feel that Maura would be in dire need of a wealthy "patron" to make her case known on a much wider scale than presently.

Euro..I don't think you could find one person who doesn't agree that more media coverage would be helpful. Basic Cable up there is very basic. One NH channel,other than PBS, 2 channels northern VT/NY. Local Access practically non-existence.
Some of the NH/VT Newspapers have, in the past been attentive.(those are,of course, still listed at MMM site.) The last Newspaper article that I read was in the July 11th, NorthCountry News regarding the last dog search.
(same as written under "News" on MMM site)
Just before the Dog search in Oct.'06, there was a kindly editorial written by a local lady. I often thought that I wished more folks would do the same, more often.
The thing is that with editorials, one has to display their name. We all know the
insecurities of "don't want to get involved"....showing favor or disfavor, within communities.
Throughout the years, many have written letters, as well as distributing fliers.
I remember the milk cartons....but, those were for children.
Guess the bottom line for more attention is financial..? I dunno....

Eurobserver wrote:

Advocator & looking4amoose,
Yes, the young lady calling herself "Raykel" shook hands with and actually briefly spoke with the witness in the Barton, VT, church on Fathers Day in June 2005.
I believe the name of the witness is DS, not Cook. I have seen his name mentioned in a few media reports, but won´t mention it here for privacy reasons.
DS was quoted in press reports as having said that "Raykel" seemed slighly nervous, shy and somewhat sad, that her hair was tightly curled and that she had "unmistakable runners legs".
Apparently DS was shown pictures of Maura some time afterwards and said that he was 99 percent sure it was her.
As soon as the minister started mentioning fathers in his sermon "Raykel" apparently left the church in a hurry. No one in the congregation knew who she was or had seen her before.
I always feel that this possible sighting of Maura is the only glimmer of hope in this utterly heart-breaking case.
The geographical location of this sighting I find rather interesting. It´s not terribly far north of Haverhill,NH, and quite close to the Canadian border and the Green Mountains range of VT.
The northern part of Orleans County,VT, where Barton is located is just about as sparsely inhabited as things get in New England.
If you look at any map of the area, one is struck by how very few and far between the settlements are and how tiny they are population-wise.
By the way, I believe there was a poster on this forum some time ago who wrote that he/she had previously come across a web page from some kind of religious community in that part of Orleans County, VT, with a photo of a young lady who looked quite a lot like Maura.
I later tried to trace such a picture, but was never able to locate it.

So basically, when she introduced herself, she may have spelled out her name to people as opposed to signing a guest book?