Brianna Maitland

On the evening of March 19, 2004, 17-year-old Brianna Maitland finished her shift as a waitress at the Black Lantern Inn, a restaurant and inn in the small rural town of Montgomery, Vermont, near the Canadian border. She left the inn around 11:30 p.m. to drive to a friend's house where she had been staying. She never arrived.

The next day, Brianna's 1985 Oldsmobile was found backed into the side of an abandoned farmhouse on Route 118, about a mile from the Black Lantern Inn. The car's rear end had crashed through the building's wall. Inside the car, some of Brianna's personal items were found. Outside the car, investigators found what appeared to be signs of a confrontation—disturbed ground and items scattered near the vehicle.

The investigation by the Vermont State Police explored multiple theories. Brianna had reportedly been involved in a physical altercation with another young woman shortly before her disappearance, and some tips suggested her vanishing was connected to drug activity in the area near the Canadian border. Multiple persons of interest were identified but no charges were filed.

Brianna Maitland's case has drawn parallels to the disappearance of Maura Murray, another young woman who vanished in rural New England the same year. While there is no evidence connecting the cases, they have been jointly discussed in true crime media. The Vermont State Police continues to investigate and periodically releases updates asking for the public's help.