Maura Murray

On February 9, 2004, 21-year-old Maura Murray, a nursing student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, packed her belongings into her black 1996 Saturn, emailed her professors saying she would be away for a week due to a death in the family (no family member had died), and drove north toward New Hampshire. She had searched MapQuest for directions to Burlington, Vermont and Berkshires-area destinations. She also brought alcohol.

At approximately 7:27 p.m., Maura's car crashed into a snowbank on Route 112 in Haverhill, New Hampshire, near Woodsville. A school bus driver, Butch Atwood, stopped and asked if she needed help. Maura declined, saying she had called AAA (she had not; there was no cell service in the area). Atwood went to his home nearby and called police. When officers arrived approximately 7-10 minutes later, Maura and her personal belongings were gone. The car was locked, and an open box of wine was found inside.

A massive search of the area, including cadaver dogs, helicopters, and hundreds of volunteers, found no trace of Maura. There were no footprints in the snow leading away from the car beyond what would be expected from the crash scene. The investigation explored whether she fled into the woods and succumbed to the cold, was picked up by a passing motorist, or met with foul play.

Maura's case has become one of the most discussed disappearances in true crime, inspiring multiple books, documentaries, podcasts, and a dedicated online community. Her father, Fred Murray, has spent two decades searching for answers and has publicly clashed with New Hampshire law enforcement over the investigation's handling. Despite periodic leads and extensive public interest, Maura Murray has never been found. The New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit maintains the investigation.