A witness stopped to help after her car crashed on a dark highway. She told him she'd already called for help. Twenty minutes later, when police arrived, she was gone.
The Crash
On the evening of February 9, 2004, 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray crashed her car on Route 112 in Woodsville, New Hampshire. A passing motorist stopped to help but was told by Murray that assistance was already on the way. He called emergency services regardless. When police arrived roughly 20 minutes later, Murray was gone, leaving her cell phone and other belongings behind.
The Days Before
In the days leading up to her disappearance, Murray had emailed professors and her employer requesting time off for a family emergency her family later said hadn't occurred. She had also been involved in an earlier car accident days before, and reportedly showed signs of significant distress at her campus job that same week.
The Investigation
Extensive searches, including K-9 units and volunteers, failed to locate Murray in the area or turn up substantive leads. Over the years, there has been only one reported possible sighting, involving a person seen running along the highway several miles from the crash site, which has never been confirmed as connected to Murray.
An Unexplained Online Footnote
In 2012, a YouTube account under the name "112DirtBag" posted a video titled "Happy Anniversary" a day before the eighth anniversary of Murray's disappearance — a coincidence given the highway's number appeared in the account name. The account was deactivated shortly after and the person behind it was never identified, leaving it unclear whether it was genuinely connected to the case or an unrelated troll.
Where the Case Stands
More than two decades later, Maura Murray has never been found, and no definitive explanation for her disappearance has ever emerged. The case remains one of the most discussed unsolved disappearances in the United States.
FAQ
Has Maura Murray ever been found?
No. She has never been located, and the case remains unsolved.
Why did Maura Murray request time off before she disappeared?
She cited a family emergency that her family later said had not actually occurred.
Was there any confirmed sighting of her after the crash?
One unconfirmed possible sighting was reported, but it has never been verified as connected to the case.