MAura murray’s mysterious knots
cinnamon knots filled with spiced apple butter
This week we had our first submission from a follower. This follower went on and on about how invested she is into this case and impressively listen to the ENTIRE Missing Maura Podcast dedicated to solving the mysterious case; a feat hard to catch up on considering there is like two hundred episodes.
We introduce you to the case of Maura Murray: a college student who disappeared without a trace. And let me tell you, while digging into this case we have some major thoughts about who is responsible for her disappearance and the clues that led up to the decision. We are hoping for all of you armchair detectives to give your opinion on this juicy case too!
Maura Murray was born on May 4th 1982 in Hanson, Massachusetts to parents Fred and Laura Murray. She had two older siblings and one younger brother. She was the perfect middle child. When she was six, her parents divorced and she primarily lived with her mother. She had a normal childhood excelling in academics and sports in high school. She developed a love of the Military and after graduating from high school, she went on to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. She ended up only being there for one year but she studied chemical engineering [one smart cookie]. While her short stint at the Army academy she got an itch to get an adrenaline rush and was caught stealing only 5 dollars worth of makeup. Instead of getting expelled they just forced her to transfer. Maura transferred to U of Mass Amherst into the nursing program.
Now it gets interesting. In November 2003, just three months before she went missing she got into some more trouble. She began using stolen credit cards to purchase food. It was dismissed due to good behavior, we have some thoughts on bad behavior being expunged due to good behavior but we’ll save the rant for another day.
On Feb 5th 2004, she was chatting on the phone with her sister as she was sitting in the front desk of her campus security job at UMass. They were chatting about the usual stuff when she broke down in tears and her supervisor obviously took notice. Her supervisor walked over and she completely zoned out and when asked what was wrong, she was unresponsive. She finished her shift and her supervisor walked her back up to her down. When she was asked what was wrong she managed to mumble the words, “my sister.” Her sister later in the media explained the contents of the call. Kathleen [the sister] was just released from rehab and her fiance was taking her to the liquor store when they got an argument all while she was on the phone with Maura.
On Feb 7th, Maura’s father Fred came to visit her in Amherst. On the agenda was car shopping and they followed it with dinner with one of Maura’s friends. After dropping her father off at his hotel, Maura and her friend borrowed his car to go to a party later that night. At 2:30 am, she left the party and drove his car with all intentions of returning it. After an hour of driving, she hit a guardrail on the freeway in Hadley. When the police showed up, they did not give her a sobriety test or file and charges. [this girl must have some luck, our asses have zero game talking out of tickets] she was driving back to the motel by the police officers and slept there. It is said she woke up in the middle of the night to call her boyfriend from her father's phone and talk about all that happened. Later in the wake of the disappearance, it is actually unknown who were the participants of the phone conversation.
Come Sunday morning, her father finds out the auto damage is covered by his insurance, he just needed to remind her to get the forms Monday for the accident and did so ay 11:30pm that night. Don't know bout y’all, but from the morning until 11:30pm is a long time. AND he rented a car and drove her all the way back to UMass. Thats a lot of chatting opportunity. We found it pretty weird he would wait so long just for a reminder. On that same phone call they agree to chat again Monday night about the incident and to fill out the forms for the DMV. Around midnight on Sunday, Maura uses her personal computer to search for directions between The Berkshires and Burlington, Vermont.
On Monday, Maura emailed [remember this is time before everyone had a cellphone and texting] her boyfriend saying, “I just got your message, but honestly, I didn’t feel like talking to much of anyone, I promise to call today though.” At the same time she called an apartment complex in Barlett, New Hampshire that her family and her spent a lot of time there in her childhood. She was never rented the apartment. After the call, she also made unknown calls to some nursing peers. She was getting really busy at this time, because she ALSO emailed her work supervisor, the same one who witnessed her breakdown, and said there was a death in the family and she needed to go home for the family emergency. Post-disappearance, it came out that there was no death or emergency in the family at the time she told her supervisor.
An hour after her mass communication that she is going out of town for various reasons, she calls some hotels in Stowe, Vermont but it was just pre-recorded information she kept reaching. A few minutes after that, at 2:15pm, she reached out to her boyfriend once again and tells him that she will contact him later on voicemail.
Maura then packed her car like she was going away for a vacation but definitely was coming back to school. She packed her car with clothing, toiletries, and even her text books. What person would bring her text books if she didn't plan on coming back to school? Although she packed all the essentials, post-disappearance the police searched her apartment and realized that her room was entirely packed up. All posters were off the way and most everything was in boxes ready to move. Around 3:30 pm she left campus in her black Saturn sedan. Shortly after that she withdrew $280 from an ATM which was close to her entire balance of her checking account. She was alone at the time of the withdrawal. Post emptying account, she went to a liquor store and purchase about $40 worth of alcohol including Baileys, Kaahlua, Vodka and a box of wine. She was also alone for this purchase. To us, it sounds like she’s about to just have a fun weekend with her friends out of town. She left the town after purchasing the alcohol and headed up the 91 North. Her last known use of her phone was when she checked her voicemail during the car ride
A few members of the neighborhood in Woodsville, New Hampshire, heard a lard crash outside. The car was pointed west on the eastbound road. The neighbor immediately called the cops to report an accident. Another neighbor then saw the crash and reported someone walking around the car. Then yet another neighbor was said to pull up next to vehicle.
That neighbor approached the car and Maura asking if she needed help. He noticed that she was not bleeding but cold and shivering from being outside her car. She said she had already called AAA but later to find out that there was no record of the call to AAA. He left her to “get help” from AAA and continued onto his house to dial the police, since he knew where Maura has crashed there was no cell service. Now we don't know about y’all, but were the type of people to call someone out. We so wish that man would have just said there's no way she could have called AAA due to the service issues. Maybe she would still be here, maybe not. Maybe it's part of the mystery.
At 7:46 pm, just three minutes after the neighbor called the police, they arrived on the scene. When inspecting the car, the windshield was cracked, the doors were locked, and the airbags were deployed. Maura was nowhere to be found. There was some red substance around the car but upon further inspection it was the busted box of wine she had purchased earlier that day. Everything she had brought with her for the trip was still accounted for in the car except for her debit card, credit card, and cell phone. None of those items have been used since the day of her disappearance.
Around 8:15pm a contractor returning home from work saw a young person in a slight jog on foot on Route 112 just 4 miles from where Maura’s vehicle was found. He noted what she was wearing and did not immediately report the young woman to police due to confusion of dates but he later reported it when he reviewed his own records and realized that he saw the woman walking the same night of Maura’s disappearance.
A little before we learned about the woman walking on the freeway, the fire department came to seen to clear the accident. When towing the car they found a rag stuffed into the tailpipe of the car. [suspicious]
The following day, a news report was issued for them to be on the lookout for Maura in the surrounding areas. The police then called her father and left a voicemail on her dad's cell phone. But it wasn't until Maura’s older sister called the father to tell him what was going on that he learned about everything. The lack of urgency when not hearing from his daughter it oddly suspicious. And since Maura murray was an adult, they had to wait one more day to begin an official search issued by the state and local police. In the meanwhile though, the family called the University of Mass. to issue a dorm search. That's when they discovered everything was packed and everything was removed off the walls.
On February 11th, Maura’s dad arrived in Haverhill, New Hampshire for the start of the search. They started at 8pm that night and the police had dogs in hopes they would pick up a scent and lead them to her tracks. They traced a circumference of 100 yards around the car’s location. Police were determined that Maura was out here to disappear or commit suicide. But family knows best. They knew that their Maura would never run away or commit suicide no matter how much trouble she encountered in the recent weeks. .
Maura’s boyfriend was right there with the family searching with the family. It was discovered that he was on a plane with his phone turned off at the time of the disappearance. But he did have one call and voicemail during the flight. And it was an unknown number but he knew he recognized the voice on the voicemail. He said it was Maura sobbing. They traced the call back to a card used to make a call at the American Red Cross. Since then, the voicemail has been deleted. Not sure why and how they could let him delete but it is way gone.
It is now Feb 12th and it is time for the press conference of the family. In Bethlehem, New Hampshire, Maura’s father and boyfriend spoke to the news asking for help and if anyone knew anything about Maura’s disappearance. Police spoke out that they were again concerned that she vanished because she was upset or committed suicide. In the next couple days, they expanded the search to Vermont. This case was so mysterious they had to bring in the big guys. Usually when you have a missing person it's just local police and state police. The FBI was brought in just 10 days after the Maura’s car was discovered. And not only did the FBI get involved, the Fish And Game team got involved. They brought in the cadaver dogs and issued an air search of the surrounding areas.
During the search, Maura’s sister found a pair of ripped underwear lying in the snow on one of the trails in the wooded areas. It was sent in for a DNA test but unfortunately it did not come back as a match to Maura. After this, a lot of the searches were coming up empty and dead ends. At the end of Feb, the police returned all the items they took in for testing from her car to her family. Her family packed up and checked out of their hotel. It was her father who returned every single weekend to look for her. He was so persistent he was even accused of trespassing on private property.
When the man who saw a young woman running on the highway realized that he dates of the incident and Maura’s disappearance were actually the same day, he contacted the police. The police then issued an air search of that area but no leads came from it.
A lot of speculations came about her disappearance. One being she wanted to make herself disappear due to her improper use of credit cards, two accidents so close together involving alcohol, and just three months after her dismissal from the Army academy. Her family completely disagrees. No matter what trouble she was in, they know her and she would not just disappear.
A semi-break in the case came in 2004 towards the end. Her father was given a long knife by the apparent brother of the person who claims to have murderer Maura. Now we couldn't find any follow up on the knife, reports say that the man who “murdered” Maura had a pretty hefty criminal past. Since nothing super relevant came of it, this clue went dormant.
On the anniversary of the disappearance, a service was held where they found her car. It was then police realized this was obviously not some random disappearance and then TOOK BACK the items the original took from the car and returned to the parents. They issued another search but nothing came up during it. Again. Now Maura’s family was getting restless and demanding more information from the police. Maura’s father even filed a suit against the police to gain access to the file they had for Maura. After this, a special team from the Molly Bish Foundation was put together to get involved in the case. They just knew this wasn't a missing person incident and she did not disappear since she is not using any bank cards or cell phone. They knew something ominous happened to her.
Then another juicy trail appeared in October 2006. Volunteers who were searching in the surrounding miles of where Maura’s car was found, came across an A-frame. They brought is cadaver dogs to search the house and went they came across the closet, the dogs went crazy. The volunteers knew there had to have been a body in the closet for some time. The police cut a portion of the carpet and sent it to get testing for DNA.
Then in 2007 the family tagged onto the case for anyone who could help shed light on the situation or knew who did it. Then again in 2008 they brought out more dogs to search the forest in the surrounding areas, but nothing turned up. The investigation is still active today. The family is very involved through Facebook groups and Instagram and leading charities. Since the case is so mysterious that many people in the True Crime community have helped to shed light on Maura and her disappearance. There has been numerous podcasts, documentary, and article written about her.
So what do we think happened? We think it was Maura’s own father. It was Fred who told her to fix her car but stuffing the rag from her car kit into the muffler of her tail pipe. We don't know too much about cars but know it cannot be good to clog the tailpipe. Thinking that it would cause some engine problems and cause the car to not work properly therefore having opportunities to act upon her in a vulnerable situation. He was also supposed to here from her Monday night but doesn't even flinch when he doesn't get a call from her or even return voicemails. His other daughter had to call him late Tuesday night to tell him of Maura’s Disappearance. Now we don't know exactly what happened but our eggs our in the dad’s basket.
Now since this was a follower submission we got a quote from her on what she thought happened:
“OK so I found @missingmauramurray podcast on a whim while looking for more true crime podcasts to feed my empty soul… aaaaaaand I was instantly hooked. Being a twenty-something in college myself at the time and listening to the many twists and turns of the case, it was hard to not imagine yourself in the situation and how it could have/did play out. Something I enjoy about the case is hearing everyone’s different theories about what actually happened… it was the dad, it was the boyfriend, it was right-place-right time crime…. X Y Z you get the picture. Missing persons cases like this are so scary because they are so REAL.
SOOO here are some of my thoughts on some of the most popular theories on the case
Disclaimer: I am just another armchair detective (not even that serious, maybe an armchair observer?) so don’t get all rude and up in my grill if I have some wrong info or you disagree with me, ok sis?
So I 100P do not think it was her dad however, what the hell is with the rag in the tailpipe?? Is he dumb or ?? I also do not think she got out of the car after the crash, and ran into the woods to hide after being asked if she needed help before the police were called. If she did because she was scared of DUI/open container due to the alcohol in her car or for what ever other reason she would get out of the car and run off (or to commit suicide like her dad once suggested) – I think her body or remains would have been found by now. THAT IS as long as police and search and rescue actually completed a decent search job, if they half assed it this could still be a slightly possible outcome for her….
I think the theory of her wanting to get away and change her name and not be heard from again is totally possible, due to her mental state, stress and rocky relationships before leaving. The accident just put a swerve in her original plan and somehow she got away without being noted by police or the on looker offering help. And now she is off enjoying her life, the only “positive” possible out come for her I presume. Credit to James Renner for plugging this theory into everyone’s head.
The A Frame is most suspect to me. Yeah, cadaver dogs didn’t pick anything up, and YEAH there were very very minimal traces of blood and no DNA of hers or whatever but something about it just won't let me give up on it. I find it weird that this wasn’t found & thoroughly inspected until very recently in the case?!?! I just think there is so much more to explore & clarify here that they haven’t yet. Hm….
Another theory I find suspicious are the people at the party she was at that refuse to speak/answer questions…. UM?! I think this could tie back to leaving her life behind her theory. Or something happened that had a cause and effect on Maura that they know about. Are they covering for her “boyfriend” ??
And obviously the whole “right place, wrong time,” crime of opportunity - a random guy who lived in the area or passing through or was someone she knew… Totes possible.
ANYWHO, I feel as if there is obviously a hell of a lot more and I’d love to chat with you about it or about your specific theories.
Feel free to hit me up on insta - @maggie.kissing
(YEAH I’m on private, I listen and watch nothing but true crime, I’m not an idiot… just request and we can be BFFs)
Thank you @bakingamurdererblog for having me and featuring my favorite case.
May Maura eventually be found, or her case put to rest for her family's sake.
Till next time, xoxo”
Maggie K. Columbus, Ohio. [@maggie.kissing]
Now how do we take an unsolved case and make them into something sweet? Well we broke down Maura’s background and where she disappeared. We took her short stint at the Army academy and was inspired by the knots, therefore we did cinnamon knots. It’s also very hard to tell the beginning and the end of the pastry which mirrors all the twists and turns of the cases and theories. Where she disappeared in New Hampshire is known for their apple cider and apple orchards and knew we wanted to include apples in the mix. Apple butter became the perfect vehicle to make the ooey gooey center to the knots.
We introduce you to Maura Murray’s Mysterious Knots: cinnamon knots filled with spice apple butter.
Maura Murray’s Mysterious Knots
Ingredients:
Pastry:
3 ½ cup butter, cubed
1 cup milk [feel free to sub whatever alternative milk you want]
1 pound of bread flour.
1 packet of dried yeast.
1 teaspoon of salt
¼ cup of white sugar.
1 tsp of cinnamon
Oil for greasing your proofing bowl.
Filling:
¾ cup packed brown sugar. We use the dark stuff for the higher molasses content. Makes it extra gooey.
2 Tablespoons of cinnamon
1 Cup apple butter. We would like to say be like Ina Garten and make it by hand but we totally bought it from the store and the knots were still amazing. [take the shortcut]
Alright Let’s bake this betch!
1. Alright now that you have your ingredients, let’s start by making the dough
2. Grab a sauce pot [we call it the late night mac n cheese pot] and place your butter and milk warm the two together over low heat. You will want your butter to be completely melted, then remove from heat and let cool.
3. Please your flour in the bowl of your stand mixture. You will want to use the [captain] hook attachment.
4. This is the tedious part. Add your yeast to one side of the bowl and then on the other side you will have the salt, white sugar, and cinnamon. We don't want them to be friends just yet.
5. Pour that sweet sweet butter and milk mixture right in the middle of the bowl but not all of it just yet. We started with about ¾ of the mixture. You will gauge the stickiness after you start mixing.
6. Turn on your mixer and mix until all ingredients are incorporated into one ball. Flouring a flat surface, pour your dough onto the surface and begin to need until smooth. You will have little flecks of cinnamon in the dough and that's okay!
7. Grease a bowl with minimal oil and plop that dough ball right in the middle. Cover the dough with cling wrap, place is a room temperature area and let ride for 2 hours. It will double in size. Hot tip: we place our doughs in the laundry room to rise and just run the dryer to heat up the room a little. #multitasking.
8. While the dough is rising, we are going to make the filling. This is the easiest part. Just put everything in a small bowl and mix with a whisk until combined. That’s it! Keep in fridge until ready to use. And line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. Grab you dough and pour our onto a floured work surface. You will roll out into a large rectangle. Spread the mixture thinly onto the dough. You do not want too much as when you fold and roll, it will all spill out. [speaking from experience] HOT TIP: click the picture above to see how this looks.
10. Tri Fold the dough as pictured and then roll out again. You will want your dough to be about ½ thick. Using a sharp knife cut strips into even slices, we were able to make about 20 ish strips. Some being better than others.
11. To make not you will stretch it out a little bit, twist the strip, wrap around your hands two times and then tuck in your ends to the middle. This takes some time to get down but it's so worth it and they look so pretty went baked. Place the finished knot onto the parchment paper and put the trays of knots back in your laundry room to rise again for 45 minutes.
12. While they are proving preheat the over to 400F.
13. When they have risen, we brush just a little egg wash on top and sprinkled turbinado sugar on top. Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes. We baked them on the longer side because we were edge gals of the cinnamon pan tray when we younger and enjoy the crunchiness of the outside. It’s up to you how you like, that's the best part of baking!
They are enjoyed best warm, but we had no problem eating them the next day. And the next :)
