James Renner's Blog, page 28

Did you live in the Kennedy dorm at UMass in 2003/2004?

If so, I'd like to speak with you. Please contact me at becarriedaway@hotmail.com
Thank you!-James Renner

Was Maura About to Be Expelled from UMass?

I didn't think about this until a recent comment from a reader, but is it possible that Maura was about to face disciplinary action from UMass related to this improper use of a credit card?
It's notoriously difficult to get records from universities, but hopefully someone within UMass can help us answer this question. Obviously, UMass would have been alerted by Amherst PD about this charge. How would that have affected Maura's job with campus security?
I wish Maura had just gone home to her Aunt Janice and gotten her head back together. We all make mistakes. She could have gotten through all this and have still been successful.

Maura Used Stolen Credit Card Number, Charges Would Have Been Dismissed in Feb.

Another rumor can be confirmed. Maura Murray was caught using a stolen credit card number in early November, 2003, according to documents received today from Amherst Police.
According to the police reports, in early November, a female student at UMass discovered some odd charges on her credit card statement. Someone had been using her credit card number to order take-out from Pinocchio's Pizza. After calling the credit company, this student called Amherst Police who then contacted Pinocchio's and two other area pizza restaurants. After checking their records, Pinocchio Pizza managers found that the orders had been delivered to Maura's dorm room. That very night, shortly after Pinocchio's was made aware of the fraud, Maura called and again tried to use the same number. Officers enlisted the deliveryman in a sting in which he would present the bill for Maura to sign. When she did, the police approached her dorm room.
The police quickly explained why they were there and took her picture (above). Maura at first gave no explanation. Eventually, she admitted using the card number, which she said she'd found on a discarded receipt in the trash.
According to the documents, the charges against Maura would have been dismissed in February, 2004, around the time she disappeared-- if she managed to stay out of trouble until then.
Here's the heartbreaking part. Maura was doing this for food. And the theft only amounted to $79.02.
To me, this hints at desperation. Life was coming down on Maura and for whatever reason she was not asking for help. Did the accident the weekend before her disappearance frighten her into running away? Did she mistakenly believe that being cited for the accident would keep these charges from being dismissed?
Why wasn't she asking friends for help? I'm sure she could have turned to any of her friends from Hanson and they would only have been too happy to help her out.

Need help in Norfolk County

Some records are starting to come in, which I'll be sharing soon.
However, I need someone on the ground in Norfolk. If you have some free time and want to help out, please contact me at becarriedaway@hotmail.com
Thanks.

Public Records

Just sent out several requests for public records to the following offices:
- Grafton County Superior Court- New Hampshire Supreme Court- New Hampshire Attorney General's Office- Weymouth Police Department- Quincy District Court- Norfolk Superior Court- Eastern Hampshire District Court- Amherst Police Department
These requests mark the midway point of my research. I'll use the results as supporting documentation and as a jumping-off point for further interviews.
And I'll share scans as they come in.

Common Sense *UPDATE*

Think about all the 21-year-old young women you know. Would any of them really take a break from school and drive hundreds of miles into the country without telling a soul? I'm a man of probability. And the odds overwhelmingly suggest someone knew of Maura's plans. So why haven't they come forward?
*UPDATE*I want to highlight this reader's comment. Sometimes we overlook the little details.

If she was simply going to drive north and walk off into the woods to commit suicide, why would she have called places to inquire about lodging and bring along a suitcase?

Common Sense

Think about all the 21-year-old young women you know. Would any of them really take a break from school and drive hundreds of miles into the country without telling a soul? I'm a man of probability. And the odds overwhelmingly suggest someone knew of Maura's plans. So why haven't they come forward?

Rick Forcier rocks out.

Lot of talk about Rick Forcier, lately. He was the guy who lived in the trailer at the corner near the scene of Maura's accident. Prof. McDonald's wife thought he was an albino (though, perhaps he just hadn't been out in the sun in a while). And it is true that Forcier would not let police search his trailer and didn't want the Murrays walking around his property.
Like I said before, I'd forget Forcier. Everyone who lives in the area had nice things to say about him. Would he really have picked Maura up just to drive her 100 feet down the road to his trailer? No. Also, his trailer was later searched by police after he sold it.
I firmly believe the most likely scenario is that Maura had planned to meet someone up in NH all along and that person contributed (directly, or indirectly) to her death. The key to her disappearance is finding out who she planned to meet.
Anyway, here's a music video from Forcier. Just another example of the strange and cool characters you're likely to meet in the North Country.

Why Aren't You Posting My Comments? A Reminder.

Before any comment is posted, I review it. If at all possible, I will approve it and you will see it posted usually the same day. You don't have to agree with me in order for me to post your comment. I welcome discussion. However:
Your comment will not be approved if:1. You make accusations against people without supporting evidence.2. Your comment does not serve any purpose other than to be mean.3. Your comment is about something we've already proven to be untrue (ie, "Maura left a message with Billy and it sounded like she was moaning,")
If you are new to this blog, please take some time to get up to speed by reading through the previous posts from last year. Many of your questions will be answered.

New City number identified.

The New City number that shows up on Maura's cell phone bill belonged to Billy Rausch. Apparently he got the plan in New City and kept that number while stationed in Oklahoma in 2004.