Madalyn Murray O'Hair

Madalyn Murray O'Hair (April 13 1919 - 1995) was an American atheist, founder of American Atheists and campaigned for the separation of church and state, and murder victim (at age 76).

Disappearance and Death

On August 27, 1995, Madalyn, Jon Garth and Robin Murray O'Hair (William's daughter who had been adopted by Madalyn) disappeared from the headquarters of American Atheists, leaving a note implying an absence for some time and a visit to San Antonio, Texas. In September Jon ordered $600,000 (USD) worth of gold coins from a San Antonio jeweler but took delivery of only $500,000 (USD). No further communication came from any of the O'Hairs, and in 1996 William Murray filed a missing persons report.

Related Topics:
August 27 - 1995 - San Antonio, Texas - Missing person

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There was speculation the O'Hairs had abandoned American Atheists and fled with the money. One investigator concluded they had gone to New Zealand. Other theories suggested fundamentalist Christians had kidnapped the trio. Many of the O'Hair assets were sold to clear up their debts. Eventually suspicion turned to David Roland Waters, an ex-convict who had worked as an office manager and typesetter for American Atheists and had previous convictions for violent crimes (along with one for stealing funds from the organization). Police concluded he and accomplices had kidnapped the O'Hairs, forced them to withdraw the missing funds and murdered them. Waters eventually pled guilty to reduced charges. In January 2001, Waters informed police that the O'Hairs were buried on a ranch in Texas, and gave them the exact location of the ranch and the bodies. When police dug in the location given to them, they discovered that the O'Hairs had been cut into dozens of pieces with some sort of saw, and that such mutilation (and successive decomposition) had occurred that they had to be identified through dental records and, in Madalyn's case, her prothstetic hip.

Related Topics:
New Zealand - Fundamentalist - 2001

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