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The movie and myth about Madalyn Murray O'Hair, American atheist

  • Broadcast in Atheism
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On August 27, 1995, O'Hair, her son Garth Murray, and granddaughter Robin Murray O'Hair disappeared from their home and office. A typewritten note was attached to the locked office door, saying "The Murray O'Hair family has been called out of town on an emergency basis. We do not know how long we will be gone at the time of the writing of this memo." When police entered O'Hair's home, it looked as if they had left suddenly. The trio said in phone calls that they were on "business" in San Antonio. Garth Murray ordered $600K worth of gold coins from a San Antonio jeweler, but took delivery of only $500,000 worth of coins.  The criminals ordered them to get the money out.

Until September 27, American Atheists employees received several phone calls from Robin and Jon, but neither explained why they had left or when they would return; employees reported that their voices sounded strained and disturbed.  The communication stopped after they were murdered.

Investigation and arrests

Ultimately, the investigation focused on David Roland Waters, an ex-felon with a violent history, who had worked for American Atheists. He had pleaded guilty earlier that year to stealing $54,000 from the organization.Shortly after his theft was discovered, O'Hair had published an article in the American Atheists newsletter exposing the theft and previous crimes. O'Hair claimed that, at age 17, Waters had killed another teenager.

Federal agents for the FBI/IRS along with the police, concluded that Waters and his accomplices had kidnapped all three Murray/O'Hair family members, forced them to withdraw the missing funds.  He killed and dismembered all their bodies, including Fry.  Waters ratted on himself while in federal prison.

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