Young woman sought on social media found dead in Poconos

Nicole Murray, a 24-year-old woman whose family and friends initiated a frantic social media search after she went missing the day after Christmas, was found dead in the Poconos, authorities have confirmed. 

“We are heartbroken to confirm that the body found in the Poconos is our beautiful, kind sweet Nicole,” Murray’s family announced in a Facebook post on April 21. “Though we only held Nicole in our arms for a short while we will hold in our hearts forever.”

Murray, of Northeast Philly, was last seen in the Kensington area of Philadelphia on Dec. 26, 2017. She was last seen leaving town with a man only identified as “Poconos Bob,” who apparently invited Murray to leave Philly for the Poconos with him.

Through their Facebook group, “Bring Nicole Murray Home,” family and friends had posted updates and requested the public’s help finding Murray after her disappearance.

“She was last seen on Kensington Ave and Allegheny Ave,” they posted before Murray’s body was found. “She was approached by a man named ‘Bob’ who asked her to go to the Pocono Mountains with him which she accepted and in fact, made it to the Poconos but it seems that she has vanished. We believe Nicole is in danger.”

The last communication from Murray was on Jan 3.

She was reportedly struggling with drug addiction at the time of her disappearance. Murray’s death is being treated as “suspicious,” WFMZ reported, but a cause of death has not been announced.

Her body was reportedly discovered on April 20 in Monroe County in the Poconos region, behind a trailer on a property on the 500 block of Foliage Drive in Tunkhannock Township.

The Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police’s Forensic Unit are investigating the case. Murray’s autopsy was scheduled for Monday, though results could take four to six weeks.