Right: Ornaith and her husband, Kieran Murphy
Right: Ornaith and her husband, Kieran Murphy
Name: Ornaith Murphy
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: December 16, 2001
Location Last Seen: Oakland, Almeda County, California
Date of Birth: January 1, 1946
Age: 55 years
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 130 - 150 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Both legs were broken in a 1992 car accident (the reconstructed injuries may appear on X-Ray). Suffers from arthritis and walks with a cane
Dentals: None
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: A 39-foot fiberglass auxiliary sailing boat named the "Sola III."
Ornaith Murphy was last seen in Oakland, California onboard her vessel which was docked on Jack London Square on December 16, 2001. She disappeared two days after her estranged husband, Kieran Murphy went missing from San Francisco, California. At the time, Kieran and Ornaith were in the process of divorcing and were also involved in a separate lawsuit. It is believed the two would not have gone on a sailing voyage together.
A witness possibly saw Kieran on a boat owned and operated by Ornaith, named the "Sola III," the day of his disappearance. The sailing vessel is white with blue trim; it is a 1980 39-foot fiberglass auxillary sail boat. The sailing vessel has a distinct emblem on a round dark blue circle with a grey swirl inside located on both the right and left sides. Ornaith, an experienced sailor, was the first woman to sail solo from San Francisco to the tip of Cape Horn. The boat has not been discovered. The Sola III was captured on video leaving the Oakland port on December 15, 2001.
Ornaith apparently spoke to her niece on the telephone the next day, but was never heard from again. Their cases both remain unsolved. Foul play may be suspected.
Agency Name: Oakland Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 510-238-3775
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 01-113909
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: Unlisted
CA DOJ
SFGate-News
Added: 02-12-2015; Last Updated: 01/07/2024 - By: hb
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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