Family of Storrs woman missing in Japan holding onto hope after two months of searching

STORRS, Conn. (WTNH) — Two months have passed since Paddie Murad went missing while hiking in Japan.

Her family is holding onto hope that she will be found safe.

Police and the Murad family have searched extensively but Pattie Murad disappeared without a trace.

Search parties have covered thousands of miles in a mountainous region in Japan. Sadly searches by foot, dogs, drones and helicopters have all come up empty.

Empty is similar to what her husband Kirk Murad felt walking back into his Storrs home without his wife of 33 years.

“I never thought I’d come back without her,” said Kirk Murad. “I just don’t feel whole. There’s a part of me missing. I can’t really describe it but it’s not just my heart, it’s my whole being, my mind and how I look at the world something is missing. You expect to see her sitting in the spot she does her research but she’s not there.”

Pattie Murad vanished while on a solo hiking trip in southern Japan back in April.

Kirk says this is the longest and largest search in Japan’s history due to local authorities searching for typically three days with families covering the rest of the cost. Pattie’s search was made possible through a GoFundMe organized by her daughter that raised over $200,000 from donors across the globe.

While the family feels good about the efforts, the frustration is bounding as the search and potential criminal investigation have led to zero clues.

“Nothing. Nothing in the water, no sign of her falling into the water,” Murad said. “No sign of her losing a piece of clothing. No sign of an animal attack. No shredded pieces of backpack or her clothing.”

Family of Storrs woman missing in Japan say search efforts have ended

A camera about halfway down the 11-mile Kumano Kodo trail showed the 60-year-old never got there.

Police interviewed a man asking hikers to help him learn English at his nearby home but say his alibi checked out.

Kirk says another upset is the disconnect with nearby cell phone towers.

“They say Pattie’s phone didn’t give us any data. I don’t accept that,” Murad said.

If there was a clue, any idea of where she could be, Kirk tells me he would take the first flight back to Japan.

In the meantime, he is refusing to lose hope in who he calls “the strongest person he knows.”

“Until somebody tells me otherwise I’m assuming she’s coming home I just don’t know when,” Murad said.

Murad is pushing for weekly updates from police in Japan. Their latest update is they have nothing.

When asked what residents in Connecticut can do to help support the family, Murad said “pray.”