The barn held most of what remained of the worldly possessions of Mrs. O'Hair, who was last seen in her Austin office in September 1995. Her granddaughter, Robin Murray-O'Hair, and one of her sons, Jon Garth Murray, also disappeared, leaving behind the family's three dogs, Mrs. O'Hair's medications and a 1985 Porsche 944 found at the Austin airport. Authorities were able to trace the three through cell phone calls and bank records as far as San Antonio. Since then, nothing. Not a hint.
Authorities say they have no idea where the three are.
The auction was postponed two years ago, when lawyers for the missing family filed for bankruptcy protection. It was finally held today in a crowd of bargain hunters and curiosity seekers. They are in a safe deposit box in a downtown Austin bank, a block from Ronald Ingalls, the lawyer handling that sale. The diaries chronicle a yearning, unhappy life. Mrs. O'Hair, bitter that her dreams of political influence never blossomed, harshly judged almost everyone around her, often singling out Jews, blacks, gay men and lesbians.