Morgan Harrington Case: Virginia State Police On New Search
Charlottesville, VA– Virginia State Police are searching an area of route 64, between mile markers 112 and 114 today in their efforts to locate missing VT student, Morgan Harrington.
Located approximately 4 miles west of Charlottesville, VA, the stretch of highway leads up to an early area of interest, Crozet, VA.
VSP PR Manager, Connie Geller says the area is not being searched based on any new tip.
Check back to blinkoncrime.com for this developing story.
Update #1. Jim Hanchett, Newsplex, reports the search has ended for this area today, and is awaiting any news of other possible search areas.
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There is a media interview with VSP today, according to Dr Harrington. This should help clarify a lot of facts in this case, hopefully, maybe even reveal something new but the answers are coming thank God. It`s imperative the right questions are asked. Apparently it`s open to all media, Blink, can you get involved with this?
Yes Liam, but I will not be there. I have asked our dedicated readers and contributors to help us out until I can chat with VSP if necessary.
B
homeless,gutter ridden intravenous(sp?) herion(?) users have respect for the dead ,and want their peeps od’d bodies buried honorably.in the depths of drug despair ,they care for their fellow man.
sorry — I’m reading backwards — i meant no harm/no foul on the 100,000th visitor quip — just joking — websites are not free, especially, I presume, with the bandwidth this site requires — ya gotta do what ya gotta do — I read that post from the guy stating how can you trust a site w/ the “100,000th visitor” after I posted my little quip — sorry, Blink, honestly no meanness intended
I absolutely trust this site — am every single day blown away by the posts on here, and the theories from everyone, the age range, the job experience, personal experiences — we have grains of sands to go on, and look how much information has come to the forefront just from that — I believe this site is a valuable tool for LE — and I hope they do read it and “take notes” —
just to clear up one thing — or muddy the waters more, who knows ? — but from reading either findmorgan or FB — when I was reading thru the original posts on FB from late Oct — someone posted that Dan’s gf — is that Morgan Nichols? — I can’t remember now — but Dan’s gf was originally supposed to go, then she decided not to, for whatever reason, and that’s how Dan ended up in Morgan’s party.
This is pure speculation on my part — I’m awful w/ names, please forgive me — but the guy who made the statement he was parked beside Morgan and knew it was her — it was alleged somewhere that that guy knew Dee S and her crew, and they possibly knew Dan — and maybe them parking beside/near each other was on purpose and that’s how he could state that he definitely knew it was Morgan. I don’t believe that kid had any nefarious part in Morgan’s disappearance; although I do think he knows more than he’s sharing — I think he was trying to do the right thing and post that he saw her at the arena in the parking area –
Also, was it Judi ? who made this statement — again, forgive if I’ve got the wrong post — but I think checking her car to see if her books were in it is a great idea — also, was the car clean when it was finally delivered to the Harringtons ? I ask that because when I get my car back after my kid’s had it for a couple days — it’s a wreck — there’s junk everywhere — not just Metallica blaring from the CD player — 4 people in the car at least on the trip down is going to put dirt in the floor boards — had the car been vacuumed ? And why ?
just more questions — gotta hit the bricks for work !!
Comment by GeegLouise — December 27, 2009 @ 1:06 pm:
[I don’t mean to drag down the discussion but I could use some clarification on one of the friends. I can’t access the FB pages so I’m operating on limited info. Many have identified Amy Melvin as being the girl on the left in the photo at the top of this thread. Correct? Some kind person up-thread posted the Halloween pics on Flicker. Thank you for this! (I can’t locate the post now so I cannot thank her by name). In these pics the mummy girl is labeled as AM. If AM = Amy Melvin, then I don’t see the resemblance to the Amy Melvin in the above photo. They look like two different girls to me. Or do I have my names confused? TIA for any clarification.]
Comment by GeegLouise — December 30, 2009 @ 12:49 am:
[So no answers to my question in #864 about AM? It’s really bugging me. Anyone?]
__________________________
GeegLouise, Amy Melvin does look different in various photos, but I can assure you, that is indeed Amy on the far left in the above photo.
Here is a larger version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45970010@N07/4228091951/
Comparison Photos
Far Right: http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs231.snc1/7825_289012530153_505480153_9576713_2506320_n.jpg
Far Right, Top Row: http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs231.snc1/7825_289009825153_505480153_9576642_3266984_n.jpg
Bottom Right: http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs231.snc1/7825_289012515153_505480153_9576711_2919424_n.jpg
Left (Thanks, Sallylou) http://www.flickr.com/photos/45838843@N02/4207518977/sizes/o/
__________________________
Hope this helps clarify, Geeglouise.
My first post; have been lurking from beginning.
My theories:
A. Morgan is a Run Away
I support this theory with my gut feeling about the “facts” presented earlier.
FACT: Sometime in Oct, when Gil spoke to the press on TV in Cville, she pleaded for Morgan to come home, then started talking about whoever took her…etc. It was as if Gil was talking to her directly as if Morgan could see her on TV. I have seen video clips of this with that part now omitted (but I will try to find it and post).
FACT: The purse was found the next day with everything but the phone’s battery inside. To me, that was a red herring. I thought to myself, if she was taken, grabbed, wouldn’t the abductor be smart enough to pick up the purse and dispose of it later? Thus, I felt she dumped it herself.
Now, I am beginning to think this may have happened-Theory B:
They drove to JMU in Morgan’s car and partied. Dan was the DD because he was under age and this allowed the girls to party. Now, don’t be offended, but I am thinking maybe she passed out by the time they got to the concert and they decided to leave her in the car to sober up. (This may explain SN’s remark she made similar to “we wouldn’t have done it…”
When she woke, she couldn’t find her ticket and she called SN to say this, but either they had already given the ticket away or sold it.
Morgan is mad and says she will go back to Harrisonburg (this is why they don’t worry, they know who with and where..she tells them.) She then texts the person who lives 60 miles away (possibly at JMU) to pick her up and take her back…planning on meeting up with her friends in Harrisonburg. No one worries…However, when they get to JMU no Morgan or that person who picked her up….not to worry though…they probably went off somewhere together (he is the old boyfriend, right?) That doesn’t explain her purse that was found in the parking lot the next day but I do think this opens up the thinking in other directions.
I have a hard time sleeping at times, just thinking about where she is.
I do know that around Radford and VT area where I live, I have not seen a poster and people I try to talk to about it act as if they haven’t heard about it or they say they “sort of remember” hearing about it. If she did run away, she could be off the radar fast and have NO CLUE people are looking for her. She would only know about these sites or the news if she actively sought them out, and if a person wants a new life why would they search the internet or look at internet news?
Also, if she is a runaway it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her family. She may be upset about “disappointing” them, and may feel they are better off without her as she searches for her new self. Also, if she is with someone she thinks she loves, he may be a control freak and wants to cut her off from her family. Not hearing from her does not mean she doesn’t care or that she has died (I hate to even put that word in print). It could mean she is just mixed up and really her life is spinning out of control and she doesn’t even realize it.
So, both my theories are hopeful that she is alive right now, and eventually she will be found. I am so praying for this scenario.
Is it possible that the guy to the right of Morgan in the Erin-Shannon-Morgan photo is Shwan Halmat? Can any locals confirm/deny this? I’m just wondering because Shwan is a fan of Electric Chameleon on Facebook…I’m wondering if MH could have tried to get to the video shoot/after party once she was unable to reenter the concert…and if one in this group could have also been interested in going?
I also wonder if the arrangement of the group shot is at all telling of the relationship between the people? Four friends are on the sofa while another is on the floor in front of the sofa, craning his neck to get into the shot?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45970010@N07/”
Re: #1040 Comment by belleboyd — December 29, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
Belleboyd, several people have responded to the question you asked in post 1040 regarding tail gating photos. I was wondering if your question was answered. I interpreted your question differently than the responses I’ve seen thus far and wanted to respond as well for what it’s worth. I believe the photos you were referring to weren’t necessarily from Parent’s Weekend at JMU. When I looked at them I was under the impression that they were a continuation of 21st birthday celebration photos (?). Not of Morgan N. but of the JMU roommate named Rachel (I think?). Was I the only one who interpreted the photos this way? Of course, now I can’t go back to check content or captions, d’oh!
Re: #1067 Comment by roageo — December 30, 2009 @ 12:14 am
Roageo, I didn’t think that the person on the far left (to Erin’s right) was the same man as was in the photo with Morgan at the cd launch party. Just my opinion.
Re: #1068 Comment by GeegLouise — December 30, 2009 @ 12:49 am
“Another thought. Early witness accounts all seem to state that Morgan didn’t seem impaired. Later witness accounts state that Morgan was grossly impaired. How could she drink that much alcohol in that small of a time frame?”
Louise, I just realized that I have crazy stories (I suppose we all do.. but two for you to think about)…I had a friend in college who got alcohol poisoning and almost died, meaning his heart stopped in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He was a guy and was in a fraternity, so that might have affected his behavior. But he would literally take a bottle of hard liquor and drink the whole thing at once. The only two times I got sick from drinking in college was on nights that I was upset about something and consumed more alcohol than I should have. Also consider that girls may prefer to drink hard liquor rather than beer. Not all, but some, if you think about the fact that one can consume less liquor than beer to achieve a greater states of drunkenness…less calories, perhaps cheaper…but stronger effects, especially if they don’t set in immediately.
Second story: I have a male friend who went to a large club in Baltimore City while we were in college. He went simply to accompany a roommate who wanted to go. The friend sat at the bar and drank a beer…which he didn’t even finish. He “came to” hours later running down a street in the ghetto, with blood running down his face and three big dudes chasing him. Luckily a cop car pulled up, the guys ran off and my friend got into the car. They think that his drink was drugged in the bar and he was carried out and potentially used as a pawn in a drug deal. His jaw was broken. He’s lucky to be alive.
Re: #1068 Comment by GeegLouise — December 30, 2009 @ 12:49 am
“However, I have a hard time believing the friends are keeping quiet strictly because the parents have asked them to. I think they’re keeping quiet because they were up to no good themselves and feel guilty about something (such as abandoning her).”
There is an article in the most recent issue of the Baltimore Magazine about a woman who overdosed and died. The article is fascinating and horribly sad. The woman and her boyfriend both held Ph.D.s and studied drug abuse and addiction. They ordered narcotics from a pharmacy overseas and when they went to shoot up with a heroin substitute, the woman had an allergic reaction. The boyfriend didn’t shoot up, tried to help her, and called 911 but she wasn’t able to be resuscitated. I think ultimately the drug was either a fake or was contaminated and that’s why she had the reaction that killed her.
My point: is it possible that she took a drug that was contaminated or laced with something bad? Can Jen or anyone else familiar with drugs like ecstasy, acid, or lsd enlighten me as to whether this is possible? I know weed can be laced with a million different things… that’s another possibility. She could have ingested something by smoking a laced joint…I wonder if one was passed to her by another concert goer?
Lily2 addresses this in post #1070 by sharing her own experience. Lilly2 says her friend didn’t take her to medical professionals because she had a joint in her pocket (I don’t know why she didn’t throw it out the window or pass it off to a friend). Is it possible that Morgan could have attended a party and had a bad reaction to drugs or ingested something unknowingly? If the person who gave it to her did it purposefully, then there you have it. If they didn’t expect her to react the way she did to it, then did they not seek help because they were under the influence of an illegal substance themselves or because they supplied her with the contaminated substance..and or already had a record for distribution?
B: i will most certainly double check about the weekends activities. i would hate to be mistaken and posted this on your site. i would feel bad.
we had family in from nj on the weekend of october 10, for the richmond game at jmu and my husband was on call & missed part of game. i thought that it was parents, (now called family weekend), as not to discourage guardians of students who are enrolled here. PC is alive and well in “the burg”.
the next weekend october 17, 2009, was homecoming and game at jmu was villanova. this place was packed and my friend’s restaurant was busy from the am to late pm. husband on call & busy! my life is scheduled around a call schedule, as you can see. both weekends had alot of parents and friends in town. we had my uncle in from the garden state.
i also wonder what time frame Morgan arrived here because at 2:00 in the afternoon, it was a busy place to be. was it a phone call or text to Dr. Harrington? what time did they get on the road to cville? i had contemplated taking my daughter to cville for some shopping to give her a break so i had been trying to stay up on uva’s weekend activities, as well. it sounded like it also was a busy place to be so no trip just waited for dinner after game with son and husband and family.
needless to say, both weekends were a zoo. this all could be important if Morgan never made it to uva. maybe somebody in this town would remember seeing ANYONE in Morgan’s party??? maybe we all need to look at her friend’s pictures closer…could someone here have seen something or someone acting strangely???
COULD YOUR TWO EDITORS BE RIGHT ON THE MONEY??? she never made it to charlottesville? what about the youtube videos? are any of them Morgan?
once again, i am left with more questions than answers and yes, chad, i am back to banging my head against the brick wall!
blink, i am triple checking on the dates…
Fish, someone already verified you- Your correct, I thought the parents day and homecoming were synonimous, my bad. Thanks for the clarification.
B
My first post; have been lurking from beginning.
My theories:
A. Morgan is a Run Away
I support this theory with my gut feeling about the “facts” presented earlier.
FACT: Sometime in Oct, when Gil spoke to the press on TV in Cville, she pleaded for Morgan to come home, then started talking about whoever took her…etc. It was as if Gil was talking to her directly as if Morgan could see her on TV. I have seen video clips of this with that part now omitted (but I will try to find it and post).
FACT: The purse was found the next day with everything but the phone’s battery inside. To me, that was a red herring. I thought to myself, if she was taken, grabbed, wouldn’t the abductor be smart enough to pick up the purse and dispose of it later? Thus, I felt she dumped it herself.
Now, I am beginning to think this may have happened-Theory B:
They drove to JMU in Morgan’s car and partied. Dan was the DD because he was under age and this allowed the girls to party. Now, don’t be offended, but I am thinking maybe she passed out by the time they got to the concert and they decided to leave her in the car to sober up. (This may explain SN’s remark she made similar to “we wouldn’t have done it…”
When she woke, she couldn’t find her ticket and she called SN to say this, but either they had already given the ticket away or sold it.
Morgan is mad and says she will go back to Harrisonburg (this is why they don’t worry, they know who with and where..she tells them.) She then texts the person who lives 60 miles away (possibly at JMU) to pick her up and take her back…planning on meeting up with her friends in Harrisonburg. No one worries…However, when they get to JMU no Morgan or that person who picked her up….not to worry though…they probably went off somewhere together (he is the old boyfriend, right?) Well, is this person still in the area? If not, and Morgan is gone, one could assume they are together somewhere.
I have a hard time sleeping at times, just thinking about where she is.
I do know that around Radford and VT area where I live, I have not seen a poster and people I try to talk to about it act as if they haven’t heard about it or they say they “sort of remember” hearing about it. If she did run away, she could be off the radar fast and have NO CLUE people are looking for her. She would only know about these sites or the news if she actively sought them out, and if a person wants a new life why would they search the internet or look at internet news?
Also, if she is a runaway it doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her family. She may be upset about “disappointing” them, and may feel they are better off without her as she searches for her new self. Also, if she is with someone she thinks she loves, he may be a control freak and wants to cut her off from her family. Not hearing from her does not mean she doesn’t care or that she has died (I hate to even put that word in print). It could mean she is just mixed up and really her life is spinning out of control and she doesn’t even realize it.
So, both my theories are hopeful that she is alive right now, and eventually she will be found. I am so praying for this scenario.
Welcome RU
B
Judi — morgan wasn’t on her own. She was in a well lit parking lot near an active arena with plenty of security around. She seemingly chose to leave that for whatever reason.
b; sorry i was reading backwards! glad that i wasn’t totally outta my mind!
also, could the guy in the burgundy shirt (i think that is who people call the “paver guy”, be taking the photo of the group on the sofa. look at it closer…he could be holding the camera, thus the weird angle he is at. also, looks as if, it is directed at Morgan and he pops in to shoot the photo? if Morgan called or texted someone to come and pick her up. he has address listed in hburg. just a thought.
I have been distracted for about a month on family matters and am trying to get up to speed on any new developments with Morgan Harrington I am not seeing much in the way of “hard” facts — have there been any new information releases by law enforcement? And could someone post a working link to the infamous Halloween pictures — I am seeing various viewpoints on whether these mocked Morgan and her disappearance and would like to form my own opinion? Thanks very much.
hello,
I’ve been following this website for quite sometime, but have never posted anything. There’s one thing that continues to bother me….. why hasnt anyone gained access to her myspace account? I’ve pasted the link below, but if it doesnt show up just got to myspace and search her name and it will come up. The last login was 10/16/09. I would think her inbox and/or outbox could hold some clues as to who she was talking to those days leading up to the concert, or some other relevent information. I’ve been following this case because it reminds me of my friends case. His name was Dane Williams, if you google it his story will come up. But as soon as he went missing his friends and family accessed his facebook, myspace and email accounts just to see if there was any information that could be useful. I’ve checked her account a few times to see if the last login has changed and it hasn’t. It just surprises me so much that an avenue such as that hasnt been looked into. Just a thought….
Curious, Le was in her accounts within hours. My team has accessed some things that have not appeared here. Posters, who are extremely compassionate and diligent have posted many things to contribute to the case, privately.
All of which, would not appear as log ins or updates to her site.
O/T: I am very familiar with Dane’s case. How do you feel they are similar?
B
http://www.myspace.com/highya
RUMom — I hope you’re right. I really do. If she is a runaway then she has an accomplice, someone that picked her up in a car on the bridge. It’s possible (though remote in my opinion) that those sightings on the bridge are not Morgan. LE has been very clear about wording it in this way: “A person matching Morgan’s description…” Which leads me to think they are not 100% sure.
Skyler — I too had a red flag go up at DG’s account of parking right next to Morgan’s group. My first thought was that the two vehicles had caravanned together to the concert and we weren’t getting the whole story.
The number of “coincidences” between Dee & Co and Morgan’s group seems quite high.
Comment by Judi — December 30, 2009 @ 10:07 am;
[Can someone confirm this? From the findmorgan.com site “In a Geraldo interview Dr. Harrington stated there was footage showing Morgan at the arena until approx 9:30″]
_____________________________
I remember this video.
Geraldo/Fox News/October 25, 2009: http://video.foxnews.com/10974334/
Dr. Harrington: “…if anyone has seen any of Morgan’s activities after 9:30 on Saturday evening of the concert. We have footage that she was around the arena up until about 9:30…”
3 days later…
WHSV3/ABC/October 28, 2009: http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/66764102.html
“On Tuesday, Virginia State Police confirmed the video and pictures thought to show Morgan Harrington before her disappearance October 17, actually show James Madison University sophomore Dee Spolarics.”
Unfortunately, we don’t know if Dr. Harrington was referring to the online video of Dee in his interview with Geraldo, or possibly other video of Morgan which is being kept under wraps. I’m leaning to the former, but hoping for the latter.
i still go back to the medics being called to the west lawn in the middle of that night and someone needing medical assistance (check the uva police reports). this is also where the newspaper lady swears she saw morgan with some men around that same time. who needed assistance, and why? who lives on the lawn and had a party? and, at one time, didn’t one of morgan’s friends (i believe it was ss) say they planned on staying at uva that night?
Yes’m. As do I.
B
Re: #1090 Comment by Judi — December 30, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
Judi– it might also be worth noting that some prescription medications (like antidepressants) can magnify the effects of alcohol.
Re: (Can’t find the post)
Someone mentioned that Amy and Morgan must have been close since they were roommates. While this is possible, I think its also possible that being roommates could have ruined their friendship. I had a falling out with a friend in college after living together for two years. Granted there were many other issues at play in my situation, but obviously living together provides no respite from another person. When friendship is introduced into the equation, sometimes people are hesitant to directly address problems as they arise causing things to simmer and tension to build. Remember what Roxy posted about Morgan visiting home frequently in the week(s) prior to the concert? Just a thought.
Momof3, I think you were the one who asked about a photo that comes up on google. I, too, had seen that photo and am embarrassed to say I sent it a couple of weeks ago to LE as a tip. It startled me and looked so much like a person in the small photo. Today while hanging out on flickr, I saw another photo of it but larger. It turns out to be a painting in NY that was done by Conor Harrington, to coincide with an outsider art showing there. I hope this helps. I know I was relieved to see it today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/3692256663/in/set-72157600412599697/
re #1105 Comment by BlackPearl — December 30, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
Ecstasy can absolutely contain, and almost always does, other more dangerous substances. Technically I guess it is supposed to be a drug called MDMA and the more “pure” it is the better. However sometimes it contains very little or no MDMA and is a combination of caffeine, meth-amphetamines, heroin and many more “fillers”. This is why someone on ecstasy could either dance until 11am or sit in a chair and not be able to move, or both. That’s why it’s called rolling, there are waves of feelings and emotions. It is a very dangerous drug because you never know what you are going to get. You could have a pill that ends up being 3/4 heroin and drop dead. Now combine ecstasy with alcohol and you have an even more deadly scenario. I’m no expert, but this is what I recall from back in the day.
One thing I’ve always been confused about: didn’t this guy Dave Gardner say that Morgan asked who the opening act was, and then replied “who cares we’re here to see Metallica right?”
If I remember correctly someone somewhere had said in one picture of Morgan’s room there is a Lamb of God poster or something on the wall. So she would obviously have known who the opening act was and if not, you would think she would be excited to learn who it was, or at least have some reaction other than “who cares?” Just another thing that seems odd to me. Carry on.
Reading recent posts, my own opinions about Morgan’s disappearance have finally clarified:
A. Morgan is not a voluntary runaway. If she was, the evidence and manner amount to having staged foul play, guaranteeing that her parents would be searching for her. I had considered previously that ONE of her parents might have known what she was up to, but now it seems clear to me that is not so. Even if she had a good reason for getting away, family or otherwise, this staging would not be helpful.
B. Morgan was at the concert. The staging and conspiracy that would be required for her friends to say she was there, when she wasn’t, is just too much. And I think it would require the involvement than more than just the three in the car. Where are the pictures, though? There is still an untold (at least to the public) story there. At least one of their phones had pics, right? But for LE to maintain the illusion that she was there when she wasn’t, even in pursuit of a POI, just has the potential to generate too many false leads.
(I know, these are both just what Blink has maintained since the beginning. But they had just felt like opinions to me.)
C. Stranger or acquaintance? This one has become LESS clear to me. I had previously strongly doubted that she was hitchhiking. But the more I think about her purse left behind in the lot (because figuring out how it got BACK there is too complicated), the more it seems her judgment was seriously impaired. Once I accept that, who knows?
D. Some of the friends are very immature, to the extent that I can’t judge any of their decisions beyond that. Some of them also seem to have a feeling that Morgan got away with something in the past, and perhaps they didn’t. It makes it easier for them not to feel so burdened by this, even if there is some indirect responsibility. Why should they take the rap for her sake? (This one still feels a little speculative to me, but it also feels right.)
Don’t know that my opinion is useful to anyone else, but thought I would share since it is the first time any aspects of this case have seemed clear to me. I do not mean to de-value those of you pursuing potential recent sightings; sometimes there is value in pursuing what seem like red herrings to others.
The bad part is that this new clarity leaves me little hope for an eventual good outcome.
State Police to Hold Briefing Today On Morgan Harrigton Case
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/80350747.html
State Police to Hold Briefing on Morgan Harrington Case
December 30, 2009
Virginia State Police say, for the first time in weeks, they’re ready to update the status of their investigation into the disappearance of Morgan Harrington. VSP will be briefing reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Virginia State Police will be briefing reporters around 2:00 pm Wednesday afternoon at the Virginia State Police Headquarters in Appomattox. However, there is no sign of a breakthrough in the case.
Lieutenant Joe Rader, of the VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office, will be briefing reporters, and CBS19′s Bianca Spinosa will be in attendance.
Morgan Harrington is the 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who disappeared on October 17 while attending a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena on the University of Virginia grounds.
Despite numerous searches and pleas for information, the case is in danger of going cold. State police seemingly still do not have any idea what happened to Harrington, whether she was kidnapped or chose to vanish, or whether, for that matter, she is dead or alive.
Here are three key questions we expect police to answer Wednesday afternoon:
1) Why, more than two months later, is so little known about what happened outside JPJ?
2) What are police doing to solve the case? More searches? More publicity?
3) Are police still confident we will ever know what happened to Morgan Harrington?
What we can’t say for sure is whether we’ll know any more information once this briefing is over than we do right now, and even after all this time, that’s not much.
We’ll update this story as soon as the briefing is over.
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/80350747.html
I appreciate you posting this Clementine, as I am at Blinkfest with the Blinkettes embattled in a samurai challenge and a 1200 piece Lego project intermittedly. This is important information, thank you.
B
One addition to my 3:10 “clarity” post. Item D is part of what makes B clear to me. If there is a group secret, it doesn’t seem that it could be among the whole large group at the Halloween party–just not feasible to keep a secret of this kind on that scale. Getting drunk is NOT a good way to keep a secret. As much as I dislike those pics, they almost serve to clear the ones downing the beers to my way of thinking.
Parking lots were sold out so unless you had a pre-paid parking pass, you had to park in the Emmit/Ivy Garage, a 10 – 15 minute walk from the arena, go across the Copley bridge and make a left on Ivy. Was Morgan headed to the Emmit/Ivy Garage to meet someone since that was the only place they could park? Parking $10.00.
See below link with map included
http://www.jonesarena.com/documents/MetallicaParkingOptions.pdf
Makes sense – explains the direction she was headed and possible killing time in the parking lot until it was time to meet whoever. Maybe this person crossed the Copley Bridge on the way, Morgan seen them, got their attention and got in the car, thus the mistaken HH sighting.
Finally, something that might make sense!
Thank you to all who answered my AM question. And Clementine for the photos – I have never seen those before, so thanks!
BlackPearl – I suppose that alcohol binging is possible, but seeing how Morgan was there to either 1) watch Metallica, or 2) take off and meet someone, I just can’t see her motivation for guzzling large quantities quickly when she’d know it would seriously impair her and/or make her sick before her big event (whatever that was). I could, however, buy that she took a drug which had a bad effect on her, or that someone slipped something in her drink unknowingly. I find the drug scenario to be more likely for the sudden onset of irrational behavior that was reported later on (assuming these accounts were true).
There was no Ecstasy when I was young so I’m not familiar with its effects. But I’m pretty sold on that theory based on what I’ve read about it here.
I have never believed that Morgan left voluntarily, but honestly, this case and lack of information gets the wheels spinning in all kinds of directions. I think the ONLY way she left willingly was if there was to be some sort of intervention the next day, disguised as “study/balance checkbook”, her parents knew she was more involved with drugs/alcohol than she should be, maybe happened before, hence the school changes, and they were going to do something about it. The friends may or may not have known and been involved, but perhaps one of them leaked it to her, and she decided she didn’t want any parts of it. Could there have been a threat of rehab? That’s the only reason I see Morgan putting her family through this.
It would help explain the friends’ pictures, since they would know she’s “free”.
Some of the Harringtons’ graphic comments (raped and murdered, blood on the snow like the cardinal Gil saw) are perplexing to me, so if they actually suspected she could hear/see what they’re thinking, maybe they’re hoping the sheer horror of those thoughts would bring Morgan to at least contact them.
It would explain how she “vanished into thin air”..
I doubt this is the case, but my imagination runs wild at times, and this scenario has her still alive, so that’s a positive.
Blink, are you considered “media” — can you go to the VSP interview ?
Does anyone know if Morgan had a history of going to the football games ? Has anyone come forward stating they partied w/ any of the group — and — did the group in Hrbrg live in an apt. or an on-campus dorm ? How did they hook up w/ Dan ?
As usual, too many questions and no answers !
Yes, I do have media credentials, and I could go, but I am in direct contact with Corrine Geller, and she is extremely open about answering any questions. Unfortunately, there is nothing “new”
B
VSP Interview:
State police discuss ongoing investigation into Morgan Harrington’s whereabouts
State police say Morgan Harrington’s disappearance is not a cold case and that they have not reached a dead end.
Harrington disappeared from outside a Metallica concert at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on October 17th.
State police say, the more time passes, the harder it will be to find her alive. Authorities believe that if Harrington is alive, that she is likely being held captive and not living freely. Joe Rader, with state police, says Harrington was far too social to have left on her own and not contact anyone back home.
Rader says Harrington had been consuming alcohol the night she disappeared. He still believes Harrington disappeared between 9:20 and 9:30 p.m. October 17th. Rader says Harrington likely got into a car with someone, either on her own or against her will.
He says that leads are being followed up on every day, including theories that Harrington may have been thrown in a train boxcar under Charlottesville’s Copeley Bridge. Investigators have also spoken with psychics who have contacted them. Ground searches have been done along Interstate 64, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and locations outside Virginia. Sightings from Orange County, Virginia to the Middle East have been followed up on. At this point, investigators do not have a suspect or any persons of interest related to Morgan’s disappearance.
Rader says he believes the answers to what happened to Harrington lie in the Charlottesville area. They encourage anyone who might have seen Harrington in Charlottesville to contact state police. A red digital camera that was in Harrington’s possession the night she went missing is something police would like to find.
State Police Discuss Ongoing Investigation Into Morgan Harrington’s Whereabouts
December 30, 2009
State police say Morgan Harrington’s disappearance is not a cold case and that they have not reached a dead end.
Harrington disappeared from outside a Metallica concert at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on October 17th.
State police say, the more time passes, the harder it will be to find her alive. Authorities believe that if Harrington is alive, that she is likely being held captive and not living freely. Joe Rader, with state police, says Harrington was far too social to have left on her own and not contact anyone back home.
Rader says Harrington had been consuming alcohol the night she disappeared. He still believes Harrington disappeared between 9:20 and 9:30 p.m. October 17th. Rader says Harrington likely got into a car with someone, either on her own or against her will.
He says that leads are being followed up on every day, including theories that Harrington may have been thrown in a train boxcar under Charlottesville’s Copeley Bridge. Investigators have also spoken with psychics who have contacted them. Ground searches have been done along Interstate 64, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and locations outside Virginia. Sightings from Orange County, Virginia to the Middle East have been followed up on. At this point, investigators do not have a suspect or any persons of interest related to Morgan’s disappearance.
Rader says he believes the answers to what happened to Harrington lie in the Charlottesville area. They encourage anyone who might have seen Harrington in Charlottesville to contact state police. A red digital camera that was in Harrington’s possession the night she went missing is something police would like to find.
http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=11748419
BREAKING NEWS: Harrington Was Drinking
State Police Update Case
December 30, 2009
State Police say Morgan Harrington had been drinking on the night she disappeared at a Metallica concert at the University of Virginia and was not acting normally.
Virginia State Police say Morgan Harrington was drinking alcohol on the night she disappeared and was not acting normally.
The 20-year-old Virginia Tech student disappeared Oct. 17th while attending a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia.
VSP Lt. Joe Rader updated reporters on the case Wednesday afternoon.
Among the highlights of that briefing:
1) Harrington was drinking and “she wasn’t acting rationally that night. Normally she would have acted differently.”
2) Harrington may have been drugged or injured in a fall but she hadn’t willingly consumed drugs.
3) Her friends were not involved in her disappearance.
4) Police have searched all along I-64 from Charlottesville to Augusta County as well as stretches toward Richmond. They’ve also searched parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and conducted searches at other Metallica concerts.
5) Police are looking for a red digital camera Harrington had that night. It may have been a Kodak.
6) Harrington was either abducted or willingly got into a car on the Copeley Road bridge where she had been spotted hitchhiking.
7) Police say people should call if they see a “change in behavior” among anyone who attended the Oct. 17th Metallica concert.
“This is not a cold case,” Rader said.
Quoted by BlackPearl: “I also wonder if the arrangement of the group shot is at all telling of the relationship between the people? Four friends are on the sofa while another is on the floor in front of the sofa, craning his neck to get into the shot?”
Ha. That was my impression of this photo also. I’m sure we all knew of people from our circle of friends who were always around but remained on the perimeter. They were always a little bit off, but they were old enough to buy, had drug connections, a great place to party, or whatever, and so we tolerated (used) them. Thinking back, I’m sure those individuals knew that on some level and may possibly have held some resentment.
December 30, 2009
Virginia State Police say Morgan Harrington was drinking alcohol on the night she disappeared and was not acting normally.
The 20-year-old Virginia Tech student disappeared Oct. 17th while attending a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia.
VSP Lt. Joe Rader updated reporters on the case Wednesday afternoon.
Among the highlights of that briefing:
1) Harrington was drinking and “she wasn’t acting rationally that night. Normally she would have acted differently.”
2) Harrington may have been drugged or injured in a fall but she hadn’t willingly consumed drugs.
3) Her friends were not involved in her disappearance.
4) Police have searched all along I-64 from Charlottesville to Augusta County as well as stretches toward Richmond. They’ve also searched parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and conducted searches at other Metallica concerts.
5) Police are looking for a red digital camera Harrington had that night. It may have been a Kodak.
6) Harrington was either abducted or willingly got into a car on the Copeley Road bridge where she had been spotted hitchhiking.
7) Police say people should call if they see a “change in behavior” among anyone who attended the Oct. 17th Metallica concert.
“This is not a cold case,” Rader said.
We welcome your comments.
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/80358212.html
The only “new” info I see is the digital camara info and searching other Metallica concerts.
I had not known they were searching Metallica concerts. Hmm.
where is the breaking news ?
“This is not a cold case,” Rader said.
My Mother always said, when you have nothing good to say , say nothing at all . I think I should listen at this point !
Hello, I have followed this forum for a number of weeks. Theories abound. Other than the paver guy, most i don’t find plausible. There has been some talk of an “inside job”, meaning security. What I have not seen conisdered is concert crew, vendors, groupies. – Not inner circle band employees but some of the many people who associate themselves with traveling rock shows. Below are some definitions and explanations of who these peolpe are, where they come from, what they do. Just to qualify: I have attended hundreds of rock shows, large and small. There is always a fringe element present. Much of this fringe has issues ranging from drugs to crime and live and feed off of the traveling carnival that is a rock show. These people may or may not actually attend the show. If hired as crew they generally have all access passes and once the load in is done, can come and go at will. Most rock shows I’m familar with are just that – shows. Setlists and stage banter and pyrotechnics and such are repeated night after night. The timeline of the night’s event is repeatable and predictable, leaving opportunity to troll the crowd and the surroundings. My hunch is that Ms. H’s abuctor is from this set of people.
My opinion: any conspiracy theory concerning her friends is misplaced.
Stage crew
Local labour hired to help with load in and load out, and in some cities may perform duties like mixing sound or operating spotlights.
Vendors
People selling ancillary products (T-shirts, programs, food, drink). Could tour with the band or local.
For those people who travel with the tour, we often forget about the locals. The stagehands are often the ones with the sore backs at the end of the day. Often they get put on the lower end of the food chain at the gig. Depending on the venue, you will face a plethora of different types of stagehands. Some are union, others are freelance or college students. There are even gigs where they are prisoners doing their work release.
College Students are a whole other ball of wax. You can really start to play mind games with these guys. The 2 most common majors you will find in your college crews? Psychology and Communications.
A different scenario comes in to play with prisoners or work release programs. The only bonus is that they are excited about being outside the prison walls.
Whats up with comment 1100? Susanm are you suggesting Morgan’s body was burned?
Comment by susanm — December 30, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
homeless,gutter ridden intravenous(sp?) herion(?) users have respect for the dead ,and want their peeps od’d bodies buried honorably.in the depths of drug despair ,they care for their fellow man.
This latest release holds promise for me anyway. It tells me they are on top of it.
Yep, it would have been entirely possible for Morgan to have fallen over the low railing on the Copeley bridge, especially if intoxicated. Thus the disappearing into thin air. Or pushed, or thrown. Someone mentioned a long time ago the skanky ticket scalpers who congregate in the two bank parking lots on the Ivy intersection of the bridge. I doubt they’re following the news, and I don’t even know where these people are from. I do know some of the ballgame scalpers, mostly by face, but a few by name…and I don’t think they’re part of the concert scene. These football and basketball ticket guys have been around for years, and I grew up with some of them. The concert ticket scaplers may go from concert to concert, like the other parking lot-band groupies…I don’t know. Empty box cars go from east to west all the time. Maybe she was placed on a ledge, or on an open rail car…could have fallen off anywhere along the way. We’ve often thought of this while running near the tracks out in Crozet.
There are so many possiblities in this case that I’ve just gotten over-whelmed and have stopped chiming in with ideas. We’re even going back to theories in the earliest threads. I’m glad they’ve now admitted that she was drinking…not a big deal, but seemed silly to keep this from the public. If she was X-ing (bad batch, body hit a long-time tox limit, or just bad mix with body chemistry and alcohol) she may never have known what was coming. Bad guy. High bridge, low railing. Anything.
Acho, you’re right…there aren’t many posters up anymore. Though I’ve recently seen them at the 7-11 on Ivy, in Spanish and English, and at a store up on 29. I’ll check out some of the places in Barrack’s Road later today. I probably need to get out more, anyway.
And RUmom…same response from our many VT friends. They’re paying less attention to Morgan’s case down there than we are here in Charlottesville. It’s not even news in other areas of Southwest VA. I guess it’s hard to keep something in the papers when there is nothing new to report. At least we have this press release today…I’m sure LE is struggling with this one.
mag603. Try this paraphrase:
Homeless, gutter-ridden, heroin users have respect for the dead and want their ‘people,’ (who have OD-ed) buried honorably. In the depths of drug despair, they care for their fellow man.
~~~
susanm has a lot of heart and an eloquent voice at times. She, if I may, is contrasting the conscious behavior of the pathological criminal who murders and disposes a body without respect. Even strung out junkies don’t do that, she seems to say.
And susanm, I hope you are okay with my attempt at clarification here. Just trying to help a girl out…
TY WG, well said
B
Thanks to everyone who brought over the updates.
What does she was acting irrationally that night mean? Before she was locked out? If she was drunk what was she drinking? How much? IMO This is an important detail. As I said before there are all kinds of drunk- Happy- sad- confrontational- sick-brazen ect. Knowing what Morgan’s behavior was is important as it would lead to what lines of thinking she was on- example: If she was whiskey drunk and pissed off it leads credence to kickee guys story. If she was brazen drunk leads credence to HH theory and to not knowing who she was picked up by.
Was she irrational before the fall then we know she did not act this way do to a concussion.
Knowing she was drunk also allows us to understand more clearly why the friends did not do the right thing- They were most likely drunk too.
It indicates to me that they are working hard but it also contains info that increases the chance that this was just a stranger crime of opportunity with a very intoxicated girl who got very unlucky hitchhiking. Unfortunately this increases the chance that we may never know what happened (or that it could be a very long time) IMO. I was still holding out a little hope that this may have been voluntary but it does not sound like the police believe that.
Oh, and Clementine, thanks for posting the photo on flickr. I read the closeness of paver guy’s head to Morgan’s lap as friendly familiarity. They all look comfortable. The two guys on the outside looked like they just plopped down for the picture, but paver, Morgan, and Erin (???) look comfortable and familiar with eachother. Both girls are beautiful, but wow, Morgan is stunning, isn’t she? I’m sure paver guy was feeling pretty lucky…maybe had even developed an obsession with her. Hinky meter at high.
Oh, and Clementine, thanks for posting the photo on flickr. I read the closeness of paver guy’s head to Morgan’s lap as friendly familiarity. They all look comfortable. The two guys on the outside looked like they just plopped down for the picture, but paver, Morgan, and Erin (???) look comfortable and familiar with eachother. Both girls are beautiful, but wow, Morgan is stunning, isn’t she? I’m sure paver guy was feeling pretty lucky…maybe had even developed an obsession with her. Hinky meter on high.
localcvillegirl, but she couldn’t have fallen/jumped/been pushed off the bridge cuz…where’s the body? Early theories had her falling into a train, but surely she would have turned up by now?
Geeglouise and Blackpearl….I wonder who took that photo, tho? (of the friends on the couch and one on the floor)
Police are looking for a red digital camera Harrington had that night.
So, if they were really lloking for it, why is this the first time that we have heard a description of it????????? Two and a half months later….Doesn’t make sense
That is not the first description. It appeared here early.
B
Blackpearl…
My roommate thought I had just had too much to drink, so she took care of me. The next day when she found out I only had 1/2 a beer and that something had gone seriously wrong… she took me to the infirmary
.
She asked my “friend” why she hadn’t taken me and when she found out about the pot… she too said, “Why didn’t you just throw it out.?”
She was a smart girl.. but immature and spoiled. The friendship died out around then because.. well it’s obvious.
My “friend” told her she was scared/panicked and yet didn’t think it was a really big deal and I’d just “sleep it off”.