Morgan Harrington Murder: Virginia State Police Press Conference Today
434–709–1685
Tip Line for Information Regarding Anchorage Farm
Charlottesville, VA– Corrine Geller, Public relations Manager for Virginia State Police, Appomatox barracks, has announced a Press Conference scheduled for today at 3PM.
“..No arrest has been made. No cause of death has been determined. Today’s press briefing is just an investigative update..”
Lt. Joe Radar, the ead investigator with VSP into the death of 20 year old Virgina Tech student Morgan Harrington, is expected to lead the briefing.
Morgan Dana Harrington, who is scheduled to be laid to rest tomorrow, was found deceased at the Anchorage Farm in a remote location of the vast property.
The press conference is going to focus on the Farm property where Morgan was recovered.
Police have not yet named a suspect in her disappearance and murder.
Please check back to blinkoncrime.com for this continuing story.
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Suspicion can be wrong. True story, mine, that has me doing some heaving thinking today. I’m not going to be overly specific. Yesterday, LE here arrested and charged a man, currently in jail for murder, with a murder he committed 17 years before. He confessed. LE long had DNA but it didn’t prove murder. LE recently obtained “defining” evidence. When confronted, the convicted killer finally confessed. So one part of the story is that sometimes it takes a long time.
At the time the 17-year-old crime was committed someone dear to me was fearful that some acquaintances of his were involved due to circumstances of that particular day. He did go to LE and report his concerns. I was concerned that this “dear one” may have been more involved than he was admitting…that there may be more to the story than what I was hearing. Believing in LE and the investigation (I knew the investigators personally), my head told me my suspicions were unfounded but the nagging suspicion wouldn’t leave the back of my mind. While not an every day thought, truth be told I never let that suspicious fear go over 17 years though I never gave it voice. I was wrong. The dear one, as it turned out, was also mistaken. Yesterday, on what may be his death bed, the dear one said, “I’m so glad to know it wasn’t them. Despite everything, I always thought it was.” I still didn’t give “voice.” But, oh, was I ever sincere when I said beside the hospital bed, “I am too.” How fortunate I am that the case was solved yesterday….not tomorrow or the next when maybe it would have been too late to silently ask him and the higher power for forgiveness for those wrong thoughts.
For all those who have been asking about other music happenings going on at the time of the concert, or after LOG, I have been looking at the different clubs. This club has pics of posters of those who have played with dates: click on “pics” under the photo on the page then click to open the “show posters”
http://www.myspace.com/theoutbacklodge
Also, The Hook has an excellent page to view with a calendar that can go back to any shows playing in the area on that month. Also lists different venues and has videos of the bands. Very cool.
http://www.readthehook.com/music/?m=200906&cat=3
Besides bringing us all together here, Morgan has also given me a wider appreciation of music. In searching for a way to help her, I have listened to countless hours of LOG,(Redneck is a good song) and found out I like bluegrass/rock and a myriad of other genres, SOB is very popular. Thank you beautiful Shiny Morgan. RIP
P.S Blink, sorry about my previous long post. I was unaware that long posts are causing problems, will try to keep them shorter..
@ susanm,
I can’t find enough information about the Cassandra Morton case to draw an opinion if they could be related or not. Under what circumstances did Cassandra disappear?
Chad, Excellent questions about the third house! Also, according to the historical site document available about the property, there was a renter on site for 20 years! Who is the renter? I don’t know how to find that info, but it seems like a good course of investigation.
Sorry that was bob dog…my bad.
Are we sure that Bass was out of town the night Morgan disappeared?
“Anyone who did draw notice would be in a bind because of the long drive back out, he said. He didn’t see anything the night Harrington went missing, he said.” This was Mr. Bass.
This quote from The Daily Progress article dated 28 Jan 2010, “Spot where Harrington body found scrutinized.”
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/spot_where_harrington_body_found_scrutinized/51599/
susanm, how’d you know I would like Nancy’s paintings? That’s amazing! I do love whimsical stuff, not that these are exactly whimsical, but they’re going towards that. I did write to ask about one in particular I liked, and she sent me the price, and like I said, I might go see it some day.
Re: the renter on Anchorage Farm
I believe the renter in question was a was a local bartender in Charlottesville at that time. He had some parties out there. I never went to any, but I heard about a few when I was at UVA.
I am familiar with the ID of this gentleman, and I do not believe there is any involvement, nor does LE.
B
Chad, Hi, your friend’s story scared me.IMO She is very lucky to be okay. Who’s to say that the Good Samaritan that offered her a ride wasn’t in on it? As a parent and as a woman this scares me the most…. We tend not to believe a bad guy is female or could be working in conjunction with the bad guy. Think Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo.
Up until Karla became involved Paul was a rapist, not a sadist or murderer. Upon meeting Karla, he became so much more.
Karla offered her little sister to this man, planned,obtained drugs, participated, and taped the rape of her little sister, drugged her (killing her accidentally)then dressed up as her dead sister from then on in order to arouse her husband…Sick.
Karla also taped,the rape/ torture and killing of two other teens and is now free because she told LE she was a victim, and they did not have the tapes. Who would have believed this pretty, petite blonde could be so evil.
My point is, it shouldn’t matter what gender a person is, everyone is a stranger, everyone could be capable of atrocities. I am glad that this was not the case with your friend.
I still have not ruled out a female/females being a part in Morgan’s story. Women can be mean, vindictive, and evil too. What if a girlfriend was in the car that picked up Morgan? What if she didn’t take kindly to beautiful, outgoing Morgan befriending her man?
Is it so hard to believe that a woman, could have egged on her man,or his friends? Is it so far fetched to believe that a woman would want to harm Morgan? IMO, women can be some of the most possessive easily angered, pizzed off, jealous people alive.Add alchohol or other,and some wouldn’t have thought twice about putting Morgan in her place, if they thought she was encroaching on their territory. Did something get out of hand? I don’t know. But it is a possibility.
Just my two cents. thanks for listening.
to Phyl’s questions
A landowner doesn’t need any “extra” insurance to let people hunt their property. And, where a landowner actually “leases” their land or any part thereof for hunting, none I know report the money collected.
In addition to hunting private farms, I am in a club that leases 1,900 acres from Bear Island Paper Company. All of our members are required to sign the lease individually each year and our payment must be made by a certain date each year. We have a ton of terms and conditions, but no one has ever checked or enforced most of what is in the lease. I wouldn’t begin to have any idea how Bear Island handles that money, because they are a corporation, but our club president certainly would.
YES – YES – YES (( bob-dog ))!! AND, you can SEE that third house on the 2002 orthophoto map. I use the Yahoo search thing, type in County of Albemarle GIS-WEB, then click that top one and am on. Along time ago, I even got the views of ALL the properties WITH each address – including Anchorage Farm; which could now identify the missing house’s address. BUT – BUT, since Just Desserts has brought it up …. I can’t find that. (That’s how I explored other homes and owners, even Mooreland). I have clicked and clicked til I have to turn off the internet with the red x. If I find where I may have written it down I’ll bring it here for you and every-one. I do think that may be a clue.
Just a few comments, and then I have 2 questions to ask.
Our Dearest Blink,
“You and Your Amazing Team” are “deeply appreciated”. I really want you to know that. Especially on the many days that things are overwhelming, and you are stretched so thin, just know that we are all standing with you, praying for you, and trying to help in any way that we can.
Not only are you giving the victims and their families a voice, but you are letting us use our voices. Morgan’s story has become so personal to all of us, and we so desparately want to help.
Thank you for creating this space.
To GypsyDD- I agree with you that those in the North Garden area must have some idea of who this could be. Actually, I think everyone that ever knew Morgan, has to have speculated on what happened. But…the SILENCE is deafening!! Why???
Chad-great story! I felt like I was walking along with Jane. You know how to tell a suspenceful story! I think we have all had experiences like that…when your “Gift of Fear” kicks in.
I just picked up the other one De Becker wrote-”Protecting the Gift” Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)
My GOAL now is to use this in our Mother-Daughter Book Club with my teenage daughter, her friends and maybe the youth group. I’ll let you know when I finish!
BobDog-GREAT post, and many interesting finds.
I feel like Blink may be steering us away from the Basses due to her latest comment to John. Blink??
Suz-you NEED that Cow pic of Nancy Bass’. You had us all laughing in your earlier posts about COWS! Hey, maybe we can all chip in and get that for you:0)
Jennifer-thanks for all of your “hunting knowledge”. Did you grow up coon hunting? Sounds like you have a lot of experience.
Justathought-WOW…what a different outcome!
JustDesserts..I <3 you! Are you a girl or a guy? :0)
Doesn’t matter…I still LOVE to read your posts.
You have a very heartfelt way of expressing things, and I like
your style!
May I add a string of “singing lights” to Kee Kee’s computer or a big red bow??? Kee Kee, you already know I <3 you. You are such a good person, and good Mom, and a walking encyclopedia of info!
Ok Blink, I promise I won’t do this every time:0)
My questions…
What other possibilities can we come up with
re: Dr Harrington’s comment about the killer being here in Oct and in Nov…besides a band/band member being on tour or an out of state kid home for the holidays? Dr. H made a point of saying this, so it’s important.
What could the Harrington’s know that made them state that Morgan had left this earth by the time the concert was over? Besides our guesses that the killer returned to the concert to p/up passengers, and use as an alibi, what could they tell from the crime scene? Without ME reports etc, how could they tell the time of death? For Morgan’s sake, I PRAY that she died quickly.
P.S. I do not think of a GSW or strangulation as Brutal! I don’t mean to minimize in any way, but when I think of brutal, my mind goes other places. aaahhh.
P.S.S. I use a lot of !!!!!! and my CAPS are more for emphasis-not screaming:0)
Thanks to ALL of you Blinksters!
It’s a pleasure to be among so many
great minds and big hearts!
I <3 you all!
((( Bob-dog ))), the addresses are ( or were ) 2246 … 2235 … and 1864 Anchorage Farm Road. When I typed in GIS the nearest is 1864 only. And yes, a barn would not have an address. Also, you would think the original Historic farm-house would have kept it’s address. Maybe you or someone could do something with the addresses above?
B -
As far as the “updated conversation,” that particular Conversation *must* be updated- by my estimates – every September and every February (i.e., every 6 months). The problem with this Obvious Suspect is the likelihood that he’s got a GPS tracker – probably at first as 3-year result of the nature of his crime, which was then likely extended when he failed to register in 2008.
That said, depending on whether he’s actively or passively monitored (the former can be tracked in real time and the parole officer gets alerts if he goes into restricted areas; the latter compiles data from satellites and is downloaded daily into the GPS charger at the RSO’s home and later reviewed). Let’s say this person *is* our perp (after all, he is a violent repeat offender) and he had to be home by a certain time Saturday night to meet the conditions of his supervised parole – he’d have hit the RH Road entrance a minute before he reached his house.
Location, location, location…)
But LE would have to rely on the October GPS data to put him at the actual scene, as he probably passes the entry gate every day anyway. And, if there is bad cell coverage in that particular area (Christy S? JulieMooley?) LE would have a challenging time relying on tracking him to the actual dump site in the tree-line… having to rely on other means to place him at the scene.
All this considered, it’s possible because of the tracker they’ve eliminated him as a suspect. Or not. He certainly could have found himself in such a jam and gotten help. We just don’t know…
It had to scream out to LE he needed to be considered – dude could walk there from where he lives.
I think it can all be summed up in one word: Argh!
On a frustrating sidenote, we can all sleep a little more fitfully knowing that probation and parole cuts in Virginia last year totaled nearly $10 million, including $500,000 for electronic monitoring of sexually violent predators…
agreed J2K except he has been updated 3 times since December.
B
First, out of deference to B’s request for shorter posts (and in light of potential eye-strain for readers), I’ll make this into two posts.
TO sklyer: You asked “Do sociopaths, or even people who commit these terrible crimes, do they believe they are beyond being caught?”
In a word, yes. The nature of the sociopath’s (see Antisocial Personality Disorder, DSM-IV) mind is such that he believes that he is not only above the law, i.e., the law was not created for him and therefore does not pertain to him, but that he could never be caught. The ego of the sociopath is often so inflated that he believes himself to be invincible, and that mere mortals, e.g. LE, could not begin to match his superior intellect. He believes he won’t be caught because, to his mind, he’s just too darn smart for that.
And now for the good news: He’s wrong.
Morgan’s murderer will find this to be true, as well.
On a somewhat related note, Just Desserts quoted J. Edgar Hoover saying “The cure for crime is not the electric chair, but the high chair.” Just Desserts went on to say in a later post “This is what we, societally, are up against: we need better parenting, better education and social programs (certainly not less); we need not to blather about teaching kids self esteem but to teach them meaningful productive skills so that they have something really worth esteeming (then maybe we can begin scaling back on prisons as our leading growth industry); we need to make places and roles for kids– all kinds of kids– so that they have more than escapism to look forward to…”
The above rang so true to me for two reasons: one, I just attended yesterday a public interest law conference. At the conference was a panel of speakers discussing the Equal Justice Initiative. The handout was titled “Cruel and Unusual: Sentencing 13- and 14-Year-Old Children to Die in Prison”. The stories contained in the booklet were no less than gut-wrenching. They go to Just Desserts’ comments above, and back to Hoover’s quote.
Like some others here, I’ve witnessed first-hand what Just Desserts and others have noted: “throw-away” kids who end up in the criminal justice system. They weren’t “born bad”, but life and circumstances dealt them the harshest of blows. [I refer again back to the EJI booklet.]
My first career was as a high school teacher. While that was many years ago, during those ten years I had sadly too many occasions to see the very thing that Just Desserts describes above; that is, kids who, through no fault of their own, were the sad young victims of either poor parenting or no parenting at all. They were starved for attention and would do anything from acting-up in class to criminal behavior in order to gain attention. [One of my students, from whom I’d adopted a young puppy, later ended-up in jail charged with murder. Another student hung himself rather than face a jail sentence.] These were mere high school kids when I first knew them. They were not bad kids; they were kids who were suffering from abuse and neglect. They did not ask to be born into the circumstances in which they found themselves.
Watching them often broke my heart. You see, I knew that at the end of the school day, when I could go home to my warm, safe, comfortable place, in many cases some of “my kids” (as I called them) were not so lucky. They returned to school the following day bearing the emotional–and yes, physical–scars of the “parenting” (quotes intentional) they’d received the evening before. I often think of them and wonder where they are today.
I apologize for digressing above, but Just Desserts’ comments brought this home to me. I do not mean in my commentary to excuse at all the criminal behavior of these former students. “You do the crime, you do the time.” I simply had the opportunity to see where these kids came from, long before they became criminals.
As requested, my next post will detail the situation I once found myself in many moons ago…the one that first opened my eyes to my own vulnerability.
blink,
i found some pretty horrifying records of some execution style killings about 20 years ago. this was during a time of heavy cocaine trafficking in virginia, an fbi sting, and members of the drug ring turning on each other as the fbi closed in. a girlfriend of one of these drugpin murderers even had her life threatened because of her intimate knowledge. she was on the witness list, tho i don’t know if she actually testified.
anyway, if this has as close a familial relationship to mr. blue eyes as i think, than that boy was basically grown in a petri dish of violence…
it was noted that the murder weapon was police issue and obtained from an unnamed “sheriff”
Chad, thanks for your story about your friend’s rescue. Unfortunately, the Gift of Fear did not kick in before she made those very bad decisions. No, I’m not blaming the victim or her ‘friends,’ who let a pregnant woman, after using alcohol, walk five blocks to a parking garage at 12:30 a.m.–no, I am glad she is able to tell her story. Hopefully, her 18-year-old will learn sooner how to avoid those mistakes.
Understanding our intuitive gift helps us assess potentially risky situations. The woman driving the car spotted that risk immediately.
We all make mistakes and errors in judgement, of course. We’ve heard many stories here of the dangerous things we’ve done in our youth (and some of us still do!) Yet, it’s the reality of living in our country requires us to honestly face and prepare to deal with its criminals.
*which requires*
suz,the way you talked of the farm was picturesque when i saw them,i thought of you & my ballet teacher,who insisted her cow painting be behind her in a magazine photo& interview, ilike the pasture ones ,and cuz at least morgan was in a beautiful scenery .
Sorry for all the posts guys, but I have been playing catchup. Also, very sorry about the length…
Sky went back and read your Part 2 on the friends, missed the 1st go around. Also, read J2k re: to your post.
J2k you wrote: Rader said ()PP “We only care what happened after she exited the arena.” (something to that effect)This leads me to believe – at that point in the investigation, when the timeline was released – LE had concluded that whatever happened to her was most likely *not* related to the friends-
At that time LE wasn’t even sure if something “criminal” had happened to Morgan. I think it was acho that made a point of saying smart of the friends to get a lawyer and this probably helped them to be more forthcoming to LE. I hope so, but in my experience, lawyers are there to protect their clients. They are not their to make it easier for LE to get their questions answered.
How do we know the lawyers didn’t say – My client had nothing to do with Morgan’s disappearance. My client has nothing further to say. Keep their name out of the spotlight. Do not harass them. My client will not take a lie detector test. That is all, unless you want to name my client as a suspect.-
Although, I am in agreement with you that the friends are most likely “a red herring” I do not agree with your statement that LE has vetted each of their statements. Most of what “we know” has come from reporters, and from statements made online.- Remember, early on LE had vetted and deemed the S.gas station sighting as not important. Only later to go back and revisit it.
Also J2k, my friend, in this same post, on February 26, 2010 at 2:43 pm you state -Regardless, I think she hoped she could make something of her night, let her friends still have a good time, and then they could just meet MH with her car later at the theoretical party… “all’s well that ends well, right?” (it’s been noted what a positive person she was).-
You my friend, admonish us (comically and with love) when we do hypothetical’s. You tell us the friends statements have been vetted. With out taking into consideration most of their statements have contradicted previous statements made by them or by other witnesses ect. As in your above statement.- “They could just meet at MH’s car later.”
Sky says-
Lt. Rader is quoted as saying; paraphrase: there was no planned meeting for the end of the concert, no matter what is published —
http://www.readthehook.com/stories/20
But we all know J2k, that we have heard from DS that they were gonna party together, until one was missing. We also know that they waited around for at least 2 hours or “awhile” depending on who is speaking.
Also, J2k, let us not forget, in earlier statements, Morgan was said to have the money for the hotel room(to party) that’s why they waited.
My point is dear friend, Who’s statement do we take as fact? Which statement is LE aware of? IMO no one can put there faith in any statement given by a friend or friend of friend. If one statement is suspect,then all statements are suspect.
I have been trying very very hard to give the friends a pass. Yet, more seems to trouble me, cvillegirl, was it you who told us of your watching SS be admonished for not wanting to search?
Let’s pretend just for a moment that this was a t.v show. LE states they have cleared so and so. States they have no POI. The family keeps the so and so’s close to them, makes them feel no sense of blame. Could it all be strategic? Or do I watch too much tv?
J2k, you know I love ya.
Dr. Harrington, please do not take offense to my questioning the friends. It is not my intention to cause you any more grief. Nor is it to disrespect Gil’s wanting there to be no more casualties. After everything is said and done, and Morgan’s killers have been brought to justice. If need be, I will be here to offer my apologies to Morgan’s friends for talking about them. But Sir, I will never apologize for questioning their behavior on that night, nor in the weeks after. I hope you understand.
I have no idea if this is at all important, but I keep reading about Jeeps here… Camp Jeep was held in Nelson County, south of Albemarle County not far from North Garden/Cville, several different years … it was HUGE around here for anyone who owned a jeep and wanted to pay to join in all the off-roading, activities, etc. …
JJ
This story is about a young woman–carefree, w/ not a worry in the world–coming face-to-face with a potential assailant…and, by the grace of God only, walking away and being able to tell the story years and years later.
This feels like a lifetime ago. [In many ways it was. It was certainly long ago, as I’m well over the twice the age I was when this occurred.] It was early afternoon on a warm, summer’s day in a small, sleepy, country town in VA. [Remember now, I’d grown up a “city girl”, convinced that I was wise to the ways of the street. I was no naïve country bumpkin; I knew my way around a big city.] It was my only my second year teaching in this little town. I had plans that afternoon to meet my fiance and a group of friends at a friend’s house to go swimming. I had one errand to run first, though–I had to pop into the bank to pick up some checks I’d ordered.
As there was only limited on-street parking in front of the bank, I parked in the back lot, behind the bank. The lot was crowded and busy as it served the bank and other nearby businesses. My car was parked in between several others; there were precious few empty spaces.
After running into the bank and getting my checks, I headed back to my car–easy to spot as it was a bright blue Mustang. As I did not have air conditioning, the day was hot, and I had no reason to fear crime in that area, I’d left my windows down and my car unlocked. I approached my vehicle, having to walk/squeeze between my car and the one parked adjacent to it. As I entered the car, I noticed no one–and I mean, no one–immediately near me. All I had on my mind was one thing: seeing my fiance, getting to my friends’ home, and diving into a cool, refreshing pool! My attention was on that, and on that only.
I sat down in the car, put the key in the ignition, and then looked up to see a man who appeared–I swear, he “appeared”–at my side, standing by my car. [When I say he “appeared”, it was because 10 secs. earlier, as I entered the car, he was not there--and then he was.] My first thought was that perhaps he needed something, like someone who might ask you for the time. My next thought was that he looked mighty scraggily…I can still see him to this day, all these years later.
He looked to be in his early 20’s. His hair was long, dark, stringy and dirty. His head hung down a bit and his clothes–jeans and a blue shirt–were dirty and disheveled. I’m not certain if I said something like “Can I help you?”, but his first words to me were these: “Lady, I’m just tellin’ ya, yer gonna get raped!”
To say I was shocked doesn’t come close to describing my reaction. I was literally frozen in time and space. I couldn’t believe what this scary stranger had just said to me, any more than I could believe that he continued on, standing right there at my door, mere inches away, shaking his head, lowered, eyes never meeting mine, repeating these same words “Lady, someone’s gonna rape ya. I’m jus’ tellin’ ya, someone’s gonna rape ya.”
I did not even have the presence of mind to lock my door or put up my window! I sat there and watched him in utter shock and disbelief, and did one thing and one thing only: shook my head, repeating one word: “No.” That is all I could think to do: shake my head and say “Nooooooo.” I remember wondering just how the heck did this person appear here? He was not there 10 seconds ago when I got into my car, yet here he was now, he could literally reach into my car and grab me, and I could do absolutely nothing because I was paralyzed with fear.
I remember finally starting the car, putting it in reverse, and thinking I might hit him as I tried to pull out of the parking spot. He did not move; he remained planted there, shaking his head and repeating his warning.
Panic set in quickly for me. Panic, followed immediately by anger. By the time I reached my friends’ house, I was alternating between panic-stricken and outraged that this stranger had the unmitigated gall to not only frighten me, but to say the things he did to me. When my fiance and friends asked what was wrong (they could tell immediately when I entered the door), I blurted out the story. The next thing I remember was diving into the pool and swimming laps like a madwoman; I had so much pent-up fear, anxiety, and anger that this had happened to me.
How dare this man say to this me?? How dare this man frighten me??? What if he had reached into my car??? I did not even think to roll up my windows. I did not even think to shout. I did not even think to start my car and get away. I did nothing. Fear made all sense fly right out of me. I was sitting there, potentially his victim, doing absolutely nothing to “save” myself.
I remember thinking later about my students–”my kids”. I wondered and worried about them, thinking that they might sometime be walking through this same parking lot. And this man was there, lurking about. And then I remembered a few weeks prior to this event, when I had gone to the movies with friends…and had parked in that very same lot, at night–and walked to my car after the movie let out around 11:30pm.
And no, I never did go the police and report this man. I thought that, in this tiny town, a young woman reporting a man who simply said someone was going to rape her…but the man didn’t say HE was going to rape her…and he never touched her…well, I thought the police in this tiny town would laugh to themselves and say “Well, gee, lil’ girl (I weighed 95 lbs. at the time), jus’ don’t go walkin’ ’round that parkin’ lot alone, huh?”
That’s how little regard I had for LE at the time.
That’s how little I understood my own vulnerability.
That’s how quickly someone can “appear” at your side.
That’s how easy it is to think you’re “safe” when you are not.
That’s how easy it is to think that, in the middle of the day, in a crowded parking lot, no one could ever hurt you.
That’s how easy it is to be frozen in time, unable to take even the simplest, easiest steps to maintain your own safety.
That’s how easy it is for a BG to approach you, unknown, unsuspecting, completely vulnerable.
Yes, my guardian angels were working over-time on that one. I will never know if that man was warning me about him, or warning me in general. But I do this: he was a scary, scary man. There was nothing kind or gentle in his warning. He was not like a big brother, trying to offer you protection. No, this man was scary and sinister.
I would not know it then, but years later I used that story when teaching young women about self-defense…about being aware of their surroundings…about maintaining their personal safety…about taking nothing for granted…about taking action and refusing to be a victim.
My story could have had a much different ending. Like I said, I count my lucky stars and am forever grateful to those guardian angels. [My mom used to say “The Lord takes care of fools, drunks, and little children.” I’m certain that, that day, I was somewhere between a fool and a little child.]
Longtime lurker on Blink.Live on FL farm. I’ve been thinking
of method of entry in past posts. In 40 degree temp, light
rain, night, stress, IMO a 4 x4 is most likely….except
if the perp resided “very close” by. A 4 x 4 would keep
the living warmer, dryer and allow talking and some planning,
as well as carrying Morgan more easily. Riding an ATV in
40 degree rainly weather with another and carrying Morgan
would be very difficult for any distance plus staying off the
road with lights off. But not impossile. Going through
farmland bushes and grasses is likely to leave debris in
the undercarriage stuck in every joint of either vehicle.
Can LE check ownership/location of such vehicles close by?
Probably have. Soil also has its signature as to location.
Just tossing out a possibility.
You GO Mom3.0!!
Turn around is fair play J2K!!!!
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
P.S. I’ll be 2nd in line to apologize
to the friends too….”IF” need be.
Justathought – Your story took my breath away. I’m so glad the mystery was solved before your “dear one” moved on. Peace to you both.
Thank you Jennifer!
Word: You are so exactly correct. THANK YOU. Ding ding ding…..No, She did not have the *gift of fear* when she left the party, but suddenly, entering into the deep dark night of unknown,she did, immediate reality sunk in,and she knew she had now entered into the realm of evil opportunity.
Just for a simple task, was all she wanted, was to successfully get to her car, walking to her car, and the evil presented itself to herlike a veil, and she damn well felt it. She got it, walking alone on that not so well lit street, seeing the shadow, feeling his planned deeds, she knew. . I would absolutely liken it to like spyware is to a computer. Not a solid firewall, evil will slip inside.
He saw her, he saw her beautiful blonde hair, he knew her vunerable status. He tried to jumped. She was a good solid vunerable victim. She realizes this now.
Had she had the gift of fear, (even though she didn’t feel it at the time when she left the party), she would have never had been in that situation. Perhaps we all should PREVENT the trigger of that fear, and feel fear as we go into the world, with each situation . Paranoia is not such a bad thing? No?
We all need to feel fear all the time, and not until we are filled with it in our gut, nd there is no way out. Jane was lucky. She had a godsend. Most do not.
Mom.3. Are you comin over or not? Waiting.
No one has to convince me that the psychpathic discriminates against gender. I am a true believer since my friends brother was shot at the University of Alambama shootings. Today, he still fights for his life.He will be permanetely mutilated. Profile of the killer: Woman, and this is a mom with a past: I am convinced that her previous crimes, even though she was a suspect, were dismissed in part, if not by all because of her gender, educational level, and that she was a mother. She didn’t match the PROFILE. This woman killed her brother, mde a bomb, and now has shot and killed 6 people, 3 of whom had died. She is now charge with a capital crime, which means th deth penalty.
Had she had been chargd with her brother murder 20 years ago, she we, as a society would have been spared the brutality and twisted revenge of a very sick criminal psychopath damage. She would never had been allowed to own a gun, and be able to mastermind a killing spree of her collegues and peers.
Women kill. Because they are a sister, friend, ( how about a best friend) or even a mom, or of “good breeding” , or comes a well learned refined education. This should not ever preclude them from being considered a cold blooded killer.
Thank you mom.3 for bringing this up. TY. We all need to get over the gender thing.
I apologize for my horrible spelling. Acho, I hope you are not reading my post.
To those who were wondering about the cows..J2K?
here is one quote, but there are more.
Bass told the Associated Press that he was feeding his cattle when he “…looked down and saw what looked like a human skull.”
skyler (re: my right click tip) I’m sorry, I’m using Firefox. The misspelled words are underlines red. Right-click on them. But I just tried and see that it doesn’t work in Explorer. Maybe just a FF thing? Sorry for the OT… I’d bring this to the FB page, but no luck either time reaching Chad via email …
(David Bass)He also said there is no “readily available access to the area where the remains were found.”
Morgan’s body was found in a hayfield not accessible to vehicular traffic.
Quote… Police would not comment on whether they found shoe prints at the scene, but did say that the hayfield would have been waist high at the time of Harrington’s disappearance. Her remains were discovered on the Anchorage Farm by its owner, David Bass. He says he was feeding his cattle at the time and saw the remains from his tractor, mistaking them, at first, for a deer carcass. “I looked down and saw what looked like a human skull, and my first thought was that it was Morgan Harrington,” Bass told reporters.Filed under: NewsShare & Bookmark :
A press conference is scheduled for 5 PM ET this afternoon. State police assure the press that they will release information as it develops. David H. Bass, who owns Anchorage Farm, said the remains were “seriously decomposed” and left in a part of his cow pasture that he rarely visits. He was checking the area this morning because of the recent heavy rains. The farm is located about 10 miles southwest of the University of Virginia campus, where the concert took place.Filed under: News
That’s when farmer David Bass spotted Harrington’s desiccated remains from the seat of his tractor, while out feeding cattle on his spread near Charlottesville.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/morgan_harrington_search_ends_sadly_yohJzJnASrIEfzpKqropbP#ixzz0gnrPHMfq
STACEY NEWMAN, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: This area, Nancy, is just so isolated. The farm owner himself said when he stumbled on these skeletal remains and wanted to call 911, it took him a full 30 minutes to walk back from the location where the remains were found to his home to place that call….
NEWMAN: Well, again, this is a very expansive gated property. There are no public access points. And again, this farmer says to get to this area, what you would have to do is you would have to basically walk to this area, Nancy. You could not drive. If you did live on a neighboring property to this farm, you would even have to climb a barbed wire fence just to get over to this property.
There at police headquarters, Courteney Stuart. Courteney, I understand also that the owner of the property who happened upon the body says that there was no attempt made to cover her up. She wasn`t in a shallow grave. There wasn`t a blanket or any covering over her body. She was just lying there.
The way this unfolded this morning is the farmer here at Anchorage Farm in southern Albemarle County believed that he found skeletal remains on his property, called state police. Reports indicate that the body of a female with long blond hair, dark clothing, has been found on the property here.
TIM MARTIN, REPORTER, NEWSTALK 960 WFIR (via phone): Exactly right, Nancy. I mean in all likelihood, the farmer wouldn`t even have been out there had a big storm not come over the weekend. He was in the area feeding cows and checking fences to see if any damage was done from the storm that came through the area.
Bass told The Associated Press he was feeding his cattle at the time and saw the remains from his tractor. He declined additional comment.
“I looked down and saw what looked like a human skull and my first thought was that it was Morgan Harrington,” Bass told WTVR.com.
B: Just going to ask straight away. Do we have a name change? Someone that could be attached to this? Thanks a million, if you can answer.
John, I see your point. I, like J2k, had only seen/heard the reports that Bass was checking the fences. Could it be that some reporters filled in the blanks on there own?
You seem to be a local. Your knowledge of the land/cemeteries is most helpful. Have you called LE with this info?
The articles you posted snippets from, I have never read or seen. Could you possibly post links? TIA
Blink, John posted:
“I understand also that the owner of the property who happened upon the body says that there was no attempt made to cover her up. She wasn`t in a shallow grave. There wasn`t a blanket or any covering over her body. She was just lying there”
Is this correct? If so, How was she intact? Could she have been lying right there the whole time? Do you still believe she was placed there that night?
Morgan Harrington case: Photo Gallery (video)
At 0:21 you can view David Bass laughing as he talks to reporters. I do not like that.
Then you can click on the video of David Bass talking about his cows and making sure the calves were warm. He runs this sentence right into seeing the “what he thought was a dead deer”
Observer, Hello. Thank you for sharing that very personal story with us. I am glad nothing bad happened. I, too have had a similar experience. When I was a teenager, I lived in an area most people would deem the lower part of town. I too, thought I was street smart and could take care of myself. Like the women Dr. Harrington and Gil are worried about, I very often jogged or walked along the bike paths that were so popular at the time. I carried a pocket knife for protection.
One day while walking, I was approached by a man on a bike. I unlike you, was very aware of my surroundings. Yet, I had never encountered such an abrupt person. He stated nonchalantly, how dangerous it was for a girl to be walking alone, even though I obviously could take care of myself, pointing to the little pocket knife that I thought was totally obscured in the palm of my hand.
He went on to ask, “How easy do you think it would be for a strong male, with evil intent, to disarm you of your weapon and turn and use it on you?” Of course I was scared and taken aback. I walked on more briskly not answering him. He then caught up to me and offered to ride me on his bike to “safety.” I politely declined, found a family with kids near by, and walked the rest of the way in their company.
Like you, I do not know what this man’s real intent was. I do not know what would have happened had I been scared enough, by his scenario, to accept his offer of a ride to “safety”.
What I do know, Observer, is after that day, I no longer was carefree in my belief that I could take care of myself. Nor was I as naive to think that my little pocket knife could offer me any protection.
I choose now, to believe this man was my guardian angel. He taught me a very valuable lesson that day. Perhaps, your straggly 20-year-old was sent to give you a message, wake up to the dangers that surround you. Not every BG is gonna look as scary as I do. Not every BG is gonna give you a fair warning…..Wake up.
Observer, sounds like the stringy haired guy WAS your guardian angel, giving you the gift of fear. Maybe that’s how he was able to appear out of nowhere, and how you didn’t hit him with your car when fleeing the scene. Cool story.
John, Nancy shows her paintings at an art center, not at the farm. SusanM, I do like cow paintings (I have a beautiful painting of a magical looking steer at sunset that I picked up in Texas—I love collecting art from places I visit—but I don’t have any cows at the moment) but I really liked this one painting of chickens. She says the chickens are raised by her neighbors, whereas she and hubby raise the cows.
I think the conflicting-sounding Bass statements are probably once again just the sloppy reporting we have seen plaguing this case (and probably every case everywhere—-we usually just don’t know enough about other cases to know better). Was he feeding cattle or checking fences? Perhaps both are true. Maybe he had been feeding cattle in the other field on his way to this far off pasture in order to check the fences because of the big rain/wind storm the previous day.
Were cows in that pasture at the time Morgan was found? That one I’m not sure about. I remember originally thinking NO when it was being reported as a hayfield, but then Bass corrected it to say pasture, but I don’t know how many separate pastures he has, and whether he lets the cows roam everywhere all the time, or if he rotates them from field to field (in which case there would be fences in the interior of the farm; we know the horses are fenced to keep them separate from the cows, though I’m still not sure why). They all need water, so I wonder if the creek is the source of that, and whether all the fields touch the creek. (Cows love to swim in the summer—-well, wade—does he not have a pond?)
With regard to the registration updates for EMH every 30 days:
Registration means that the person has notified the State Police, confirmed his current physical and mailing address and provided such other information, including identifying information, which the State Police may require. Upon registration and as may be necessary thereafter, the State Police shall provide the person with an address verification form to be used for registration. The form shall contain in bold print a statement indicating that failure to comply with the registration required is punishable as provided in 18.2-472.1. Every person required to register, other than a person convicted of a sexually violent offense or murder, shall reregister with the State Police on an annual basis from the date of the initial registration. Every person convicted of a sexually violent offense or murder shall register with the State Police every 90 days from the date of initial registration. B. Any person convicted of a violation of § 18.2-472.1 , other than a person convicted of a sexually violent offense or murder, shall register with the State Police every 180 days from the date of such conviction. Any person convicted of a violation of § 18.2-472.1, in which such person was included on the Registry for a conviction of a sexually violent offense or murder, shall register with the State Police every 30 days from the date of conviction.
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Taken from the VSP website. I believe EMH falls into the final category and thus is required to register every 30 days.
“J2K says:
February 27, 2010 at 9:35 pm
But LE would have to rely on the October GPS data to put him at the actual scene, as he probably passes the entry gate every day anyway. And, if there is bad cell coverage in that particular area (Christy S? JulieMooley?) LE would have a challenging time relying on tracking him to the actual dump site in the tree-line… having to rely on other means to place him at the scene. ”
J2K, there are a lot of dead zones in the county, but I don’t spend enough time in North Garden to know what specific dead zones are in that area. Maybe another local knows? I also don’t know how the LE tracking devices work, or if EH has one.
Is this our farmer Bass named as one of the Hook’s top 70 Land Barons, with (#8. David H. Bass with 2047 acres)?
http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2003/04/10/coverSideTop70LandBaronsWh.html
Where’s the rest of his land?
Hey, Grisham and Dave Matthews made the list-
B
Shoulda’ noted that top 70 land baron thing was from 2003, so maybe he sold a bunch.
Oh Lordy, Chad, I do not look at spelling on BOC. I have a singular goal here, just like the rest of you, and in my haste to see it achieved, I make all kinds of errors, here, too!
(Now, give me another error-riddled, un-fact-checked piece by a journalist, and I will rip it to shreds … if J2K doesn’t get to it first.)
Observer, I got the chills reading your story. Did that man just want to feel empowered, for once in his life? Isn’t that what motivates most of these criminals? You sure turned it into a “teaching point” for your adult life. Brava.
I know friends’ attorneys may well have said, simply, “My client chooses not to comment.” My suggestion that perhaps the attorneys’ presence gave the kids a safe haven in which to talk is Pollyanna of me, but as we are not going to hear an official peep from or about those friends till trial time (*if* it goes to trial, as O points out), it’s the only way I can deal with that side of the story. I stand firm that those kids were quaking in their boots with fear of recrimination, not just from LE, but from peers in their wider net.
Thank you guys for the responses to “my” story.
In thinking about that case, a couple of things stand out. A killer with a violent past…but not serial…at least not yet. LE is relooking at some other cases. The known victims and the circumstance of their demise were nothing alike. The cause of death not the same. Observer could well be right, not serial, but perhpas a violent past or future to come.
In that case, DNA for the 17 year old murder was not enough even though police had it (undisclosed to the public) and had confronted the now confessed killer with that fact years ago. At that time, he denied knowing the victim. Which has me thinking even in Morgan’s case, if LE has DNA depending more than likely they need something else. Something to provide a link between Morgan and her killer and that’s what they’re looking for. In the 17 year old case, the gun used to commit the murder was “recovered” 17 years later. Don’t know the story on the how or why…only that a family member had it.
The young S.O. who lives nearby: his biological father was charged with “Failing to Tag Deer” in Abermarle County in January 2004, which shows a strong family connection/personal background in hunting. He lives in another county, but was charged in Abermarle. Visiting his son perhaps?
I gleaned this information from the Virginia Court website “Pay Online” system, which I used to pay my speeding tickets when I attended college in VA. It’s without a doubt him: even though common name, it’s the same birthdate (which the system shows month and day) and same unusual spelling of the middle name.
Observer says:
February 27, 2010 at 11:11 pm
“I would not know it then, but years later I used that story when teaching young women about self-defense…about being aware of their surroundings…about maintaining their personal safety…about taking nothing for granted…about taking action and refusing to be a victim.”
Nobody tell me that this site does not have incredible people who give and give and give. We pour out our heart and souls and it is because Morgan Dana Harrington has made an impact on us all!
Thank you O-girl for sharing that and giving me something that I can physically print off and read to my daughter.
Do you ever give warm and fuzzy lectures?
I think she could use one. She, sometimes sees me as a nag but I keep on trying. Somebody should have warned me that this teenage thing was going to be hard. I admire Mrs. Harrington. She gave her daughter wings. I give mine the GOF and way too much of it! Where’s the balance?