Morgan Harrington Murder Update: DNA Links WANTED SUSPECT
Corrine Geller, PR Manager, Virginia State Police Released This Statement:
special thanks to argano_m for the image work to remove the beard
special thanks to Klaasend for the age progression image
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Enquirer said: “My question is to Blink & those who know the area around Copley Bridge better than me: how many houses within a potential 10 – 15 minute walk from Copley Bridge have off street parking? ”
MANY (most??)! Once you cross Ivy Rd going south, there is about a half mile or so of 100% residential area before you get to McCormick Rd, where you’re squarely on Grounds. It’s a nice area, expensive due to the location, houses on the smaller side. Mostly UVa folks. I wouldn’t think twice about walking around there after dark. The area where the shirt was found is another story. It’s on the edge of a bad area. I am uncomfortable even driving through there after dark.
Fish: No worries. I find you to be a first-rate individual and will take your advice to heart. Sorry to have caused such a stir. Carry on!
I am not sure if your reduction of my comment is in support or not, please to splain.
These days you only seem to stick your head out of the sand on special occasions- what gives?
B
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Been rather busy this summer.
Fish – I so appreciate you and your thoughts. You so “get it” and speak it. Please keep on Keeping ON. I’m right there with you. As I wrote at findmorgan.com:
By LE’s own admission they are not pursuing Morgan’s killer in the manner in which all of us would. Maybe they don’t have enough resources. But whatever the reason, they have now admitted how slowly they are moving.
They obviously aren’t making the investigation a priority. If they were – they would have shown the sketch to Mr. Bass days (weeks) ago when the forensics showed a match. Sounds like they are giving lip service to the Harringtons – but not actually doing the work. More time slips by every day and those of us with the sense or urgency know it is fading and slipping. Those with the information and resources and power to move don’t seem to share the same sense of urgency.
Dammit I hope I’m so, so wrong about this. I hope I’m just dead wrong. I hope all of my intuitions are completely and totally wrong. I hate being negative and cynical. I try to remain optimistic and hopeful.
I so want justice for Morgan and her family. I so want her family and friends to have answers to what happened. I don’t care how it happens or who finds those answers – I just want the Harringtons to be able to fully and absolutely grieve without having to be always so strong and understanding. I want them to have a focus for their anger and a reason for their pain. I hope the cloud of mystery is not delaying their grief processing. I want Alex to have his life back. He deserves to move forward into life. This is holding him back.
My own personal opinions – you don’t have to agree with me of course – but I feel strongly about this based on my own family’s tragedies and grief. I wish we had had persons like Blink and others to help us find answers and ask for justice. We would have preferred a leak forcing the hand of LE rather than to continue to sit on the information while the clock ticked and the calendar rolled. Maybe that’s wrong and short-sided of me – but from a purely emotional perspective – it’s what I and my family would have wanted back when my brother was killed. I truly thank Blink and The Hook and others – for pushing LE to move forward with the investigation.
I am trying to leave the haters behind. I would like to say first, please, please get over your intellectual snobbery and hangups about grammar and what you perceive as crazytalk. Whatever, none of that matters. What matters is you’ve been allowed to be complacent, to believe there was not a killer in your midst, and it turns out that was wrong. You need to sharpen your eyes and ears so we can get this guy off the streets. I was in this first because it’s Charlottesville. Now, though, I am thinking it’s an entire corridor in danger. But above all, it is centered in Charlottesville, and someone who knows someone who knows Anchorage Farm.
B: Was it just bad PR judgment that Corinne dared to reveal they were sitting on that sketch and not showing it to Bass? I figure (a) they know their suspect and are sure Bass cannot make that link for them, (b) for whatever reason there is no longer cooperation or trust between LE and the Basses, or (c) it was an enormously negligent mishandling or nonhandling of information. I am so open to some other reason, because the above options put a terrible taste in my mouth. I want to keep supporting LE, I want to have faith, but …
… to me, that single piece of information, that non-progression of a matched sketch to the landowner who found Morgan on his property, is hard for all of us–no matter where you are in your opinions about this site or FM or LE–to accept.
acho:
To be perfectly honest, the information I have does not jibe, so I can’t say what Ms. Geller’s motives were- except to say that is not a position I would have taken publicly. In PR perception is everything.
And it is now the public’s perception that an investigative journalist can disseminate information in the interest of public safety and lead progression of a cold case better than the agency tasked with it.
To say I forced their hand investigatively is simply untrue. For Instance, why not just say “The cases are not related.” Period. We are supposed to believe that me stating a case in Fairfax is related to Morgan’s case forced them to release a sketch of an alleged rapist tied to Morgan’s murder 5 years later?
I can’t even believe the liabilities associated with a statement like that.
What about the fact that the admins on FM has 46 threads up in 3 minutes about the big press conference that was going to happen later, or the now that the cats outta the bag threads… It would appear I was not the only one that was told there would be big news that afternoon the night before.
Then of course the public thank you for the leads-
I will share just this excerpt of an email from a colleague who works in Federal LE.
Well smack my ass and call Me Blink- they should be giving you a parade for Christ Sake, not telling everyone your skirt is tucked in your hose behind your back- what’s this really about? This is the biggest disclosure development in , what’s this case, a year old? I am feeling bait and switch on this one- keep at it kid, there’s more.
__________________________________
Anyway, I want to say thanks for the kind words and Team Blink Defense, but let’s try out best to stay focused in ignoring this and supporting The Harrington’s. I cannot imagine their daily angst, and I do not wish to add to it.
I will happily accept the responsibility for breaking the connection publicly and the ensuing sketch that should have been released immediately upon the notification of a “forensic link”.
If they have not connected the Pham case and sketch and Morgan’s, how the hell did I find out about the release of a connection in the first place, considering they “had no plans of releasing it.”
That sketch is pretty specific. I hope all you locals are emailing it to everyone.
B
Blink — echoing what sjones has said. What you’ve done is brave and right. Thank you for your work.
Fish — You *do* rock and I thank you!
Blink-just adding to what’s been said already. You and your team just did the right and decent thing. Brave. Speaking of brave, Go Fish! You can be a little piranha (in a good way)
I get SOOOOO upset when people speak poorly of our Blink.
These people obviously do not “know” Blink.
Then I get to thinking how lucky WE all are to know B.
I, for one, hold a tremedous, sky high amount of respect for Blink.
Blink will do what is right for the victims and the families.
Blink will do whatever it takes to remove these monsters off the street.
As a member of society, as a woman, as a mother, I am GRATEFUL for Blink.
I am HONORED to “know” Blink.
The Harringtons are HAPPY the sketch and the link to the 2005 case is finally out, that’s who’s feelings matter.
Those who are truly good, in and out and every where in between, know what is right and will do what is right, without hestitation. Our Blink is this kind of through and through good. She will not and cannot be waivered from doing what she feels in her heart is the right thing to do. Another admirable quality to add to the list of the many other admirable qualities our Blink is blessed with.
If God forbid something horrible happened to my own children, I would want Blink to be covering the story night and day.
Blink has gone places no one else dares. She has written piece after piece, and kept us all searching for the truth.
She has read every comment ever written, talked with LE and the victims family.
Always voicing her support of both.
The only ones that have any right to say anything about Blink and her work are The Harrington’s. I have never read anywhere, that they want her to back off, or stop pursuing the truth. All others, do not matter to Blink. As it should be.
She has stood by Morgan, she has stood by The Harrington’s, she has stood by every victim, and she has stood by the work of her team, and by the work of her contributors, especially when it mattered the most.
This is her site, this is her work, Bhe is an advocate for the victims. She has never claimed to be perfect in any of those endeavors, but she is here, day after day, trying her best to make a difference. Staying above the fray, facing down critics, so that we all can lend our help in bringing Morgan’s killer to justice. So we can all make a difference, lending our help, and prayers to the victims. Blink is here, each day, giving a voice to the victims- Kyron and Caylee, Christine, Josh, and so many others. How could that be a bad thing?
Blink reads the same comments we do, she knows what others have said about her and her work, but still, she has never faltered in her quest to help. How many would want her job?
Keep your head and spirits up Blink- Thank you for being here everyday trying to make a difference.
Each day, before I send my children off into the world, I say to each of them in turn, stay safe, do your best, be good, make a difference. Call me if you need me-
So I say to you Blink-
Stay safe, do your best, be good, make a difference, call me if you need me-
Yep, Blink, you are the “Texas Ranger” galloping in to see that Morgan and her precious family gets justice!!! Me thinks Virginia owes you a debt of graditude. PS, me or mine in trouble? We want BLINK on our side!!!!
Oh, here is where everyone is. :O) I was hoping the silence on the Kyron link was indicative of a new breakthrough.
Maya Angelou called gossip and verbal aggression “tiny murders”. I like that. Those who criticize Blink or any us who read or post here don’t see that their negativity is violence. So they become what they profess to hate. None of us are immune from becoming a giver or a reciever of these tiny murders. I catch myself and have to stop to recenter. The naysayers will do so too, eventually, when they realize they do more harm than good. If not now, then later, they will come to that realization.
Just keep swimmin, Blink. Swimming, swimming, doh, doh, dee, doh . . .
joeamerica,i didnt mean to sound mean ,if i did,i was just ribbing you back ,my dads a joe ,my brothers a joe,and i always wanted to be joey(after heatherton),so i thought i was entitled to respond to joe america.so its just a matter of finding this guy? not that he would be a rapper but can he be found in the rapper crowd?
i mentioned before that i wanted to know if cedric has seen this picture. judging by LE impression of how they are investigating the case, i doubt he has been shown by LE.
here’s another one that should be on the short list, m. voth from fairfax area and one of the last to report a sighting of MH.
Blink and i have had our differences in the past, but i think this forum is very good and serves many needs. it is incredible and gives hope. God Bless You, Blink! keep up the great work…America desperately needs you!
Ok, Friends of unnamed crime blog: Since “Sketch”–I much prefer the name jerk-face, but whatever we want to call him–is not in the system forensically, could he possibly be a security guard? If he has escaped LE so far, it is possible that he would be able to pass the necessary background checks to become a security guard, right?
**********************
Another thought I had and am wondering about: Were ID’s checked at the concert? Is it possible that someone checked Miss M.’s ID, saw her name, followed her outside, and “called out” to her, making Morgan believe she knew this person. Just thinking out loud. Could someone even be this devious?
Lol- you talking to me?
B
http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=10763686
Blink, do you know if this guy’s been checked out? (Brought over from FM)
Sorry if this has already been covered.
Well, I guess my slip is showing or I got my skirt stuck in my pantyhose again. Nope. Don’t wear either (slips or pantyhose, that is.) Guess it is just my naivete showing. ; )
Did I understand the Hook article correctly, the rape victim spoke Urdu? So there are Middle Eastern/Indian people around in the area. Sketch doesn’t seem African American to me, but he could be Pakistani.
Could the victim’s memory have overlaid her attacker’s face with the features she is most familiar with, her own ethnic group? After all she was in a state of shock.
As for the recent developments in the case, this seems most bizarre to me. Why would they not show the photo to Bass? Even if they knew Sketch wasn’t the person who dumped her on AF (which implies they knew his identity), why not at least try? If it is such a close knit community, maybe he knew him as a friend of a friend of a workman who did some repairs in his house.
And why suddenly blame Blink? This is bad style. They should have kept quiet.
messimamm, re: your 4:59:
I saw that on the Daily Progress yesterday and got a lot more detail from their article.
Here you are:
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/crime/article/former_city_bus_driver_sentenced_for_unwanted_touching/57962/
IDs would not be checked unless she was buying beer.
Eloise, Hi, if I may, I will attempt to speak for Blink and help you understand her Hootie comment.
What she is saying- I believe, is that she fears that some may be thinking about this subject in too narrow a focus- they might be seeing Sketch in terms of stereotypes perhaps, that do not apply.
All rapists/murderers are not otherside of the tracks, drug addicts that work only in blue collar jobs.
And all African American music stars are not rap stars….
If I am off base Blink feel free to reel me in- Hope I helped Eloise.
Enquirer, thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts earlier.
You wrote in part:
Let’s then assume that both statements are correct:
1. Morgan harrington was last seen on Copley Bridge
2. The man in the sketch above was involved in her murder
We can rule out with some degree of certainty that ‘the nine’ knew this man (otherwise this man would be in custody by now). And I seriously doubt that Morgan got into this man’s vehicle willingly (hitchhiking?) if he were a stranger – the GG turned BG scenario would have to be out the window with the description of this guy.
—–
Great points, and you may be right but I’m not sure we can rule out that any of the 9 recognize this man- especially not in a very basic way- like as a bouncer of a club or from around the area ect–
LE had not shown Mr. Bass “Sketch” until recently. Have they shown his daughter? Her friends? We don’t know if they showed anyone the Sketch, and this would include Morgan’s friends and friends of friends.
Sketch’s face has been around for the last 5 years the sketch has been published for five years- We don’t know why no one has come forward and said they recognize Sketch-
Perhaps the sketch is off on an important detail. Perhaps Sketch is so adept at changing his look the Sketch doesn’t ring any bells-
I just don’t think we can rule out anything in regards to “Sketch”
just yet.
AnotherB- interesting take- Thanks for pondering this- that could be the case, as I am sure the victim was very traumatized.
There are a few comments on the Read the Hook blog from our own Frank Speaker on Ms. Blink. He should not be allowed to post here anymore.
Well now, I do believe he may be an invited guest on there.
Please don’t waste your time. I trust reasonable people following this case knows exactly what is going on.
B
re; anotherB’s question/comment, “As for the recent developments in the case, this seems most bizarre to me. Why would they not show the photo to Bass?”
Perhaps they did and, for whatever reason, wanted the public to think otherwise, or, perhaps they just didn’t want to share that information with the public.
LE has kept information close to the vest since the beginning. I doubt that would suddenly change now.
re; my comment above ~ “perhaps they just didn’t want to share that information with the public”.
Had LE advised they showed the photo to Bass, the next question would be…, and the question after that would be…etc.
Mom 3.0 Says -
All rapists/murderers are not otherside of the tracks, drug addicts that work only in blue collar jobs…
—————————————-
I agree 100%. I firmly believe this person is a psychopath, more than capable of “social-blending”. He most likely “contradicts” the general “sexual predator” stereotype. On the surface, he may even appear to be a nice guy, with a family, a hard worker. He wears a mask of sanity, of normalcy. It’s a very exquisite mask. It looks SO good; people can’t see through it.
To commit such a heinous crime in 2005, and the likelihood that he committed other crimes, to not have been caught, or even arouse suspicion, he MUST have been capable of changing his demeanor like a chameleon.
This guy is not the average stereotype… In the end, who would have suspected him? It will probably turn out to not be many…
19.acho says:
July 7, 2010 at 6:03 pm
messimamm, re: your 4:59:
I saw that on the Daily Progress yesterday and got a lot more detail from their article.
Here you are:
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/crime/article/former_city_bus_driver
So, Acho, did you read the entries on FM.com about this guy? Made sense to me that 5 yrs. of weight gain could make this guy look like Sketch. Check features, ears, facial shape and proportions. He has a history listed there as well…hmm. For some reason, I feel like we have discussed him previously. On the other hand, his recent crime does not fit the MO of Morgan, nor of the ’05 Fairfax abduction.
Mom3.0 -
Thanks for your reply.
You’re correct that we can not unequivocally rule out that this man is not known by the nine in some way, shape or form . But it would seem logical that if they hadnt been shown the sketch at the time of the presser, they have been now.
And if they have been, and they know who he is, then the details being requested by police would (in my opinion) differ greatly e.g. “Do you remember seeing a white 1992 Toyota Corolla in or around JPJ Arena or Anchorage Farm between x – x…”
I think LE have NFI who ‘sktech’ is. My patience is wearing VERY thin on the handling of this case. There’s a few comments Ive been holding off from making for some time now which are becoming ever more tempting to share.
Saramom, no your slip is not showing! Your first line: “okay friends of unnamed crime blog” –very funny — and I think that’s what Blink was chortling about.
One comment I haven’t heard commented on is that tips have been called in from “all over the country”. What do ya’ll make of that?
I think someone mentioned there was a footpath leading out from the back of the RV Lot to the railroad tracks and then to some stores? Also, when I look at Google Earth it looks like a ROAD that goes around behind those athletic fields. I imagine if you park in Lannigan Field lot you can get to Lannigan field on foot at least and then on to the other fields. So whoever ambushed Morgan could have come from one of those directions, disabled her quickly and dragged her into one of those areas. One of the very earliest police searches was in the area of these athletic fields, based on a tip. I believe this general area is the primary crime scene.
Some other early tips that led to searches IIRC were the Pantops Mountain suspicious vehicle and State Farm, around the hospital, etc.
Just throwing some things out there to see what y’all think.
@Mary
Re: tips being called in from all over the country.
To be frank – that is the norm with a high profile case like this, usually these are of little value unless the perp has fled the state. Even sadder is that large quantities of these ‘tips’ hail from psychics, clairvoyants & remove viewers.
@cvillegirl
“Many (most?)”
Yip. My point exactly, OSP at residential properties in abundance. (I know the area well). You can probably guess why I asked that question.
We seem to have focussed all of our attention on AF being the original crime scene.
I have not commented since the “sketch” was released, mostly because I wanted to take some time to digest this info, and to see how LE manages to worm their way out of this one. I’ve maintained from the get-go that this crime was poorly handled by some branches of the police, but was hoping that when VSP took over, things would improve. I find it totally unacceptable that LE had a forensic match AND a sketch of this dude for, what, weeks? before the “unnamed blog” forced them to release it. Meanwhile, there is a violent, dangerous sexual predator roaming the area who may have murdered Morgan, and NO WARNING to the community….and now he may have done it again!
There is something very fishy (no offense fish) about this case, and now I really don’t know what to believe from VSP or any LEA involved. I have pondered the thought that someone from LE was involved, thus staying a step ahead of the investigation. Something just doesn’t seem right, but I’m not sure what it is.
signed….SERIOUSLY OUTRAGED!
Georgie, I believe, as do many others, that there was more than one person involved. If this is the case, Sketch would be only one of two or more perps. Sketch has been identified ~ if there were others, they have not been identified yet.
I hope every single person in Virginia, not just Charlottesville, is VERY AWARE of this case and the fact that a killer is still out there who MAY NOT BE black.
If I lived in that area, I would be carrying a gun ~ I don’t know if it is legal to carry a gun in Virginia and I don’t care. I would have a gun on me at all times, loaded and ready to fire.
Imagine, the perp’s surprise if, the next time he tries to grab a victim, she pulls out a gun and fires.
My personal feeling, fwiw, is that the public needs to be made aware that there is someone out there who may have carried out Morgan’s murder with Sketch who is not black. I believe the public needs to be on high alert!!!
Not only is Sketch (if involved) most likely not the only one involved ~ they could be working in pairs, or groups, for all we know.
Woman in Virginia have to be suspicious of ALL strangers and ALL circumstances ~ any time a woman in Virginia encounters a male, or males, she doesn’t know ~ she needs to be on high alert.
Every circumstance that involves an encounter with a stranger could lead to what happened to Morgan.
Don’t open your door unless you know who is on the other side PERSONALLY. Don’t be ANYWHERE alone until the person(s) who killed Morgan is off the streets. Equip yourself with whatever you can to keep yourself safe. My choice would be a gun but, hey, that’s just me.
o.k., this is the last thing I feel the need to say;
Woman in Virginia need to lock the doors to their cars when they are IN THEM and when they are leaving them, and, when they return to their cars, if there is ANYTHING that indicates the car has been tampered with in any way, they need to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY, and call 911.
Woman in Virginia need to be aware that attacks like this OFTEN take place seemingly “out of nowhere”. They need to ALWAYS be aware of their surroundings ~ these types of monsters can jump out from anywhere ~ from behind a door in a parkade staircase, from behind a bush, from behind a parked car, from ANYWHERE. The moment you turn your back ~ they’re on you.
Lastly, be EXTREMELY cautious when walking past parked vehicles, whether they are in a parking lot or on a side street ~ many of these creeps will lay in wait for a victim to walk past so they can grab her and pull her in. Trucks and vans are a favorite of these guys so be particular cautious when you are walking past those.
susanm : poke at will – My hide is like an old cow. There is no better laugh than one that comes with with a mirror.
With what we know Sketch is just as likely to be white collar as blue, those who think he must work at the thrift store or the carnival are pretty pathetic NJIMO. Better check the dentist offices and Insurance offices as well as the garbage collectors union hall.
This case deserves a rant on how modern journalism has foundered including a paragraph on how the interests of public safety and a transparent justice system sometimes conflict with the preferences of investigators and can even complicate an investigation. This is both the cost and benefit of a free press. Sometimes the modern reporter is much too close AND beholden to law enforcement sources and they are either too lazy, too gutless or too political to go with a story which is on balance clearly in the public interest. Others have partly articulated that rant herein and this time Ms. Geller and LE was in the wrong (it happens to any of us who actually accomplish something). They should never have squelched the the renewed threat posed by Sketch from the public for more than the few hours lead time which would allow them to prepare a release strategy and to quickly contact any eyewitnesses and put out locates on POI’s if any from the 5yr old case.
Unfortunately the 5yr old case (which, by the way, could very easily have been a homicide) must not have had any potential suspects because investigators would have tailed same until DNA was obtained (cigarette butt, beer can, kleenex, hair clippings. Right?
So LE did not have any justification to sit on the release for more than a very short time because they didn’t have any good suspects from the earlier case to locate prior to flight risk AND because of the overwhelming public safety concern which even joseamerica of indeterminate race and poorly shaped head can figure out.
I will again spare you my race rant folks but I am getting geared up. The concept of race as we know it is a political construct – it is not a scientific classification. Get over it. Sketch is a male with a certain shade of worthless skin and a collection of features on an bone rack of shame. You are at risk until HE is squelched instead. Even bigger than Justice for Morgan and the anonymous victim is the ethereal rescue of the next victim(s) yet to be if we can only erase mr. sketch.
PS: do the astrologers, leaf readers, dream weavers, wiccans, numerologists, clairvoyants, shamans and elaborate speculators do this site a certain disservice and waste the time of investigators and readers alike?
Yep. Plain and simple. The less the better Blink – that is what generally sets this community apart.
PS2: Any possible link to Cassandra Morton? Is there even an investigation? Anyone?
Godspeed Virginians! Forward New Jersey!
I have a confession to make.
Because of the gross amount of hours I am working keeping up with multiple cases, I have been lucky enough to have some guest modding going on. I missed this beauty until this am- I apolly to my round headed friend.
In general, everyone should know that joeamerica is pro LE, as we all are.
Everyone has to take their knocks people; I cannot tell you how exhausting it has become to continually listen to everyone’s claptrap in Charlie Brown teacher voice about why they did blah, followed by blah and waw waw.
If I were to invest in product development today, it would be in liquid buck pass. I would be in all of your living rooms hoching it with an odd accent in the wee hours and I would be a gazillionaire.
Joeamerica’s single most important point to me is that barring some IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATIVE REQUIREMENT, this sketch should have been released, and currently in the hands of every Cville and North Garden resident as it is tied to Morgan’s case. When we broke the AF slumber party 2 weeks after Morgan went missing, were any of those guests shown a sketch?
Does everyone grasp the dangers associated with a serial rapist, who attacks at random oppty, disabling his victim and removing them to an alternative scene, and now is linked to a murdered woman 5 years later?
This investigation is 9 months old. If what they are doing is not working, they need to do something else.
Your point about local coverage being endentured to their contacts and what they release is also valid.
Reporters work long and hard to cultivate them, which I deeply respect, but haven spoken with a few of them on this case, and I can tell you their editors do not have the same leeway as we do as a newsblog.
I mention that because I think VSP deserves a bit of a break as they have admitted openly that Morgan’s case is their first foray with social news sites and the speed of light development of information.
There are more victims. Any first year profiler still on desk rotation will tell you that. Until he is caught, there will be a great risk to vulnerable women and that is entirely unacceptable to me.
I may be a grammatical suckfest, the likes of which has some former educators of mine denying my existance on occasion, but this is not a thesis, and I have been told my flaws are endearing.
In any event, I wear them like a slicker. (steps down off the box)
I have another question. If they knew from a DNA link that the shirt was Morgan’s, and I do believe that is the item associated with the forensic link, did they have that info prior to her being found on January 26th with the Codis match, and would releasing the sketch and connection have led to Anchorage Farm?
JoeA- on the race issue, I think you may be blowing that out a bit, I think the comments were more based on the location of Pham’s attack, and of course the info on the 2005 case.
Although, can we say with a certainty that race was not part of the reason to NOT release the sketch in the first place?
Lastly, as I have 2 contributing editors that are also copy editors, and I never give them a crack because they work so hard on the research and investigative angles. I commit to making them cringe less.
The sketch will lead to a suspect and arrest, mark my words.
B
hello friends…I dont think Ive ever posted on here…but have kept up with this case since the beginning. I started out on readthehook but for some reason everyone kept fighting and it just got pointless to read. I thankfully found this site and think it is so cool that I am not the only person who wants to follow the cases as closesly as we do. My background is in journalism and although I am in sales…I will always be a journalist by heart- its in my blood. I say this because Blink…you are awesome. The past week has been extremely busy and Ive just been able to pick up on whats going on by reading the past 15 or so comments.
If I am understanding it all correctly- it draws a close resemblance to the case of our beloved news anchor Anne Pressly who was beaten to death in her own bed almost 2 years ago. We were the same age, single and although I didnt know her personally, we shared a passion for journalism, she was friends with many of my friends and she was on my tv every night.
I scoured the internet looking for someone, something some kind of information during the investigation. However, there was a gag order put into place shortly after the attack. For 2 months-we heard nothing. But in this case- the media was frozen. The last bit of news we heard was that her debit card had been used at a gas station around 5am after the attack. But that the video footage was too grainy and they couldnt see his face.
I feel like Im rambling so Ill get to the point. I was with my father who worked in the correctional division at that time when the police called a press conference to announce that they had a suspect. HE told me that they HAD been able to see his picture, they HAD his DNA and it too matched another rape victim’s attacker (she survived), but it wasnt in the system…so they couldnt identify him. For whatever reason…gag order etc they kept a tight lid and didnt release his picture until they knew who he was, drove down there and asked for a dna sample, tested it, confirmed it, went back to arrest him and he was gone. The only reason they had a press conference was because he had left after giving his dna sample. they found him within an hour or so.
My point is- is that I would assume there would be a sort of understanding between cop and media on whats gonna screw up the investigation if leaked and what isnt. But I guess I live in a perfect world in my mind.
Anyway- I hope that this is VSP’s intent and that they arent as off the ball as they seem. Bottom line- we needed to know there was a sketch. Oh B. you did a great job!!! sorry for the rambles
Hello and welcome to BOC-
B
Thanks Mom3. I felt there was an underlying story to it, just couldnt grasp it. I am so behind on all the great posts, darn job.
Maybe we/I shouldnt hypothesize, but the recent turn of events in the media/LE make me feel Hootie is a big factor. Hmmm, hopefully I am way wrong again.
Blink, just wanted you to know how much I enjoy reading here as well as other threads. I like to mentally pick your brain, and wished I could be just like you when “I grow up”.:)
Let us keep it up for The Harrington’s.
Can’t load the other story relating to Vanessa Pham but
Fairfax County Police released a video of Vanessa leaving the shopping center:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/offsite/?pg=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/news-releases/2010/video/vanessa_pham_video.avi
Three camera angles for her coming in and three for leaving. I wonder if she stopped for gas or at the car wash across the street. Either type of place someone can get into your car.
@joeamerica
There is still work going on behind the scenes on the Cassandra Morton case. From what I understand, the circumstances surrounding Cassandra’s death are baffling to say the least.
A good read…
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/07/arrest-la-grim-sleeper-killings/
Fairfax County police have ruled out a connection between the Pham and Harrington cases but they say they have not ruled out the case of Alicia Showalter Reynolds nor the 29 Stalker cases. They neglected to mention the Verena Stutts case!
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=600&sid=1997259
I forgot to mention in my post above, with respect to securing your vehicle ~ even if you left your vehicle locked and it does not appear to have been tampered with when you return, CHECK INSIDE YOUR VEHICLE BEFORE YOU ENTER IT.
There are many people who have access to tools to break into vehicles and leave virtually no sign of the break-in. Once inside the vehicle, they can lay in wait.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the way Pham was attacked, either by a perp(s) laying in wait in her vehicle, or, opening an unlocked door(s) while she was stopped at a light, etc considering the short amount of time between when she left the brow salon to the time the 911 call was made reporting her vehicle overturned in a ditch; with her in it, stabbed to death. I don’t remember the exact amount of time but I believe it was something like 10 or 20 minutes.
I hope to God there is some DNA somewhere in or on that car.
If he was in that car there will be. No time to clean up. I believe Vanessa escaped, or attempted to escape her attacker, and that is what went wrong. Statistically speaking, this is either a known offender to Vanessa, or an opportunity driven assault, sexually motivated.
B
I sent information to both LE and Dr. Harrington quite some time ago advising who I thought was involved and why. The information I sent to Dr. Harrington was sent through his Facebook page however I now have reason to believe the Facebook page email does not go directly to Dr. Harrington so I don’t know if he ever received the information.
It appears the people I named were not involved because, had they been, I would think they would have been under surveillance during Pham’s murder which I personally believe is related.
I truly hope, if there are POI’s now, they are under surveillance. If not, I believe it is just a matter of time before another woman is killed.
Question: Where was ‘Sketch’ between 2005 and 2009?
Either he was locked-up or there are other rapes/abductions (possible unsolved murder cases?) during that time period in which we have not heard about and/or compiled information. I highly doubt that he was doing nothing and being a ‘good boy’ during that time period.
Also, is there anyway to obtain info on the events/concerts going on in the Fairfax / George Mason vicinities around the time of the Fairfax rape in 2005?
Here is a very good timeline, compile by a FB poster, on the construction in those ares during 2005 – 2009.
1) 2004 – 2006 – Construction of George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax campus, new dorms and facilities close to Route 29.
8/2005 – Ground breaking started at GMU’s new facilities
9/2005 – Rape by man linked to Morgan’s case just north of GMU near Route 29
Source: http://facilities.gmu.edu/projects/ne/index.htm
2) 2006 Summer – Construction complete of University of Virginia John Paul Jones Arena near Route 29.
Source: http://www.johnpauljonesarena.com/about.asp
3) 2008 – 2009 – Construction of additional manors in Blandemar Farms estate near Route 29 (Morgan’s body found at adjacent Anchorage Farms)
Source: http://blinkoncrime.com/2010/02/04/morgan-harrington-murder-virginia-state-police-press-conference-today/comment-page-35/
http://www.c-ville.com/index.php?cat=11101808092903167&ShowArticle_ID=11800102104276532
http://www.facebook.com/#!/topic.php?uid=162224546575&topic=14295&post=71499#post71499.
Pleas pardon my above typos… Thought I had proofread, but must have missed the errors due to not wearing my glasses. Wish I could edit it… but, oh well. Hope you can still understand what I meant to say
WTH? Not planning on releasing the sketch? Why not? We know for a FACT this guy attacked and raped a woman in 2005 and now there is a forensic link to Morgan’s case. WHY NOT release it? Under which scenario is there more potential for harm – releasing it or not releasing it? He is WALKING around FREE, looking for his next victim. Wow. I’m just shaking my head on this one.
Well, moving on … if this link doesn’t lead to an arrest(s) I don’t know what will. How many more women have to be raped and or killed before this guy is caught?
JoeAmerica (12:27), I love it. Every fifth post or so of yours, I have to let out a woot woot. I know I’ve gotten frustrated with you before, so as much as I may muddy progress with my post, I have to give you props.
I think this VSP spin on what happened was a colossal case of CYA … and, save for some ostrich-like naysayers, it backfired.
I am a proud Virginian and I have fully supported the investigators on Morgan’s case since the beginning, but I am about as outraged as Georgie above. Once it’s all behind the Harringtons, I will be thrilled and contrite if we learn that it all made sense, but at this point, the handling of that “forensic match” and sketch has me feeling let down and very worried (you’re right, we cannot forget Cassandra Morton at this development, and B, I keep forgetting to ask if you still feel the spate of killings just over the NC border is unrelated–seems so, but I feel LE has to re-examine).
Thanks to justiceforMorgan for good advice to everyone.
Messimamm: I try to stay here for the most part (made the mistake of looking elsewhere 2 nights ago and it was like a kick in the gut), but I will go see what’s being said about the bus driver at FM.
I hadn’t thought of that Blink, that scenerio does make sense.