Morgan Harrington Murder: A Security Check On Security- Why Did It Fail?
Charlottesville, VA-
On the afternoon of October 17, 2009, Morgan Harrington and three of her friends drove to John Paul Jones Arena, located on the University of Virginia campus, to attend a long-anticipated Metallica concert. Following an apparent fall and chin injury occurring around the time she was visiting the ladies room, Morgan ended up outside the arena and attempted to gain re-entry to the venue.
How and why she got there comes in at a baffling second only compared to what happened to her next.
Nine months ago Dr. Dan and Gil Harrington, Morgan’s parents were notified their daughter was missing which is when their nightmare began.
On November 5, 2009, the day before a search which was organized at the request of the Harrington’s was to commence, a vintage black Pantera t-shirt placed on a bush in front of an apartment complex at the intersection near 15th Street and Grady Ave. was located by a nearby resident.
While this discovery was not released publicly, Charlottesville PD knew immediately it belonged to Morgan Harrington. Sara Snead, one of the friends that accompanied Morgan to the concert, immediately confirmed the distinct vintage design that compelled Morgan to borrow the t-shirt from her a week before the show.
Subsequently, DNA analysis confirmed the t-shirt was indeed the same one Morgan was wearing the night she disappeared.
On January 26, 2010 the remains of Morgan Harrington were discovered by David Bass, owner of Anchorage Farm, located in Albemarle County. Although her cause of death has not been released, her manner of death has been classified as a homicide by the Virginia State Police.
Dan and Gil Harrington marked the nine-month anniversary of Morgan’s disappearance from her memorial on Copeley Bridge 4 days ago.
Gil Harrington’s impassioned statement made it clear that her family’s mission is to prevent what happened to Morgan from happening to another victim and their goal is to educate young women about safety and personal security.
On July 1st, based upon an article posted on blinkoncrime.com inside sources confirmed a forensic link between Morgan’s homicide and a Fairfax County Case. Research on this case indicates it was a violent sexual assault that happened in 2005. The victim assisted in the sketch of a man police wish to interview in connection with both the Fairfax assault as well as the apparent abduction and murder of Morgan Harrington. .
What did it mean to the investigation and to the parents of young women in Charlottesville? We have a serial offender on the loose in multiple jurisdictions and an immediate need to beef up personal security.
As our very vulnerable student body returns to campus next month, blinkoncrime.com provides a glimpse at current conditions.
Unregulated Regulations In Security
The 2004 General Assembly, through House Joint Resolution (HJR122), requested the Virginia State Crime Commission to study safety at Virginia’s institutions of higher education. As a result, DCJS created the Office of Campus Policing and Security (OCPS) to address the law requiring minimum training and employment standards for campus security officers.
Campus Security Regulations for Institutions of Higher Education in the State of Virginia, fall under the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Private Security Services Advisory Board. Below is an excerpt of the unapproved draft meeting notes of their quarterly meeting held December 8, 2009; the first and only since Morgan’s disappearance from JPJ.
The issue of safety and security on college campuses was addressed in a 2006 Crime Commission Study on Campus Safety. This study resulted in the statutory requirements under Code of Virginia (Code) §9.1-102 (49).
College populations represent a large concentration of students between the ages of 18-25 years with limited supervision and life experience. In terms of homeland security, campuses are identified as “soft targets” and are frequently targeted by domestic and foreign terrorists. Campuses also house volatile materials and research facilities that are also targeted by radical elements in society. Campuses host large stadium events and concerts that are potential targets for terrorism and riots. Most campuses also have facilities that are open to the public and are relatively difficult to secure and lockdown. Campus Security Officers are primary first responders to incidents of crime and violence on campus.
Although UVA campus security officers require a certification provided by DCJS, there are ZERO regulatory standards for certification. It was NOT until Morgan Harrington disappeared from the grounds of the JPJ Arena that emergency regulations were sought from Governor Bob McDonnell.
How does a woman on the campus of a University that provides it’s very own Police Department in addition to event security simply vanish without a trace?
By the time Morgan ends up in a hay field 7 miles away, she has passed through 3 different law enforcement jurisdictions and a slew of private campus and event security agencies and personnel. While private security regulations fall under the umbrella of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, they also require a judicial amendment only if and when they are approved via “emergency” status by the Governor.
Who’s Looking Out For The Kids, Exactly?
As the safety on campus study showed, our college age kids are at their most vulnerable in the University setting. Out from under the watchful eye of Mom and Dad and wading through the rich culture and nightlife of downtown Charlottesville, students face a host of potential safety risks.
In fact, during the very development of this article, I received an alert from UVA security that a UVA student was sexually assaulted in the area of Roosevelt Boulevard. While I commend the swift response and warning from UVA PD chief Michael Gibson, I can’t help but wonder if a similar alert upon learning Morgan disappeared from the UVA/JPJ campus would have made a difference for her.
A simple Google of “Charlottesville security” produces the front page for HH Security Services, Inc, a local private security and bail bonding firm. I am no expert but isn’t it a bit odd to claim to protect one’s security and then bond out someone that may threaten it in the first place?
Who is vetting the security that is responsible for ensuring safety?
While HH Security or it’s employees have no known ties whatsoever to the Harrington case, it is a prime example of the weakness of current security regulations, involving students and private events, 6 years in the making.
At H & H Security Services, Inc. we specialize in Private Investigation, Private Security both armed and unarmed as well as fast efficient Civil Process Service. Our full-time professional agents are well trained, well equipped, well informed, and discreet.? Owner Rod Howard is a native of Charlottesville and central Virginia, where he’s been a well respected business owner for over twenty years. H & H Security Services, Inc. is his vehicle in his effort to help serve and protect the community he grew up in. Over the years he’s assembled a team of certified and experienced personnel who share his commitment to the safety of the community.
HH Security, in a business journal ad, claims to hire members of law enforcement and be very well connected with various police departments and security agencies for nightclubs, special events and home security checks as well in 2007.
HH Security is the security firm of choice for Club 216, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Rivals, which are bars frequently visited by UVA students and athletes.
Roderick M Howard, owner of HH Security and H&H Car detailing maintains active licenses issued through the VA Dept of Criminal Justice Services for private security and as a bailbondsman.
While blinkoncrime editors were researching this piece, a review of Albemarle County Court records show Roderick Howard was arrested for felony rape in 1993, subsequently indicted for same and a year later on the first day of trial, pled guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery whereby he was sentenced to 12 months, 11 of which were suspended and two years unsupervised probation.
Howard was also arrested a few times for felony bad checks; both cases ended nolle prosequi.
How can an accused rapist and convicted sexual batterer hold a dual license in the private security sector as well as two classifications of firearms, all of which is monitored by the VADCJS? It is specifically stated in the regulations regarding moral turpitude AND sexual battery that the VADCJS MAY DENY an applicant on those grounds.
According to Mr. Howard’s own advertisement, he has been in the security industry since 1989. Would that mean he was employed in the security field when he was arrested for rape?
Shockingly, It may be perfectly legal. Although the administrative statute for licensure prohibits granting a license to someone with a misdemeanor sexual battery conviction, if Howard divulged the crime in his application and requested a waiver from the director at the time, it is possible one was granted.
Blinkoncrime.com spoke to Lisa McGee, Regulatory Program Manager for DCJS, private security advisory committee:
“…there is a code in the statute that allows the potential for both an individual convicted of a felony and the outlined misdemeanors exceptions contained therein to obtain a director’s waiver. Two felonies we would never even consider are rape and murder, but dependent upon the criminal offense, the circumstances and the length of time that has transpired with a clean record, the verbiage in the statute would allow an applicant to at least request a waiver for our consideration…” Lisa McGee
Ms. McGee was not able to address Mr. Howard’s file specifically, citing privacy laws, but she was able to verify that Mr. Howard’s registration with the agency is current.
There are however, some discrepancies in the press release written to announce the “restructuring” of both companies, announced October 19th.
For starters, there was only a name change to Mr. Howard’s business, which actually took place prior to the October 19 release date, in May, 2009.
These are not two separate businesses. In fact, the bailbondsman license issued to Mr. Howard’s agent, Anthony Halstead, leads back to Accelerated Bail Bonds, which is not a listed entity in the state of Virginia or listed as a fictitious name for H&H Security Services.
I would be willing to wager that the police departments that allow off duty security employment with this firm would appreciate some clarification on both the personnel and licensing issues.
There has been no arrest in the homicide of Morgan Harrington. In a statement released by Corrine Geller, PR manager for the Virginia State Police, VSP has received approximately 100 significant leads from the release of the sketch of the alleged perpetrator of the 2005 Fairfax County sex assault.
Dan and Gil Harrington will be meeting with new University of Virginia President, Teresa Sullivan, next month to address safety and security issues on campus.
“..People think it cannot happen to them, IT CAN– Dan Harrington.”
Editors Note: I am not a resident of Virginia. However, I think the interest of the safety of our children is a National one. Any person that is placed in a position of public trust, most especially those that come into contact with our vulnerable students, should be REQUIRED to disclose past convictions that would negate them that position without some sort of subjective “pass”. How can we know-TRULY KNOW the level of presumed safety if we really aren’t aware of the backgrounds of those in charge of it?
Blinkoncrime.com editors Jason Mateos, Elizabeth Morton and Madeline Tanner contributed to this report
Images by Klaasend
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just read the blog/ posts on the recent rape/ troubles at uva. really makes me sick to my stomach. i have to share an incident that happened recently to my daughter in a sleepy(haha) college town, this all occured ‘on campus’… she was leaving a party with two of her male friends. they were very kindly walking her “home”…. she was trailing about 10 feet behind as she was responding to texts, emails, etc via blackberry. she looked up and one of her friends had been cockholded by a group of 4 guys who were walking ahead of my daughter’s group and then turned around and attacked and robbed. they took off and quickly got into a waiting car.
the other boy involved immediately called 911. the police were diligent and at the scene w/in minutes. interviewed all the kids for 30 minutes or so. (oh! they didn’t even offer the kids a ride back to their dorms)next day, daughter goes to student government retreat. dean of students overhears daughter telling of fun night out the night before until the end of the evening, and overhears the details about the attack. she was livid. the town police never notified the campus police about the incident which occurred on campus and involved 3 students… one of whom wound up with a concussion and busted ear drum… i think it was a gang initiation…
several things that bother me about this story…. first being that the kids just think it is normal and not that big of a deal… of course i always think of morgan… what her friends saw and what they did not think was ‘that big of a deal’… our kids are so desensitized (2nd thing that is bothersome), and, third, the total lack of communication between the two police departments…. hello? sound familiar?
to Hummingbird- what lovely sentiments you write about! From your compadre in Va. My turtle Trotsky says hello!
For Blink- You are a guiding light in this search for justice !!!!
Please tell your family thank you from all of us! I think you have the biggest heart ever!
The beautiful Hummingbird said, “ANYONE who knows anything SPEAK UP NOW!!! Ask for witness protection, email Blink privately. This is NOT the time for mute fear. That is what the murderer/murderers want….for the witnesses to be afraid and not help the victim. If we turn a blind eye, or lack the courage to speak up for what is right, we on some level have become victimized and helped sow the seeds for future unspeakably brutal acts of violence on fresh innocent victims,perhaps our own loved ones, and theirs and our subsequently traumatized families…….”
And I finally understood why I have been drawn back here every day for almost a year now, voraciously devouring every word and fact that you all have offered. I am amazed by all of the passionate intelligence, sensitivity, hard work and analysis of so many of the posters here. But I only read and prayed as I felt I had nothing meaningful enough to contribute other than emotions. But Hummingbird’s post made me realize that our family’s experience might, at least, give hope and maybe some guideposts.
I didn’t lose my daughter. Just a piece of her. A few years before all of the rapes at the Air Force Academy made headlines she had been raped by a classmate. He was dismissed from the Academy; she had to “walk tours” (march in full dress with fake rifle) for several hours each day for several weeks as her punishment for having been drinking at the on-campus rec center the night before. He admitted his guilt but was never legally charged with anything outside of USAFA’s tight little environment. Our daughter, on the other hand, spent the next three years being treated as a pariah by her instructors and peers because she broke the code by turning her rapist in to the “authorities.”
And therein lies the reason this case has struck my heart so heavily. The Code of Silence. It is so hard to break. It is subtile but powerful. But it can and must be broken. Even with all of our caterwauling and powerful presence the only thing we were able to accomplish before her graduation was changing the policy that the students were finally allowed to lock their bedroom doors at night. Until this point the Academy was relying on their “Code of Honor” which they felt was a stronger deterrent than locks.
The hope lies in the fact that finally enough people were able to break the Code of Silence in order to expose the false Code of Honor. The national media became involved, we gave our testimonies to the Congressional Committee and the policies have been changed. Big Time. Many big wigs fell and stars were shed from lapels. The perpetrators were exposed.
And they will be in Morgan’s case, too. Only one, just one person has to speak out here. Not years worth of people like we had to experience. I beg anyone who knows anything to please speak out! You will not only be helping Morgan’s family; you will be instrumental in saving other daughters and their families as well. Don’t be a partner in perpetuating worthless, self serving ethos. . . unless you feel comfortable knowing that your own child will be living in this same dangerous world you have helped to create.
Eloise says:
September 28, 2010 at 8:58 am
re:EMT’s documenting what they may have seen or treated.
El,
As you and I both know in the medical field there is a lot that is not documented. Certain turns of event, mild cases, a stagger or a fall, are not necessarily documented, especially if the assessment seems normal (BP 119/67; pulse 89), despite other symptoms. “Keeping an eye on it” seems to be the order of the day.
Recently, I asked a nurse (I work in the medical field) for a bandaid for what looked like a spider bite on my wrist. She gave me extra as she said “I know you wash your hands a lot.” No write up, no real concern for contaigon.
Just sayin’
WG
I agree w/ your statements. But, isnt that why they were staged there, to assist? I would think they would document something to justify their time there. And then after the fact in this circumstance, a notation or two? Maybe just overdoses or something. But the EMT’s I have come across, are usually overly aggressive. Maybe there has been communication w/ LE. I was just suprised to see they were in side, I wrongly assumed they were set up on the outside and not tending to folks indoors. More weirds events to ponder whether they are in the scrap pile or not. ??
WG & Eloise – Where I live (in Cleveland), large public events (concert, sporting events) are medically staffed by fire department EMTs along with nursing staff from a major medical institution. I have a girlfriend that supplements her nursing income by working these events on a regular basis. I have visited her at these events in the “triage” center…usually a small medical office, fully equipped for minor and major medical issues. I would be very surprised if JPJA didn’t have a similar setup inside, due to its “newness”. I also would be very surprised if it were not required for every “response” to be documented.
You know, the other thing to continue thinking about is that there were other crimes in different jurisdictions. Everyone involved just has to have the ducks in a row. Fairfax and Charlottesville as well as other places. DC is only 116 miles from downtown Charlottesville..
http://www.johnpauljonesarena.com/visitor.asp
@ Blink, if we are in a period of silence by order of LE, because they do not want to tip a suspect off, please do not post:
**********************************************************************
If one goes to the Orange, VA RSO site of VSP,(zip code 22960) and checks the block to include contiguous zip codes, there is a person who could possibly resemble Sketch, and he is an asphalt paving worker.
I am thinking of the possible Morgan siting in Orange, and the young lady who is still missing from Orange. Her name is Samantha Ann Clark, and she has been missing for over two weeks now.
BTW. check out the locations of the company he works for, conceivably he could have been paving anywhere.
Probably big boots, too.
crimewriter says:
September 29, 2010 at 11:24 am
You know, the other thing to continue thinking about is that there were other crimes in different jurisdictions. Everyone involved just has to have the ducks in a row. Fairfax and Charlottesville as well as other places. DC is only 116 miles from downtown Charlottesville..
http://www.johnpauljonesarena.com/visitor.asp
Excellent point CW.
Sandy Shoes- Welome to BOC
Thank you for sharing your daughter’s story with us. I am sorry for EVERYTHING that happened.
It is no wonder why so many rapes go unreported. Please tell your daughter, that I think she is very courageous and I commend her for having the strength to come forward and to finish her education and training. She shouldn’t have been made to feel that way.
Hummingbird, glad to see you are still flying about lifting all of our spirits.
Are we done here with this thread and everything goes to the new one? Just verifying.
See you there.
Where is this new thread you are referring to Eloise?
Is Morgan’s thread ending ?
Minnie Penney-
I am remote or I would link you-
reload your home BOC page, click on lead UVA story.
B
Dakota, I have your post, I just wanted to let you know I would like to address it personally to you, do to it’s contents, and I am not in a position to do that effectively until this evening at the earliest, but I will.
Thanks for your patience.
B
OK , Warning this is a huge ramble . Remember I have been quiet for months ! SO I am all over the place , no apologies and no care for grammar and the such . I sat on this ramble for a bit of time and decided today to let fly what I wrote the evening after the investigators were here at my home . I kept seeing Blink say she wouldn’t discuss her conversations with VSP as I read back so I wasn’t sure if I should say much either . After some thought this week I feel ok with what I have wrote .
I just want to clarify I am duty bound not to discuss case sensitive conversations with LE on any case, this is not specific to VSP
First let me explain why I stated I should be pissed , then I will let what I rambled yesterday fly . Remember back when my name was being thrown around online and it got to the point it involved my family . When the VSP showes up because people online covering the VSP up with nonsense and it happens to be about ME you have to put yourself in my position as a person as many others have been in through this tragedy .
I admit I could have missed this entirely, but I do not recall seeing your posting name and involving same with your family, but I have never seen that. Do I understand correctly that what your stating above is that the VSP visited you because of what was posted online about you, not by you, and that you feel whatever it was is “nonsense”?
I am very pleased to see people still hanging in there for Morgan ! As I write this I feel I should be angry or frustrated but for some reason after my talk with the VSP investigators today when they showed up at my house ,I am not , it opened my eyes and I got a calming ( strange for me ) I still think the VSP failed to engage the public and Lt. Rader was a little big for his britches when location location location was announced and he didn’t know shit but again FAILED to AGAIN engage the public , I stated to the investigators the public is a very powerful force , especially in a venue of thousands of people and you need to get info fast before people forget , hell , I followed Morgans case day and night for months and still cant remember everything I knew or read at one time or discussed over in c-ville …..have people drinking and having a good time at a concert and you have to jump on those memories FAST before people go back to their lives and forget . . I am almost ashamed to say many months ago I pulled away from Morgans case and separated myself from all the frustration and underhanded things going on at many sites .
I want to be clear that your not alleging anything underhanded has occurred on my site Dakota, if you are, I am going to ask you to be specific in such a statement, as I know that is unequivically not the case here, but I am willing to listen if your of a differing opinion.
Excuses ,I Am sure is what this sounds like but none the less I felt I needed to pull away when my name shows up on websites implicating me in a brutal murder , I also had to consider my family first when I had gave contact info to a couple people including physical address that in the end were just as I seen “in it for the notoriety” , I was stupid and went against everything i preached about Internet safety , even with people i shurley thought we could all trust ….boy was I stupid .Anybody that knows me knows I have a big mouth and I beat on both sides of the story ..
(Who are you referring to? Keeping in mind, if this is something that is your “opinion” and not factual, please skip a response, I do not wish to be a forum for personal grievances)
When the investigators showed up today it seems that I should have just laughed at them , first off I have a severe cold and was sitting on the porch feeling like crap . I enticed the VSP many times months and months ago because peoples names being thrown around was just ludicrous and some were just wasting the VSP time with things that seemed far fetched and I was guilty of using names in the beginning also and I too had to learn . Having it happen to me put a different spin on the whole mess and I learned my lesson .
After the fact today I reflected on what was said with the investigators and certainly had my ears keen to the way the one investigator structured his questions/statements . I almost got a chuckle when one said something and motioned his hands like ” now don’t go digging into that ” as he brought something up of very much of interest to me ….. I remember thinking in my head when he said it, I was like YEAH RIGHT , telling me not to dig into that is like telling a long tailed cat not to be nervous in a room full of rocking chairs .
Are you able to say what you were told not to go digging into or does that fall under what you agreed not to discuss.
Now I made an agreement with the investigators that I will keep some things to myself and they agreed to keep one thing I told them to themselves . Now to find ME Dakota not being a jackass and telling the investigators to take a hike even surprised me after my name was run through the mud , I always tell it like it is ( as I perceive it )and I was pleased with the talk . Something changed when the one investigator stated he was investigating the death of Morgan Harrington when he walked up .
By that do you mean you were engaged in a conversation not pertaining to Morgan’s case and then another investigator arrived to discuss Morgan’s case?
I had kinda put Morgans tragic death away in the back of my mind and steered clear, I still thought about Morgan and the Harrington’s and Alex now and then but didn’t focus on the situation like I used to . After today it s all fresh and REAL again , there was no room to not just stop and think DAMN, this is serious , this was someones daughter and there is no room for Dakotas frustration with the NEW VA POLICE state (what does that mean?) to come into play or to raise hell about the VSP or people plastering peoples names on websites including mine , This was about Morgan . I am wondering what i may have said online or pointed to online they ae trying to figure out and sparked the interest . What really frustrates me is I had hours and hours and hours of research , pictures and of course thousands of screen shots that somewhat went down the tubes with a hard drive failure a few weeks back , of course I never back anything up , never lost a drive uggggg. I don’t think its a total loss , I kept the hard drive ( of course now moved to a secure location until I can decide if its worth getting someone to pull info off of it ($100 Geek Squad) and look back at everything . , now I am wondering what the hell they were looking for that was said . Hell I said so much I don’t know what all I said . I am trying to think of conversations in c-ville on the downtown mall when this tragedy was fresh and people were talking . I am trying to remember what all Mizz Jill said over on Craigslist . What was said at the Hook , FindMorgan.com and take a few things i found very interesting that was said today and put it together . Of course as soon as they left I wrote down almost word for word things that were fresh in my head by the way they were answered or brought across by the investigator. I think I have stated before I posses only one talent , i can read people to their soul given enough time and conversation .
Can you expand on that by way of example, I dont want to form a conclusion or opinion on it until I understand it.
I am quick to own up as I did today and say ……….why yes I did say Lt. Rader needs to grow a set of nuts and there is a ass-load of ass covering going on starting with JPJA, VSP then on down the line . I reiterated that again today to the investigators and I clearly have been vocal about it online from almost the beginning . Why am I saying all this , after they left I started reading here at Blinks and seen FM was back up , It will take me a couple days to read way back and catch up but one thing I seen was people saying nothing is happening with the investigation and so fourth , understood, I have been there , I was there with frustration and sadly just had to walk away . After today I felt a breath of fresh air . Wanted to be pissed off I would even have to entertain the investigators , and a slight tingle of being almost offended at first , I mean its not everyday your answering question about the brutal murder of a young girl in our community. I felt a relief .A relief they are still digging , still looking and even with DNA they are checking all avenues ALL people . I felt a relief I needed to share with those of you that didn’t belly up like me and put Morgan away to say guys and gals , they are looking ; its almost the year mark as I refuse to say anniversary as were not celebrating anything . We are just reaching a milestone of a horrible event .Almost at a year the big “BOYS” , WERE SITTING ON MY PORCH in the middle of nowhere and those men were a long way from home base , They are pounding the pavement and following every lead . I found some comfort with this and I hope others do also . I still say VSP dropped the ball and failed to engage the public where the answers needed were at the JPJA that evening , as I stated to the investigators we can’t turn back time . ( what answers specifically are you referring to?)
I need to catch up reading because I don’t have a clue what all has been posted for months but you can bet your ass a few things I heard or found interesting the way they were presented/stated today will be searched for . I still stand behind my many times saying JPJA is flat out covering their ass from day 1 and I am on record from the first few weeks the Harrington’s would change their position on how JPJA , VSP seemed in the beginning and what the Harringtons want to know NOW .
ONE huge lie JPJA told I completely forgot to tell the investigators that is a complete damn lie ,I was reminded by a friend who showed up when the VSP were here and happen to be the person at JPJA with me about 3 years ago ; the no return policy JPJA stated they use is complete bullshit . I screamed back in the beginning I know for a fact myself and a friend walked out of a show at JPJA through the main entrance and returned without the slightest bit of difficulty right through the main entrance NOT A QUESTION ASK ! The minute the investigators left the very person with me at the JPJA was on the porch squawking ………why didn’t they want to talk to me ….did you tell them about us re entering JPJA , I was like no I forgot .
Dakota,just curious what show were you at 3 years ago at JPJ? I have seen you post JPJ is stonewalling, and you feel the answers to her case are “there”- seems odd to me with your knowledge of the arena that would not have come up in your rather empassioned opinion that is the case, to neglect to mention you had a different experience there than what is being described.
Ah but the really reassuring thing I want to put out there . During part of the conversation one of the investigators spoke clearly in screen names and things he had seen and read online , stated they ARE reading and I found this really GREAT . Unfortunately yes he spouted off where I had said Lt Rader needed to grow a set of nuts . Hopefully he missed the day I said Lt Rader couldn’t find his ass with both hands ! But anyway I take great comfort when I hear screen names and realized the investigator WAS in the loop and they were reading ! I hope many see this and get that same feeling of comfort . Not where we need to be with Morgans case but at least they are still digging as many of you are and have been . I am not a fan of such negative criticism of a professional, but you are entitled to your opinion.
Looks like Dr Harrington seen the mess in the back ground at FM as I don’t see some regular faces on that site , they needed to be gone long ago but I tried to help with that with a learning exp even if it was at my cost to my name …..there were some wolves in sheep’s clothing looking for the limelight rather than working on the task at hand . It happens , people find themselves in a position where people trust and depend on them in the online world and fall victim to the childish high school behavior . I felt a couple people at FM possibly had little social interaction in their (REAL) life and all of a sudden they were in the spotlight ONLINE and it went to their head , they didn’t know how to handle the attention or the serious situation at hand .
I cannot disagree this happened to some, it is unfortunate, yes.
What they presented to you folks publicly is not what they stood for in the back ground where nobody could see their actions ……some cared on the surface and attempted to fit in and in the background had no interest in trying to bring calm to the very site dedicated to bringing justice to Morgan and her family . I hope all that is gone now as i dwell back into this injustice and hope to help somehow someday .
I will read for a couple days and then decide what I m going to say and not say about what i feel should be said to jog memories of those who followed closely . Most know I have said it before I am a man of my word so when the investigators read this don’t let your hair stand up on your neck, I will NOT take even the slightest chance of jeopardizing catching the SOB who did this to Morgan, her family and this community .Now I will give my opinion of how today went and how I think if I were a suspect what I would have done different on the end of VSP today . I will also go into detail a bit of how I felt there was some true sincerity from the tone and language used by the investigators ….I think i had said something to them about nothing happening in the investigation or something to that affect and I really got the vibe from the reply of almost “damn man were trying , were looking… almost a look of disappointment as in that look away of “we wish we had this bastard ” . I think I needed that vibe I got , it certainly gave me some reassurance in the system . I will admit at about the time I said the hell with it I had lost any hope
there would be any justice for Morgan or her family .
So I need to start over , Sounds cliche but its true , I need to start from the beginning and try to remember what all has been said over the past year , try to remember and tie together some things said online and look at where you people have been over the last few months .
I am a huge defender of civil rights , I have certainly written onine over the years about the new VA police state …..When those investigators showed up today I Had to stop and think , this is real , I never thought it wasn’t but it was just different today ……..Instead of being pissed off or offended i found a great comfort in knowing they are still chasing down the bastard that Brutally murdered Morgan .
So as i run a whirlwind of things through my mind I will ponder my next move and i hope this sparks some interest knowing the hunt is still on even if most have felt nothing is happening .
Its time to take a long hard look at the catalyst inside the JPJA , that Morgan ended up outside the arena to fend for herself . I heard for long enough that basically nothing was important if it involved JPJA , I say bullshit .its important ! I don’t care how much power UVA has to make things go away , what happened in that ARENA is important and its time to come up off the damn surveillance video and protect people ,not empires . We need to back up , Why did Morgan end up outside and who was responsible for helping her get there ! The police cannot identify everyone in surveillance video or in the area Morgan may have been captured on tape , maybe one of the thousands in the general public that was there CAN.
SO while I read back ….. somebody give me some incite at where the general consensus is the past few months of WHY and HOW did Morgan end up outside of the JPJA ?
In my opinion, I believe Morgan tripped on the step on the way to the bathroom, and was feeling ill and simply needed some air. I think the mystery is what happened to her ticket that she could not get back in.
How do I feel after a week of thought of what was discussed with the VSP investigators .
1. Its time to HAMMER WHY Morgan left JPJA and WHO escorted her out .
Dakota- what makes you think anyone escorted her out? To my knowledge, the only folks that could “escort” her out are security. Is that what your suggesting?
2. I remember hearing the Harrington’s were seeking access to video from JPJA. Have they had access ?If not, WHY ?
In your earlier statement above, you state that LE cannot confirm all ID’s from video, and to my knowledge, there is no video of Morgan on JPJ security reels. Are you suggesting that information is inaccurrate?
3. I stand behind my statement of many months ago and again to the investigators that access to the crime scene need not be by tractor or 4×4 and I will again challenge the owner of the farm to prove that beyond a doubt that I can put a small front wheel drive car spot on to ground zero Morgan was found . Lets say a car similar to Morgans Honda Civic . I do not wish to read into this, so I will just ask, are you suggesting Morgan’s car was used in some way, or just suggesting any smaller front whell drive vehicle could access where she was found? My next question would be- if you feel that strongly about that, you must have an opinion as to how such a vehicle accessed the property and site in the first place, right?
4. Just because DNA was discovered does not rule out anyone , I personally believe the DNA found was a diversion and for the life of me I cannot figure out how or why or by WHO ? Do not read into this as it is just my gut feeling that the DNA discovery is for a lack of better words, USELESS ! WAS DNA from Sketch found on Morgans shirt but not at the discovery site of Morgan , or vice verse ? If so ,how is that possible and who had access to DNA on file from 2005 if I remember correctly from the last documented attack ?
Why would you consider the DNA link to sketch useless?
5. Has COD been released ? If so I missed it .
Has not.
6. What leads the Harrington’s to believe the person responsible for Morgans death visited frequently to the websites dedicated to justice for Morgan ?
In no conversation I have ever had with them did they state this, what makes you think that?
I hope so because in the end with enough time there would be a very clear trail back to the SOB or at least a good direction to go in . . I feel at most the perp may have watched the news and maybe read a few articles online but I do not feel in any way unless he was a complete fool interacted ONLINE . For a person to rip Morgan off the grounds of JPJA at a post 911 facility that is state of the art amongst thousands of people does not give me the feeling of a fool .
Again, not wanting to put words in your mouth, by that do you mean you do not buy the hitchhiking on the bridge theory, and that you believe she was abducted against her will from JPJ?
You would have to be a complete dumb ass to interact online after such a crime . The person responsible for Morgans horrific death as it stands with me was far from a fool . The dumb criminals are easy to catch , we are 15 days from a year this monster still roams among thousands of students and children UNDETECTED to again grab another victim. What is his stress er ? Does he like anniversaries such as the OCT 17th we have coming up ?
7. I stated I was please the investigators were digging . I am of the opinion there is NO arrest imminent ; not even close ! If the Harringtons believed the perp is interacting online they would have never closed down that trap for anything ! I belive the Harrington’s need a break from the online happenings , no matter how hard they tried with FM.com the wolves couldn’t understand the important task at hand. If you believe a perp is interacting online there is not a chance in HELL you would shut down there venue !
8. Anyone saving online info , please back it up and store it safely . As Morgans case proves to be a new road for online activity ; anyone could have some important info that may need be looked at in the end . I say this because one disappointment I had with the investigators was the lack of access to what happened online from the beginning .
Can you clarfy if you mean that LE has the ability to access, or did you ask them what your options ould be to restore data?
Lets just say I almost fell in the floor when it was explained to me how info was stored and captured from online activity . Lets just say stone ages ! We are better than what was explained to me and the investigators need better tools to research online activity in a case such as Morgans. Ditch the huge expensive gas guzzling SUV’s to drive all the way to my house and get some quality tools to research and capture online activity after such a horrific crime .
ok enough ramble as I continue to try and catch up .
Dakota
Dakota- my responses, follow up questions in bold.
Thanks for your patience, I felt since you took the time to update us, and give your perspective, I wanted to address it thoroughly.
Thanks
B
I have been out of town and was just trying to catch up with BOC, when I came across this post from:
Judi-September 9, 2010 @11:36 am
Your response was in defense of all things “blink”, and I find that very admirable. However I think “Blink” can take care of herself, and is more capable of speaking for the BOC group as a whole, than you. So when you write that “Please ,we are all here for good hearted reasons with good hearted intentions” I have to ask–did you bother to read my 7:51 pm post on Sept. 8th?? Perhaps not, because if you did I doubt you would question my respect for the posters on this site.
Also, I might add , Judi, your comment “Blink talks the talk AND walks the walk there , buddy.” BUDDY? I don’t know you Judi, but where I come from that sounds a little confrontational. I am sure that was not the word you were looking for, since nowhere in my postings do I believe I personally deserved that tone from YOU.
Furthermore “If you don’t support us, then fine, but please don’t take someone who is trying to do something good and make them out to be a bad guy” or (paraphrasing)at least don’t insult them. I cannot for the life of me figure out where that line of thinking came from. I have been reading BOC for a long time, and never do I think in any of my postings, have I EVER not supported the fine group of people here. As far as Blink is concerned , our differences had been settled before your posting, so your anger was misdirected.
I normally would have just let this go, since it was a while ago, but I truly thought I was very clear in my posting to Blink, and to be dressed down for it by Blink herself was one thing, you is totally another.
By the way, Judi, I read EVERTHING on BOC, so no need to bring up Christine Sheddy. I am very much aware of Blinks power, thus my frustration in this case……and when I address “blink” I am not addressing the entire BOC community, they are not one in the same.
Texas Grandfather: Thank you for your critique of my post, if only everyone had your insight….or at least my “Buddy” Judi.
P.S. Blink,if you’d rather not post this, perhaps you could forward it to Judi privately
Ok I am a bonehead . I took “privatly” as you were going to emailme . It just dawnd on me its sitting there for my eyes only? I will address your questions when I get a chance to sit still .
Dakota
? No, I posted my questions, you may need to go to “newer posts” since it has been a while.
B
Testing testing.
I am not speaking to you, and everyone on here is mad at your for the downtime.
Seriously?
B
Just to mention… in 2011 !