Inspiring Vigilance: The Murder Of Morgan Harrington One Year Later
Charlottesville, VA– Sunday October 17 marks the one-year anniversary of the worst day of Dan and Gil Harrington’s lives. Although they were not yet aware of the horror that had befallen their Roanoke, VA family, the next morning their daughter’s purse was found on the grounds of the University of Virginia Lanigan Field. Morgan Dana Harrington had vanished.
While attending a Metallica concert with friends Sarah Snead, Amelia Melvin and Dan Cassagne with tickets purchased 6 months earlier by Morgan’s Dad, Morgan, for reasons unknown, was outside John Paul Jones arena at approximately 8:45PM.
Morgan attempted to re-enter the arena but could not locate her ticket and was denied access to return to the venue. Shortly thereafter, Sarah called Morgan at 8:48PM looking for her and was told she could not get back in and would be attempting to locate a ride, according to Snead.
Various witness accounts and in some cases corroborating statements from Virginia State Police (VSP), place Morgan in different areas of the adjacent parking lots of JPJ over the following 45 minutes, moving toward the far perimeter of UVA property.
According to the VSP, there is a witness statement that a person matching Morgan’s description was seen hitchhiking alone on the Copeley bridge at approximately 9:30PM.
After several private law enforcement searches and two volunteer based efforts organized by the Harrington’s failed to locate her, Morgan Harrington’s remains were discovered by a prominent Charlottesville land owner on his remote 700 acre farm in Albemarle County, 8 miles South of JPJ arena, on January 26th, 2010. Morgan’s death has been classified as a homicide, however her cause of death has not been released.
Until July, the case seemed to be at a virtual standstill from an investigative perspective, in fact the only arrest to date is that of a man who provided a false lead to VSP, and was prosecuted for it.
On July 1st, as a direct result of an article linking Morgan’s case to an unsolved sexual assault case in 2005 in Fairfax, VA published by blinkoncrime.com, a sketch of a man forensically linked to both the Fairfax case and that of Morgan Harrington was released by the Virginia State Police, albeit grudgingly, at first.
Behind the scenes, Dan and Gil Harrington, who were made aware of the connection a few weeks earlier, were adamant the sketch was critical to developing leads and warning others and demanded the sketch be posted on the VSP website; it was uploaded later that afternoon at Dr. Harrington’s request.
Virginia State Police have not commented publicly on the case in several months, but in a private correspondence with a concerned blinkoncrime.com reader, Lt. Joe Rader, leading the investigation for VSP, said not only is the case not cold, but he has recently assigned additional manpower to it.
Dan and Gil Harrington, Morgan’s bereaved parents, along with Morgan’s beloved brother Alex, have spent the last year keeping Morgan’s case alive through the development of their own family blog, TV and radio appearances, and most recently, a meeting regarding safety concerns with new University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan. This Sunday, a memorial plaque to promote safety and honor Morgan Harrington is being presented to the Harrington’s on the Copely bridge.
Note From the Editor
“How would you describe the Harrington’s?” I am asked this question frequently.
I always respond the same way. “I would not”.
The grace and poise these parents have shown in the face of the worst conceivable tragedy to befall a parent is not something I could wordsmith or articulate.
If the question comes from someone I feel may help their cause, I offer to make the introduction, but I would never presume to speak for them.
The Harrington’s have created a legacy in memory of Morgan that only parents of a 20-year-old blossoming artist, music loving, budding educator could.
Morgan Harrington Photo chosen by and courtesy of The Harrington Family Library
Elizabeth Morten, Madeline Tanner and Jason Mateos, contributing editors to blinkoncrime.com
Madeline Tanner, copy editor
Images By Klaasend
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Olivia, I too believe he had a car in both incidents. In Morgan’s case, maybe it was parked at FOAN. Maybe he carried her down over the bank path from the bridge. I believe in the Fairfax case, he would have taken the young lady’s body elsewhere, after his job was complete, had he not been interrupted. She was choked to unconsciousness before he ran away. My thought is, of course he planned to murder her after raping her. It seems this scum likes to render his victim helpless before the actual rape. I know this is terrible to say, but the fighting back (skiin and blood tissue under nails) most likely took place during the strangling. I’m not sure what his business was on the campus that night, but I don’t believe it was the concert. JMO
I just had another thought. Was the umbrella ever verified to be Morgan’s? If not, then I believe she was taken right there in the parking lot after everyone was gone. I’ve always been divided on this anyway. Was she abducted from the bridge area or was she taken from the very place where her belongings were found? The shirt thing bugs me to. Why 15th Street? Does Sketch have connections (good or bad) there?
Should be ‘bugs me too’ above.
re: #43, Alexandra There was no BB practice in JPJ that evening due to the concert. The BB practice was in a different location but not far from JPJ. That location was the old gym. From what I have read there are cameras at JPJ, but I have no idea about about the old gym.
Minnie Penney says:
June 10, 2011 at 6:57 am
Actually MinPen I don’t know if we have definitively established where the practice was. Regardless of where it was held, the players exited JPJA to begin the walk to their cars. To answer alexandra, it was the 2nd practice of the new season with a new coach; the first was on that Friday night the 16th. Saturday morning of the 17th the players were in the weight room.
I resisted the idea of Sketch being a transient off the grid, for a long time, because I did not want to think that he would be that illusive a quantity to find, I wanted (and still want) to think that he has a home address, work address, car, and somewhat normal people around him who can id him if they get the right jolt of information from LE.
The comments from LE which I can recall, pointing to Sketch being transient: “It was a blitz attack”==(to me this means stealth, someone on foot, used to his physical abilities (speed, quickness, agility, and hiding in the shadows” to gain the advantage in a horrible crime. In any case I think we might agree that the blitz attack comment from LE in Morgan;s case matches the Fairfax case MO.
At one point LE said, “They were fairly certain that Sketch was still around Charlottesville.” Now this says to me, why not haul him in for questioning, if he is known, and a POI?
As far as we know, no one saw Morgan being taken. That requires a lot of stealth, or a lot of silence. Someone used to operating in the shadows, and moving around.
The other factor: Sketch being on foot, moving, and Morgan ending up at AF, with no one who can place Sketch at AF. The transients do not like to be seen and noticed, and this may be the answer to that. They hide in plain sight, like that kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart.
The hitchhiking never rang a bell with me, it seemed like something either a witness had mistaken, or in my later thinking, some reaching out by Morgan, when she needed help, but was not an actual out-right stand in the middle of the road for attention plea. Perhaps Sketch saw the hitchhiking effort from his lurking position, and figured that she was going to get a ride, he needed to make his move at that point.
I know how mentally hard it was for me to consider the position that Sketch might be a transient, off the grid, no car, moving around in a different world than the one we know. I did not want to adopt that position, because I think it is harder for LE to find a transient, who does not want to be found, than anyone else. Look at the Elizabeth Smart case, for example.
In the end, it is not going to matter whether Sketch had a car, or was a transient riding the empty coal train to around AF, It is only going to matter that if LE is at a waiting point, with no leads except waiting for a familial dna match which might not come, then LE needs to and can certainly check out the transient population around the railroads, and around the points of interest, at night, and I wonder if any of this has been done?
Perhaps there is a transient who knows something, and this is the kind of population who does not take it as their civic duty to come forward, for sure, if anything they may be afraid of “Sketch” but would probably know of him.
My theory may not be comfortable for anyone, but in the absence of other progress in this case, and instead of waiting for the next attack to take place, or which may have already happened(?), LE needs to take steps that fully investigate the scenario, and rule it out, or rule it in. It is not that hard to question people about where the transients hang out, no doubt the police know, already, and it is not hard to at least ask for some info from the higher functioning ones, or to put some watch detail on those coal cars for a short time, to see what happens.
I know the State has 6 troupers at the downtown expressway toll booth in Richmond, first day of each month, checking vehicle inspection stickers, to get the $87 ticket money each lapse would yield, and I do expect the State to run down ALL possibilities in this case, any less is derelict.
5.susan says:
June 7, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I had a new thought: What worked for Sketch in the past is what he would be expected to try again, same MO. That would be noticing the Fairfax victim as she was leaving a crowded place, on foot, waiting until she committed herself to a direction, which was making her isolated and vulnerable, and also around the same time, 9:30 in Morgan’s case, providing near total darkness.
The parked cars of the RV lot could have been the backdrop which provided his cover. I believe that Sketch used the choking to subdue the Fairfax victim, and prevent screaming, same in Morgan’s case.
I don;t believe Morgan hitchhiking, per se, but maybe the hitchhiking to escape Sketch, and get out of the lot? I am more inclined to think that Sketch used the very same MO, the weekend night, time of night, darkness, outside, and Morgan going from populated spot to isolated spot seem very similar. I don;t think Sketch used a car.
So, I think we should be looking for someone who was with the basketball players that night, a hanger-on, or basketball wannabe, or just some low-life acquaintance who gravitated in their orbit. No doubt the players would have known how deeply in trouble for even being associated with this type of criminal one or more would have been. Hence, the drive to North Garden, and the placement of Morgan at that spot, to keep the crime hidden as long as possible, and to avoid the disaster that they knew this would bring on one of them by association. Does that mean it might have been a family member, if the guilt by association was such a driving factor in covering up the crime?
So, my question of LE, we know you have questioned the bball players, we know some of them did not make it through the school year. Was there any other person in their orbit in the lot that night, who knew them but was not one of them? There usually is someone giving someone else a ride, watching practice, or just a male groupie waiting for practice to end, a wanna be, or a relative. That might be Sketch.
———————–
31.susan says:
June 8, 2011 at 8:52 pm
@ SUSANM: I have actually been followed like that, (but not harmed, thank goodness) so I know the agenda. They wait until a woman commits herself to a path which is more isolated, and then they become more threatening, but it is hard to determine, until too late. Once someone commits to the solitary path, they are emboldened, and they are between the defenseless woman, and the public place, where she left. I think it is a ruse as old as the hills. If you consider that Sketch was between Morgan and JPJA, and she oould not run as fast as he could, especially with those boots, then you can see why she had to seek help by trying to flag down a car.
Her actions and disappearance from plain sight make perfect sense when Sketch’s Fairfax MO is overlayed on her last known time, place and movements, away from the JPJA, because he was between her and JPJA, and she was trying to get away, in the only direction she could go. He had closed her off from the public place, and it is all too easy not to realize until that happens.
——————————
Susan,
Your theory of Sketch makes perfect sense to me and in theory, he should so blatently stand out as creepy, scary, sick, disturbed, etc that bb players and anyone else in the area would have noticed him right away…. HOWEVER, after getting hooked on the Casey Anthony trial, I am convinced more than ever, that the person who did this, is not at all what we imagine him to be. If sketch is anything like Casey, he is charming, pursuasive, appears to be open, “trustworthy”, friendly, and sadly…”Safe”.
The LE teams, forensics and other professional crime handlers in Casey’s case have so much knowledge and experience that I would assume as a layman that she will easily be found guilty. But it just takes a little doubt placed by the defense that can pursuade a jury to find her not guilty. My point being, that in Casey’s case, she became the obvious suspect since her mother finally challenged her to produce Caylee and the lies became apparent. In Morgan’s case, you don’t have anyone (oh wait, besides the friends) who was responsible for Morgan that night. Casey willingly gave LE an opportunity to work with her and they were smart enough to see her deception. Morgan’s case doesn’t have that obvious of a suspect which makes it even harder to make a case. I have to say that in thinking about this as I type, the silence of Morgan’s friends speaks louder than arrogant Casey who blabbed on and on about lies that eventually became proof of her guilt.
I don’t know if Morgan’s friends came in contact with sketch that night. He could be someone who lived/lives in the NG area that goes to Tech/JMU or UVA. I guess what I am saying is that although your description of how Morgan was attacked makes sense to me, unless someone runs their mouth with lies and the cops find doubt, or someone starts communicating the truth, Morgan’s killer has a very good chance of getting away with her murder. Since no one is talking and everyone lawyered up, they are obviously wiser than Casey.
word girl,your right,i was vague,and wasnt following through on my thoughts,(when did the shirt come off?during the rape ,but it wasnt with the body,doesnt add up,)cuz i was skipping over the part,where i had to entertain the idea ,that he did leave her there,and the “keystone cops”,moved the body.its just mind numbing to even think.for a while i”ve been scanning my memory for a news story where , a murdered body was being recovered from the grounds of a college campus,grids,tape,csi,forensics,i couldnt think of one .i wondered what results would come from an internet searched ,only two(which further validates my point),i cant add links right now ,but one is current in san diego,dorm room ,and the other is from cbs 2009,titled ….cover up…… ,again dorm room,the cover up ,is the mode of death ,fellow student has been caught ,but campus police tried to brush it all under the rug,at first.so a raped and murdered girl has never been found on a campus grounds before?surely its happened ,how is it handled,is what i was i was looking for. its actually too hard for me to believe,so i am fore going ,how sketch picked af, for now, and am just concentrating on how can sketch be found.
@In memory of Gini: My theory has changed a lot in the past week, about Sketch. As regards the basketball players, or anyone with them, I don;t know, but I do know that Sketch was not a social acquaintance of the Fairfax victim, and the way he attacked that victim was not charming, trustworthy, nor friendly. He was sneaky and viscious. He had no relationship to the Fairfax victim which we know of, and if he did, I hope the Fairfax victim would have let the police know that.
My thought was only to overlay the Sketch/Fairfax MO on the situation with Morgan that night, as regards time, place, and Morgan’s movements away from the public place of safety, as well the hitchhiking may have been a sign that she thought she was being followed, and wanted to get away.
My thinking now is that Sketch may be more the type like the Elizabeth Smart kidnapper, only more violent, and “off the grid”, than he is like a socialized person with normal home, work, and family, who just falls apart every five years and commits a terrible crime.
OMG! Dr. Pepper and ADD? No wonder she’s sooo smart. My oldest has ADD, so I know. Keep on keeping on Dr. I really ‘feel’ you’re on to something BIG!
I don’t think they’re all in on it (the lie).
In my opinion it was 1-3 people involved. I am still not clear on where exactly this, the first BB practice was held that night of the Metallica concert. LE said 2 groups of BB players interacted with Morgan. One group came out from the side doors and one group came out of the front doors. Not JPJ? Does anyone know which building? I thought, correct me if I’m wrong, Blink said JPJ. ???
Whoever abducted Morgan that night was, somehow, there. For sure.
What does closed practice mean?
I know they were given the information.
B
Dr. Pepper: Here it is from Wikipedia:
The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes, bringing the total population to 118,398. The city is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson counties.
My 2 cents: Charlottesville has 43,000 without students. UVA has 15,000-20,000. The sum of these is around 60,000. The county, separate from Charlottesville and UVA, has another 60-70,000. (I don’t know how many students are included in the above BEA population estimate.)
The town is fairly spread out with a lot of shopping center and suburban growth, especially to the North (29N). Hydraulic Road, which crosses 29N, is the official city/county boundary line but the “town” continues for another 6.5 miles (shopping malls, suburbs, and so forth) all the way to Proffit/Airport Road. The other directions are developing too but more gradually. The 29S highway is NOT especially built up. Once you get on 29S off the exit from 250W you pass one more exit to town (to Fontaine/Jefferson Park Avenue) and then you’re in the true country, and it’s a straight, fast shot to AF. The exit to 29S off 250W is about a mile from Copeley Road.
Minnie: thank you for clearing that up, JPJ for BB practice seemed like a bad ‘fact’. Again one of the many misinformations. Talking about which, why does it take so much time and so much effort to get the basic facts straight? Is the message: Its none of your business? Now to figure out which of the buildings on the map is the ‘old gym’ and what route they took to their private athlete lot.
Dont know how ‘famous’ those bbp are in your state/country, only know that when a soccer player who travelled with a team started to chat I noticed how other ppl keep asking for autographs or saying ‘congratulations’ to him etc. They dont have much private life in a group? Its not like they are anonymous, instead it looks more like a travelling circus everyone seems to be very aware of their movements.
But someone who would be leaving the team anyway or got disconnected or is a hanger on….? Or a fan or concierge? There must be a reason sketch was in the area (including foan buffalo wings)
This might make Morgan feel safe tho. Again many people must have witnessed what happened.
the friend link, the athlete link is very obvious does not mean they are involved just leaves many questions.
Are we hindering the investigation, should we be silent instead of inquisitive?
Do you think LE would have closed of JPJ to concertgoers/ venues / athlete parking the 18th if there was a reason to investigate the crime scene? It would cost UvA millions in revenues and image damage! Would a canvassing and proper search have yielded more clues (leggings, camera?).
I can see why LE does not want to consider JPJ as relevant, it ruins the MO of a random perp with a previous record. regardless of the political implications. When we discuss Sketch and his previous assault, that all makes sense. Except for the many items left at the JPJ lots (multiple including camera?). And the tshirt and the AF location. He cleary functions slightly above the level of a simple butchering beast or is not alone.
Most frustrating of all: not just someone knows but more people know this was a major concert and at least some nagging questions can be answered
Guess its full circle, no new information.
Alexandria, there were two groups of young men who spoke with Morgan that evening. The first group were the basketball players who were leaving the “old gym” after their practice. After they left a second group of young men appeared who were all white and dressed in black – they became what we called the BIB’s, or the Boys in Black. Among them was a young man who became known as “Kickee”. He was given this nickname because he stated Morgan approached him and hooked her arm with his and they walked a few steps together and then she, according to him, kicked him. So he became known as “Kickee”. I’ve read here that he did give a statement to LE. He also stated he made a phone call to his girlfriend to tell her about the incident…sort of a heads up, I guess, before the press got wind of it.
Long post. apologies if not thought provoking
Olivia=thanks! just saw your recent post. I had already written this one, so I am going to post this one first and going to go read yours. I’ll respond to it shortly. By the way- Olivia is one of my favorite names!
Houston Mom: thank you so much for your encouragement. There are so many reasons other than than Morgan’s case that I needed to hear that I make sense and that I am just randomly writing aimlessly!!!
Here is what is on my mind today:
I read this post last night on ScaredMonkey in the Holly Bobo Forum….If you do not follow the case- her brother, Clint is the only known witness in this case. And the accounts from LE regarding “who/when/how/what Clint witnessed…have changed a couple of times. In my mind, for a damms good reason….but we dont know why yet. Some have read wayyy too far into this and are almost insisting that Clint lied, changed his story and have focused their attention almost solely on him. They are also questioning why Holly’s parents have not spoken out at all since she first went missing as well as why the family would be needing constant protection by LE at their home. I dont know these people from Adam and although it is possible her brother couldve been somehow involved…I think another scenario is almost more likely to be the case.
The comment below is from Holly Bobo thread at the ScareMonkeys by Logicislimiting in response to Janet, one poster who have focused sights heavily on Clint’s changing story.
>>>
Here is the entire post so that you can see her main points in context. My opinion & how it is relevant to Morgan’s investigation will follow.
Logicislimiting wrote on June 09, 2011, 10:09:39 PM»
“Janet, I spoke with my uncle who is a Ret. Homicide Det. about this case. He said a few things. 1. If they are treating Clint as a eyewitness to the abduction then the public, media, and even his own family would not be permitted to speak to him about this case. 2. If he spoke or told anyone his account(Mom) before LE intervined they would become a material witness and held under the same standard as Clint. He would be protected for his own safety up until arrests were made and/or a conviction is handed down. His account would be protected and not be heard until he is on the stand. He also said that if Clint could identify the perp and the perp didnt know LE would not release that. His opinion is that he was able to give LE a “lead” on the perp and that LE.. cont was preserving pertent information and not releasing what “factual evidence” they had on the perps at the PC on the 16th. “Good detectives will only utilize the media to 1. identify the perp 2. locate a victim. They will only release pertent to information to accomplishing these 2 things.” Ret. Det uncle. He also said that he believes that LE had reason to believe the Holly was alive on the 16th and that comes across in the the PC to him. One more thing. He said the attached Carport would be considered part of the house and a home invasion would be appropriate.
Dr. Pepper’s Main Take Aways:
Whoever LE is treating as an eyewitness or whatever kind of witness they have…will not be permitted to speak to anyone including family, friends or the media about the case.
%%%%%% a possible reason we havent heard from the witnesses like we did early on%%%%%
If an eyewitness spoke to anyone prior to being interviewed by, that person would be treated as a material witness and held uder the same standards as the eyewitness.
The witness’s account would be protected on not be heard until they are on the stand in court.
If a witness could id the perp and the perp did not know this…LE would not release that
If a witness can give LE a “lead” on who the perp may be…that info will not be released.
LE preserves pertent information and does not release “factual evidence” they have on the perp to the public.
According to this girl’s uncle it is widely viewed that Good dectectives will only utilize the media to accomplish these two things:
1. identify the perp
2. locate the victim
****IMO, LE should re-evaluate what they’ve spoken to the media about to accomplish the above goals*****
*** the points above do not change my belief that LE should re-evaluate their PR strategy and re-evaluate things that should be released to the public that could help identify the perps.
—–I posted the things above to help me re-state (to myself : ) what my objective is here daily. It keeps myself in check, keeps hope alive and helps me stay focus.
Again, my ultimate goal is to offer any insight or ideas to LE or to Blink that may provoke a thought which could help lead this case in the right direction. It is also my objective to provide support to the Harrington’s.
So, LE…I have no idea what you have or havent done in this case. I am not questioning your capabilities, your intelligence or commitment to this investigation.
I am here to help you and I truly pray that you read here just for the small minute chance we can provoke a thought that would lead you down the avenue straight to the perp.
The perp by the way, I am still yet to be convinced is Sketch.
-More thoughts to come.
J4M
Apologies for typos or rambling…I’ve sat here for over an hour on a gorgeous day and Ive got to get to the pool. It is stress reliever.
Dr Pepper that makes sense, those legal reasons, so in effect what we want to know if it becomes public, might jeopardize a succesful conviction? Good reason to not be inquisitive? I guess its a danger of sites like this altho there are countless cases where media attention /journalists etc helped solve cases including a succesful conviction! Someone talked about vanderslut(sloot) and I ll never forget how he lost his calm on national tv and threw a glass of wine in the face of a crime reporter, a true revealing if I ever saw one.
Dont envy Blink in that difficult balance act, you can never get that right some will always say its just gossip or vile talk.
Thanks, Amy.
After everything, I did not realize that kickee was one of the boys in black, so thanks Minny Penny.
Here is an article where the comments are more interesting than the short article, especially #6 down written in March, 2009.
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/west-monroe-la/TITG6GURGTTJHBSKI
The writer thinks this group of boys in black, obviously scamsters with many id’s are “train jumpers” and “transients” Why would he come to that conclusion? IDK.
Also, there are three of them here, and the poster thinks they all dress alike in black as part of their scam, I suppose if one does anything to get the attention of police, then the police might be confused by all that look alike.
So is this group of three boys in black, with their purported scamming or pan-handling as their MO, the same boys in black who were present at one of the last sightings of Morgan?
Obviously they are not sketch, but it might be a link to something.
I haven’t commented recently, but I do want to reply to Minnie Penney’s most recent comments. I think most of what she has stated was believed at first but now has proven to have been speculation. The two groups of young men Morgan was seen with were all basketball players. One group exited through the main entrance of JPJ, one exited by a side door of the arena. I think the original speculation was that because of the concert, practice was held at U-Hall. The JPJ website states that the arena practice facilities are separate from the entertainment area and were designed to be available even during events in the main part of the arena. It’s now known that the 4 young men who were crossing Massie Road with Morgan were white members of the team. Kickee was not one of these individuals, he was a 40 something man waiting for friends to arrive who had his ticket. It’s my impression, and I could be wrong, that sometime as she traveled the parking lots, Morgan became separated from the white players and maybe met up with the 2nd group, the players who exited through the front entrance. I have always thought these were the players who were observed by the limo driver walking with the young blond. Morgan did make contact with the white players again in the RV lot. That was when the Richmond concert goer, who originally saw her crossing Massie Road with 4 “men in black” saw her near a car with the same 4 “men in black. LE has stated that the basketball players left her in the lot. I’m not sure this is a direct quote, but it is close, “they had another event to attend.”
Sorry for any mistakes, time for the kiddies and church. I’ll re-read later and if any of what I’ve posted isn’t clear or accurate after reviewing, I’ll post more. I know we have all read a lot, some contradictory over the many months, so I hope Minnie Penney won’t take my post as a put down of what she has written. I think it was only in the last Hook article that it was confirmed that the MIB were indeed basketball players.
I didn’t have time to link this article earlier.
http://www.readthehook.com/88650/hes-still-here-and-other-revelations-harrington-case
I know the article has been linked several times previously, but I think it should be read again given the fact that there are still questions about who Morgan encountered as she left the arena and during her walk through the parking lots and whether the witnesses are considered suspects (scroll down and read Courtney’s response to several posters.)
Thank you fellow Blinkers, there has been some very thought provoking posts here of late.
I appreciate it because I feel stumped and a bit down hearted about LE ever finding shiny Morgans killer.
I have been thinking about Morgan a lot lately. It is like a dull ache that will not go away.
I want justice for her and her family SO much it hurts.
I cannot imagine what her family is going through.Sigh.
So many young women just disappearing off the face of the earth and their bodies found brutally murdered
somewhere in a field or never ever found. It is mind numbingly heart breaking and almost too much to actually contemplate. Kudos to Blink for keeping her nose to the grindstone and refusing to close her eyes, for keeping a vigil for the lost and forgotten.
I wish I had more to offer at present, but I come here every day and will stay until there is justice for Morgan.
Peace to all ….
Amy-
Completely agree. The last thing I want to do is to somehow hinder the investigation, however, I don’t think we have mainly because even if te perp does read here, he doesn’t and we don’t know the certain facts they have on him AND I wholeheartedly believe that Blink is a rockstar moderator & anything that shouldnt be posted, isn’t.
I think it is just good to see the big picture from the LE perspective, even if that school of thought should be modified. LE definately needs to take classes on how to engage the public more in order to solve cases.
So I just like to remember my ultimate goal and whenever I get discouraged, it helps me push through.
Blink-
Is there anything/things in particular/specifically that you feel LE could do differently in regards to what they ask of the public?
Hypothetically- if u were to take over the PR for this case at this point…what would you do differently?
B-
If you can be at all specific- what could we do on our part that would help move this investigation forward?
And don’t say “nothing”!
: )
Was it the first or the second practice? Was it the old gym? Which side doors and which front doors did the guys that Morgan interacted with come out of? I think it’s important. The person(s) that did this to Morgan, saw her there, and maybe took her from the bridge? or the parking lot where her purse was found? If he attended the practice, someone saw him. Come on, it has to be right under our noses. There had to be lots of people hanging around the famous UVA BB team. Somebody(s) did this to Morgan and are still free and roaming. Is it really like finding a needle in a hay stack? There has to be video, somewhere.
B- Private if necessary
I’m a visual person. Whenever I disect any large amt of info…I have to type it out into sort of a color coded diagram. I’ve wanted to do that for months if not a year for this case, I’ve actually done one but but have been scared in trying to upload pictures on this site as if I created a photobucket acct and the pics were linked to it…some smart computer savvy person with ill intentions could somehow connect the dots and put me in personal danger.
Is there a way that I could post them on a photobucket acct and post them privately to you and you post re-post them w/o a paper/electronic trail to me?
Yes, mark private first line.
B
MsL: So one group Morgan interacted with left from JPJ main doors? That means they were there for Metallica or…… work or had an emergency to go to. Why leave? I know they never been ID d. Could they be security people?
Sketch must have scared a lot of women even in incident reports we might find his movements (assault without intent of theft, perversion etc). I hope he betrays himself by showing his true nature without someone getting hurt.
MsL,
Thank you so much for your very well-informed post of June 12 at 9:45 a.m. After all the time spent discussing this I find it EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING that some people are still stating as fact that the “BIB” were a different group than the basketball players.
Blink — maybe you could comment on this – please! Apparently some will not believe until they see it in your signature bold print.
The “BIB” were in fact BB players, to my knowledge.
B
If I’m mistaken re: the above, I’d like clarification on that as well.
One thing of note is that UVA did NOT have a Midnight Madness event to inaugurate the 2009-10 basketball season as so many other programs do. Coach Tony Bennett- then in his first season- opted to go “old school” and have a closed practice on the first day of NCAA-sanctioned practice, 10/16/2009. I’ve been unable to find footage of any practice from 2009-10 of the UVA men’s basketball team with the exception of a Mustapha Farrakhan dunk clip.
Closed practice is subject to interpretation depending on the sensibilities of the coach and his staff. It certainly would not be the typical “mad” house affair that is typically associated with the start of the college basketball season on most campuses throughout the country.
Oh boy…… I’m really confused now. So, the concert and the bb practice were going on in the same building at the same time….but the bbp’s were in the RV parking lot which is / or is not where the bbp cars were parked – next to the “old gym”. I thought it was settled that Morgan’s encounter with the team was in the RV lot. I always thought JPJ was the concert venue and the old gym/ rv parking lot area was where Morgan met the bb team. Guess I got it wrong…gettin old and goofy.
@ Msl: thanks for the info regarding Kickee not being one of the men in black.
I had never thought that the 4 MIB (seen with Morgan by the Richmond bookkeeper at 9:05 pm) were on the basketball team. She said they were all gathered around a car in the RV lot and she thought they were partying before going into the concert.
http://www.readthehook.com/69512/missing-pieces-witnesses-share-their-tales-morgan-sightings
Does anyone else have the opinion that the 4 MIB were members of the basketball team?
susan says:
June 13, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Yes, I do.
Susan — the hook article MsL posted explains it all. LE knows they were members of the team and has identified them all. The bookkeeper just made assumptions like all witnesses will that weren’t exactly right.
Thanks for setting me straight – I was really off target. OK, there was only one group of guys, BBP’s all dressed in black. Got it. Thanks.
Msl- thanks for reposting that article and clarifying the BIB stuff
For some reason, I dont remember having a come to Jesus moment about the BIB etc until I just read msl’s post.
Mary- I’m often not the most perceptive person. I’ve been known to be quite oblivious a time or two…so there’s a chance Ive missed other things.
Is there anything else that comes to mind that we could clear up some confusion on while we’re on this topic?
Thanks Blink.
Congrats Virginia – you are headed to the College World Series! Also belated congratulations to UVa Men’s Lacrosse — National Champions (for the 5th time)!
What possibly could have made her leave the arena in the first place? I bet that those metallica tickets were at least a 100 plus all that time and effort it took to get up there, just doesn’t make sense. Plus who gets extra drunk or high at one night only metallica concert this wasn’t ozzfest or woodstock. If somebody slipped her something why not go back and tell your friends you dont fell right.Its kinda ironic that at most small club shows nothing like this ever happens except the dimebag darrell murder of course.
Holy smokes just read that comment by stephanie the psychic on that hook article, she even said that morgan was in a wooded area and that wasnt even december yet.
A blast from the past….I took a time travel this morning back to Nov 24 2009….. a post by Skyler #21. The concert was Oct. 17th at JPJ. The BB practice was at University Hall. I think the RV lot was where the team parked their cars that night and where they came into contact with Morgan as they were leaving the practice and driving away from the area. Did Skyler live in C-ville?
Not to belabor the point, but about the MIB:
Has it been explained why they were all in black?
If they were BBP at a team practice, that would seem odd, to me, unless they were in the navy warmup suit, with the orange stripe down the side. However, in that case, it seems like the Richmond bookkeeper would have said, “and the blonde was with a group of similarly dressed atheletes, who were on the whole taller than the usual group of collage students.”
I think it would be hard to miss the orange stripe, and I also think it would be odd to have all bbp around Morgan coming from a team meeting of some sort being dressed in black.
Because two groups of players walked out, does not mean that there was not another group of men dressed in black in the parking lot. The bookkeeper observed the blonde at two different times.
If the police have confirmed that one group of four basketball players was all dressed in black, anyone pointing out that information and a source would help my understanding.
MsL says:
June 12, 2011 at 9:42 am-
Interesting thoughts MSL- but I dont think youre scenario regarding Morgan becoming separated from the original group works-
Heres why, as the bookkeeper stated that Morgan was alone in the lot with these BIB- the 4 white players… and it has been stated by LE that the second group converged in the lot with the original group of 4- meaning the 4 were there first, and the front exiting group arrived after-
MSL I do agree that the limo driver seems to have seen Morgan with a different group- but he supposedly saw them on the side of JPJ making their way toward THE lot…. maybe for a fraction of a second 2 of the sid4e exiting players went to talk to the other group…and perhaps one of the front exiting group went to walk with Morgan and the others from the side group? IDK
I do not know if I am comfortable with limoguys scenario, as it seems contradict all of the witness accounts.
Am I wrong, didnt the limo driver have ties to security ect? Anyone?
AJMP
My typing sucks today sorry- AJMO and all that
i am fascinated by the v.i.u./u.v.a. parallel,was sketch a student at viu or was his friend? did his friend/mom work there and now works for uva? does he know someone who lives north of the copely bridge?are there houses back there? ,does he cross copley bridge every saturday at 9:30 ,what about the international athletes ,did one one attend viu and then transfer to uva? the macdonalds hangout group at emmett,that was mentioned,is interesting,surely there is footage around 9:30,there hundreds of hours worth,he came from somewhere.the tower cam at univ. of ala. caught the tornado that hit tuscaloosa.
susanm- Hi the bookkeeper stated that she saw Morgan with the SAME group of men.
I think we have to understand that the bookeeper was quoted as saying only that – about their attire and their traits ect- she may have said more- IIRC, none of the BBP came forward on their own, the police went to them, I am assuming it was because of witness accounts that placed them with Morgan…. since the bookkeeper was interviewed at least 5 times in the first weeks , i think she may have been one of theose witnesses…
AJMO
oops I addressed my last post to susanm – but it was IRT susan’s post- not sure if that is a different Susan- if so my apologies.
panterafan-
No reasonable explanation as been provided regarding why Morgan left the arena IMO…
According to the Disappeared show – it seems Morgan may have immediately wanted back in…so perhaps it was a fluke- previous accounts she was said to have been outside for awhile and had tried several times to reenter… IDK
AJMO
heres the search title for the campus murder coverup story i mentioned the other day but couldnt link,abc ,school accused of covering up murder , or cbs ,east michigan university, campus murder leads to firings.
I think the BBP’s all left the gym at the same time and left the area fairly quickly. It was stated early on that they had another “event” to attend. That is likely why they were not included in the Disapearance program. But any thoughts on Sketch possibly being a drug dealer, hanging out on the campus looking for business? That’s likely to have been discussed earlier and I have just forgotten it.
susan says:
June 14, 2011 at 9:31 am
Not to belabor the point, but about the MIB:
Has it been explained why they were all in black?
__________________________________________
They probably weren’t. We don’t know what the bookkeeper meant or how precisely she saw them. If they were in jeans and navy (a UVA color) t-shirts, it could have looked like they were wearing black shirts — especially to someone who had the pre-conceived expectation that they were heavy metal concert goers like she did. I think it is pretty clear she was initially walking with some taller black players and then was walking with some shorter white players, presumably switching over as the groups got closer together on the walk over to the lot. Witness statements are unreliable, which is why LE used multiple statements put together, among other things, to track morgan’s path across the lots to the RV lot. I think they know exactly whom she was walking with at all times until the players left the lot.
i’ve seen you tube footage of uva practice and there are plenty of watchers in the stands ,search the terms: uva big men’s drill.