Two Years Cold-Morgan Harrington Murder: Two Women, Two Locations, Too Long
Girl In The Hayfield
Morgan Dana Harrington was the ingenue of artist and adjunct professor at Virginia Tech, Jane Lillian Vance.
She was scheduled to travel with her to Nepal in the Spring of 2010 while continuing to pursue her Education degree in her third year as a Hokie.
Morgan would not make that trip, and Vance would complete her latest work in her former students honor, last week.
With her Mother Gil’s help, albeit posthumously, Morgan is indeed educating children; the underprivileged children of Zambia. In April, 2010, Gil Harrington carried some of her beloved daughter’s ashes during the Orphan Medical Network International (OMNI) pilgrimage to Zambia. After raising donations for the Morgan Harrington Educational Wing, Morgan’s ashes were mixed with the concrete foundation of the school bearing her name.
At 5’6” , with breck-girl locks and eyes like briolette faceted tourmaline’s, Morgan was a stunning beauty.
Behind her neon smile was the burgeoning sophistication of a girl beyond her years and peers.
This gilded lily stood out.
On the grounds of the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia while attending a Metallica concert with her friends, unfortunately, she also caught the eye of a dangerous predator. The cost of admission to the events that followed, would be her life.
Devoid of her ticket to return inside the presumed safety of the venue and old friends, Morgan scored the unwilling and unalterable ticket to the cross-hairs of a Medium Build, 6’ African American sexual sadist who has likely spent the last four years honing his skills.
“Sketch” was interrupted by a passerby during a vicious beating and sexual assault in Fairfax on September 24, 2005. His DNA is linked to both victims.
Lights, Cameras, 400 Blue Phones
According to JPJ and UVA security guidelines, all hired security must be law enforcement.
In addition to the regularly scheduled patrol assignments of UVA PD, events such as the Metallica concert required additional security posts which were hired via a security request when the date was booked. Although additional UVA officers were working the night of October 17, there has never been a statement regarding any observations from that evening on their behalf by Melissa Fielding, Investigative Lieutenant.
However, in a private meeting that included UVA PD staff, shortly after Morgan’s disappearance, an attendee speaking to www.blinkoncrime.com on the condition of anonymity, told me he heard Fielding tell someone openly that Harrington’s car never left Harrisonburg, or JMU, and that it was a different friends car that was driven to the arena and hers had been accounted for.
In response to another UVA PD staffer loudly offering that he heard that Morgan was behaving “obnoxiously” during the trip to JPJ, which resulted in a tiff between the friends and the reason she ultimately left the concert, Fielding snapped “That was still no reason to leave her.”
When pressed as to why she thought they still believed Morgan’s car was not a factor when Lt Rader of the Virginia State Police (VSP) and Dr. Harrington, Morgan’s Father, both confirmed her car was the vehicle the foursome traveled in, she repeated that information was incorrect with no further explanation. While VSP was leading the investigation at this point, it certainly still begs the question as to why the original agency tasked with her disappearance, and still assisting, would have such important misinformation circulating in an active investigation and ongoing search.
According to the Office of the Executive Vice President of UVA, UVAPD security personnel are also responsible for surveillance on grounds. The central monitoring area, which is linked to the security cameras in several lots and public areas, is located in the central parking garage. There is no information available on the storage medium of recorded footage from the cameras, and requests for information were deferred to VSP.
The University of Virginia uses technology to improve security on Grounds. University Police install video cameras in several parking lots and public areas. Additional cameras may be installed in the future. Security cameras will be connected to a central control room operated by the Police Department in the new Central Grounds Parking Garage. The purpose for using the cameras is to reduce incidents of crime while limiting the need to expand the Police Department.
VSP is not discussing the specificity of what they have or do not have regarding footage supplied by JPJ/UVA.
With the exception of course that out of everything that has “been supplied to them”, there are no images of Morgan whatsoever.
Stationed inside the arena, is UVA PD security, non-police event security run by RMC Events, security staff employed directly by Metallica, UVA facilities management personnel, and contracted vendors to both JPJ and UVA. Firemarshall, zoning, and University guidelines also require EMT attendance.
Invisible As The Web In a Spiders Belly- Marge Piercy
Morgan asked her friend and roommate Amy Melvin to accompany her to the restroom at approximately 8:20PM.
Because of an earlier spat and lingering tension, Amy declined and Morgan left her seat alone.
Earlier, Morgan attempted to diffuse the matter upon entrance to John Paul Jones Arena in a conciliatory gesture, by purchasing a Metallica T-shirt for Amy. Amy reciprocated.
When Morgan climbed between the seats to make her way to the restroom, it was the last time Amy Melvin, Sarah Snead and Dan Cassagne would see their friend alive.
Morgan’s friends treating her like a vexatious afterthought did not aid the situation in the least.
A fellow Metallica fan sitting in the general area of Morgan and her friends, whose name is being intentionally withheld as a potential witness in this case, both observed and interacted with her until she left her seat; he assumed, for a drink.
He said during the Lamb of God set, Morgan changed her seat in the middle, and characterized her as very friendly, but “erratic” and repeatedly asked he and his companions for a sip of their non-alcoholic beverages.
In his opinion, Morgan exhibited signs of being under some sort of influence, was definitely overheated and parched.
A few minutes later, another witness claimed to be online with Morgan at the concession stand where she purchased a soda.
Shortly after this exchange, Morgan is seen dabbing a wound on her chin in the ladies room. Witnesses in a different area of seating believe they saw a woman matching Morgan’s description fall on the steps to the immediate right of their seats, and was not carrying a drink at the time.
After Amy and Sarah left their seats to look for Morgan when she failed to return, Sarah phoned Morgan on her cell at 8:48PM .
Morgan was clearly upset as she told Sarah she was refused any option of re-entry by security, but did not reveal why she went outside the arena in the first place.
This account conflicts with that provided by lead investigator, Agent Dino Cappuzzo, of the Virginia State Police, who commented during last years walk through on Anchorage Farm that a ticket-taker informed Morgan she would need to repurchase a ticket in order to return to the concert after she indicated that her ticket was “in pieces at the bottom of her purse.”
Morgan had the means to purchase another ticket. What she did not have, was her red digital Kodak camera she was digging for when she first exited the arena, and not a shred of her Metallica ticket has ever been found.
Concession Confessions- The Deadly Kind
Think a concession connection is far-fetched? Tell that to Inna Budnytska.
Michael Lee Jones, former concession employee for Centerplate and then Ovations, used his position as a traveling contract food service employee to prey on his victims. Mr. Jones worked at a ball field in Norfolk, VA for 12 years.
While it is assumed any other reported assaults with a DNA sample he was involved with would come to light, 84% of stranger rapes go unreported statistically speaking, there are likely unreported assaults.
Jones has no known direct connection to Morgan’s case, but the parallel of access to grounds in some of his crimes and therefore victims at the venue he was working, is investigative 101.
Without the tenacity of retired Long Island cop turned- investigator Ken Brennan, and the equal ability to be open to civilian assistance by Miami Detective Allen Foote, Jones would be free right now.
Mike Jones would not have been caught in this case, or the other cases, and would likely have raped and assaulted other victims.
Unlike Inna’s case, without the benefit of video in Morgan Harrington’s disappearance, witness accounts of her time and movement throughout the JPJ arena and subsequent grounds make witness interviews invaluable.
It is abundantly clear that VSP, profiling experts and analysis of the topography of the700 acre Anchorage Farm indicate whoever is responsible for placing Morgan there, was intimately familiar with the property.
In fact, Lt. Joseph Rader, believes her recovery location as chosen by her killer, is the “most important aspect of this investigation… People of North Garden, this will mean something to you.” ”
People in the Anchorage Farm area, you know what goes on there, you know the history,” said Rader. “You know who comes in and out of the vicinity and you might not realize it but you probably have some information for us that you don’t even think is important.”
In an earlier article, published shortly after Harrington’s remains were found, we reported the most recent activity of the land and it’s owners David and Nancy Bass. During the time of Morgan’s disappearance, the farm house, or the home on the Va historical register occupied at the time by the Bass’s daughter Jenny, was undergoing renovations to its hvac.
A carpenter working for Mr. Bass during the Summer of 2009 recalled stopping a black male driving a black jeep on the back of the Bass property and was told he was David Bass’s brother.
While the farm’s renovations, rezoning and subsequent withdrawal from a previous taxation commitment was compelling reading, it did not produce any leads and The Bass family did not recognize the image of sketch when shown in July 2010. Perhaps the historic property needed more history.
Time For Loud- Not Enshroud
If Anchorage Farm holds the key to revealing Morgan’s killer or killers, what other secrets does it hold?
Plenty, and they lead right back to a time in Virginia history that rips the scab off of a fairly fresh wound for many generations, and back to The University of Virginia.
In the 1740’s, Albemarle county, which was formed from Goochland and Louisa counties, was a vast frontier largely owned by Peter Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s father, and Col. Charles Lewis, brother of Robert, grandfather of Meriwether Lewis.
Courtesy of Legends Of Lewis
The men opened two plantations near each other, and produced three generations of one or more first cousin marriages between the two families.
Both families amassed great wealth over the years through slaves and land, but as the eighteenth century drew to a close, through a series of farming failures and poor plantation oversight, the Lewis family fell on extremely hard times.
Charles Lewis sold everything he had with the exception of the North Garden property which he gave to sons Randolph, Lilburne and Isham.
The Lewis plantation later named Anchorage Farm by the White family, would remain with Lewis family members through 1846.
In 1808, with looming debt, resentful neighbors and and little cash to parleigh into prospects, Lilburne and Randolph decided to immigrate to Kentucky, the popular new destination for those in crisis, leaving Isham, and a few aunts to toil what is now known as Anchorage Farm.
With remaining slaves in tow, the Lewis family traveled by barge to their new home “ Rocky Hill”.
Three family members would die in the first eighteen months, and the worst was yet to come.
In the Fall of 1808, Isham Lewis traveled to Rocky Hill to pay his respects to his recently deceased older brother Randolf, announcing his plans for an indefinite stay.
Isham was widely known for his less than gentlemanly status and his reunion with brother Lilburne, who by this time had spiraled into a deep depression treated with ardent spirits.
Thomas Jefferson’s nephews Isham and Lilburne forged the unholy alliance that would eliminate the possibility of a Lewis dynasty in Kentucky, forever.
The fuse igniting the transformation of Rocky Hill to Rocky Horror was lit.
A teenage slave named George, who traveled with the Lewis family from Albemarle three years earlier, ran off for a few days in December allegedly due to Lilburne’s treatment of him.
Fueling the alcoholism and depression, Lilburne’s new wife Letitia Griffin Lewis was pregnant with James Griffin Lewis, the couple’s first child together.
On December 15, 1811 George was asked by Lilburne to fetch a pitcher of water believed to belong to his beloved Mother Lucy. He broke it and returned to the plantation, met by the homicidal rage of the Lewis brothers while all the slaves were made to bear witness, lest they had any ideas such behaviors would be tolerated.
Lilburne and Isham drug young George to the main house, gathered all the slaves to watch, and Lilburne buried an axe in George’s neck to the horror of all.
He ordered another slave to dismember him and threatened all that If anyone had any similar notions to his, they would receive a duplicate fate.
Fate, in fact, would make an appearance shortly in the form of an earthquake, which made George’s remains accessible to the family dog, ultimately discovered by a neighbor and reported to police.
Isham and Lilburne were indicted and freed on bond. The brothers formed a suicide pact and headed for the Rocky Hill cemetery where Lilburne ended up shooting himself in the chest while showing Isham how to release the flint lock.
Isham fled only to be captured a few days later and jailed for assisting in his brothers suicide.
Letitia, now a widow, fled Kentucky in fear with her newborn son.
Mysteriously, Isham garnered his freedom anyway, through an assisted jail-break.
He disappeared, was believed to live under an alias, marry and was allegedly killed in the battle of New Orleans in 1815.
His remains were never positively identified.
Brother to Dragons, indeed.
In his eventual biography of Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson eluded to the explorer and Governor of Louisiana’s familial afflictions with mental illness following his suicide. A memoir of an escaped slave, written by Francis Frederick, is believed to depict the treatment of the slaves owned by Thomas Jefferson Randolph, with whom Thomas Jefferson and family resided and attended the adjacent school as a child.
In this period, Virginia was the largest destination for slaves from the Bight of Biafra on the West side of the African coast, and the natives spoke patois.
The extended Lewis family owned plantations on Buck Island, Red Hill Depot, and Monteagle, which is believed to be the former name of the Lewis Plantation.
Committed at a time and place where it was illegal to murder a slave, George’s story is definitely an anomaly due to the horrific murder becoming known publicly.
Thomas Jefferson is believed to have owned about 200 slaves; a combination of in inheritance from his Father Peter, his wife’s very prominent family the Rudolphs, and through sale.
His father Peter and he were also very close to the William Cabell family of Tuckahoe, one of the largest slave owners in Albemarle, and relatives of Samuel Cabell, murdered for “taking up” with a former slave and living openly with her and their children.
Could the current Albemarle descendants from either side of the family tree shed any light on family legends that might lead sketch to dump Morgan Harrington’s remains on the former Lewis plantation? Have they even been asked?
There is no shortage of information today about slave masters and plantation owners producing offspring of mixed race.
In the case of Morgan Harrington’s murder, there is a forensic DNA link to an African American male, also linked to a brutal rape and assault years earlier, who by VSP’s own confirmation, possesses the navigational prowess of an individual who was comfortable traversing an area of the farm unreachable by vehicle as much as 1000 feet away, in the dark. He is local, period.
Is the paradox of Morgan’s recovery in the hollows of a historic slave plantation while her legacy enriches the lives of African children that will gain educational opportunities previously not possible, in her honor, be enough to stimulate the concscious of someone who has the answers?
To be continued: Morgan Harrington Murder Part II: Two Years Cold- Two Women, Two Locations, Too Long.
*Investigative Analysis of Morgan’s last known activity in the lot of JPJ and Copely Bridge
*Independent investigation of adherence to UVA/JPJ background policy for employees and contractors
*Investigative Analysis of new evidence
Contributing Editors: Jason Mateos, Jacqueline Beaufort, Madeline Tanner, Klaasend
Image Credits: Harrington Family, As Credited.
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Dear Blink-
I pray for the Harrington family and that this case will be solved. Is VSP still investigating? I can’t believe it’s been two years and still no arrest.
Justice for Morgan!!!
Ok, now I know why I got disconnected. Blink was posting this article.
What a beautiful painting. The deer and bees around the site and the braclet. I got out my magnifying glass and spent some time looking at the hidden details. There I found a smiling face.
A beautiful job as always Blink.
The historical trail was one I had not considered. Especially that far back. This could indeed be the reason for placement of the body.
If you were able to do this kind of historical connection, I wonder if LE has walked this possible trail. This may be the type of thinking out of the box that can lead to a solution.
You also talk about the supposed video survelence system around the campus. Has anyone ever inspected the operation of this equipment? Is it really functional in a meaningful way? You may not have the answers. I would think that some state agency would be responsible for certifying an installation of this type. Maybe not, but it should have an outside audit for operations.
I left out the spider, dove and the american goldfinch along with the barbed wire fence in the painting. I hope this painting has been given to the Harringtons.
There are probably some things I could not see that are in the painting. One would have to see the original.
Blink and Co- wow
I am still processing all of your hard work.
What a sad Anniversary- my prayers to the Harrington’s and to the community.
I hope this new piece helps, Blink. Thank you for not letting Morgans story/case fall by the wayside.
AJMO
First question that comes to mind: did the carpenter himself ID the Sketch?
Seems obvious that Mr Bass did not as this is an imposter there is no family connection (brother or otherwise). Then we have a vehicle. Which could have been seen on the bridge etc. A black Jeep might also help jog memories (the HH etc)
LT Rader said:
People in the Anchorage Farm area, you know what goes on there, you know the history,” said Rader. “You know who comes in and out of the vicinity
very powerful statement. Crimes were already being committed in the area (trespassing, poaching, disturbing the peace with gunfire, LE goings with private love affairs add to the black jeep incident etc)
Concerning the friends: new information and it makes sense that there was some kind of vexation. So Morgan did buy a tshirt afterall. And also upset about something, angry even.. People noticed something was not right, up to the BBP. Was noone concerned about her well being. Well, yes Sarah called Morgan and people outside offered help. Still at the bridge she was HH so why no practical help?
It still reads like she just stormed outside to disappear on the bridge, but lets not forget dozens of interactions before that point.
The issue with the car is confusing I think conflicting statements by the parents/friends to local PD etc.
I am of the opinion that it is possible Morgan’s camera was either lost when she fell, or was the impetus for her walking outside, as in, she was told she needed to put it in her car, but did not realize she did not have her keys on her. I am also of the strong opinion that she may have suffered a concussion when she fell on her chin, exacerbating any previous possible impairments.
At that point the issue of the car should not have been confusing to an initial response and continuing assisstance agency. I was floored.
B
B
another thought
the carpenter could help further individualize the sketch as its so generic now.
Personally, I think Bass’s immediate inability to recognize sketch speaks volumes because it is so generic.
In speaking to some locals, they felt that it conjured immediate names, but no necessary relevance to either Fairfax or JPJ in their minds. One really needs to start with the recognization, and let LE do the rest.
B
Blink,
If Morgan’s party did not take her car to Charlottesville then all the speculation we have had about why she didn’t wait in her car has been useless – it wasn’t her car in the lot.
If there was a designated driver, was he driving his own car or one belonging to someone else?
Was whoever’s car that was taken to the concert forensically examined?
This also means That Morgan’s car keys should have been in her purse along with her apartment keys and her parent’s house keys – just a thought.
(You asked about a photo of the Sutherland Road house that was burned. I will try and get you one.)
The picture has Morgan’s bracelet in it. I have yet to get the picture of Gil’s small hand with that bracelet on her wrist sifting the dirt where Morgan had rested alone until she was found and returned to her family. Damn the monsters that did this to such a young and vibrant girl. Thank you Blink for continuing Morgan’s story. I wonder if Bianca is sitting beside Morgan waiting for justice. Morgan, we will not forget you ever.
Brilliantly and thoughtfully developed piece.
I do believe she’s got it. Bravo.
@ George
No. Her car was there. The point was nobody gets how that far along UVA PD was still saying that. Her car was there and Dan had the keys.
Information on who was manning the ‘central monitoring area’ in the Central Parking Garage during the concert sure would be helpful. Who was in communication during the concert with those manning the the monitors, I wonder?
2 4 1
Some new interesting detail about her actions before and during the concert. She displayed all the symptoms of being on Ecstasy.
I have never taken it, so I can only go with the PDR version, but here is my thing-
The friends say none of them did anything but drink that night, no drugs. ( I know, lol, but hear me out.)
So even if they were not telling the truth, wouldn’t all of them have had similar experiences?
According to the witness near them, Morgan was really the only one acting erratically, wouldn’t they all be?
Also- she was witnessed outside going into the arena, and as you know security is on the look out for anyone that is blotto, my sources say there was no sign of that. Everything for me points to something affecting her quickly, and progressively, once they are inside the venue.
B
@ first time
Nobody will comment for investigative reasons
Blink
Your response to George to me says it all. UVA has taken a position, poured concrete around themselves and will never move. We can only hope that the Virginia State police are not being that inflexible.
I wish you could team up with Mark Furman and get this case along with the fairfax case as well as the parkway rapes and murders solved. I just feel like the Virginia State police do not have the proper resources to get the job done.
Nice to see you and thank you, I am aware. That individual has been on the property and fwiw, has been interviewed and cleared. What is really important is that you took the time to see if I knew, and that is exactly what I want everyone reading to know- it is going to take one person remembering an interaction or conversation that solves this case.
This man, imo, has someone close to him who suspects his involvement, he also has someone or someones that absolutely know about it.
B
Okay I am slowly processing the information
Question-
Why was security assurances regarding the car not being Morgans taken as fact?
Did police believe it was true because security had said they had video and it collaborated the fact that the car was not Morgans?
or Did Security interview the friends prior to police involvement?
If so Did the friends lie and say that Morgans car was never there?
But wait Security could not have interviewed friends prior to police being involved- How would they?
The friends left that night without contacting anyone and voicing their concerns….unless while they were sitting in the parking lot FOR hours, they were approached by security, (seems plausible as security would want to know why a car full of people were sitting for hours after the concert)….
If so then that would mean that the friends told security about waiting for Morgan, about her being locked out, and perhaps they told security we cant leave its her car, and that is when the restaurant was brought up as a viable option?
Security may have said something along the lines of you dont have to go home but you cant stay here….go to the local restaurant ___ and wait, if she turns up here we will send her to you? Or the friends may have been spooked off the premises and took it upon themselves to go to the restaurant-
None of it makes sense…
If this did happen , that Security/JPJ talked with the friends that night- could they have learned enough information to go into protection mode- Or was it the friends who were in protection mode and conveying false info?
I just can not get over security speaking up and stating matter of factly that Morgans car was never there, and police agreeing with this assertion without fact checking, and did they fact check with the friends and they continued to lie?
It doesnt make sense-
Blink you wrote:
However, in a private meeting that included UVA PD staff, shortly after Morgan’s disappearance, an attendee speaking to http://www.blinkoncrime.com on the condition of anonymity, told me he heard Fielding tell someone openly that Harrington’s car never left Harrisonburg, or JMU, and that it was a different friends car that was driven to the arena and hers had been accounted for.
In response to another UVA PD staffer loudly offering that he heard that Morgan was behaving “obnoxiously” during the trip to JPJ, which resulted in a tiff between the friends and the reason she ultimately left the concert, Fielding snapped “That was still no reason to leave her.”
When pressed as to why she thought they still believed Morgan’s car was not a factor when Lt Rader of the Virginia State Police (VSP) and Dr. Harrington, Morgan’s Father, both confirmed her car was the vehicle the foursome traveled in, she repeated that information was incorrect with no further explanation. While VSP was leading the investigation at this point, it certainly still begs the question as to why the original agency tasked with her disappearance, and still assisting, would have such important misinformation circulating in an active investigation and ongoing search.
question?
How soon after her disappearance was this meeting held? IRT the info the staffer didnt just say: I believe Morgans car was never here, he said her car has been accounted for and a different friends car was the car used…thats alot of information…alot of wrong details-
Next-, why and how would the other worker bring up Morgans state of mind in the car- as “obnoxious”? first, how would he know this information? and second what bearing would Morgans behavior on the long trip have to do with the concerns of security?
Why would Feildng say- “still that was no reason to leave her” was it the friends that were already in protection mode? did they not tell the truth and it wasnt until later the “truth” came out….IDK-
Somethings wrong with these accounts and how they came about and how everyone took it all as gospel ect
Seems to me in the Disappeared show and of course in early reports as well LE stated that they did not believe this was a case of foul play… Why not? They had a girl without her purse without her phone- without her id who was missing- and whose belongings had been found in less then comforting ways( phone no battery, purse on ground- ect)
Either security was aware of the friends early on, and had talked with them, and someone- Friends/security IDK? were already on a mission to show Morgan as the “reason” she was missing- and also seemed to be stating details that would mask the urgency of the situation (she didnt leave her car- its accounted for she was obnoxious/mad so she probably wandered off ect)
Was the investigation already doomed from the start, because everyone in authority had tunnel vision and choose to disregard viable information and witnesses that may not fit with the scenario they had went with early on?
AJMO
Mom 3.0, I can answer some of your questions, I am going to skirt any specifics on the meeting with UVAPD as I have to protect sources of course- I will say that this meeting occurred well into the process, but prior to Morgan being found. There is no reason whatsoever that misinformation should have been perpetuated that I can think of.
At no time during their evening in Cville did the friends seek help from LE or security in locating Morgan, which is bizarre, because Dee S was told flat out by one of them on her cell that they had “lost their friend”.
Which again, makes no sense, because why would they have thought Morgan lost prior to leaving the concert, when she told them (allegedly) she was getting a ride during the 8:48Pm call.
Does everyone see how that does not jibe?
I do not and will never understand how “no evidence of foul play” for the first 48 hours came out of anyone’s mouth. To me, that tells me nobody was monitoring the security cameras or they do not store it if I am to believe accounts that she was impaired to the point of distress, and as Lt. Rader referred, “desperate”.
I am going to get more into that in II.
B
ps
Or was it police that shared this information with certain security personnel?
Who was it that was trying so hard to keep the wrong information circulating and why?
I toy with the idea there was a concern that there was a leak speaking to a press contact, but no confirmation.
B
Thank you. 2 years is so long to wait for an arrest, but I’m patient because I believe it will happen. I just hope it happens Before the Next Girl.
Hey Friend.
Wink from Blink.
I believe it will happen as well, and your exactly right, if this case does not kick into gear, there will be a next girl and my heart stays in my throat daily.
The video of Ken Brennan and Allan Foote is a gamebook for difficult investigations and I commend them both.
B
My dearest Blink,
This article is the best of all your work! I am just stunned with the holding back of info, not only from her so-called friends but UVA and VSP. This monster killed Morgan and is still wandering around- for goodness sake people -what is wrong with you? Stop hiding the truth and grow some b@lls. Think of who you are protecting- a killer.
My prayers to the Harringtons. Morgan- I am so sorry you were not protected like you should have been.
Thank You.
It hurts my soul how much went wrong for Morgan that night.
B
It seems as if Morgan was trying hard to make up with her friends she bought Amy a Metallica shirt-( So she had money right?) You wrote that Amy reciprocated…does this mean she too bought Morgan a Metallica shirt? and if so where is that shirt?
If everything was okay why wouldnt Amy go to the bathroom with Morgan? and why was Sarah not asked? if everything was okay between Morgan and Sarah- (she made the 8:48 phone call, then why didnt Sarah go? and why would Morgan kiss Amy on the cheek if Amy refused to go to the loo?
Something is off about this account too.
And the behaviors that you attributed to Morgan- cotton mouth ect- sure, they could be from several different things- possibly marijuana, x, or from excessive drinking-
BUT this could also be the behaviors of a girl who had just been arguing and screaming at her friends- and who may have had a scratchy raw throat, and was parched from crying- her “erratic” behaviors could be from feeling awkward and ostracized from the girls- as it is more than obvious that sides were taken, and Morgan was the odd girl out- and she was the recipient of more than her fair share of the cold shoulder….
Still processing…
AJMO
I know exactly how you feel about the still processing…
I can say there is no evidence that the earlier kerfuffle was escalated to the point of yelling or crying, and I don’t believe that to be the case based on my personal interviews and interactions in this case.
Yes, both tshirts were accounted for, and good question.
Early on, I have had to come to terms with the fact that we have to put the friends account in context-
While I remain steadfast about their lack of judgement and concern for Morgan, I do believe strongly that they regret those actions terribly, and feel tremendous guilt.
That said, the party has not slowed down one iota for the girls, and I struggle with understanding that.
Point is, I believe there are parts of their story that are true to the best of their ability, and their are parts that are self-preserving.
Given the outcome, and the presumption that they feel a sense of responsibility for what happened, if whatever it is is not case sensitive, I guess I can understand that as a 20 year old who has been raised in an entirely different family setting.
If there is something found to be relevant at some point, that was withheld, I am going to open one mother of a can.
Overall, I believe strongly the friends interviews have been dramatically undervalued as an investigative tool, and I have conveyed that to the appropriate LEO’s.
B
So Sorry if I’ve missed this…. was there a toxocology report?? Was Morgan “on” anything??
Just curious.. and do not mean any disrespect. This piece is alot to take in!
Awesome work Blink! You just got another “Silver Star” upstairs!
If anyone can answer my question.. thanks in advance!
-Bam
Her tox report has not been released, and I can safely say based on the portion of her remains which were mostly skeletonized, I highly doubt they would be able to find anything. The only comments I have seen from LE on it, I find to be to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
B
Thank you Blink for the work you do.
The youtube video of the blonde woman was a little eye opening. Her attacker didn’t look threatening, sure he was a large man but with his glasses, the fact that his “largeness” did not appear to be muscular, his slow gait and the fact that he seemed polite and let her enter first, he wouldn’t fit my typical image of an attacker. I probably would have been uncomfortable entering an elevator in the middle of the night with any man but would have most likely got on because I wouldn’t want to offend him because of his race! How crazy am I! Glad I saw that piece, guess I have to go back and re-read the Gift of Fear and learn to trust gut instincts!
What I would like everyone to think about and take away from that case, and video, is the unmitigated smarm and gall Mike Jones had as a violent predator.
The lead investigator did not even believe he was “the guy” after interview, until he got the DNA back, that Jones gave it willingly. I also want to share this, in researching this case, I was given information that I cannot publish except to say that Jones had several overlooked “employment issues” that went unreported to LE or Sr. Mgt because they know if that sort of thing gets back to clients, they can lose large accounts.
There were definite signs, and I strongly believe when sketch is arrested, this will be learned about him from his background as well. People know this guy is shady and not right, they need to speak up.
If nothing else, $150K is not chump change.
B
Although the image of Sketch is already very generic, I think it would still be of value to put a version out there without the facial hair, as you did in a previous article.
I still strongly believe that for Morgan to go willingly with someone, if she did, they had to be apparently “on the job” or “vouched for” in some way. When I read the articles about Morgan, I often think again of the “limo driver” experience I had in D.C. about a decade ago, which I posted on another thread more than a year ago.
I had left my group in a restaurant, as dinner was running long and I had an important evening business engagement partway across town. There were no cabs waiting, so the restaurant called one, but it didn’t come and they called another. My impatience was showing as I paced outside and darkness fell. A stretch limo pulled up, and the driver asked if I would like a ride. I demurred, saying it would be too expensive, but he said not to worry about it as he was sitting in the parking lot at the restaurant next door, bored as he was waiting for his client who he said would be a long time yet at dinner. I finally accepted, and he did take me to the hotel of my meeting. Yet I was not comfortable, when he had turned a way that didn’t seem right to me, I had quickly objected, although I can’t really say that it turned out to be a detour.
I talked to him some as he drove, and asked if he wouldn’t get in any trouble. He said the limo was his, and he reported to himself. I asked what the charge would be, and he said free, but if I cared to pay him a typical cab fare, that was fine, too. And, upon arrival, he gave me a business card and said that if he wasn’t busy, he’d be happy to give me a ride any time that I was in town for the same price as a taxi.
Now, this may have been a simple random act of kindness. But, I want to make several points:
*In appearance, the driver could have been a younger, clean-shaven Sketch. I got in.
*My focus was on getting where I needed to be, and I accepted a ride just because he was driving a stretch limo. As an adult professional woman who has traveled solo internationally, that is about as stupid as it gets. I knew better, and yet the visibiity of that vehicle swayed me.
*I can’t expect 20-year-old injured and upset Morgan to make any better decision than I did.
The pool of Sketch look-a-likes fitting the “on the job” and “vouched for” descriptions should be small enough to tackle. And if there are any videos recorded inside or outside the arena, the behavior of each person possibly matching Sketch should be carefully assessed. Has that happened?
lizzy- I am most appreciative of you sharing this story.
Your right, it was stupid, and I am forever grateful you were ok, and tell others, lol.
I am going to defer you a bit and bring your post to PartII when complete, it is very relative.
B
This e-mail was sent to all uva students.
__________________________________
Communications
Date: October 16, 2011
To: All U.Va. Students
From: Patricia M. Lampkin, Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer
Re: Safety and Bystander Behavior
Dear Students:
Tomorrow will mark two years since Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student visiting Charlottesville, disappeared after leaving a concert at John Paul Jones Arena. Three months after her disappearance, in January 2010, her body was discovered on a farm about eight miles south of the University. Her death was ruled a homicide, and the person or persons responsible have not been found.
This tragic story serves to remind us of the continued attention that we need to pay to safety and of the unfortunate fact that predators exist within our society, often seeking out young, vulnerable victims. While fear should not rule our daily activities, we do have a duty to one another to remain vigilant and to take steps to increase safety, both individually and as a community.
Ms. Harrington’s family will be in Charlottesville tomorrow, visiting the site on Copeley Bridge where Morgan was last seen alive. They have recently launched a campaign, “Help Save the Next Girl,” to emphasize the need for vigilance and actions that will help prevent other young women from being the victims of similar violence. More information is available on the website.
Bystander behavior is something that students themselves have addressed in the past. The bystander effect, which stems from apathy, wanting to go along with the crowd, and not speaking up or intervening when disturbing behavior occurs, can mean the difference between life and death.
If you see actions that could endanger others, I encourage you to speak up and to take the initiative to counteract the bystander effect. Some of you, for example, may have friends and acquaintances who engage in so-called “urban exploration” of the Grounds and surrounding area. Going into the steam tunnels, climbing onto rooftops, scaling water towers, and related activities are not only dangerous but also against the law. Last year, first-year student Tommy Gilliam died as the result of a fall from the rooftop of the physics building. Tommy was gifted and well-loved by many within the University and beyond; needless to say, his loss was devastating for his family and friends.
Testing boundaries and taking risks is healthy in the right context, but not when it puts you or others in an unwarranted path of danger. Taking responsibility for your own safety and remaining alert, especially in our post-911 world, is part of being an adult and part of becoming a fully educated citizen.
These are specific ways in which you can assume greater responsibility for your own safety and for that of the community at large:
Call the police at 911 if you see someone in trouble (intoxicated or drugged, in particular). If you are in a safe situation, stay with the person in trouble until the police arrive. Also, do not hesitate to call 911 if you see someone acting suspiciously and potentially preparing to commit a crime.
Call 911 if you have information about students promoting “urban exploration” of the Grounds and surrounding area. This activity is both dangerous and illegal. By not speaking up, you are helping to promote this behavior, which could have serious consequences.
Get involved in the Let’s Get Grounded initiative begun last year by students. Training is available for student groups. To learn more about bystander behavior or to request training, please see the Let’s Get Grounded website.
Develop your own plan for staying safe. Lock your doors and windows. Do not walk alone at night. When you go out, especially to parties, develop a plan with your friends for getting there and getting back safely. Check in with your friends before the evening ends to make sure everyone either leaves together or has a definite plan for getting home safely.
If you witness an act of bias or intimidation, I urge you to report it through “Just Report It,” managed by the Office of the Dean of Students. You may report the incidents in several ways, including online. To learn more, please see the website.
Student self-governance, as you know, involves both responsibility and freedom. In that spirit, I thank all of you who are working in partnership with us and the police to keep the community safe. I hope this communication will encourage you to do even more in the future.
Sincerely,
Patricia M. Lampkin
Thank you for your response Blink.
Blink,
A response to your questions/thoughts on ecstasy. I have been around numerous back in my college days. It was a very popular drug at UVA in the late 80s and a lot was made in the area. Most people would not appear blotto on it or more than tipsy really. It is more of a (significant) mood changer than anything and it is actually tough to tell someone is on it until you actually talk/interact with them and see that something is just off. It is now mostly a rave/concert/party drug, as it works well with a loud music/dancing environment. It dramatically lowers social inhibitions — that is its primary effect. It is a powerful, dangerous drug and you can die from it — both from overdose and from drinking too much water, as dehydration and overheating either from the drug and/or the dancing are big side effects. Excessive use allegedly can cause brain damage also.
As you say, you would think they all would have done it if she did though. People who take it would also know never to let their friend go off alone under its influence, especially because of its removal of social inhibitions. It takes about 30-60 minutes to kick in, so I suppose it is possible she took it alone or was slipped it inside the concert.
The overly friendly behavior throughout the narrative, asking for sips of the strangers’ non-alcoholic drinks,seemingly illogical behavior, walking with the basketball players and the claimed hitch-hiking are just spot on consistent with that drug though. The only thing that seems inconsistent is getting into an argument with Amy. But maybe that happened when they were just drinking?
They were roomies, so really, the argument could have been that Morgan overdrew her account on groceries and Amy had friends over and ate them all- NO I do not know if this was the cause, I am just giving an example of why I had a lock on my fridge, lol.
At 30,000 feet, it is almost like what your describing was her demeanor early on, and then it changed once she was on her way outside.
B
-snipped-
The friends say none of them did anything but drink that night, no drugs. ( I know, lol, but hear me out.)
Morgan’s erractic behaviour seems to have began in the seating area. Her friends not telling the truth means they have something to hide. Did Morgan complain of a headache. Was she offered something for it and given something either by mistake or intentionally by ‘a friend’? There’s no mention of Morgan behaving unusually prior to finding there seats?
As for the rich history of Anchorage Farms itself, VSP’s request to look for anyone who KNOWS the land was too vague. The ancestoral reference is HUGE and would certainly have ignited a few neurons.
The graves on the property….possible connections to killer?
-snipped-
Cemetery: On the crest of a hill to the south of the main house is the family cemetery. It
contains1 3 known graves. It is surrounded by a simple iron fence and is planted with boxwoods.
The stones reflect changing modes of grave marking from the 1880s to the 1990s. The cemetery
contains the graves of the following family members:
Martha D. White, October 29, 1810-May 1, 1887
John 0. White, “Johnnie,” May 8, 1861-Feb. 7, 1880
James Garrett White, “Father,” Feb. 24, 1864–April 9, 191 5
Mary Carpenter (wife of James G. White), Sept. 15, 1865-Dec. 30, 1939
James Garrett White, Jr., Aug. 16, 1889-Aug. 23, 1945
John Stephen White, Virginia, S2 USNRF, World War I, Nov. 14, 1896-Aug. 5, 1952
Mary Massie Turner (wife of James Garrett White, Jr.), May 29, 1888-July 3, 1958
William Jerry White, Feb. 1, 1906May 17, 1961
India Overton White, Dec. 2, 1890-June 6, 1961
Fannie White, March 8, 1865-August 30, 1965
Josephine White, December 2, 1893-October 29, 1978
Bernard Peyton Teel, August 21, 1902-May 15, 1990
Mary Page White Teel, Oct. 30, 1909-Dec. 29, 1992
http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Albemarle/002-0734_Anchorage_2001_Final_NR.pdf
If the killer himself or a relative ever lived on this property, chances are, he knew it well.
It is my sincere belief that the killer or accomplice will ultimately be tied to AF via a legacy of some kind, this is no poacher.
He knew enough about the land, the climate, the surrounding land and ownership, community and their habits to feel comfortable to dump a deceased girl of means and make no attempt to cover the crime.
B
Hello everyone, I still read from time to time even though I have little to contribute, and I still expect justice to come for the Harringtons. Blink, I could go on about the tonne of work you’ve done, but instead I will highlight what is to me the most impactful part of this: people who weren’t talking before are now, as evidenced by your new information. What does this tell us?
acho- great to see you and thank you for your advocacy for Morgan.
I have to be diplomatic in my response to you, and even a bit “general”, I know you will understand.
It is not so much that people are beginning to talk, it is more that it takes time to develop sources and confirm and vett information. In fact some of what is in the piece started as hunches, and we had to let a series of events play out until we could draw some tangible conclusions.
Some we can print, some we cannot.
I really want to stress that I believe that SA Cappuzzo and Lt Rader want to solve this case, and have it result in a successful prosecution; I have never doubted that.
I do not think they had/ have the resources they need, and I think there were errors in the beginning that were made due to lack of experience with a mp case.
B
News Release No. 38
For Immediate Release: October 17, 2011
OCTOBER 17 MARKS 2009 DISAPPEARANCE
OF MORGAN HARRINGTON
Virginia State Police Continue to Aggressively Pursue Case
RICHMOND – Since initiating its investigation into the Oct. 17, 2009, disappearance of 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, Virginia State Police have pursued hundreds of tips and leads as investigators continue to aggressively pursue the ongoing case. State police are also still encouraging the public to come forward with information. Harrington’s skeletal remains were later discovered Jan. 26, 2010, in a remote field on an Albemarle County farm along Route 29.
“We are especially interested in hearing from those individuals familiar with the Anchorage Farm property, and observations of unusual behavior in that area between Oct. 17, 2009, and Jan. 26, 2010,” said Lt. Joe Rader, Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office. “A detail that may seem insignificant to one person may well be of critical importance to investigators and the information needed to advance this investigation even further.”
On the evening of Oct. 17, 2009, Harrington was attending a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena on the University of Virginia (UVA) campus in Charlottesville. At approximately 8:30 p.m. she left the arena and was unable to re-enter the facility. After talking to her friends on her cell phone, she then walked through the University Hall parking lot and was seen in a parking lot next to Lannigan Field. At around 9:30 p.m., she was seen walking on the Copeley Road Bridge and then hitchhiking for a ride from passing traffic.
Harrington was dressed that night in a black T-shirt with the word “Pantera” spelled out in tan letters, black mini-skirt, black tights, and knee-high black boots. She was wearing a distinctive Swarovski Crystal necklace made up of large crystal chain links, which investigators have yet to recover. Harrington’s “Pantera” T-shirt was found Nov. 11, 2009, in front of a row of apartments along 15th Street NW near Grady Avenue in Charlottesville.
DNA evidence was recovered during the course of the Harrington investigation that forensically links it to a 2005 City of Fairfax sexual assault of a young Northern Virginia woman. Fairfax City Police were able to develop a composite sketch of the assailant. State and Fairfax City police are still working to identify the suspect.
Virginia State Police continue to work with the University of Virginia Police, Charlottesville Police, Albemarle County Police, City of Fairfax Police and the FBI on this investigation.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000; or the Virginia State Police at 434-352-3467 or by email at bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov.
Blink — was morgan wearing the new metallica tshirt when she was found? If so, that could cast a new, less complicated light on the finding of the pantera t-shirt, which always struck me as the most inexplicable part of the case.
She was not. The Pantera shirt is a critical component to this case, and yes, without sound explanation.
B
Excellent article Blink. Thank you for your research on the history of the North Gardens and Anchorage Farm area and for sharing that info with us. I’ve wondered about the account of the man in the black suv that said he was David Bass’ brother. If this man is black, why would he think that anyone would believe that he was Mr. Bass’ brother? It makes me wonder if he even knew David Bass or that he is white (caucasian). It definitely makes me think he was up to no good or why would he concoct such a story? In my thinking he had some other tie to AF from earlier on. Does anyone remember when that incident took place? How long before Morgan was abducted or how long before her body was found?
So, Blink would you say it was definitely Morgan’s car that was at JPA that night? Because if it wasn’t then the whole designated driver/keys theory is BS. One other question. Did Morgan’s companions wait in the parking lot where they parked for hours or did they leave and wait at the restaurant they thought they may find Morgan at for a few hours? This makes a difference, IMO, because I agree with Mom3, that if they were waiting in the parking lot, then I think security would have spoken to them to see why they were hanging around. If Morgan’s friends told security what had happened and they were waiting to find their friend, then, did security try to help them locate Morgan? Or is it true that they were suppose to meet up somewhere with other friends after the concert? This would go back to Dee saying there was a change of plans because Sarah or Amy told her their friend was missing. This was when she talked by phone to one of them earlier during the show.
Keep up the great work Blink and Co. I appreciate so much your continued coverage of Morgan and your efforts to keep her story out there. I truly do look forward to Part II. Maybe,through these articles we can lay aside rumors and deal with facts.
Morgan’s car was at the arena, no doubt, confirmed.
I am not going to comment on whether or not they lingered at the car, or where they went to eat, I know you will understand.
I do not believe sketch is the man in the jeep, no.
B
Blink wrote “A few minutes later, another witness claimed to be online with Morgan at the concession stand where she purchased a soda.”
I assume you meant “in line”, not “online”. It is a picky point, but the meaning is quite different.
It is a Jersey term, lol, I presumed nobody thought she was purchasing a virtual soda, thanks for the pointer.
B
Thank you Redly for the info on the drug Ecstasy. I wasn’t at all familiar with it’s effects. It sounds highly possible that if Morgan was sipping drinks from others at the concert, that once she left her seat, she may have unknowingly drank from a cup that was laced with it.
Thank you also for sharing the email from Ms. Lampkin to UVA students. I think it’s very timely and urgent. My hope is that the students will heed the warnings. Please, let them realize how important it is to use the buddy system at all times and look out for one another! There is still a stalker/murderer on the loose in the area! Every day brings closer the day he will strike again!
For whatever reason, something keeps bringing me back to the statement “DNA evidence was recovered during the course of the Harrington investigation that forensically links it to a 2005 City of Fairfax sexual assault of a young Northern Virginia woman.” The DNA was recovered during the course of the investigation, but not specifically with her body? VSP doesn’t say that DNA was left at both scenes, or DNA was found with Morgan’s body. Was the DNA found exclusively on the shirt, purse, phone, elsewhere, but not with her body?
2 4 1
I am not prepared to release that information, it is case sensitive.
B
He felt comfortable enough NOT to cover the crime (per Blink)
He left her where he thought no one would ever find her. God willing, she was found.
Why would he still take that chance to not bury her or cover his deed? I can’t believe someone is that brazen and confident. It has to be someone known to this area that no one would EVER EVER consider. The one you least suspect, SUSPECT!
I know he’ll be caught. I’m no psychic but it’s going to click in someone’s head. There is no such thing as the perfect murder. My faith tells me if God was willing to reveal where she was (Mr. Bass finding her was no coincidence IMO), he’s not going to be able to hide forever.
…and he won’t leave. He feels obligated to this area; spiritually connected. He might even possess generation grief because of the slave related history of the area, itself. He blends in, too. I can imagine he feels a sense of ‘protection’ from the land that won’t betray his trust or reveal his secret, if that makes sense.
He’s so close, living his life, doing this thing.
It’s human nature to be imperfect. The ball will be dropped…inevitably XO!
Yep, he does. Has been cleared.
B
Blink,
Thanks for the info on Morgan’s car. I thought they had taken Morgan’s car to the JPJ Arena but misread your latest entry.
While never having tried ecstasy, I knew people in college who did. Just two years removed from the college scene, I can remember how friends behaved under the influence. People react differently, of course, but very dilated pupils are common. Light colored eyes look almost entirely black. Also, increased energy and excitability. It is commonly used at parties and is a very dangerous and unreliable designer drug. It also is cut with other drugs, and ingredients vary. Mixed with alcohol or other drugs can be lethal. Basically what I am trying to get across is how dangerous it is.
Obviously, we do not know if anyone was under the influence, but given the witness descriptions of Morgan’s behavior, it cannot be ruled out. A “bad trip” can lead to disorientation, etc. but if Morgan fell and hit her chin similar symptoms could manifest – confusion, dizziness, disorientation, etc. It is also possible she was slipped something… We just don’t know. Could toxicology tests be conducted once she was found?
I hope increased media coverage marking the two years since she disappeared garners the much needed leads this case requires to be solved. I am continually impressed with Morgan’s family and their relentless pursuit of the truth and advocacy to prevent future victims. They are amazing people.
Looking back at some of the poor choices I made in college – walking home alone at all hours of the night, partying, etc. – I realize my friends and I were extremely lucky to make it through unscathed. College students need to be educated about dangers they did not face when under the supervision of their parents… Especially since college brings a sense of complete freedom that and many of us are not ready for the situations that freedom and experimentation leads to. Look out for your friends – I never let any of my girlfriends remain alone somewhere, especially when intoxicated. I felt like a babysitter a lot of the time, but it was so important for me to know they were okay. You tend to feel invincible at this age, and horrifying stories like Morgan’s should serve as a reminder that we can never be too careful.
Looking forward to part II Blink, thank you so much for keeping Morgan’s case and others from going cold.
All moo, and IMHO.
I hate to point this out but unless Morgan was so angry at Amy that she threw away the gift (shirt) in a gesture of rensentment, to me its almost 100% sure she put on the metallica shirt once outside because it was the only warm clothing available (jacket in car). Don t underestimate the weather.
This means the early description was ‘ wrong’ the chances of her wearing a black shirt with white lettering was significant (instead of the tan Pantera lettering). Has the shirt been recovered? And re examine the witnesses (ms Parson?) who saw a blonde in all black or a metallica shirt.
Maybe I didnt read it right but this is how it seems to me now.
Amy- Morgan was not in posession of her Metallica shirt, or Amy’s when she left the JPJ, both are accounted for, she could not have been wearing it, and was not, when it was recovered
B
You corrected me before I could, thank you !
Sadly, Patricia Guardado found; ruled homicide.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/17/missing-arkansas-college-student-found-dead-in-pond/
heartbreaking.
B
WOW is right- Blink you have been busy!
This is a lot of information to digest. Ragdoll thank you for bringing over the AF registry info. I am also glad to hear some documentation of Morgan’s movements/activities that night. It surely seemed as though she had disappeared as no one seemed to be able to comment about her at all. And speaking of that- what a comparison to the Vanishing Blond. I knew OF the story but definitely not in great detail. I think there can be many avenues to go down here- where to start right?
Was the announcement by VSP a public statement at the bridge or anything, or just a press release, does anyone know?
Very interesting piece Blink, makes us need our thinking caps on.
God Bless the Harrington’s on this day.
Hey Eloise!
It was a press release by VSP, which we got advance notification of last week.
B
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/299815
Gil Harrington bringing multi-million dollar lawsuit against RMC for not providing adequate security @ Metallica Concert. I am so proud of this woman & you, too Blink.
********************************************************************
@ Ragdoll: Thanks for bringing the cemetery ledger over, I had been searching for it this afternoon!
Like I said, blows the theory she was offered an opportunity to purchase another ticket out of the water, so respectfully, what else does LE have wrong?
Dan Schmitt should never open his yap, the tickets are fully automated for scan and have nothing to do with RMC.
RMC is the start, there will be parties added to this suit, obviously.
B
Blink, your article was so well done, and I am so glad to see you keeping Morgan front and center. Morgan’s was the first case I ever followed obsessively, and reading about her still brings me to tears.
Even though I don’t post much on Morgan’s thread anymore-I follow it often and read all I can about her case and what her family is doing to help “The Next Girl”. Gil’s blog posts on FindMorgan.com break my heart-that family needs justice soon!
I wish that Morgan’s case and your writings about it, could be taught in every middle school, high school and college in our country–as a textbook lesson of what it means to fail a friend-and how horribly deadly and permanent it can turn out to be!
Morgan’s friends are going to continue to slam up against the wall of Morgan’s murder (and their lack of help in her time of need) for the entire rest of their lives. It will hit them when they least expect it and it will color everything they do, forever. What a horrible thing to live with….
_______________________________________________
Snipped portion from Blinks comment to: ( Mom3.0 says: October 17, 2011 at 10:08 am )
“Early on, I have had to come to terms with the fact that we have to put the friends account in context-
While I remain steadfast about their lack of judgement and concern for Morgan, I do believe strongly that they regret those actions terribly, and feel tremendous guilt.”
B
Thank you kindly Zeus. Given the fact that the Harrington’s have filed suit, it is likely we will get a better account of the friends activities that way.
B
“Everyone assumed she’d be coming back,” said Amanda Melvin, Amy Melvin’s older sister and a friend of Harrington’s. Friends and family still haven’t heard from Harrington, she said.
Amanda Melvin said Harrington’s purse and cellphone were found outside the stadium and her car was still in the parking lot. She said Harrington wouldn’t abandon her friends there.
Amy Melvin said she and Harrington have been friends since they were in sixth grade at Northside Middle School.
Her purse and cellphone were later found outside, said Amanda Melvin, a friend of Harrington’s. Melvin’s younger sister is Harrington’s roommate and had attended the concert with her. Harrington’s car, in which they traveled to the concert, was still in the parking lot, Melvin said.
http://csafd.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=coed08&action=print&thread=3571
Here are some statements made by Amanda Melvin the sister of Amy Melvin about the car. So as i read this and if it is true that Amanda made those statements as she surely spoke to Amy before making those i was surprised by the way Amanda tells the purse and cellphone were later found outside and with the same breathe she adds the car was still in the parking lot as if was the same curious event as for the cellphone and the purse???? But if the friends had the key from the car it was indeed normal that the car was in the lot. We can assume if Morgan had the keys she would had opend the car if to drunk to drive? Or wenn not to drunk she would have drove away.
So whats the deal about Morgans Car???
Investigators say Harrington’s trip to UVA’s John Paul Jones Arena this past Saturday began with her and her friends driving to Harrisonburg, where they picked up more friends.
The group then drove Morgan’s car to the arena in Charlottesville for the Metallica concert…….According to police, Morgan’s friends drove Harrington’s car back to Harrisonburg, and spent the night there.
http://csafd.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=coed08&action=print&thread=3571
re: Ecstasy
I was slipped it once – just a bit of it because it was mixed in a drink I took a drink from.
I was pretty “blotto” but the other person (whose drink I took a sip from) did not. He did the drug frequently and one builds a tolerance to it quite easily and quickly.
It would make her more friendly and perhaps go somewhere with someone she didn’t know.
Morgan might have ingested it in a similar manner.
what a fantastic piece,spellbound by the history,and love the painting by vance. so glad for the lawsuit ,as it will force answers and details.
Thank you susanm
B
Blink, thanks so much for the update – FIVE STARS