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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All of the answers are in the beginning.
The DNA suggests Sketch could have been at the concert or in the parking lot. Did the security guards and all people who worked that parking lot on that evening give dna ?
Did the basketball players that interacted with Moragn give dna ?
How about all who were in motor homes ? any of those coaches ?
The hitchhiking would be by witness ..So she would have been witnessed getting into a vehicle.
The shirt was placed for us. Again he risks being witnessed OR It was just a lucky throw from a vehicle as he was attacking her.
First ..security, there is reason for concern.
Second .. somebody in the parking area.Possibly in a motorhome. A fan of the ball players ? A coach ?
third .. somebody gives her a ride on the hitchiking theory. This is without witness or do we actually have a witness to her getting into a vehicle ? I do not think so. I am not even sure the witness to her supposedly hitchiking is acurate.
Then there is her supposed friends.. Still sets wrong with me.
The lack of concern. Morgan was drugged, they know with what and why.
jmho
Thanks for the study Redly. This is at least a beginning. Our college populations are probably ten times what they were when I attended and maybe more than that when compared to 1939. So few went to college during the depression.
The results will be as good as the method and selection of criteria for catagories. The methodology should include all students,not just those who live on campus.
George
If you are going to the courthouse to look at property records for the plats, try to go back a hundred years. I don’t know if the records have been microfilmed, so it might be a chore. The old method was very large bound volumes about 24 x 36 inches and hand posted. I have spent many hours doing this type of work. If you have a digital camera and they will give you permission, there may be some records that you could photo to have for a reference.
Rose7
In regards to Blinks reply to your post on Nov.4th about the elevations. I have just downloaded the new Google Earth ver. 6.1. This new version gives everyone a lot better view since a lot of photos are good down to 2.5 meters instead of the 15 formally used. The new version also incorporates a method to draw a path on a photo and then produce a profile of the ground along the path. I plan to spend some time doing all the ground elevations along the various possible paths.
In regards to your question to me in you post of Nov. 7th. We really cannot determine if VSP has anyone in their sights as a person of interest. They have been very good about keeping most things to themselves. VSP may may have such a person, but cannot get enough facts to tie them to the abduction.
One thing that Blink recently mentioned was the fact the LT. Radar had retired. This bothers me because this is perhaps the most important case in his career. Did he retire because he is being told to back off of a direction in the investigation? This is very possible, but we will probably never know.
ATG-
he is retiring effective Dec. 1
B
Yes the news that Radar is retiring bothers the hell out of me as well.
Another unfortunate event in a series of continuing unfortunate events for our shiny girl.
I can only pray that some one new with a fresh unjaded perspective will replace him
I refuse to leave Morgan dead and cold and all alone in the hay field
I swear to God I will stay close to her and keep her in my heart my thoughts and my prayers until the day Justice is finally found for Morgan …..until my last breath if need be and there are many more like me.
Blessings and peace to all of the kind souls at BOC.
Thank you Blink. More power to and peace to the Harringtons.
I suspect that the investigative funding for Morgan’s case ran out a year ago or so. If so, is it possible to apply the reward money to collect and analyze DNA samples (as was suggested) from the witnesses, the security group, the concert workers, and the residents around the area where Morgan’s body was found? This might lead to a relative of Sketch. Duke
Hi Edward, there were so many independent witnesses to Morgan hitchhiking that its impossible to deny it happened. For me the question always was: how can someone who moves in the spotlights for such a long time in such obvious desperation go without help for so long? Is society that degraded? We are not talking about someone getting lost in the forest.
I try to read everyone s opinion and on the Hook its suggested that LE did not help Morgan because of how she was dressed and behaved but I could have read it wrong for all its twists n turns. For this there is NO proof as far as I know but that would be one possible answer. Another answer can be she violently refused any offer for help but that would raise alarm and prompt somone to call 9 11. Refusing help from an officer for example is sure to get you into trouble.
Another reason I can think of, is if you have a stalker talking to all interactees he basically scares of all well intentioned people around but we heared no witnesses that seen such a person.
The worst explanation is ‘ we cannot babysit everyone’. The key difference here is that Morgan was solo and not in the stereotypical group of drunk students. In any normal person this creates a sense of responsibility.
It kinda leaves 1 explanation, namely that Morgan was confident of having found a way home (thru someone at the parking lot?). Or acted in a way that seemed she was gonna be allright. The BBP could tell us more about that.
Still.. should we really exclude JPJ, the parkinglot etc as having been the places of first contact with a killer? Was it a random person in a car? That kinda leaves us clueless.
I think the attention on this case is what brings it to conclusion please do not give up however you feel to eachother.
is it official that the familial dna tests are finished with zero results? i hope the estate of morgan is scheduling depos as we speak.its the depo that you want ,absolutely regardless of anything else,get those statements under oath.and then start to unravel the truth. and the harringtons have every right in the world to find out what happened to their daughter at the door of jpja,especially with all the stories that swirled,and all the security gone wrong stories in the news.
Interesting comments Susanm. Who do you think would be the best people to depose at this time?
Hi Amy
I try to put myself there, in observation of the events unfolding.
This young gal is out of control and security knows it. She is locked out of the concert. She is lip injured. Now she is working her way around various people and later out onto the parking lot. This is where her bag is later found.
Lots of people see Morgan hitchiking >?? Well of course, after all they had already been watching her acting out. So is security. How many girls do we see hitchhiking in this area ? Lots ? None? In my area a gal hitchhiking is a rare event.
Males in view of her have their eye on her hitchiking for sure. Why I discount it? she would not be hitchiking very long because some perv will burn his tires off to get her in his car. There is no doubt in my mind about that. So who witnessed that ? Nobody.
Some said she went inside a building with some players.. and another women said she witnessed Morgan coming out of the same building later. Her dress code was what made the woman observe her. I have to assume because of her dress code and demeanor security was well aware of her..watching her every move. It looks like One of them had a vehicle and made the decision to pick the girl up. She must have been drugged out of her mind.
I Think that both the trip into the building happened and also the pick up of a drugged up Blonde hitchiker. Multiple people had encounters with Morgan.. The security guards know where every camera is located and where in location is “Out Of The Way” of other viewers and cameras.
No matter how many times I go over this in my mind I see multiple males attacking Morgan.
So what do you think ?
I feel the same way you do Hummingbird.
How can Rader retire now? So disappointing.
Edward
Your have put forth some scenes that may very well fit Morgan. I have always believed that Morgan was involved with multiple males, two or three.
Unfortunately our society has learned to pay attention to young women who dress in the least bit provocatively. I saw Marie Osmond appear on the Mike Huckaby show dressed very similar to the way Morgan was described. She was covered by the leggings, but her skirt was about eight inches long. Marie is almost fifty, but she still looked stunning.
Young women want to be noticed, so they dress in that manner. The problem is males who stalk venues like JPJA just looking for an opportunity to “hook-up” with a beautiful woman. Some don’t care if the woman is willing or not, they will force the issue. This is why it is so important that young women go in two’s and three’s and look after one another. And, in Morgan’s case there was a young man in her party that miseably failed his duty to look after her well being. IMO he should be questioned by LE for days on end. Of course, that could not be done since his family hired an attorney.
The real problem with Morgan is that no one took the necessary steps to aid a young woman that was drugged and hurt. The story about the hitch hiking on Copley bridge is false IMO. This was promoted by UVA so they would not be responsible for her being on their property.
The event management company is named in the lawsuit, but I am hopeful that something will be uncovered to point to the security company and perhaps UVAPD to get some leads to the actual perps.
I just came across this link, http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jan/21/suspect-sketch-released-fairfax-abduction-attempt-ar-789824/. Has this been looked at?
Yes, right after it happened, he has not been caught.
B
IF Morgan was seen HH on the bridge by, I believe Maggie V. and her father, then her father had to have passed the perp/s on the bridge or the road, because she was gone only a few minutes later on his way back over the bridge….? He would have passed them no matter which direction they were headed. Either going or coming. right?
Voth room clocked at 9:23PM
B
alexandra
How long is a few minutes ?
Edward wrote:
Some said she went inside a building with some players
I never read that but suspected it, makes a lot of sense especially since the practice area is close or inside JPJ (we can get you back in thru that door excuse).
Also I am glad someone finally writes how reality is, she would definately be noticed and not because men are evil but because of human nature. Most offers would be sincere maybe all of them but how do you choose who to trust, i d say an authority figure. Even if Morgan chose to walk from point A to point B she would be noticed possibly harassed by people. And we know she tried to interact with them… Security has enough experience to know this and would gladly call a cab or if they dont like you get a cop to be sure to be rid of responsibility.
With these parameters to think of a random perp is a dangerous guess imo
Only her face and hands were not covered, thats modestly dressed imo. To discount the HH we would need information its impossible to deny more then 4 witnesses. Unless they are all on the same payroll (insert disclaimer)
It would be interesting to note which LE officers got dismissed or left in the course of the investigation altho this train of thought has to carry a disclaimer label (too slanderous etc).
Information is just information until you start accusing specific persons. Long toes and lawyering up in a murder investigation is overreacting imo!
Hope there is real progress soon.
About the multiple males theory: I think 2 Caucasian men that share a common history (army or athletics) and they can present in a very professional manner so they are trusted.
But there are no witnesses that saw Morgan get help from 2 authority figures. All the information holds together as a random event with HH and a killer that passed by in the few minutes she stood there.
Although not directly related to this case, Morgan’s kidnapping etc. seems to have some similarity to the recent Penn State scandal.
In the Penn State case, multiple “good people” either looked the other way or “passed the buck”. This resulted in delayed prosecution and several addition child rapes. I think something similar happened with Morgan. Multiple “good people” assumed that someone else would take care of Morgan. I don’t think the basketball players are bad people, a suspect the security people were doing their jobs, the guys in the golf cart most likely had no ill will toward Morgan. They all just assumed that someone else would help her.
Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people these days just assume that someone else will handle difficult situations.
I don’t comment too often because I don’t feel I have much to offer, but there are some posts I just cannot ignore and Edward’s is one of them. I don’t think anything is accomplished by misstating what has been said by purported witnesses. Now I’m guessing Edward is repeating what he thinks he remembers, but I don’t recall having read anything about Morgan Harrington being seen entering a building with “players”, meaning basketball players I assume. Norma Parson, a local newspaper deliverer believes she saw Morgan leaving a student room located on the lawn with 3 males. I don’t remember the exact time, but her sighting was sometime after 2:00 a.m. Another student said the occupant of that particular room was a female student (lawn rooms have single residents.) After leaving the student room, Ms. Parson said the young woman and the 3 males entered a building also located on the lawn. For some reason, and I do not know why, LE apparently has not put much stock in Ms. Parson’s sighting. I have no idea whether or not the young woman was Morgan. Ms. Parson also said that she has seen the same young men on grounds since that sighting. Now, do I know that these young men were not members of the basketball team? Absolutely not. If they were, they would have reconnected with Morgan later in the night/early morning because LE has stated members of the team had another event to attend after they left practice. Now, as for Ms. Parson identifying the individuals, members of any college sports team are the least anonymous of students. If Mrs. Parson had any suspicion that the young men were members of the basketball team, she did not need LE to show her pictures. She could have gone on the Virginia Sports website and looked at the roster. Even at this late date, she probably can access the 2009 roster through Google. Now, my memory could be off, but I believe 2 players were suspended from the team. One was for academic reasons fairly early in the season and another was suspended very near the end for blowing off classes. Another player was suspended for several games right at the beginning of the season for violating team rules. With a little effort, pictures of these players should be readily available on the internet even if they are not on the 2009 roster. If I were Ms. Parson, and I truly felt I had seen Morgan, and if I thought there was any chance the young men were as easily identified as accessing a team roster, I would have done so immediately. If I was absolutely sure of my identification after checking out the roster(s) and LE continued to ignore me, I would have gone to every news source available, and most certainly, Morgan’s family. Very lengthy, but my point is, it accomplishes nothing to misstate what has been said by either legitimate or wanna-be witnesses.
It has been reported that at least one member of LE did comment on Morgan’s attire that night, but when compared to other fans who were at the arena, I doubt that her clothes attracted that much attention. Not that unusual for a young woman at a concert. Unless she was acting really outrageous, I don’t think her attire alone would have come to the attention of security. Now, there’s no denying, she was a very striking young woman. From the wrong side of 40, even being female, I can say the same seems to apply to the majority of young college aged women. Read a little bit of envy on my part because I would have been part of the minority. I do think Morgan caught the attention of a pervert, not because of the way she was dressed, but because she was, at that moment, alone and female.
I have always thought that maybe Maggie Voth was the daughter of the father/daughter duo. Has that information been confirmed or is it only speculation?
The January 2011 kidnapping in Northern is very interesting. The sketch is not as detailed as from the Fairfax attack, and the outcome was far different, but the description sounds very similar and the age could be spot on. I have no doubt at all Morgan was on the bridge the night she was taken. I think she appeared to be hitchhiking, whether for real or witnesses’ misinterpretation of her actions. I don’t know whether she was taken from the bridge, from the parking lot, or whether she walked farther along Copeley Road, closer to Ivy Road/250. I do think that she could have been lured to a vehicle, and in her drunken/drugged or woozy state from the fall, her sense of fear was lessened. Perhaps as with the young woman who was fondled and then escaped, she was dragged into the car, or she could have gotten in willingly if the man seemed to be offering an opportunity to get out of the cold, damp weather. Being a pervert doesn’t always translate into looking scary, and in her state of mind that evening, Morgan could have made a decision she would have never made on any other night, the decision to get into a stranger’s car.
The father of the father/ daughter duo stopped at the 711 before returning across the bridge. The distance from the bridge to either Ivy Road or Massie Road is a matter of only seconds. Maybe a car on Copeley would have attracted his attention, but not if it had already turned onto Ivy/250 or Copeley. If the turn was made onto Ivy, heading toward Anchorage Farm, then the car would have headed in the opposite direction. The same could apply to the car with Morgan heading toward Massie. If the father went left, the car could have already turned right, or vice-a-versa.
MsL- Le discounted Parson account because there were no residents in that apt. Also, the dad stopped at 7-11 on his way back from dropping off, they were at two different times.
B
One additional piece of information by the student who commented, he said the female occupant of the room was not at home on the 17th. Now, I don’t know how common it is for students to leave their rooms unlocked, but years before, and perhaps an annual event, the lawn area was open to tours. One thing that struck me particularly, other than the lack of any sort of modern facilities in these highly prized rooms, was the number of students who had left their doors open while they were in class. Now I doubt that doors were standing open on a cold damp night, but I wonder how many students, separated from the regular dorms and a bit secluded, leave their doors unlocked.
Re Amy’s comment: I think there was a misconception early on that practice was held in the old U-Hall facility, not practice facilities at the arena. I think that theory has been debunked. I believe it was a Hook article that reported that some of the team members, after practice, exited the arena by the main entrance. The group who first made contact with Morgan, the BIB or MIB as referred to here early on, exited by the Massie Road entry. Both the men and women have complete practice courts in the arena separate from the playing/performance area of the arena.
GeorgiaDad
You have exposed a weakness in our moral compass where good people do not take responsibility to help in a potential or actual bad situation.
IMO everyone should look around themselves when in public places. If someone appears to be in trouble, then give them aid either by direcet aid or simply staying with them and calling for professional help from LE or medical personnel.
Correction to #18 above, I meant to write Ivy/250 or Massie Rd. Also, I’m not sure my point was clear if a car picked up Morgan, headed toward Massie. The car could have already made the turn onto Massie before the father came onto Copeley. I’ve never timed how long it takes to drive from Massie Road to Ivy Road via Copeley, but the time would probably be well short of a minute.
Since I am commenting, I would like to say a few things about Rader’s retirement. Actually, I’m stealing some of these thoughts from a commenter on the Hook site. Someone wrote that VSP officers can retire at age 50 after 25 years service. Think about what those officers go through during 25 years of service. Seeing what people do to each other either by accident or on purpose, day after day for all those years has to be numbing. What are the statistics on police officers reaching retirement age with their physical health, mental health and or family life intact? From what I’ve read, the statistics aren’t great. Hopefully, Lt. Rader isn’t a statistic but a man who has done his service loyally and made the decision that it is now time to move on to another phase in his life.
I’ve taken a few days off from reading- and sometimes contributing- here for the first time in nearly two years. I’ve been following the Penn State scandal closely- although that’s not why I took a break- and have recognized the similarities between what happened there and what could be at play in Morgan’s case.
First of all, universities are revenue generating machines. Penn State is a brand (lily white, no major NCAA violations, success with honor, etc.) which has become synonymous with it’s now former head coach Joe Paterno who roamed the sidelines (and the press box) for 61 years, some of which was an assistant. That brand is tarnished now due to the horrific events that have come to light over the past week. Penn State University is liable for the victims and their family members’ lives that this sick individual has ruined due to inaction on the part of several officials of the university and Joe Paterno himself. I am glad that they have made the correct moves in removing those involved, although I suspect that they will part ways with all of the football staff pre-2002 (when the victimization was first reported to Paterno). I am still a bit suspicious as to the timing of all of this. Paterno, after last weekend’s victory, became the all-time winningest coach in the history of major college football at 84.
My point is, the University of Virginia has a carefully crafted brand like few others: rated as THE top public university in the US; a venerable honor code; and, a respectable history in modern collegiate athletics (ironically, former football coach George Welsh is a disciple of Joe Paterno) with top notch facilities and it was founded by THE architect of our great republic.
I really believe that there with the lack of video footage, the delays in the first forty-eight hours after Morgan’s disappearance, and the fact that we are seeing the Harringtons pursue a civil case against a UVA vendor, which is merely for answers, that there has been wrangling regarding course of action behind the scenes at the highest levels of the university.
If this is all smoke and mirrors by LE, then kudos to them for pulling a fine coup; I don’t care if it means apprehending the perpetrators of Morgan’s crime. However, I do stand by my assertions that UVA, like Penn State and all other revenue generating universities, will do anything to protect the brand, particularly when its founder is a Founding Father. Paterno and Penn St. officials are expendable, but is the iconic symbol of this great university and what he represents expendable?
Moral turpitude can be rationalized when the cause (in this case the brand) is at stake.
I meant to say, ‘I don’t care’ as long as ‘it means apprehending’…
In this case there is a grey foggy moment in time “a few minutes” where people are viewing Morgan for various reasons and when Morgan disappears into the night. I do not believe this went unwitnessed.
I did not trust security, the ball players or the coaches then or now and Penn state shows us that good people will stand by and even watch, apparently with their eyes closed. They say nothing because of comradery “A sense of belonging to something bigger”
I could also say that I have seen many do this over the years.
Some good and some bad..They all do the same thing.
People who are involved with Corporations.. Sports.. Prison Inmates.. Police.. Military.. Gangs.. Volunteer organizations and even various Religeous Organizations and last but not least Governments, even our own. many times.
So do I think this plays a part in clearly seeing who picked up Morgan ? Yes
Her death is an brutal explanation point. It has a sense of arrogance to it. Yet those that witnessed that critical moment live in silence now.
Alexandra, Texas Grandfather, Amy, MsL and Blink ..
You are all awesome in your thoughts and research.
There are various cases that eat at me and this is one of them.
I will go back and refresh, as my thoughts are from the beginning and in these last few posts from all of you I feel more up to date concerning the situation with the players as well as Ms.Parsons.
My first thoughts were on security .. still is.
We have good reasons for that in early research in my opinion.
There are preditors from all walks of life and there is prey.
Preditors seek Prey.. A easy victim.
Security or the perception of security by Morgan, absolutely.
B
I think that MsL makes a good point about the type of person that Morgan could have felt safe enough to get in their car. While I believe in her case, it was likely someone who was in a position of authority, e.g. security, real or perceived, she could have, out of desperation due to the elements, the crappy night she was having already, and being in a state where her guard was generally down/ judgment impaired, gotten into a vehicle with Joe Driver aka Bad Guy(s).
Also, why would LE discount Parsons’ story just because no one occupied that space on the Lawn? That would not necessarily prevent someone from actually entering the space for whatever purpose, occupied or unoccupied. Did I misinterpret something?
Some misconceptions about this site and the DNA source:
We kinda speculate that if the DNA is solely from Morgan s shirt this would or could be part of the plant. If so this would be enforced by the fact that this DNA would not be found on Morgan s other items (in the lot) and or on AF.
IF this is a fact is never officially confirmed (?). Therefore there was no interference with an investigation. As for now its speculation. Personally I feel Sketch could or would be made involved.
But consider that he seem volatile and impulsive, a lot about this seems planned and chillingly thought out so there is a difference in temperament IMHO. DNA is not gospel.
MsL wrote:
Both the men and women have complete practice courts in the arena separate from the playing/performance area of the arena.
Thereby making it easy to suggest they would be able to enter the Playing area (which may in fact be possible). Also must be very noisy during practice?
In fact maybe just maybe (the Parson story or similar) Morgan indeed was fine up to a point where the persons she trusted snapped or showed their true faces. I remember reading about a wedding at the Parson sighting would the guests have noticed people in black loitering or partying close by? I ask because this is not a normal sight even on a weekend (as far as I can discern). For all I know its a regular party spot but I remember reading about it being a strange sight.
Actually UVa is tied with UCLA for the #2 spot of public universities in the latest US News and World Report ranking. The University of California at Berkeley is #1. UVa has slipped from #17 to #25 overall (public and private) in the past few years, which is cause for concern.
What is really disturbing is that a lot of questions are not only not being discussed – the large and small questions are even being asked. Is there a cover-up going on within UVa? I don’t know. I do know I would not drop off a load of young teenagers at the UVa-owned JPJ Arena with the RMH security people on the job. I know I would not feel right having a 20-year old niece attending an event at the arena unless she was in the company of a really straight-up, trustworthy young man. Before Morgan’s murder and Yeardsley Love’s murder I would not have thought twice about doing either.
Was Morgan found with or without stockings? A searcher found a pair of black tights near Mt. in Crozet but they were never turned in? Or the searcher’s report went unattended?
The T Shirt was not there before it was found. The street at 15th and Grady is too open. It was draped on a bush, planted. IMO
Was it someone(s) who interacted with her or did a predator/stranger happen upon her on the bridge out of nowhere? It has to be either or. How can we or anybody do a process of elimination? I think it needs to be done. They already have someones DNA. Why can’t they progress?
Who’s in charge of the investigation? Why can’t we, the public, get answers? I don’t get it.
i have only driven over copely road once but it struck me that some areas of it not far from the bridge, are really kind of desolate places where you could grab someone and be gone before anyone saw or heard anything. imho it is unlikely morgan willingly entered the suspect’s vehicle unless he pretended to be LE. sounds like sketch has evolved from his fairfax days, from lying in wait along deserted pathways and physically dragging victims to seclusion, to trolling and grabbing off deserted street then driving to more secluded spot. or, he could have seen her driving by, maybe (or maybe not) tried unsuccessfully to lure her, then driven to a spot ahead of her, parked the car nearby and laid in wait, snatched her up and forced her into the vehicle. but i can;t see even an intoxicated girl getting talked into a car willingly at that hour and place, …which brings up that jan 2011 nova abduction attempt…suspect was driving a dark sedan, (mistakable for an unmarked police car?)lured the girl in close and then grabbed her. it sounds like she had a chance to escape somewhere where there were people nearby to run to. but as i remember copely road, (could be wrong, only been there once) it just gets less and less populated as you drive away from the bridge. nowhere to jump out, no one to run to even if morgan was able to run or aware of the danger she was in. but i could see this being the same guy, definitely. hope LE is hammering on that 2011 abduction attempt.
also anybody else wondering if there is a connection with cassandra morton a few weeks before morgan disappeared, and with holly bobo, lauren speirer and other 3 blonde girls getting snatched up this year? they’ve been disappearing about once every 6 weeks since holly disappeared spring 2011. lots of similarities in times and locations.
please God LE catches whoever is doing these things. be careful out there people.
Thank you for the kind words George.
You have changed you mind about the safety of JPJA because of the security concerns. I personally would not let any group of young women attend such a location without a mature male in the party. I am talking about a father or uncle or an older brother by more than five years.
Yes, young women want their independence and they deserve it, but there are occasions where independence needs to be suspended for safety reasons. This IMO was definately one of those occasions.
so i live in know-whereville in tri cities tn i was at a gas station and this gas station is our grayhound stop anyway a few months ago i saw a man looking a lot like scetch out side the gas station well i wasnt sure and didnt get a real good look and left it at that anyway last week i was in the gas station and sitting at the tables was that man he had like a duffle bag with him but did not at all appear homeless anyway i know he saw me looking at him i walked past him to the back of the store to get a soda and when i turned around again he was gone something else strange there was a woman in the store now dont no if the two where together or not buying a bunch of food items who if u were to add 15 years or so and 60 lbs looked alot like morgan i called the tip line the next day just hoping because the store has video camers but know one got back to me…anyway the areas here are just like the area morgans body was found i checked and its 5 hrs from here and charlottesville va what does everyone think?
wow sorry for the mis- spells
we got obama ,on our side . in his speech last night , when asked about penn state , he commented that there were also women being abducted and attacked on college campuses. i have been working up something poignant to post on “black and missing-cassandra morton”,if these cases are connected , it would be a match made in lovely bones heaven.————minney penney,re-garding lawsuit depos, everyone should be interviewed,can you suopena the entire human resource files,a gal on the hook said ,she observed sketchy security behavior at the arena that night ,says she reported it ,and was under the impression, it was thought to not be connected.it was the _dreaded,hated -lawsuit word that solved the case of the vanishing blonde ,the hotel insuarance company hired a pi to help prove the hotel was not liable in the event of a lawsuit , ONLY BECAUSE ,le shared the case files(very rare happening ,maybe that’s an area, rights groups could lobby, and make a change) ,was the pi able to solve the case,he had to beg for the right to scutinize the hotel security tapes at a hotel board meeting ,the board took a vote,as to whether or not they wanted to go that far ,it came down to money ,the board almost voted no,it would cost more money to find out who abducted and raped her, than it would to just pay her money in a lawsuit. thank god for the pi and the le that let him have the the files and the board who voted to let him have the tapes .
ATG- I have wrote a response to one of your posts a while back but kept forgetting to send it. Now I can’t even remember what it was about! Oh wait- Ann Pressly-
I still haven’t been able to figure out exactly when the DNA from the rape in Marianna was processed.
For some reason I think that it was still waiting to be entered into CoDiS when Ann was attacked. I believe it was expedited. Someone must have said “do we have any unsolved rapes in the state that the DNA hasn’t been tested yet?” someone said yes, they pushed it to the top of the list, it matched Ann’s attacker and they went down to Marianna. (all of this is in my opinion, I don’t know for fact)
But it is of public record that once it was determined to be a match they went down and asked the Marianna PD if they had any suspects in mind. Vance was mentioned, they asked him for a voluntary DNA sample alas a match as well.
The problem is that we do not know how many rape or murder cases are sitting in waiting to be entered into CoDiS. Maybe not any in VA (although we know it took a while to link FFX to Morgan)
But what about other states?
Marianna is a tiny town in Arkansas. It had been six months (give or take) and thedna hadn’t Been tested.
Very possible that Sketch has attacked before or since in another state and DNA hasn’t been entered Ito CoDiS yet.
Ive been screaming this for over a year now.
We do not know whose in CoDIS and who is not.
Why this isn’t a huge issue being demanded answers on is beyond me.
There is absolutely no way for us to know how many rape kits haven’t been processed throughout the country.
There is also no way for the public to feel confident that the CoDiS system/database is maintained by all parties.
Just because we hear of times it has worked, doesn’t mean it’s the norm.
Does anyone agree with me?!!!!
Sorry for snark. Rainy crappy day
Dr. pepper,
From what I have read, the backlog on dna testing and then submission into the state database (which then goes into codis) is many many months, in some places up to two years. I don’t think Virginia is particularly behind the average, but is not particularly ahead of it either. It is a problem, but the simple fact is that the jurisdictions lack the money to hire extra technicians to run the tests faster. The police submit lots of samples to be tested as you can imagine. They have to be run properly, in compliance with strict chain of custody and testing procedures or they won’t be admissible in court down the road. I am afraid there is not much we can do about it. They do try to put certain tests in the front of the line — for instance when they apply to unsolved murders and other violent crimes, but the amount is still overwhelming. Couple of good links on the system and what is included.
http://www.dna.gov/dna-databases/software
http://www.dna.gov/dna-databases/levels/
http://www.dna.gov/dna-databases/ndis/
Redly- thanks for the links- I think I actually posted those or similar links on here last year.
I know that there is an enormous backlog and I understand the reasoning behind it.
But that answer isn’t good enough for me. There needs to be a law that all violent crimes are to be analyzed and tested & submitted to CODiS within a certain time frame. Period.
If its not possible, let’s find an effing way.
But if it were me and I was raped and the person who attacked me was out there still- id just assume LE had already processed the DNA etc. but I wouldn’t have that comfort until when…whenever they got around to testing my
samples?
There’s a problem. A big one. Fix it.
This is something I’d vote to increase my taxes on.
We put a man on the moon for God’s sake.
I feel sor
Redly- pls don’t think that snark was aimed at you. It was aimed at the situation that we as citizens hav absolutely no control over
Dr. Pepper and Redly
Both of your posts are unfortunately true. Having worked with various sheriff departments in Texas trying to get them up to speed in using computers and networks, I have witnessed the lack of funds and understanding of how to make the most of what was available.
The AFIS and CODIS data bases are not kept up to date in most states. Finding the funds to perform DNA tests at a reasonable cost is difficult. Only the very high profile cases are getting the needed attention.
The state of Kansas has found a way to do DNA in house for about thirty dollars per test. This is being done with automated equipment. This is far below the average cost of over one hundred dollars. This thirty dollar figure is one reported by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. This may not be the real total cost. It just may be the automated machine operating cost. Real costs such as accounting for the capital cost of the machine or technicians time may not be included.
The real problem with the Ann Pressly case was the perp was allowed out on bail after he raped a school teacher in Forrest City, Arkansas. The public is going to have to demand that anyone arrested for rape will be denied bail and kept off the street until trial.
A young female student at UVA made a breakthrough in processing DNA
from rape kits that cuts the time down from over thirty hours to four hours and now she is working to get down to two. The problem is often contaminated DNA that is difficult to process.
Speaking of CODIS, does anyone know if CODIS runs across countries such as Canada? I’m still here reading and not posting because I am still pondering how it was that Morgan walked around and around that night, people asking her if she needed any help and the only people that she chose to talk to about taking her somewhere – the basketball players – had somewhere else to go and left her standing there.
It CAN, but it is not automatic. An interpol equivalent of a request or warrant can facilitate that rather easily though.
B
Snark alert: You all knew there would eventually be a link between the Penn State tragedy and UVA, right? This article wonders if UVA needs to improve its background checks. Ya think?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/940467-penn-state-scandal-virginias-offer-to-jerry-sandusky-shows-depth-of-cover-up
Theresa Sullivan, I do not know how you adequately examine past behaviors at your school, and its venues, and its venues’ vendors, but for the love of God you need to find a way to make everyone come clean.
Off-topic, except for location and lacrosse: An un-named UVA lacrosse 4th year who was making a left turn from Copley onto Ivy Rd hit a cyclist two nights ago. It’s unclear who was at fault and the cyclist is in critical condition. All the articles mention what an active intersection this is, seems impossible it wasn’t more active on Oct 17, 2009.
newsplex.com
dailyprogress.com
nbc29.com
Nice to see you acho- yes, lol, I knew it was coming. I am positive I remember another cyclist killed in a similar fashion, and I think someone in a wheel chair?
B
It CAN, but it is not automatic. An interpol equivalent of a request or warrant can facilitate that rather easily though.
B
—————————-
Well now begs the question Blink, has anyone done that? I know that you don’t know the answer but holy moses, it needs to be done to see if “sketches” DNA could be anywhere else in the world.
To my knowledge for one to do that, it must be in the Federal arm of CODIS, and I have reason to believe that may not be the case, but I am working on confirming that directly.
B
Blink- I was hoping you had a chance to look at that info and you could help me move away from that train of thought.
Thanks
I promise to get to it as soon as I can, I cannot tell you what my office is like at the moment, no exaggeration.
B
acho says:
November 16, 2011 at 8:27 am
Snark alert: You all knew there would eventually be a link between the Penn State tragedy and UVA, right? This article wonders if UVA needs to improve its background checks. Ya think?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/940467-penn-state-scandal-virginias-offer-to-jerry-sandusky-shows-depth-of-cover-up
Theresa Sullivan, I do not know how you adequately examine past behaviors at your school, and its venues, and its venues’ vendors, but for the love of God you need to find a way to make everyone come clean.
________________________________________________-
Not sure what it has to do with the quality of UVA’s background checks. He had not been arrested and it seems apparent there was a cover up of any issues he may have had. He didn’t actually get an offer as suggested by that article but was certainly in the running. He had three interviews so they were seriously considering him. Mark Richt was the first choice but turned down the job. Al Groh then took it. Sandusky may have been third but was not offered. Thank goodness, as he would have brought his poison to charlottesville and, in addition, may well have destroyed the program entirely as UVA doesn’t have the penn state football brand. It does show you how scummy Paterno is though. He would have certainly been asked for his recommendation of sandusky and obviously did not warn them away. It is also rumored that penn state contacted the agent for the current UVA coach, Mike London, to explore his interest in the job when they decided to fire paterno. London is an ex-cop and disciplinarian and perhaps that it what they are looking for.
Well, the Penn State scandal has proved to me that we can dispense with the “it can’t happen here” mentality we all have concerning our local institutions.
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/Limestone-College-Instructor-Arrested-for-Engaging-in-Sex-Acts-with-Child-133775448.html
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/16/us/south-carolina-citadel-abuse/
In regards to the CODIS data base access to other countries. Unless the rules of access have changed, the access is first to state data base, then FBI and then it requires a special approved access via the FBI link to go outside the US. The same process is required for finger prints on AFIS to connect to INTERPOL or another countries’ data.
The Texas link is to the DPS data center via a secure state owned network (not the internet), then from that a link to the FBI and the FBI controls the remaining necessary links.
I would think that other states would have similar procedures.
Mary
I read about the one you linked as well. It can happen at any point in time. The problem that all of us face IMO is the lack of transparency in the activities of our educational system in this country. All it takes is an individual or group of individuals to do something that is unlawful and then take the steps to keep it from the public and LE.
The taxpayers in every town, city, county and state are going to have to become aware of the potential for bad acts and put in place methods and processes to make it very difficult for these types of things to happen.
The penalties for this type of crime, including those who aid in a cover up are going to have to be made substantial. Large numbers of years of incarcaration and big fines both individually and to an institution that allows it to happen.
The first step is to remove all LE activities associated with school administrations from K12 and colleges and universities. The county sheriff should have jurisdiction over all schools in a county. The people should demand that each county provide trained officers to specifically monitor all school events.
Our founding fathers empowered the duly elected sheriff’s with those powers. Gradually over time, this power has been destroyed by both well meaning individuals and some that wanted power and control.
Many K-12 school districts in Texas now have their own police that report to the school administrators. This is poor procedure IMO. Too much temptation to shade the truth when things happen that affect a school’s reputation.
ATG … ( check – Like ).