Morgan Harrington Murder: FBI, Metallica and Virginia State Police Ask You To Help Them Find Her Killer
Morgan Harrington disappeared from the John Paul Jones arena on October 17, 2009. Morgan’s remains were located and recovered the morning of January 26, 2010 on the Anchorage Farm in Charlottesville, VA.
Reported exclusively on www.blinkoncrime.com, Morgan’s alleged attacker was tied via DNA to a sexual assault in Fairfax, VA in September 2005.
With the help of a multi media campaign, the FBI, Virginia State Police and Fairfax Police are asking for the publics help to catch her killer.
Revised Sketch of Harrington Suspect
Metallica offered this public service announcement:
Metallica Statement On Harrington Case
FBI Press Release:
Authorities Launch Multimedia Campaign in Morgan Harrington Murder Case
Murder Suspect Linked by DNA to Sexual Assault in Fairfax City, Virginia
| FBI Washington June 13, 2012 |
Today, federal, state, and local law enforcement launched a multimedia campaign that includes two enhanced composite sketches of a suspect in the 2009 murder of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington. The unknown murder suspect is also connected by DNA to a 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax City, Virginia.
Authorities recently enhanced the composite sketch created in 2005 from a description by the sexual assault victim. One of the composites shows the suspect with facial hair, as the suspect was described at the time of the attack. The second composite sketch features him without facial hair.
The two attacks were connected through DNA after a forensic profile was submitted by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to the FBI’s national DNA database. The search found that the suspect in the Harrington murder investigation matched the DNA profile of the attacker in Fairfax City.
The multimedia campaign includes a public service announcement by Metallica lead guitarist James Hetfield appealing to the public to come forward with information concerning the Morgan Harrington investigation. The composite sketches of the suspect are being featured on bus shelters in Washington, D.C., as well as on digital billboards in Richmond, Virginia; Roanoke, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and in 23 other states along the East Coast. Social media outreach and alerts via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, along with a website dedicated to the Harrington case were also launched Wednesday. Podcasts are now available on iTunes, and radio spots are airing to further raise awareness of the ongoing investigation. The multi-pronged effort is designed to develop new leads and renew the public’s attention in the attacks. The campaign implements techniques similar to those that have led to the arrests of the East Coast Rapist as well as Ten Most Wanted fugitive James “Whitey” Bulger.
The Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Morgan Harrington’s murder. In addition, the band Metallica is adding $50,000 to the reward, for a total of $150,000.
Morgan Harrington Murder
On the evening of Saturday, October 17, 2009, Harrington attended a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena on the University of Virginia (UVA) campus in Charlottesville, Va. At approximately 8:30 p.m., she left the arena and was unable to re-enter the facility. She was last seen 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 and was wearing a distinctive Swarovski crystal necklace made of large crystal chain links, which investigators have yet to recover. Harrington’s “Pantera” T-shirt was found on November 11, 2009, in front of a row of apartments along 15th Street, NW near Grady Avenue in Charlottesville. Harrington’s skeletal remains were later discovered on January 26, 2010, in a remote field on an Albemarle County, Virginia farm along Route 29. A camera that Harrington had in her possession that night has never been recovered.
Sexual Assault in Fairfax City, Virginia
On the evening of Saturday, September 24, 2005, a 26-year-old victim was walking home from the Giant Food Store located on the 3700 block of Jermantown Road in Fairfax City, Virginia. The suspect grabbed the victim from behind as she walked down Rock Garden Drive toward her residence. He then carried the victim to a grassy area behind a maintenance shed, where he sexually assaulted her. The suspect was last seen running from the area.
The suspect is described as an African-American male with black hair and facial hair at the time of the attack. He is approximately 6’0” tall and was believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35 years old at the time of the attack.
The public is asked to review this information and consider whether they know someone who generally fits this description, who lived or had ties to the area around the times of the assaults, or who may have been known to spend considerable amounts of time in those areas.
People who know the suspect may not believe that he is capable of committing these crimes. He may not necessarily have a violent criminal history. Because investigators are in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, citizens should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.
The following agencies are cooperating in the investigation of these crimes: the Virginia State Police, City of Fairfax Police, University of Virginia Police, Charlottesville Police, Albemarle County Police, Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Virginia Tech Police Department, George Mason Police Department, and the FBI.
Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Virginia State Police Tip line at 434-352-3467.
Press Contacts:
Virginia State Police
(804) 263-5547
City of Fairfax Police Department
(703) 273-2889
FBI Richmond Field Office
(804) 261-1044
FBI Washington Field Office
(202) 278-3519
Related Posts
Related Posts:
1,714 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Ragdoll thanks very much for giving me a pep talk as only you could, having been there yourself
“Pardon me, amigo. What is this chili deal?” (great movie RG)
Please Dont take offense to RGs words She is the epitome of kindness and integrity
Most wont understand what she was talking about but I assure you she meant no harm.
She was speaking in generalities to anyone who may have hidden agendas… to those who are more about dividing and inciting than uniting and allaying
“Let’s unite our resolves”
“United we stand and divided we fall.”
AJMO
Peace
Why have we avoided looking into the BBP? We looked at everyone else. The 2009 roster is available. We’ve just always avoided them by name. Can’t we look?
I never heard of this case before this morning, but a 16 years old from West Virginia, Skylar Neese, has been missing since july. Her dissapearance might not have anything to do with Morgan’s case but the number of missing or murdered women, in Virginia, is incredibly high. What is going on there? Seriously!
I have a question. If Morgan was abducted from the lot at approximately 9:30, and the Granny sighting was around 9:30 but was NOT her abduction, then what was it?
Tango says:
October 26, 2012 at 8:31 am
I have a question. If Morgan was abducted from the lot at approximately 9:30, and the Granny sighting was around 9:30 but was NOT her abduction, then what was it?
__________________________________________
someone other than morgan
Or the timing is off.
Or that slap was Morgan’s phone landing on the ground, knocking out the battery.
We don’t know what time she was abducted from the lot, but we DO know when her phone had the power source removed.
I stand by Granny and her notice of the earring nobody got right but her.
B
the person who abducted and murdered Morgan will know exactly where she was taken. This will be intimate knowledge that only that person will know and wont have the excuse of hearing it in the newspaper. (if she wasnt last seen where they are publicly saying she was) AJMO
Every time I come to this site I see Sketch and I look closely at him (left, right, left…) and I feel like I see him around town.
Me too Olivia
Olivia and Alexandra keep your eyes open. You are probably more in tune now to notice who it is you noticed. Your brain is now more trained I would think than someone elses who may pass him on the street.
If Granny saw Morgan and a male in a struggle and even said to them “don’t do anything you’ll regret”, then she must have been able to identify the male person in the arm-lock struggle. At least if he was black or white. Granny said it “seemed” as if they knew each other.
It was around 9:30…(?) she was “seen” in a struggle with a male person and then she is brutally murdered. If granny saw all this, it is likely that he had something to do with what happened to Morgan.
Thinking of Morgan today……..
Ode, I will “stay tuned.” Alexandra, you will too, I’m sure. I THINK that B said a while ago that she did not believe that the man Morgan was struggling with in the parking lot (if it WAS Morgan) had anything to do with her murder. I don’t know what her reasons were for saying/thinking that but I took note of it at the time. Morgan’s phone went dead in the parking lot probably near where the battery was found (?), but she was not necessarily abducted at that point. I guess the “Granny scenario” would work like this: Morgan leaves the bridge about 9:25 and somehow gets into a spat with a man near Granny. He knocks the battery out of her phone about 9:30. A bit later she is abducted by someone near or in the parking areas who SAW her at the RV lot/bridge, and returned her things there in order to make it seem that she was abducted on or near the bridge. Perhaps to throw suspicion towards the basketball players and the others around her at 9:15 or so. Or perhaps she returned to the RV lot to retrieve something that she had left behind or to go to the bathroom,and he attacked her then.
What a bad, bad night. If everything we know happend to Morgan up unitl she left the arena, and then a physical altercation in the parking lot with a male person, IF Granny did in fact see Morgan, (seems like she did) occured before she was abducted by someone else? IDK. The male witnessed by Granny, started to walk off and then turned around again, towards Morgan, and they left together. THEN another person abducted her? IDK what to think.
The night just kept rolling, out of control, worse and worse.
Marie says:
October 26, 2012 at 6:16 am
I never heard of this case before this morning, but a 16 years old from West Virginia, Skylar Neese, has been missing since july. Her dissapearance might not have anything to do with Morgan’s case but the number of missing or murdered women, in Virginia, is incredibly high. What is going on there? Seriously!
_____________________________________________
You know that is a different state right?
prayin that everyone on the east coast,stays safe ,from the storm.alot of flooding already ,yikes!
West Virginia, Virginia, whatever. But seriously, Star City, W. Va. where she was last seen (northern West Virginia) is not near central Virginia. It’s practically on the Pennsylvania border right between the northern tip of Virginia and western Ohio.
Morgan’s bad night: was it simply bad luck or was it that her “bad luck” was partially engineered by someone at the arena or around the parking lots? Someone who lured her out of the arena or someone who would not let her back in or someone who followed her from the arena or someone who saw her abandoned at the RV lot…? There are many possibilities. But I doubt that she simply had bad luck.
@Redly
I didn’t know that. Thanks for pointing it out. I’m a Canadian: it’s hard enough to keep track of our provinces, never mind the US states! This being said, I still think that there are way too many unsolved dissapearances/murders in Virginia. Save the Next Girl really does serve a purpose…
My pleasure Marie. I am sure you know a lot more about US states than I do about Canadian provinces. One unsolved murder is one too many IMO. However, I am not sure that Virginia has more or less unsolved disappearances/murders per capita than your average state. In comparison to Canada, and to every other Western country for that matter, the US unfortunately has a lot of murders, solved and unsolved.
Looks like the civil suit has finally gotten going with the defendant filing its response. I doubt the motion to dismiss (demurrer in VA) or the motion to change venue will be granted and that they will have to wait for the summary judgment stage to have a reasonable shot of showing why the suit should fail.
Three years later, same circles, no answers. Conspiracy? Not a chance, VERY few (perhaps only one person) knows what happened post 9:30, the chance that multiple people involved is slim to none at this point, people slip up and talk and this isn’t happening.
—————-
Olivia says:
October 27, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Every time I come to this site I see Sketch and I look closely at him (left, right, left…) and I feel like I see him around town.
————————–
That’s because the sketch is incredibly generic, no fault of anyone specific, it is what it is, but its significance has to be weighted accordingly.
Hi all! Back after a lengthy delay. I injured my right hand and I wasn’t coordinated enough with my left to type, scroll, research etc. the pain is getting better so I decided to check in! Apparently I missed a little war! Glad to see everyone still seems intact!
Nothing really new to comment on except Alexandra’s comment about investigating the team/discussing them by name. The players still interest me just because of their proximity to Morgan that night and the fact that by being valuable college athletes they are sort of a protected class… Meaning UVA would be very willing to keep them as uninvolved with this case as possible even if that is detrimental to finding out what really happened to Morgan. I researched that team quite a bit. Up until a few moths ago UVA’s site had the roster for the 09-10 season and also included their hometowns/high schools. Much to my chagrin that is now gone. Only the roster is a available. I researched all the players from Virginia, noted their proximity to Fairfax and Charlottesville and just looked for anything that could remotely link to Morgan. I looked through those with public Facebook profiles and friends lists as well. No smoking gun was found. One player on the team did attend Fork Union Military academy which would give him a bit of familiarity with the area. There are actually quite a few UVA athletes that come from that school. It is heavily supported by Denise Lunsford(Albemarle County DA) as well as her family. Any UVA athletic links to that school always interest me simply because Blink has mentioned a time or two that Morgan’s killer may have some sort of military history as well as a familiarity with the landscape in that area. After digging and digging only one thing really stood out to me: the 09-10 team had a very rocky road. They seemed to be dropping like flies as people were coming and going from the team. It was really surprising to see how much change had occurred from that season to the next one. Assane Sene was suspended from several games post-Morgan. He stayed on the team and was finally kicked off his senior year. Jamil Tucker was a senior for the 09-10 and was kicked off for academic troubles. Calvin Baker was the not only a senior and co-captain when he abruptly left in March due to family issues. At that point Sylven Landsberg was also suspended due to academic reasons and he was the teams leading scorer. To say that is tumultuous is an understatement although it might not seem relevant to those who don’t follow college basketball. As a North Carolinian we take this sport very seriously especially when it comes to the UNC/ Duke rivalry. A co-captain (Baker) leaving willingly before the first round of the ACC tournament is just unfathomable and a huge deal to fans. You dont spend your whole life busting your ass to make it on a team , become a captain, and then leave before the ACC tournament during your senior year when you could very well be close to graduating from a top school and becoming a pro player. That would have also been a total “Et tu Brutus?” moment for the rest of their team since in essence a co-captain abandoned them at a crucial time. The buzz about Baker being unhappy with the team began on January 23 2010 when he did not play at an away game in NC. Rumors were swirling and many saw him as having an entitled attitude and not being a team player.He transferred from William and Mary to UVa because he wasnt getting enough playing time. He apparently was stubborn and had an awful attitude resulting in diminished playing time despite being a senior,a captain, and a good player.Those issues culminated right before the 24th for some reason and the coach wouldn’t let him travel with the team to play at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem NC. He did play after that but left for good in March to return to Newport News. At the time it was assumed that not only did he leave the team but that he didn’t even get his degree. The official reason was someone in his family was ill but due to the preceding events most didn’t buy that. That being said I don’t think any player is Sketch nor do I think any player killed or raped Morgan.Their ages and where they lived just don’t add up. I do think they were not honest about their contact that night. And given that a lot of those players were known/were later known to have moments where there were not upstanding citizens I can see one unwittingly putting Morgan in the path of Sketch if they did in fact give her a ride that night. So it would not surprise me if in the end Sketch was either a relative of a player or a friend/social acquaintance of a player especially since quite a few family members and friends were apparently visiting the team members that weekend. Obviously it is all speculation but Alexandra was interested in a more in depth analysis of the bbps so hopefully this information was useful/interesting in providing a clearer picture of the team and their dynamics during that 09-10 season. But keepingn in mind the athletics angle one interesting link I have often wondered about is if Sketch was employed in some way with either the athletics department/grounds/maintenance dept at James Madison in Fairfax and then later got a job at UVA. Also could he have been employed with the arena in Fairfax and later got a job at JPJ? Both scenarios bring the curtsey duo to mind.
Leelee…I assume you meant George Mason in Fairfax. (James Madison is in Harrisonburg)
From Cat, regarding my comment that I feel like I see Sketch around town:
“That’s because the sketch is incredibly generic, no fault of anyone specific, it is what it is, but its significance has to be weighted accordingly.”
Look, I’m aware of the ways that Sketch is “generic.” At the same time, the rapist/murderer(?) has very specific characteristics: roundness of face, large and long nose with VERY prominent nostrils, deep wrinkles around nose/mouth, large wide-set eyes with smallish irises, very short hair, etc. Plus we know his approximate height and likely large or chubby and muscular frame. To me, this is less “generic” than you might think. I pass black men all the time who do NOT look like Sketch.
Thanks for catching the JMU/GMU mixup J.Me….I make that error all the time since JMU often comes up in this case. The painkillers I was prescribed don’t help with my mental clarity either. There was probably a day or two where they made me think my name was James Madison Mason George
Olivia I totally get what you are saying about seeing Sketch everywhere. To me his features are unique when focused on individually especially his nose and hairline. The older image seemed a bit more generic and for the longest time I couldn’t figure out why he seemed so familiar until I realized he looked like the rapper/actor Ice Cube in the bearded version. The newer image is more unique and also does an excellent job portraying the rather cold and sinister look he probably has. It makes it looks as if he reeks of unique cologne known as Eau de Creep!
Thank you Leelee. You did a good job.
I looked at each player on the 2009-10 roster as well. Most have YouTube interviews. They all look like nice guys. I do continue to suspect a friend (hanger-on) or family member, especially since it was parent week-end at UVA. Maybe that was why familial DNA was so important. Was LE ever able to obtain BBP DNA? We don’t know but I would imagine something would have come of it by now. This evil is still out there. WHY was he at JPJ that night?
Justice for Morgan. I hope they catch this guy soon. It has been way too long.
I was wrong about the likelihood of the civil case being transferred to a new venue. I had assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that RMC would be doing business in the Roanoke area. The Roanoke judge just booted the civil case and transferred it to Charlottesville Circuit court. Probably a good ruling for the defendant.
@redly thanks for keeping us updated on the civil case.
http://www.readthehook.com/108719/prelim-waived-crozet-mom-court-attempted-murder
a captain in Albemarle Fire and Rescue …
Thanks, I had someone else send them , really unfortunate sick folks.
B
maybe this guy knows something about Morgan’s killer. the mo sounds a lot like the theories about Morgan’s disappearance. the police should lean on him heavily.
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Man-Accused-of-Abduction-of-UVa-Student-on-Stadium-Road-178112851.html
here is a link to another disturbing story about campus sexual assault and its consequences – though with a bit of a twist but highly relevant to the issues which have cropped up on this board.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/amherst-college-student-suicide-note_n_2095386.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl12|sec1_lnk1%26pLid%3D232382
I hope the link works, dont seem to have too much ability or luck in that area.
Attempted abduction foiled. Hate to generalize from names, but he does not sound african-american. I could be wrong of course.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/crime/article_3669046c-2aaa-11e2-8872-0019bb30f31a.html
http://m.nbc29.com/default.aspx?pid=2771&wnfeedurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.nbc29.com%2fstory%2f20053845%2fpolice-arrest-man-after-attempted-abduction-of-uva-student%3fclienttype%3drssstory
It is obvious that this guy is not black. However, nobody knows who got a hold of Morgan that night. All we know is that a black male’s dna was discovered which matched a sexual attacker 5 years earlier, thereby indicating a likelyhood of attacking again.
There may be a seamy underbelly of sex deviants in c’ville area who either know each other or know somebody that knows somebody. “birds of a feather” theory. This guy could be some sort of acquaintance or even buddy of sketch. Perverts are somehow drawn to the same places and people. That is why I think that the police should lean heavily on this new guy – you never know
There was an incident yesterday in the news in Charlottesville which should be mentioned because it shares some similarites with Morgan’s case, in the aspect of possible blitz attack on the road:
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/crime/article_3669046c-2aaa-11e2-8872-0019bb30f31a.html
@redly:
You are correct, he is not African-American. But for the DNA, a lot about this guy and the abduction attempt adds up with Morgan’s case. Seems to me that it would be very wise to dig deep into this guy’s past movements, etc. DNA has been wrong before…although it would be bizarre for an incorrect DNA test to coincidentally match sketch, who has a prior abduction and rape attempt. I feel strongly that there is one fact not yet known (at least to the public) that will cause everything about this case to make sense.
That there is more than one involved with what happened to Morgan ?
LE stament IIRC was she ran in to Sketch at some point that night. Who was she with before she ran in to sketch? Who did Granny say she was with? Why did Granny say it seemed the couple knew each other?
susan says:
November 10, 2012 at 10:50 am
There was an incident yesterday in the news in Charlottesville which should be mentioned because it shares some similarites with Morgan’s case, in the aspect of possible blitz attack on the road:
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/crime/article_3669046c-2aaa-11e2-8872-0019bb30f31a.html
Where are all these bad guys coming from? He’s the kind that if he fails victimizing a 26 year old, he’d go after a 10 year old next.
Keep him locked up!! We don’t want him among us.
“The woman told detectives that training her sorority received last week from the Sexual Assault Resource Agency helped her to thwart the suspect.” Link: http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/crime/article_3669046c-2aaa-11e2-8872-0019bb30f31a.html
I am seriously relieved to read that. Help Save the Next Girl in action…
Re #39, #40 I haven’t seen this incident mentioned in any news reports since these postings. I wonder what’s up with that.
Lt. Rader has just released this open letter to the perp.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-former-lead-investigator-in-morgan-harrington-murder-writes-open-letter-to-her-killer-20121113,0,4966820.story
scary news story about the recent attempted abduction in C’ville at or near UVA campus. This guy sounds like a talker. Maybe he can provide at least a clue.
http://www.readthehook.com/108761/abduction-averted-assailant-carried-rape-kit-planned-attack-says-affidavit
Rader’s letter is not directed to the perp by its content IMO. It is a shame the media source identified it that way as it may make it more likely to be ignored by its intended target — the person who knows what happened and can turn in the perp.
Praying that Joe Rader’s letter will receive huge amounts of publicity and that someone will come forward with new information. Praying for Dan, Gil, and Alex.
2 4 1
Lt. Rader’s remarks are very interesting. It sounds like they know that there’s more than 1 person involved.
Mike, thanks for the article. Wow, this guy was well prepared. He had even hoped to “keep her for a few days.” OMG…that’s pretty frightening. So, has anyone found a Facebook page. Just curious as to who friends might be and his interests. Also, was curious if it was just coincidental that Lt. Rader’s open letter was released when it was. Anyway, I sure hope women (and men) learn it is no longer safe to walk alone at night. Be safe,gang.
My amateur analysis of Rader’s letter leads me to believe:
a) that LE believes there to be more than one person involved;
b) that LE beleives that they mave have already received information from at least one person involved;
c) that LE believes thay are dealing with at least one perp that is having a crisis of conscience;
d) that someone is about to crack.
I believe there are some very nervous folks in C-ville. I pray the pressure is unbearable and someone turns in the info they know will lead to an arrest.
2 4 1
I have read some comments related to Joe Rader’s letter indicating that some think he has a specific individual in mind. (meaning he knows the identity of said individual.) Blink, what do you think of that possibility?
Here’s the thing, redly was right and I agreed that the letter was presented as to “Morgans killer”, which was not it’s intent.
Neither the VSP nor the FBI will comment on it except to say it is an ongoing investigation.
That is probably all I will say on the letter, with the exception that the Harrington’s will continue to and will always have my full support.
B
Blink, Thanks for your response. I will read Redly’s post. Your unwavering support for the Harrington family is truly a beautiful thing.
First Time, I am hoping/praying that you are correct in your assessment.