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. (more…)

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

Morgan Harrington disappeared from John Paul Jones arena two years ago Monday October 17, 2011.

Morgan was found murdered in a remote section of  a 700 acre farm in North Garden, VA, where she went undetected previously for three months.

Blink, Editor In Chief, www.blinkoncrime.com discusses the  SAVE THE NEXT GIRL campaign developed and launched by her parents, Dr. Dan Harrington and Gil Harrington along with other scheduled advocacy events in observation of the two year anniversary of her disappearance and murder; which remains unsolved.

A Preview:  Morgan Harrington Murder: Two Women,  Two Locations,  Two Years- Too Long.  (Publishing tomorrow)

As you have come to expect, Blink and team take a closer look into the investigation of Morgan’s murder.

Blink analyzes the ties to the unsolved Fairfax rape and assault, the participation of  the Law Enforcement agencies involved,  concerns about some of the UVA contractor and employee access  and asks the question nobody wants to:

Was the Enemy From Within?

Clint Van Zandt,  NBC analyst and former FBI profiler discusses the release of Amanda Knox and murder of Meredith Kercher from his former on scene perspective.  Clint was inside the house in Perugia, and shares his experience with out host, Dana Pretzer.

Previous coverage:

http://blinkoncrime.com/2010/10/14/inspiring-vigilance-the-murder-of-morgan-harrington-one-year-later/

http://blinkoncrime.com/2011/10/03/amanda-knox-free-from-perugia-prison-by-appeal-verdict/

Charlottesville, VA– Sunday October 17 marks the one-year anniversary of the worst day of Dan and Gil Harrington’s lives. Although they were not yet aware of the horror that had befallen their Roanoke, VA family, the next morning their daughter’s purse was found on the grounds of the University of Virginia Lanigan Field. Morgan Dana Harrington had vanished.

While attending a Metallica concert with friends Sarah Snead, Amelia Melvin and Dan Cassagne with tickets purchased 6 months earlier by Morgan’s Dad, Morgan, for reasons unknown, was outside John Paul Jones arena at approximately 8:45PM.

Morgan attempted to re-enter the arena but could not locate her ticket and was denied access to return to the venue.  Shortly thereafter, Sarah called Morgan at 8:48PM looking for her and was told she could not get back in and would be attempting to locate a ride, according to Snead. 

Various witness accounts and in some cases corroborating statements from Virginia State Police (VSP), place Morgan in different areas of the adjacent parking lots of JPJ over the following 45 minutes, moving toward the far perimeter of UVA property.

 According to the VSP, there is a witness statement that a person matching Morgan’s description was seen hitchhiking alone on the Copeley bridge at approximately 9:30PM.

After several private law enforcement searches and two volunteer based efforts organized by the Harrington’s failed to locate her, Morgan Harrington’s remains were discovered by a prominent Charlottesville land owner on his remote 700 acre farm in Albemarle County,  8 miles South of JPJ arena, on January 26^th, 2010.  Morgan’s death has been classified as a homicide, however her cause of death has not been released.

Until July, the case seemed to be at a virtual standstill from an investigative perspective, in fact the only arrest to date is that of a man who provided a false lead to VSP, and was prosecuted for it.

On July 1st, as a direct result of an article linking Morgan’s case to an unsolved sexual assault case in 2005 in Fairfax, VA published by blinkoncrime.com, a sketch of a man forensically linked to both the Fairfax case and that of Morgan Harrington was released by the Virginia State Police, albeit grudgingly, at first.

Behind the scenes, Dan and Gil Harrington, who were made aware of the connection a few weeks earlier, were adamant the sketch was critical to developing leads and warning others and demanded the sketch be posted on the VSP website; it was uploaded later that afternoon at Dr. Harrington’s request.

Virginia State Police have not commented publicly on the case in several months, but in a private correspondence with a concerned blinkoncrime.com reader, Lt. Joe Rader, leading the investigation for VSP,  said not only is the case not cold, but he has recently assigned additional manpower to it.

Dan and Gil Harrington, Morgan’s bereaved parents, along with Morgan’s beloved brother Alex, have spent the last year keeping Morgan’s case alive through the development of their own family blog, TV and radio appearances, and most recently, a meeting regarding safety concerns with new University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan.  This Sunday, a memorial plaque to promote safety and honor Morgan Harrington is being presented to the Harrington’s on the Copely bridge.

Note From the Editor

“How would you describe the Harrington’s?”  I am asked this question frequently.

I always respond the same way.  “I would not”. 

The grace and poise these parents have shown in the face of the worst conceivable tragedy to befall a parent is not something I could wordsmith or articulate. 

If the question comes from someone I feel may help their cause, I offer to make the introduction, but I would never presume to speak for them.

The Harrington’s have created a legacy in memory of Morgan that only parents of a 20-year-old blossoming artist, music loving, budding educator could.

Morgan Harrington Photo chosen by and courtesy of The Harrington Family Library

Elizabeth Morten, Madeline Tanner and Jason Mateos, contributing editors to blinkoncrime.com

Madeline Tanner, copy editor

Images By Klaasend

Charlottesville, VA-

On the afternoon of October 17, 2009, Morgan Harrington and three of her friends drove to John Paul Jones Arena, located on the University of Virginia campus, to attend a long-anticipated Metallica concert. Following an apparent fall and chin injury occurring around the time she was visiting the ladies room, Morgan ended up outside the arena and attempted to gain re-entry to the venue.

How and why she got there comes in at a baffling second only compared to what happened to her next.

Nine months ago Dr. Dan and Gil Harrington, Morgan’s parents were notified their daughter was missing which is when their nightmare began.

On November 5, 2009, the day before a search which was organized at the request of the Harrington’s was to commence, a vintage black Pantera t-shirt placed on a bush in front of an apartment complex at the intersection near 15^th Street and Grady Ave.  was located by a nearby resident.

While this discovery was not released publicly, Charlottesville PD knew immediately it belonged to Morgan Harrington. Sara Snead, one of the friends that accompanied Morgan to the concert, immediately confirmed the distinct vintage design that compelled Morgan to borrow the t-shirt from her a week before the show.

Subsequently, DNA analysis confirmed the t-shirt was indeed the same one Morgan was wearing the night she disappeared.

On January 26, 2010 the remains of Morgan Harrington were discovered by David Bass, owner of Anchorage Farm, located in Albemarle County. Although her cause of death has not been released, her manner of death has been classified as a homicide by the Virginia State Police.

Dan and Gil Harrington marked the nine-month anniversary of Morgan’s disappearance from her memorial on Copeley Bridge 4 days ago.

Gil Harrington’s impassioned statement made it clear that her family’s mission is to prevent what happened to Morgan from happening to another victim and their goal is to educate young women about safety and personal security.

On July 1^st, based upon an article posted on blinkoncrime.com inside sources confirmed a forensic link between Morgan’s homicide and a Fairfax County Case. Research on this case indicates it was a violent sexual assault that happened in 2005. The victim assisted in the sketch of a man police wish to interview in connection with both the Fairfax assault as well as the apparent abduction and murder of Morgan Harrington. .

What did it mean to the investigation and to the parents of young women in Charlottesville? We have a serial offender on the loose in multiple jurisdictions and an immediate need to beef up personal security.

As our very vulnerable student body returns to campus next month, blinkoncrime.com provides a glimpse at current conditions.

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North Garden, VA– Morgan Harrington, the 20 year old fair-haired, radiant beauty, was brutally murdered after disappearing from the John Paul Jones arena the evening of October 17, 2009.

Morgans remains were recovered the morning of January 26, 2010 in a hayfield on Anchorage Farm, owned by David and Nancy Bass.

Since Morgan was found by Mr. Bass that blackest of days in January, there has been rampant speculation about her last hours and how she ended up in the creek bed of total strangers.

A sequence of events and incidents in the days and hours preceding and following the January 26, 2010, discovery of Morgan Harrington’s skeletal remains on Anchorage Farm continues to attract attention from pundits and volunteers dedicated to Morgan’s cause.

Although naysayers point to a lack of a viable connection, and police have disavowed a link, others say emergency services runs to a nearby fire and also other responses which are  not supported by publicly available documentation has led to calls for more complete disclosure to eliminate any connection or chance of prank calls to misdirect or busy first responders.

The editors of www.blinkoncrime.com present  a series of events occurring in Albemarle County, VA that pose the question:

What the Hell is going on and what does it have to do with Morgan Harrington’s murder?

The Monsoons of Albemarle County …. PD

Ok, maybe I meant “The monsoor”. Karl Monsoor that is.

Former Officer Karl Monsoor had been tugging on the shirtail of ACPD for years before he finally left with pocketfuls of sunshine. Almost 500 G’s.

It is not my intention to be glib, it is my intention to say that as one of the youngest police departments in the country, enacted in 1983, this tank needed algeacide before this past March.

Death By Cop.. January 1, 2010

Colby Eppard, described by some as a cross between Gomer Pyle and cool hand luke, had the rawest of deals growing up in Greene County.

According to his foster-mommy-aunt, Tammy Harlow Cox, Colby was hit by a car at a very young age and suffered a brain injury that apparently served to shape his future of home upheavel and juvenile detention facilities.

Ms. Cox, to whom Colby Eppard was entrusted for a time as a foster parent, is no stranger to the judicial system. Tammy was arrested for admittedly having sex with 3 High School seniors athletes on the Varsity Football Team, where her own sons attended. The same school Colby elected to leave without his diploma.

Colby’s family recalls better times, and I don’t think anyone believes this is the last we have heard of this case.

Specifically under VA statute, Greene County Captain Randall Snead was out of his jurisdiction, both when he was called about Colby stealing the patrol car and the fact that he was in North Garden, Albemarle County, looking for it. It would seem the Greene County Roster could accommodate a deputy vs. a captain to respond, no?  Keep in mind, EVERY responding officer was put on desk duty pending the investigation, through at least February 9^th, 2010.

While the attorney for the Commonwealth, Denise Lunsford has cleared all officers from all participating counties involved, none of the dash cams have been released despite requests through The Freedom of Information Act..

According to Ms. Lunsford, in an incident that spanned almost 70 miles and over 2 and a half hours where traffic was rerouted and stringers were used, Colby Eppard was allegedly wielding the 20 gauge Greene County Issue out the windows, not one LEO attempted to engage or respond to Eppard in an effort to get him to pull over, or negotiate his surrender at any time.

In fact, according to statements from Snead, Albemarle Deputies Fields and Marden, they were all in place on the south junction of 20 “in the event” he went that way, yet, they did not block traffic until after the stinger caused Eppard to crash.

My biggest question regarding this incident is: Did anyone ask Colby Eppard why he would take the truck and 2 rifles on New Years day ending up in Albemarle County?

Was it related to a New Years Eve occurrance of a friend, family member or associate of his? After Sgt. Hutchinson loses Eppard near the Nelson line, the next time he is seen is parked on Green Creek Rd, back in Albemarle.

What route did he take from 29 South to end up there? Was he seeking Red Hill Road where the overdose call came in to EMS the night before?

By all accounts he was a troubled young man with challenges throughout his young 18 years.

Additionally corroborated by those that knew him, he was never violent to anyone. There were over 6 Law Enforcement Officers from 4 different jurisdictions this man encountered before he hit just below Carters Bridge; 14 by the time the stolen vehicle ended up in the ditch.

Not one of them spoke or attempted to speak to Colby Wade Eppard at anytime he was on the police radio for over 2 hours. Was there an order given not to?

How is it that not one officer responded to Eppards threats, which were even being monitored by the media at this point in an effort to have a peaceful result to this situation?

Did Eppard have a cell phone with him and have the records been checked?

Did he call anyone, like Amber Rogers, his off-again girlfriend of 3 years? His brother Courtney or any of his friends?

In the preliminary release by the Virginia State Police, it stated Eppard returned to his crashed 2006 Ford Ranger truck prior to stealing the unmarked Green Cty car. If he were attempting to have a police stand off, why would he not take the two rifles he brought with him? He left his guns behind.

It also states in the report that Eppard is seen on the video from the STOLEN police car retrieving the shotgun from the trunk and loading it, how is that possible considering all the cameras are dash mounted?

Can someone explain to me how the officers have been cleared, but the footage of  both Eppards actions and their responses, the very evidence of the incident cannot be released? One of the officers involved, Caleb Marden, was fired for reasons nobody is willing to comment on.

There is only ONE way that is legal; if is part of an ONGOING investigation.

So what investigation is it an active part of?

(Editors note: If Mr. Eppard put ANYONE’s safety at risk through his actions, in the end, I say what happened to him was done to protect others, which I support. That said, as it was not so long ago a Virginia Conservation Officer was indicted for the involuntary manslaughter of a 16 year old kid whose girlfriend he was trying to grab out of his moving car, and later had the charges dismissed, I think it is worthy of conversation.)

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