Orange Park, FL– 24 year old Jarred Mitchell Harrell is in custody this evening on 29 counts of child pornography charges and has been named a person of interest in the murder of Somer Thompson.
Missing from her walk home from school on October 19th, 7 year old Somer was found in a Georgia landfill on October 21st.
Harrell was arrested by Federal agents in Merdian , MS and is being held on a $1 Million dollar bond. Until recently, he lived in a home near Somer Thompson’s at 1152 Gano Avenue, which was also searched today.
Norristown, PA– ..” My name is Salmon, like the fish..”
In honor of this Fridays premier of the film, The Lovely Bones; a screenplay adaptation of the New York Times Bestselling novel by Alice Sebold, I bring you an interview with it’s deceased heroine.
Fictional fourteen year old rape and murder victim, Suzie Salmon, spoke fictionally to blinkoncrime about her break out role:
“I would rather be attending my High School with Ruth and Ray, but Holly and I have infinity edition Cosmopolitan here..”
With regard to it’s subject matter, this is the single most emotion invoking book I have ever read. I am not talking about the many publications that I have devoured that have shaped my Blink Gumbie.
I am talking about my awakening as a new Mother, to the atrocities that I needed to protect my children from.
I had no idea.
I used Deft, had plastic thingies in all my outlets, an alarm system and obnoxious monitors in the nursery. I was good to go.
Right?
I read THE LOVELY BONES over a snowed-in weekend when it was released in 2002.
The effects of the jolt to my rural ignorance remain.
The story about the rape and murder of Suzie, and her subsequent observations of her afterlife and “realtime” observation of her families despondency in dealing with her loss, is, raw. Raw-est.
Luckily, and that is no play on words for Ms. Sebolds freshman offering of “Lucky”; her first novel in which she recounts her own sexual assault, is “raw– lite” in it’s movie form in comparison.
Peter Jackson, the films director, chose in the novels adaptation to exclude the specifics, or overt references to Ms. Salmon’s actual fate.
While I struggle with the comforting, lingering angst that perhaps allows me to suggest in some fictional way it did not happen; I think it blurs the message of the young lady who ultimately wanted to be called Susan.
Non-spoiler alert: That pedophile builds an underground hut to murder a child. She was too polite to refuse the adult who wanted to show her “his work.” She is not his first, or last victim.
They never are. The neighbors dog found Suzies elbow.
Although I think the film is brilliantly cast, I am not thrilled from an awareness perspective that the truth about Suzie’s demise is glossed over.
That said, I think there is enough hype surrounding this work that the message will get out to the same demographic it has now insured a ticket.
The fact is, over the last year I have covered true crime, I am sad to say I have many Suzie Salmons in our collective pocket.
Our Suzies to date, who are the reason I am doing this article, below:
Haleigh Cummings
Sunny Sandra Cantu
Nevaeh Buchanan
Sarah Foxwell
Somer Thompson
..” There was nothing anyone could have done. Nobody knew he was evil and would hurt young girls..”
-Suzie as conveyed to Blink
Everyone says that. In Suzie’s case, I would agree the resources may not have been available. For that, I will direct you to my editors choice reading selections:
In this limited edition boxed set, The Lovely Bones appears for the first time with a special companion volume, Looking Glass. This unique work integrates images of missing children with the opening chapters of The Lovely Bones, providing a powerful visual experience and honoring the thousands of children who go missing every year. Many of these children are recovered quickly, but others are still out there waiting, and the search continues. Alice Sebold is proud to support the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an organization working to prevent child abductions, find missing children, and ultimately to bring them home.
A dedication: To Ken Lanning. The dedication you have shown in your career to our children is unprecedented. I am not sure I will ever publish our interview, I will however use the knowledge as best I can.
My profound thanks for your time and observance. That was the most haunting and enlightening time I have ever spent personally or professionally.
Resources for Parents to be better informed of your childs’ neighborhood:
UPDATE #1 Clay County Sheriff Office revised the address on these arrests to a home in Glen Cove 6 days later following this information being reported on HLN’s Jane Valez mitchell show, “Issues”.
Orange Park, FL– As developments unfold in the investigation of the murder of 7 year old Somer Thompson, a new twist:
4 Men Arrested For Robbery with Firearms
The defendent pictured directly above, Montrail Howard, received a “Jaywalking” infraction on October 14. On October 20, that infraction turned into a citation for unknown reasons and the following day all four were arrested for armed robbery at the 1706 Horton Drive address of Somer Thompson and her family.
All 4 inmates remain in custody at the Clay county jail without bond.
It is not known at this time what relation this incident or these individuals have if any, to Somer Thompson’s abduction and murder. All suspects should be presumed innocent while awaiting due process.
Check back to blinkoncrime.com for updates
Candace Bond , Kate Mills and Brandi of scaredmonkeys contributing editors for this report.
Clay County, FL– Missing 7 year old Somer Thompson, last seen walking home from school on Monday after running ahead due to an argument with a friend, has been found by Police in the Georgia landfill used by the Clay County area. While officials will not confirm the childs identity prior to confirmation from the Medical Examiners Office, a source inside the investigation has told blinkoncrime.com that Somer’s family has been notified it is her.
Sheriff Rick Beasler said it is routine for Investigators to check garbage routes in a missing persons investigation, and the FBI is on the scene, which has been undisturbed, recovering the child.
