MD - Phylicia Barnes, 16, Baltimore, 28 Dec 2010 #7

[georgiajean]

I think so, but I can't find anything definitive yet. And spouse wants the laptop...so I can't look any more for now

I think it's sad Mr. Harper doesn't even get his own obituary article. He's just there under the photos of a pretty teenager. Not that PB doesn't deserve the attention, but...

I was thinking the same thing. Rest in Peace Mr. Harper. I hope your family finds peace in knowing you are found. Very sad.

Because the Harpers had moved around quite a bit in the last few years, it might be good to look at Cockeysville, MD, and Cheektowago, NY. They had just recently moved to Richmond after spending a bit over a year in MD. It looks like the musician Harper has been in Richmond for a while??

 

[georgiajean]

I have a lot of respect for Fred Bealfeld. The Chief of the BCPD. I am going to try and have faith that they know something we don't and will get the perp.
I hope they will give it their all and I hope that they give their all to every missing person or crime victim.

I just wanted to echo your post. When I listened to him speak the other day, I was impressed with his thoughtfulness and obvious concern for PB and JS.

 

[Columbo]

I don't think the timeline works out for him to be the Binghamton jumper. The article says, "Mrs. Harper told investigators a relative in the Harrisburg, PA area had called to tell her Darryl Harper had checked himself into a hospital in East Penn, PA, on the Susquehanna River, on March 25, 2011, requesting help with mental health issues." (http://www.nbc12.com/story/14489206...een-case-notified-of-bodies-found-in-md-river)

But this article says the Binghamton man jumped on March 21. http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Man-Jumps-Into-Bridge-Prompts-Water-Rescue--118403814.html

Does it work out geographically, either? Would the waterway in Binghamton, NY, flow and connect with the Susquehanna River? Just looking at the map, it doesn't appear that you could jump off a bridge in Binghamton and float down to the area where Phylicia was found. :waitasec:

map: http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ8gEwAA

 

[Cubby]

Does it work out geographically, either? Would the waterway in Binghamton, NY, flow and connect with the Susquehanna River? Just looking at the map, it doesn't appear that you could jump off a bridge in Binghamton and float down to the Baltimore area. :waitasec:

map: http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ8gEwAA

Wow! It does not appear geographically possible. I'm not a local, but from the map linked above it appears the man who jumped in Binghamton would have had to travel through all the way from MY through PA into MD. Very unlikely.... even though we know he has already been ruled out as being the man found near PB based on the timeline Carbuff posted upthread.

 

[Columbo]

Wow! It does not appear geographically possible. I'm not a local, but from the map linked above it appears the man who jumped in Binghamton would have had to travel through all the way from MY through PA into MD. Very unlikely.... even though we know he has already been ruled out as being the man found near PB based on the timeline Carbuff posted upthread.

Thanks, Cubby, I'm also not a local but the waterways just don't appear to connect in any way.

 

[RR0004]

Thanks, Cubby, I'm also not a local but the waterways just don't appear to connect in any way.

IMHO...no where near. I know the area and don't see how it's possible.

 

[cluciano63]

Thanks, Cubby, I'm also not a local but the waterways just don't appear to connect in any way.

I am from Binghamton and could not imagine how this jumper could have been the man found down in MD...I mean, granted, the rivers in NY get high and wild in the spring, but still, that is several hundred miles away...

Is there a confirmation yet for sure as to who the other victim is, and how he ended up there?

 

[Cubby]

I am from Binghamton and could not imagine how this jumper could have been the man found down in MD...I mean, granted, the rivers in NY get high and wild in the spring, but still, that is several hundred miles away...

Is there a confirmation yet for sure as to who the other victim is, and how he ended up there?

He has been id'd but it is not known how he arrived in the water. Upthread there are some links indicating he had some mental health issues and had threatened suicide in the past. He checked into the hospital on March 25th. His wife reported him missing in April sometime. The 15th? (IIRC).

hth

 

[redsky]

Well said. And forget about me letting my daughter, who is turning 16 this summer go somewhere that I haven't been or don't know much about. The whole thing...it's too much! Hindsight is 20/20.

Nowaways, teenagers are allowed by their parents to do a lot of things that my parents would never have let me do. This is a cautionary story here.
Not saying PB's mom did anything wrong, she didn't at all. She was lied to and since PB had been there before with no problem, she felt safe. It makes me sick.
There is even an issue of whether her mom was even called when PB went missing or whether she called because she hadn't heard from PB. She should have been called right away because maybe PB had tried to contact her mom. We know she didn't but what if she had.
Also if it was known the day before that PB felt strange because of one guy (we don't know WHO, I wish we did). That should have raised a red flag for DB and KB. Why leave her alone that day with the likely opportunity for that guy to be around her.

I do believe LE has an idea or knows what happened but needs the autopsy, cause of death, any other wounds (defensive etc). If they are able to gleam any of that information (I hope so) they may be able to put the rest of the picture together. I have to believe that...

 

[redsky]

.

Several posters have mentioned that DB got together with MJ when DB was PB's age (16-17). I think that has relevance, and I keep forgetting to respond to those who've said it. (It isn't my new idea, is what I mean).

Thanks georgia, I hadn't thought about that fact before. How old is MJ? I must have missed that info.
I DO think that is likely relevant. Interesting.

 

[carbuff]

Does it work out geographically, either? Would the waterway in Binghamton, NY, flow and connect with the Susquehanna River? Just looking at the map, it doesn't appear that you could jump off a bridge in Binghamton and float down to the area where Phylicia was found. :waitasec:

map: http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ8gEwAA

Theoretically, yes. Binghamton is right on the Susquehanna. The Chenango joins the Susquehanna about a mile below the bridge where the man jumped in. With spring runoff the rivers would be high and fast. The Chenango is pretty deep and fast even at lower water. If he wasn't caught on rocks or a log, he probably traveled a good distance. The high water could have carried him over, around, or through many obstacles that would normally stop him.

But it's not very likely.

 

[cluciano63]

He has been id'd but it is not known how he arrived in the water. Upthread there are some links indicating he had some mental health issues and had threatened suicide in the past. He checked into the hospital on March 25th. His wife reported him missing in April sometime. The 15th? (IIRC).

hth

Thanks I saw some of that, but wasn't sure if it had come out officially yet.

 

[fleur.de.lis]

The statement on the Maryland State Police website indicates that relatives in Harrisburg had told his wife that the hospital where Mr. Harper checked himself in was in East Penn, PA on the Susquehanna River.

http://www.mdsp.org/media/press_release_details.asp?identifier=1103

There is an East Penn area of Pennsylvania, but it's in Lehigh County, and the Susquehanna does not run there.

I think it's possible though, that they meant East Pennsboro, which is just outside of Harrisburg. The Susquehanna runs right there, and there are a number of bridges that cross the river. It's about 70 miles upstream from Conowingo Dam.

 

[fleur.de.lis]

The Maryland State Police statement also identifies Harper as formerly living in Cheektowaga, New York. I did find a clip from NPR from April 2008 with a brief interview with a man from that area named Darryl Harper. I would imagine this is the same gentleman, very sad:

Other veterans, such as Darryl Harper, say they're grateful for Judge Russell and his new court.

Harper learned Arabic from a babysitter while growing up in Buffalo. Air Force intelligence put him on the front lines in Lebanon after a Marine barracks was bombed in Beirut in 1983. He says he's dealt with manic depression for years.

Last year, it got the best of Harper and he turned on the oven in his house to kill himself. He survived, but he was charged with attempted arson. Now he's on probation, and Russell has ordered him to stay on his medication and see a counselor.

Harper's son was killed a few months ago during a robbery, and Russell's staff has kept a very close eye on him.

And Harper is glad for that attention and direction.

"This is how I look at it: He's my general, who has ordered me to do these things," Harper says.

Here is the link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90016059

 

[georgiajean]

Thanks georgia, I hadn't thought about that fact before. How old is MJ? I must have missed that info.
I DO think that is likely relevant. Interesting.

MJ and DB are both 27, turning 28 in 2011.

 

[redsky]

MJ and DB are both 27, turning 28 in 2011.

Hmm. thanks georgia. Maybe not as relevant as they as close in age.

How long will the autopsy and tox reports take? And do you think they will be released?

 

[strach304]

The statement on the Maryland State Police website indicates that relatives in Harrisburg had told his wife that the hospital where Mr. Harper checked himself in was in East Penn, PA on the Susquehanna River.

http://www.mdsp.org/media/press_release_details.asp?identifier=1103

There is an East Penn area of Pennsylvania, but it's in Lehigh County, and the Susquehanna does not run there.

I think it's possible though, that they meant East Pennsboro, which is just outside of Harrisburg. The Susquehanna runs right there, and there are a number of bridges that cross the river. It's about 70 miles upstream from Conowingo Dam.

Kind of ironic that he also lived in Cockeysville, Md. until February.

 

[strach304]

What was the date of the jumper in Binghamton NY?
For some reason I was thinking it was previous to 3/25/11.

IIRC 3/21 or the day before.

 

[redsky]

strach - MTE, at first, that he lived there until Feb. Coincidence likely. I still think they aren't related.
He probably knew the area and since he may have threatened to jump into the river - appears to be another incidence completely. But what a sad thing-I wish someone could have helped him.

 

[strach304]

I've lived in Baltimore county all my life and I agree with what you've written. North Bend isn't part of Edmondson Village, but is just as dangerous. The Ten Hills neighborhood is between Edmondson Village and N. Bend.

I think the city police commissioner actually lives in Ten Hills It's a pretty area, large homes on beautiful lots, although I'm not sure I would feel safe there, knowing whats just outside the boundaries. I'm not sure exactly what the area around N. Bend is called. In the '60's, I used to walk to Edmondson Village with my grandmother who lived nearby......would not even get out of the car in that area now. Crime and drugs are plentiful.

Reisterstown Road plaza I would say is very similar to Edmondson Village. Crimes and drugs turned what was once a nice shopping area into a dangerous place. If Phylicia's mother knew what that area was like, I don't think she would have let her daughter visit.

I know for a fact she would not have. PB lived in Monroe, NC. Practically a different world compared to Baltimore, that area specifically. That was my first thought when I saw PB was missing on NG and heard about her, where she was from and saw her Mom. I'm from Baltimore but also familiar with a lot of areas and people in North Carolina. Have family and friends both places. North Bend and Edmonson Village has been very bad for many years, I agree. I wouldn't even drive through because of car jackings where they walk right out on you to get you to stop. You don't have to be at a light. What is extremely troublesome is the close proximity for the bad to good areas. The bad travel right into the good areas, commit their crimes and leave, leaving the good areas not so safe.