Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #1

[chemcopout]

They didn't specify (that I heard) whether the purse was found in the parking area in which the friend's car was parked. Anyone?

they said a passerby found it in the vicinity of the arena and fields and turned it in (recovered property) then as the investigation went on the searched that vicinity between the arena and fields and found nothing else, no signs of a struggle.

 

[West]

Perhaps the phone battery dislodged if the purse was dropped. Sometimes my battery, which is connected just by a latch and forms the back of my phone, detaches itself when dropped onto the kitchen floor/hard surface. If her purse was dropped or thrown out of a vehicule for example, it could have caused the phone and battery to separate? Just a thought.

 

[K.Scarpetta]

i really think someone took the battery out of the phone to try and stall anyone finding out the last calls that came in or went out.
why would morgan rid of her phone battery? she obviously used her cell

It could be that she had dropped her phone in the past and broke it, and that the battery would sometimes fall out. According to the presser they did not seem to concerned about this. FWIW

 

[Angel Who Cares]

:wave: Welcome To WS's West!

:angel:​

 

[January.]

I'd like to know:

1. Why do they say that it would not be unusual for the battery to have dropped out in this situation?

2. Was her purse found in a parking area or the area between the arena and athletic fields? Or is it the same thing?

 

[January.]

Oh and 3. Did they ever recover the battery?

 

[marlap]

Lt. Joe Rader speaking:

a) Issue of purse and cell phone: they were both located and turned into the university police by a passerby and initially treated as lost property

b) battery from the cell phone being missing is not unusual if it was dropped

c) circumstantially, they don't know whether foul play is involved but they are concerned

d) He confirms: He says that between 8:30 and 9:30, there is proof that Morgan was on the grounds of the arena and during that time, she called her friends to let them know she couldn't get back in. She may have been there longer (or may even still be there), they just don't know. That doesn't mean she left at 9:30. Don't get hung up on the timeline.

e) they have checked surveillance cameras at the concert hall and surrounding locations and nothing helpful has come from that.

f) they will always inform the family of information before the press

g) no clues from extensive ground search of the arena, he does not know whether she left or is still there.

h) a reward will be offered

i) this is considered and will remain a criminal investigation until there is evidence otherwise



Taking questions:

Q: Why did she leave? Was she drunk?

A: To go to restroom. Her condition was that she was coherent and verbal. He says that she told her friends to go ahead and enjoy the concert, that she would find a way home if she needed to. If she didn't meet up with them after the concert, they were led to believe not to worry about her.


Q: Was she the driver?

A: No. She was not the driver. Her disappearance has no relevance to the car they arrived in.


Q: Were calls made after she spoke with her friends to let them know she couldn't get back in?

A: Can't/won't answer. May jeopardize investigation.


Q: Where were the purse and phone located?

A: Between arena and athletic fields. He says the purse was found in a relatively small parking area on Sunday morning.


He says there are no visible signs of struggle that they have yet located.

He says the SWAT folks were in training and merely assisting with the search.

He says they have used dogs, many sorts of dogs.

 

[chemcopout]

It could be that she had dropped her phone in the past and broke it, and that the battery would sometimes fall out. According to the presser thay did not seem to concerned about this. FWIW

if she lost the battery, then i would think she would have been unaware of that. some phone are crappy and the batteries fall out easy. however i couldn't imagine someone just leaving without picking up their dropped cell phone battery if they were aware it fell out.
its real suspicious IMO

 

[chemcopout]

the bottom line is they don't know if she's alive or met some fate its that simple"

 

[secret_agent_mom]

2. Was her purse found in a parking area or the area between the arena and athletic fields? Or is it the same thing?

I think this is the same thing. There are parking areas between the arena and the athletic fields. There is even a shuttle bus for some events that take you from the athletic field to the arena. It is very common for people to park near the athletic fields. There really isn't much parking in that area.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

I'd like to know:

1. Why do they say that it would not be unusual for the battery to have dropped out in this situation?

2. Was her purse found in a parking area or the area between the arena and athletic fields? Or is it the same thing?

They didn't elaborate anything more on #1. On #2..it was found in a small parking lot in a "noticeable area" and the parking lot was between the arena and the UVA athletic fields.

 

[elle1919]

I'd like to know:

1. Why do they say that it would not be unusual for the battery to have dropped out in this situation?

2. Was her purse found in a parking area or the area between the arena and athletic fields? Or is it the same thing?

Hi January. I am wondering about the phone and the battery right along with ya! I am curious if the phone was in her purse or perhaps what I am thinking is that Morgan might have dropped her phone in a struggle and the battery fell out. I mentioned on another thread that my own daughter is very clumsy and whenever she drops her phone the back pops off and the battery comes out.

 

[West]

He says that she told her friends to go ahead and enjoy the concert, that she would find a way home if she needed to. If she didn't meet up with them after the concert, they were led to believe not to worry about her.



Even if I assured my friends I was fine in terms of finding a ride home and would possibly not joining them afterwards--as a friend I would STILL have pressed for more info, such as what she was doing/where she was going during the concert (walking to bars? meeting hometown friends at their apartment? calling a cab to go to starbucks etc.?) She did not attend UVa and it seems she was unfamiliar with the area--where would she go on foot from the arena? It was already dark out and she was apparently by herself...this part doesn't add up to me. Maybe the friends do have more info and LE are keeping it under cover for the time being.

I just don't get how she supposedly wanders off and her friends have contributed barely any info about where she was headed and why? Even if you are not worried for your friends safety...if a friend I went to a concert with called me/I called her and she told me she wasn't able to come back into the arena, I would have wanted to know what she was going to do for the concert time, offered to bring her car keys to drive car around town and arrange a pick up time for the group after concert, offer to leave with her. UNLESS I KNEW she was meeting someone, especially a boy, and had made alternative plans that SHE INFORMED ME OF.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

It sure is sounding like someone grabbed her...maybe she was running to get away & threw her purse or dropped her purse while trying to get away from whoever it was.

If it was dark the possible POI(s) might not have seen her drop her purse. I know if I was being chase (this is theories only) I wouldn;t worry about hanging on to my purse if trying to escape from danger. If my cell was in the purse I wouldn't take the time out to get it out of it. I would be just trying to get at away & not even think about my cell or purse.

When I do go to any concerts or out to a club...I do keep my cell seperate from my purse...I usually stick it in my pocket, just in case someone was to ever grab/steal my purse while I'm out. That way I can call for help etc. as well as I keep my car keys seperate too!

I prayed that I would get up today & Morgan & Somer Thompson (little 7 yr old from FL) both would be found safe & sound. :cry: Every minute that passes my hopes of both of them being are diminishing.

My heart & prayers go out to all of their friends & loved ones! rayer:

:angel:

 

[trigger]

I couldn't hear very well but a reporter ask a question and he answered they have other missing persons they are still working on but this case is new..So I looked up to see how many but cannot find any other missing person cases in VA.

 

[secret_agent_mom]

A girl named Angie is reporting that she saw her in the smoking area.

Check out this blog and look for her comment. It was posted today at 12:45 PM.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4689215&blogID=515263860

 

[Amster]

Makes no sense. If she mistakenly wandered outside the arena, couldn't get back in, why wouldn't she be hysterically upset? Did she have contact with arena staff about being let back in?? I would think so! Yet, it sounds like she called a friend inside and was "oh well", can't get back in, enjoy and I'll get a ride home. Did anyone try to call her back?? Why weren't they concerned? I'm not buying any of this. Was she too drunk or stoned to realize where she was? Saying she "just somehow" wandered outside on her way to the bathroom says a lot about what condition she was in. The LE giving the presser says her "friends" are just going to get on with their lives....ok then! grrrrrrrrrr

 

[Kristins1223]

So we know for sure she called her friends and told them she would find a ride home? I'd like to know how they acted after the concert was over when she was nowhere to be found. Did they just leave?? Or did they wait around for her??

 

[ckwood32]

So - she left the concert right before Metallica took the stage - she left I thought to smoke a cigarette. supposedly (read somewhere) she left her ticket inside (don't understand why it wasn't in her pocket or purse) is that why she couldn't get back in? because she left her ticket? surely she could have gotten back in. Mom says she was really excited about the concert. doesn't make sense. Friends could have brought her ticket outside to her if that's the case. they need to check the cell phone records of the friends as well. If she wanted to meet a boy she was old enough to do so - no need to lie to your parents at 20 years of age and say you are going to a concert but really you are meeting a boy.

 

[trigger]

I feel now after the presser shes alive. I hope im right.