Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #13

[Calliope]

I was not aware of how weird some people can be on these sites when I first started one, which was about 2 years ago. It was MocoSpace. Even though I'm in my 40s I going through a rough time in my life and I decided to do a profile on Moco. Long story short, a man who was supposedly a professor from Canada and had been left a gorgeous manor sent me a friend request. I accepted, thinking this was innocent enough. I started dating a guy (who is now my husband) and he started a profile, too. He asked me one night about the professor and I explained we just basically talked about what Canada was like, simple things. My boyfriend/husband proceeded to log on to Moco and find this guy's profile and he had copied one of my pictures from my profile and the entire background of his home page was hundreds of pictures of me. My boyfriend was highly upset and afraid this guy was stalking me. I was shocked. There was never anything out of the way in our conversations. I deleted him immediately. Now I'm careful on FB and MySpace who's friendship request I accept. So Morgan didn't even have to know the person for them to know her.

That was my point.

Am following along on the social networking thoughts and her reason for leaving the arena.

Iirc, there is a place (within FBl?) where users can post about music they like, shows they are seeing, and so forth, and MH (apparently) posted there, with the seat location of their tickets. Sorry I don't have the actual link, and she didn't use her name, but it seems plausible it was her. So, yes, a cyber-stalker would have known.

But, despite the stories of stalkers lurking around women's places of work, places they are shopping, and so forth, it seems unlikely (but not impossible) for someone to have been "waiting" for MH, assuming she would be coming out to the car she came in at the end of the concert, and then "luckily" finding her wandering alone a couple of hours early, perhaps in an inebriated state. <snipped>

It is heartbreaking to see the pain of these poor parents...I think we all can only hope and pray that more resolution is found here, and that this horrible person is caught....remember that "he' is out there, and other women are at risk too

I just feel that IF there was some person in Morgan's past that this would be out there, common knowledge by now...I have stated my various thought out reasons why there is no such ex boyfriend, jilted lover or whatever

LE doesn't hold back that info...the "ex" would have been questioned, we would have heard about him

I also feel that the idea that someone was following Morgan is not viable...
I go by statistics...permutations, probablities

and Occam's razor...which can mean the "simplest" solution is probably right, but also means that the solution with the least amount of needed variables is probably right

in this case, sorry, the variables are too "iffy"....a stalker would have to find the info online, get down there, negotiate a crowded concertgoer's parking lot, then would have to "hope" that at some point Morgan would do the unlikely combination of 1) leaving arena 2) being in an "altered state"...3) knowing ahead that her phone would not work , battery would fall out 4) supposing that her debit card was low on funds 5) "figuring" out at what time, which exit Morgan would come out...6) and so on and so on

sorry but way too much "by chance"

as I have pointed out before...Morgan lived in an apartment...she went to classes, had places she hung out and friends she hung out with and like most college kids this stuff was probably happily shared on social media sites...
so
why would this stalker pick this concert night? The "odds" are that someone who loved Metallica and was excited about the concert would not be out in the parking lot....how would he "know' this would occur?? Psychic>? sorry I don't think so

Likewise...I think that IF Morgan had some new "forbidden" love interest she wanted to keep secret, she would NOT set up this meeting at the very time she was supposed to be at a concert that cost $$ and that she was looking forward to enjoying

again>>> I feel this was a horrible series of bad events...almost a "Perfect Storm" of bad events...bad decisions....intangible factors like a cell phone that kept losing it's battery added to this...
and most of all a very very wrong person

IF Morgan had met up with a decent person maybe she would have misssed the concert, maybe had to reconsider how/when who to "party" with...maybe been hungover...maybe if it became known , been ashamed or embararessed
but let's not forget...some creep is out there, someone turned this into this nightmare, and he is still out there

the simple answer>>> some creep picked her up and it all went wrong from there
no conspiracy, no preplanned targeting and no "ex" or past relationship

Makes sense to me JMO

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post:

My own personal opinion is the person *knew* her, but that she didn't necessarily know him. I think he knew she was going to be at the concert, and circumstances were that she came to be outside, separated from her friends and he made his move. I suspect it was someone she initially at least would have felt safe with. Again, just my gut feeling about this.

I never meant to indicate that I thought he was outside 'waiting' for her, 'assuming' or 'knowing' that events would occur where she'd end up stranded outside the arena. My next post describing my friend having her stalker waiting outside her work and where she shopped wasn't to that point, but rather to illustrate how persistent a stalker/obsessed person can be, and specifically that he could have easily found out she was attending the concert and possibly even knew the general area of her seats (as was indicated by prof in the post above). He went there to 'watch' her, to possibly be near her. Then when she came to be separated from her friends, he approached. Is that 'chance'? Sure. So is that some creep (who didn't know her at all) picked her up.

I'd like to know of LE examined the video from the arena not just for Morgan leaving, but anyone who may have followed her out shortly thereafter.

Stalker/obsessed person aside, I do believe that it is someone she initially felt safe with, particularly someone from Roanoke/VT/Blacksburg. That would explain her telling her friend she'd get home. I don't see her standing in Charlottesville, trying to hitchhike a 2-3 hour ride back home. I don't recall there being a record of her calling someone local, so the comment 'not to worry I'll get home' has always puzzled me. It would make sense though, if she'd met up someone from Roanoke or VT/Blacksburg. I think that somehow he put her at ease, and by the time she realized she was in danger it was too late and he'd taken her away from the general safety of the city and to somewhere more secluded (Saturday night in a college town? bound to have been crawling with potential witnesses). I'm not convinced he necessarily killed her where she was found, though.

 

[Calliope]

http://www.trafficland.com/city/CHO/index.html

http://maps.google.com/maps?sourcei...ocal_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQnwIwAA

Following US 29S, there are at least 2 traffic cams south of the arena. Assuming they took the most direct route from JPJ to Anchorage Farm, I wonder if LE has studied those videos?

http://www.photoenforced.com/

Search 'red light camera' in Charlottesville turns up 2 (Rio Road and US-29,
and US-250 and Stony Point Road). It's a bit confusing because some articles I found indicate they are not installed yet.

Also, does the arena have cameras installed in the parking lots?

 

[arielilane]

I have the utmost respect for Dr. and Mrs. Harrington and their son, Alex (Morgan’s brother). I don’t know them; however, the unthinkable pain and suffering that they have endured in public and private is unbearable and unimaginable.

I give praise and thanks that I have not had to walk in their shoes…

In addition, I think it is important to remember a victim by their name. Just my opinion; which means nothing, just my thoughts. :twocents:

I hope that this killer is found soon, to give this family some peace and others as well. Because others are at risk.

 

[dda]

Calliope wrote:
Search 'red light camera' in Charlottesville turns up 2 (Rio Road and US-29,
and US-250 and Stony Point Road). It's a bit confusing because some articles I found indicate they are not installed yet.


These are not on the route from JPJ to Anchorage Farm. Rio Road/29 intersection is north of town and Stony Point Rd/250 intersection is east.

 

[part time prof]

That was my point.

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post:

I never meant to indicate that I thought he was outside 'waiting' for her, 'assuming' or 'knowing' that events would occur where she'd end up stranded outside the arena. My next post describing my friend having her stalker waiting outside her work and where she shopped wasn't to that point, but rather to illustrate how persistent a stalker/obsessed person can be, and specifically that he could have easily found out she was attending the concert and possibly even knew the general area of her seats (as was indicated by prof in the post above). He went there to 'watch' her, to possibly be near her. Then when she came to be separated from her friends, he approached. Is that 'chance'? Sure. So is that some creep (who didn't know her at all) picked her up.

I'd like to know of LE examined the video from the arena not just for Morgan leaving, but anyone who may have followed her out shortly thereafter.

Stalker/obsessed person aside, I do believe that it is someone she initially felt safe with, particularly someone from Roanoke/VT/Blacksburg. That would explain her telling her friend she'd get home. I don't see her standing in Charlottesville, trying to hitchhike a 2-3 hour ride back home. I don't recall there being a record of her calling someone local, so the comment 'not to worry I'll get home' has always puzzled me. It would make sense though, if she'd met up someone from Roanoke or VT/Blacksburg. I think that somehow he put her at ease, and by the time she realized she was in danger it was too late and he'd taken her away from the general safety of the city and to somewhere more secluded (Saturday night in a college town? bound to have been crawling with potential witnesses). I'm not convinced he necessarily killed her where she was found, though.

I didn't mean to suggest the stalker theory was wrong, and agree with you on all points, and think it bears further exploring. If one had wanted to know what MH was up to, social networking sites could have given a clue, including, but not limited to, her attendance at Metallica.

The phone call with the friend was reportedly at 8:48, then MH went wandering, so it's hard for me to believe at that point she knew who she was getting a ride with. MOO. But the reported comment "I'll get a ride home" has always puzzled me as well...given that the closest "home" (JMU/Harrisonburg) is about 1:15 away, and Blacksburg and Roanoke are both 2+.

An early report I just re-read yesterday (link below) quoted roommate AM's sister (also AM), who was not at the concert (though her sister AM was) saying:

[M] said Harrington went outside before Metallica took the stage. She said she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back," said [AM], [AM's] older sister and a friend of Harrington's. Friends and family still haven't heard from Harrington, she said.

[AM] said Harrington's purse and cellphone were found outside the stadium and her car was still in the parking lot. She said Harrington wouldn't abandon her friends there.

There was also the report of Morgan lookalike DS and her group contacting Morgan's group and being told "one of our party is missing." If it's possible that early statements are somehow more accurate than subsequent ones (more unguarded, and told from a sibling friend who was there to a sibling friend who wasn't), the reported phone call, and especially the part about "getting another ride home" could have been an attempt to cover, as might have been the early confusion over what car was driven (not of a major crime but of more minor indiscretions...Morgan letting friends drive her car, their possibly drinking, their leaving her in C'ville, albeit after apparently waiting to see if she would show up, her smoking).

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223121

In this one, the UVa police spokesperson confirms the plan to meet up later.

http://topstoriesrichmond.com/news/audio-uva-police-seek-missing-vt-student/

Don't know where I'm going with this, but thought I'd throw it (back) into the mix.

 

[cc81]

here's a good traffic cam website for VA.. just make sure you actually click on the traffic cam icon on the left side of the map. The cameras normally update every few seconds.
http://511virginia.org/Home.aspx?r=3

 

[part time prof]

here's a good traffic cam website for VA.. just make sure you actually click on the traffic cam icon on the left side of the map. The cameras normally update every few seconds.
http://511virginia.org/Home.aspx?r=3

Thanks for this. It looks like there would be three likely cameras between Copeley Bridge/Ivy Road and Anchorage Farm, one at 250/29 interchange, one at Buckingham Circle on 29, and one at the 29/64 interchange. Maybe there's something there.

ETA Another route from Charlottesville to Anchorage Farm, though not a direct one, would be to take 5th street extended south from town, which becomes Old Lynchburg Road. Old Lynchburg Road connects up to Red Hill Road (route 708), which crosses 29/Monacan Trail just south of Anchorage Farm road, and after crossing 29 provides entry to Blandemar Estates, Chopin Road, Waldemar. In that case, the camera at 5th street extended/64 could be useful as well. Similarly, one can get to 708 from route 20 south, so depending on where they were coming from, the route 20/64 cam could help.

EATA In fact, given the tip that led to the early search of the Comfort Inn east of town, I hope they checked (if that's possible), the ones on 250 near 20 and at 64...

 

[Calliope]

Calliope wrote:
Search 'red light camera' in Charlottesville turns up 2 (Rio Road and US-29,
and US-250 and Stony Point Road). It's a bit confusing because some articles I found indicate they are not installed yet.


These are not on the route from JPJ to Anchorage Farm. Rio Road/29 intersection is north of town and Stony Point Rd/250 intersection is east.

I was looking for positions of traffic cameras and those were the only two listed in Charlottesville. However. Just north of the arena 250 intersects with 29. And not far east of stoney point/250 is the interstate. West a little bit on I64 then south on 29 leads to Anchorage. It's not that convoluted a route, but of course it all depends on where she was taken after leaving the area around JPJ. Even if she was left at the farm the night she disappeared, I doubt it happened right away. That would seem to be too big of a risk of being seen (from the Bass' if coming in from that direction, or homes near Red Hill if coming from there).

 

[Calliope]

I didn't mean to suggest the stalker theory was wrong, and agree with you on all points, and think it bears further exploring. If one had wanted to know what MH was up to, social networking sites could have given a clue, including, but not limited to, her attendance at Metallica.

I understand. Like I said, I'm on drugs right now for a back injury, and I'm not sure I'm making myself as clear as I hope

Whether or not it was someone who knew she was going to be there, the whole idea that it's possible is scary, and that so many could have known is scarier still. I've ranted to my own daughter about being careful what she posts online, that her FB and myspace isn't just being read by people she knows and trusts. I think she finally got it when her ex's ex wife (yeah i know lol) snagged pics of my grandson off her myspace page and posted them online. She then made all her pages private.

The phone call with the friend was reportedly at 8:48, then MH went wandering, so it's hard for me to believe at that point she knew who she was getting a ride with. MOO. But the reported comment "I'll get a ride home" has always puzzled me as well...given that the closest "home" (JMU/Harrisonburg) is about 1:15 away, and Blacksburg and Roanoke are both 2+.

Yep.

That's also why the reports of her hitch-hiking doesn't make sense to me either. Unless she was trying to flag someone down for help. I wonder too if the person who took her forced her to make that call. Especially given what you say below (that Morgan wouldn't abandon her friends).

An early report I just re-read yesterday (link below) quoted roommate AM's sister (also AM), who was not at the concert (though her sister AM was) saying:

[M] said Harrington went outside before Metallica took the stage. She said she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back," said [AM], [AM's] older sister and a friend of Harrington's. Friends and family still haven't heard from Harrington, she said.

[AM] said Harrington's purse and cellphone were found outside the stadium and her car was still in the parking lot. She said Harrington wouldn't abandon her friends there.

There was also the report of Morgan lookalike DS and her group contacting Morgan's group and being told "one of our party is missing." If it's possible that early statements are somehow more accurate than subsequent ones (more unguarded, and told from a sibling friend who was there to a sibling friend who wasn't), the reported phone call, and especially the part about "getting another ride home" could have been an attempt to cover, as might have been the early confusion over what car was driven (not of a major crime but of more minor indiscretions...Morgan letting friends drive her car, their possibly drinking, their leaving her in C'ville, albeit after apparently waiting to see if she would show up, her smoking).

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223121

In this one, the UVa police spokesperson confirms the plan to meet up later.

http://topstoriesrichmond.com/news/audio-uva-police-seek-missing-vt-student/

Don't know where I'm going with this, but thought I'd throw it (back) into the mix.

Thanks. I hadn't seen those comments before.

 

[Calliope]

Thanks for this. It looks like there would be three likely cameras between Copeley Bridge/Ivy Road and Anchorage Farm, one at 250/29 interchange, one at Buckingham Circle on 29, and one at the 29/64 interchange. Maybe there's something there.

ETA Another route from Charlottesville to Anchorage Farm, though not a direct one, would be to take 5th street extended south from town, which becomes Old Lynchburg Road. Old Lynchburg Road connects up to Red Hill Road (route 708), which crosses 29/Monacan Trail just south of Anchorage Farm road, and after crossing 29 provides entry to Blandemar Estates, Chopin Road, Waldemar. In that case, the camera at 5th street extended/64 could be useful as well. Similarly, one can get to 708 from route 20 south, so depending on where they were coming from, the route 20/64 cam could help.

EATA In fact, given the tip that led to the early search of the Comfort Inn east of town, I hope they checked (if that's possible), the ones on 250 near 20 and at 64...

I wonder how well they can 'zoom' in to a traffic cam photo? (I know; I watch too much CSI...) Well enough to ID the gender and number of occupants? Or the color of clothes or hair (even if in black and white, if they can see the occupants, they should be able to tell if one is blonde wearing dark clothes). If that is possible, then look for vehicles capable of managing the terrain at Anchorage?

 

[Calliope]

Gil Harrington's latest post:

February 17, 2010

My obscenity riddled to-do list has included words like victim, scent item, fingerprints, DNA, skeletonized, cadaver dog, medical examiner, now I add view remains. And that&#8217;s just what Morgan has been reduced to &#8211; calcified fragments.

All he left us with was her bones &#8211; but they are precious to us. It is a primal emotion to get the body back to mourn and to honor the life that was lost.

We honored Morgan to the best of our abilities with a moving funeral Mass and a celebration of Morgan&#8217;s brief life.

We mourned Morgan to the best of our abilities by viewing with clarity her cast off bones. Holding her in our own hands in this form as part of our leave-taking. Holding the last remnants of our girl, to try and let the enormity and finality of her death penetrate somehow past the barriers in our minds that still scream &#8220;how can this be &#8211; it isn&#8217;t happening&#8221;. Peering into Morgan&#8217;s empty orbital sockets the mind protests- but must concede, it is. Not an exercise in reality I ever want again to come to me.

241


http://findmorgan.com/category/family-blog

 

[Calliope]

Someone on findmorgan forum brought up the blue phones. I hadn't even considered those.

Blue Light Phones

There are more than 200 blue light phone in place around the University of Virginia. Telephones are in every dormitory, along frequently traveled sidewalks, and in parking lots. Some academic buildings also have phones. These phone dial directly into the University Police department. If you need assistance, just activate a blue phone and state the problem. A police officer will respond. Map of Blue Light Phones.

There are a number of them on the arena lot and Copley / 29.

Remember Morgan Harrington - View Single Post - Poi

 

[part time prof]

respectfully snipped

That's also why the reports of her hitch-hiking doesn't make sense to me either. Unless she was trying to flag someone down for help. I wonder too if the person who took her forced her to make that call. Especially given what you say below (that Morgan wouldn't abandon her friends).

If the call at 8:48 was forced, it seems unlikely she would have had the same wandering route seemingly by herself (or with others who we don't know much about), but not reported as being in distress.

So, if something happened (say at Lannigan Field lot, say involving her purse) that scared her and caused her to frantically try to escape in any way possible, including hitchhiking, I'd buy that. But iirc LE has stated she was not in apparent distress in any witness sightings they consider credible, nor did her purse show signs of a struggle (though other than the account of the person who found it and turned it in, how would they know?).

The hitching has never made sense to me, whether home or someplace local. I think it's likely she stuck out her thumb in a more playful manner once she recognized the car that was pulling up for her. But who? And where did they go between there and AF?

 

[part time prof]

Someone on findmorgan forum brought up the blue phones. I hadn't even considered those.

Blue Light Phones

There are more than 200 blue light phone in place around the University of Virginia. Telephones are in every dormitory, along frequently traveled sidewalks, and in parking lots. Some academic buildings also have phones. These phone dial directly into the University Police department. If you need assistance, just activate a blue phone and state the problem. A police officer will respond. Map of Blue Light Phones.

There are a number of them on the arena lot and Copley / 29.

Remember Morgan Harrington - View Single Post - Poi

On her route from JPJ through UHall parking to Lannigan Field/R.V. lot to Copeley Bridge it looks like she would have passed at least two (whether they were working on not), so this further suggests to me she was not in distress at that time. I couldn't zoom in enough to see where the one closest to the Ivy/Copeley corner is, but it looks to be set back a bit from the road.

The reason I brought up the point about whether they were working correctly is that in a fairly early thread someone on here did some on ground sleuthing and reported that the one behind Lannigan Field lot nearer the baseball field was out of order, iirc.

They're pretty visible, in my opinion, and I think both call UVA police and have a blue flashing light that activates.

 

[Calliope]

On her route from JPJ through UHall parking to Lannigan Field/R.V. lot to Copeley Bridge it looks like she would have passed at least two (whether they were working on not), so this further suggests to me she was not in distress at that time. I couldn't zoom in enough to see where the one closest to the Ivy/Copeley corner is, but it looks to be set back a bit from the road.

The reason I brought up the point about whether they were working correctly is that in a fairly early thread someone on here did some on ground sleuthing and reported that the one behind Lannigan Field lot nearer the baseball field was out of order, iirc.

They're pretty visible, in my opinion, and I think both call UVA police and have a blue flashing light that activates.

I worked near a campus that had these lighted phones. We were told they flash and connect directly to campus police. There seems to be a number of phones in the lots of the arena too.

 

[Calliope]

Did any of the lots have security cameras?

 

[Dallasdon]

I worked near a campus that had these lighted phones. We were told they flash and connect directly to campus police. There seems to be a number of phones in the lots of the arena too.

From an earlier thread
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90674&page=29

-snip-

If you walk towards the area - on the left hand side there is a grassy area and then a line of trees on a bank that overlooks the railroad tracks.

If you continue walking the track is on the right hand side and you continue through the grassy area back to the baseball stadium. This area is complete desolate and there is a lot of construction going on near the stadium. We took a lot of picutres of the stadium and saw lots of dumpsters, big barrels and piles of fresh dirt. There was even a shovel near one of the piles of dirt (that freaked me out a little).

If someone was in this area - no one could hear you if you were screaming. It is far away from everything (unless there were people on the track, I guess). And another important note - there was an emergency box with a blue light and a phone....but it is OUT OF ORDER!

In case you missed the pics of the area...they are here: http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f200/tracynb/For Morgan/

 

[part time prof]

I worked near a campus that had these lighted phones. We were told they flash and connect directly to campus police. There seems to be a number of phones in the lots of the arena too.

Yes, I noticed that too, but was focused on what we think we know of her movements outside the arena (not to say she wasn't around those phones, too, before heading off for UHall, Lannigan, and Copeley Bridge). You may have to dial these, as I recall the one I walk past near my UVA building has a keypad...but I may be wrong. Again, she willingly walked past them, so apparently felt no distress then (or didn't notice them if she did).

Who would she willingly get in a car with, other than a complete opportunistic stranger, is my continuing conundrum (alternatively phrased as "was she really hitchhiking?"). Not likely someone she had just met in the UHall or Lannigan lots, unless their cars weren't parked there (e.g., in the Emmet/Ivy garage)...otherwise, why not just get in then? Or if they heard her plans to hitchhike and circled around, sans friends.

Maybe someone she met earlier that evening, but there are no apparent calls or texts to arrange it, and semi-random meandering beforehand.

Maybe someone she didn't know, but had seen her previously that evening and took advantage (back to the roadie, security guard, driver, whatever scenario).

Maybe a predator (who didn't look it) was cruising by, whether by chance or design, and picked her up hitchhiking once she made it to the Copeley/Ivy intersection.

Or was she forced into a vehicle? If so, where and why are there no witnesses or signs of a struggle (that we know of)? And how did her purse end up somewhere other than where she was last spotted? If it was at Lannigan, why are there reports of her hitchhiking on the bridge? Did she backtrack to the lot, maybe remembering she forgot her purse? No witnesses report that...

And I don't know how busy Copeley Road, Ivy Road, and that part of UVA grounds are at 9:30 on a drizzly, cold Saturday night with a concert in full swing, so I guess it's possible she was abducted under cover of night, but I lean toward a ride gone bad.

 

[Calliope]

I've not seen the ones at UVA, but the ones I'm familiar with connected when picked up.

How the purse ended up where it was found is a puzzle, too. It's been suggested that her killer brought it back, perhaps because he had to return to that area.

 

[Calliope]

From an earlier thread
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90674&page=29

Thanks! Those photos are great, much more helpful than google map shots, etc.