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

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Reminds me of another Virginian, Michelle Gardner-Quinn, a student at the University of Vermont:

"In the early morning hours of October 7, Gardner-Quinn was walking home to her campus dormitory after a night out with friends. She borrowed a cell phone from a passerby, Brian Rooney, to call an acquaintance. A jewelry store surveillance camera captured Gardner-Quinn walking north with Rooney at approximately 2:34 am. Six days later, her body was found by hikers near Huntington Gorge in Richmond, Vermont. An autopsy revealed she had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled." Rooney was eventually convicted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Michelle_Gardner-Quinn
 
Reminds me of another Virginian, Michelle Gardner-Quinn, a student at the University of Vermont:

"In the early morning hours of October 7, Gardner-Quinn was walking home to her campus dormitory after a night out with friends. She borrowed a cell phone from a passerby, Brian Rooney, to call an acquaintance. A jewelry store surveillance camera captured Gardner-Quinn walking north with Rooney at approximately 2:34 am. Six days later, her body was found by hikers near Huntington Gorge in Richmond, Vermont. An autopsy revealed she had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled." Rooney was eventually convicted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Michelle_Gardner-Quinn

Reading that it does make you wonder if a similar predator wasn't lurking around the concert and campus.
 
Hope this is OK to link

Poll on who you think is responsible

http://www.micropoll.com/akira/mpresult/820350-233413

Further info and explanations about poll can be found on HFMDH, discussions section, post 50 in "Vote-Who killed Morgan Dana Harrington"

Very interesting that Morgan's friends rank right up there with a first time killer and all the rest of the people listed have very minimal or no votes...
 
Very interesting that Morgan's friends rank right up there with a first time killer and all the rest of the people listed have very minimal or no votes...

Yeah that category may have to be defined further but it includes people who believe it can be even a distant aquaintance friend or friend she thought she could trust or someone she arranged to meet to party with and something went wrong...

question still is was it someone she knew or was it a stranger abduction. After all she stated she would get a ride home, she appeared to be waiting for someone at the RV lot, reasons that make people wonder if she had met the person before
 
I feel Roselvr brought up a good point. It COULD have been a woman that picked her up. I have, numerous times, found a high school or even middle school girl locked out of a school or library and had them get in the car with me. They are afraid, but also realize that a mom-looking person is 99% more likely to be safe than someone else coming along.

I would think this is not as likely, based on Jaycee and Eliz. Smart's situations where a woman help kidnap/hide the girls for their husbands for a long period of time. It seems like a quick grab is less likely, but then look at Karla Homolka.

I do believe we would be remiss to not consider the possibility at all.

A woman might be more likely to leave the body in the grassy field. She wasn’t strong enough to dig even a shallow grave quickly.
 
I think when/if this person is caught it will be a stranger who saw an opportunity and took it. Maybe this person forced her in the car, or she trusted them because they were official looking, or very young and looked like a student. They appeared to be "cool" with the way they talked and was probably nonchalant and non threatening so it put her at ease and relaxed her enough to willingly get in their car.

I think it's as simple and as tragic as that. It's not very sexy or exciting, but that's my opinion. :D
 
A woman might be more likely to leave the body in the grassy field. She wasn’t strong enough to dig even a shallow grave quickly.

Dumping is a very common way to dispose of a body -- read in the Unidentified threads how many of them were found in a field, on a roadside, in the woods, down an embankment, etc. Some of them in quite remote locations, too. One girl seems to have been dumped in the middle of the Wisconsin woods quite a distance from anywhere. I don't think we can read anything about gender into the location.
 
Yeah that category may have to be defined further but it includes people who believe it can be even a distant aquaintance friend or friend she thought she could trust or someone she arranged to meet to party with and something went wrong...

question still is was it someone she knew or was it a stranger abduction. After all she stated she would get a ride home, she appeared to be waiting for someone at the RV lot, reasons that make people wonder if she had met the person before

BBM #1 - Throwing something out there, from way out in left field...is it possible that the location is significant not only to the perp(s) but to his/her/their history with MH? Then, a crime of passion by a known (if only slightly) offender would make sense, in the exact spot (or close to) where maybe a spurned advance at a party, concert, joy-ride, whatever some time prior led to the subsequent events...

I keep thinking the location matters a lot, but this would make it matter a whole lot more (and would narrow the set of people down to very few). This is vast speculation, and I suspect friends and family would have mentioned anything like this that they knew of, and as pointed out compellingly by others she had her own place, there's no known ex, etc.

But I was struck by the 2007 entry MH made that was linked here, iirc, that talked of a social situation spiraling down (my paraphrase), meeting a creepy guy, and giving up her last unicorns.

BBM #2 - "she appeared to be waiting for someone at the RV lot" I appreciate your causing me to take another look at this. Was this from something you read or just an assumption based on the time line? I've always assumed she walked with the BB players from UHall Lot to Lannigan Field/R.V. Lot, then proceeded pretty quickly to Copeley Road Bridge, but I believe the time line says 9:10-9:30 is when she was in and about Lannigan Field Parking and Copeley Road Bridge, and those are pretty short distances, so maybe she was waiting for someone specific to pick her up at the lot. But then why would she leave the lot and go to the bridge to hitchhike (unless it was for that person(s) to pick her up, but if so, how did she arrange that sans cell phone?). And did she forget her purse at the lot?

All this, MOO.
 
In the office so will be brief :)

All very good questions

I was told (reliably) she either appeared to be waiting for someone or said she was waiting for someone to the witnesses in the RV lot, who had "limited interaction" with her as stated in press. I was always wondering what that limited interaction was. As far as I can recall we still don't know any info at all about what words were exchanged, how she appeared emotionally, her state etc -only that she seemed to be waiting.

I'd forgotten the unicorns thing although it rings a bell, I'm going to have another look.
The "social situation spiraling down" in your words -was this when she changed schools -I don't have the dates to hand.


BBM #1 - Throwing something out there, from way out in left field...is it possible that the location is significant not only to the perp(s) but to his/her/their history with MH? Then, a crime of passion by a known (if only slightly) offender would make sense, in the exact spot (or close to) where maybe a spurned advance at a party, concert, joy-ride, whatever some time prior led to the subsequent events...

I keep thinking the location matters a lot, but this would make it matter a whole lot more (and would narrow the set of people down to very few). This is vast speculation, and I suspect friends and family would have mentioned anything like this that they knew of, and as pointed out compellingly by others she had her own place, there's no known ex, etc.

But I was struck by the 2007 entry MH made that was linked here, iirc, that talked of a social situation spiraling down (my paraphrase), meeting a creepy guy, and giving up her last unicorns.

BBM #2 - "she appeared to be waiting for someone at the RV lot" I appreciate your causing me to take another look at this. Was this from something you read or just an assumption based on the time line? I've always assumed she walked with the BB players from UHall Lot to Lannigan Field/R.V. Lot, then proceeded pretty quickly to Copeley Road Bridge, but I believe the time line says 9:10-9:30 is when she was in and about Lannigan Field Parking and Copeley Road Bridge, and those are pretty short distances, so maybe she was waiting for someone specific to pick her up at the lot. But then why would she leave the lot and go to the bridge to hitchhike (unless it was for that person(s) to pick her up, but if so, how did she arrange that sans cell phone?). And did she forget her purse at the lot?

All this, MOO.
 
Hope this is OK to link

Poll on who you think is responsible

http://www.micropoll.com/akira/mpresult/820350-233413

Further info and explanations about poll can be found on HFMDH, discussions section, post 50 in "Vote-Who killed Morgan Dana Harrington"



poll link

wanted to bring this over from the poll discussion thread

it was posted here that she had the Metallica concert in her Facebook events list, hundreds of people had access to that.

also-

on findmorgan.com
under a thread called "the morning of Oct. 18th"

these are questions that Dr. Harrington answered
on 01/24
--------------------------------------------------------


More questions that need answers....


1. What, if anything was found in the car? (I know it hasn't been processed by LE...but I mean things found by the Harringtons?)
No her car was clean.

2. Was the necklace recovered?
No it has not been

3. Was the cell battery ever recovered?
No it has not been

4. Have any of the witnesses taken a Lie Detector Test?
and if so, the results?
Don't know

5. Did Morgan have a spare key to the car either on her or hidden on the car somewhere?
Not to my knowledge

6. Was there credit or debit card activity on Morgan's accounts after she disappeared?
Cannot answer thaat
 
regarding Roselvr's post above re her posting her presence at the concert this is true

It was found by somoene that she was actually listed on the concert page on FB in the concert application, it's fairly easy to find if you add the app and search for Metallica at Charlottesville and date. I have not checked it for a couple of months so not sure if it's been removed

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=5179614317
 
regarding Roselvr's post above re her posting her presence at the concert this is true

It was found by somoene that she was actually listed on the concert page on FB in the concert application, it's fairly easy to find if you add the app and search for Metallica at Charlottesville and date. I have not checked it for a couple of months so not sure if it's been removed

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=5179614317

Thanks, I don't use any FB apps so wouldn't be able to access it.
I didn't remember seeing it mentioned on any of the threads I've posted in here so I figured I'd bring the information over.
 
:blowkiss: thank you for all your hard work for us Roselvr!

I so wish I'd kept notes from the very start of what could be found where
 
BBM #1 - Throwing something out there, from way out in left field...is it possible that the location is significant not only to the perp(s) but to his/her/their history with MH? Then, a crime of passion by a known (if only slightly) offender would make sense, in the exact spot (or close to) where maybe a spurned advance at a party, concert, joy-ride, whatever some time prior led to the subsequent events...

I keep thinking the location matters a lot, but this would make it matter a whole lot more (and would narrow the set of people down to very few). This is vast speculation, and I suspect friends and family would have mentioned anything like this that they knew of, and as pointed out compellingly by others she had her own place, there's no known ex, etc.

But I was struck by the 2007 entry MH made that was linked here, iirc, that talked of a social situation spiraling down (my paraphrase), meeting a creepy guy, and giving up her last unicorns.

BBM #2 - "she appeared to be waiting for someone at the RV lot" I appreciate your causing me to take another look at this. Was this from something you read or just an assumption based on the time line? I've always assumed she walked with the BB players from UHall Lot to Lannigan Field/R.V. Lot, then proceeded pretty quickly to Copeley Road Bridge, but I believe the time line says 9:10-9:30 is when she was in and about Lannigan Field Parking and Copeley Road Bridge, and those are pretty short distances, so maybe she was waiting for someone specific to pick her up at the lot. But then why would she leave the lot and go to the bridge to hitchhike (unless it was for that person(s) to pick her up, but if so, how did she arrange that sans cell phone?). And did she forget her purse at the lot?

All this, MOO.

Interesting thoughts.

In reverse order: She might have started walking in the direction she knew her ride would be coming from, in order to meet them. I too got the impression that the way her behavior was described, she was killing time in the parking lot, waiting for her ride to get there. Wandering around a bit, chatting casually with the BB guys. Dropping her things because she's nervous or angry (I've always thought the tone of the phone call to her friends was, "Fine, if you're going to be that way, I'll just find my OWN WAY HOME!" and break connection rather than "don't worry, I'll find a ride.") and yeah, forgetting the purse.

You're right, that creepy social situation might be a clue -- the guy might have felt hurt or rejected. So he wouldn't exactly be an "ex," in the sense the family and friends mean it, but if he's a psychopath to begin with, he might have remembered her for years.

He might have noticed her wandering around and realized she was alone, seized the opportunity.
 
Respectfully snipped:

(I've always thought the tone of the phone call to her friends was, "Fine, if you're going to be that way, I'll just find my OWN WAY HOME!" and break connection rather than "don't worry, I'll find a ride.")

That to me too makes a lot more sense and fits in with the feeling I had that there was some underlying tension with the friends.

I'm not saying the friends did this - but if there was some kind of words spoken between them or one of them, this could have been a possible reason for Morgan leaving the arena.
 
Respectfully snipped:

That to me too makes a lot more sense and fits in with the feeling I had that there was some underlying tension with the friends.

I'm not saying the friends did this - but if there was some kind of words spoken between them or one of them, this could have been a possible reason for Morgan leaving the arena.

It could even have been over the designated driver thing. "No, I won't bring you your keys, you're way too drunk to drive." In which case they would have been doing the right thing so far as they knew it at the time.
 
Respectfully snipped:



That to me too makes a lot more sense and fits in with the feeling I had that there was some underlying tension with the friends.

I'm not saying the friends did this - but if there was some kind of words spoken between them or one of them, this could have been a possible reason for Morgan leaving the arena.

I have always thought this.Not that I think her friends had anything to do with her murder. I was at a concert in September with friends out of state. I left them to go to the bathroom. No one blinked an eye. I went to the bathroom and thought...hmmm...I would like to have a smoke. Clearly stated on the doors if you leave you can not get back in. I did not leave.I wanted to get away not just to smoke but I was sad about my friends actions towards me.I can see M wanting to do that.It was high tension. Even at 250.00 a ticket I wanted away. I'm 41 years old. If I was younger I may have walked thru the doors not caring. Anything can happen. Remember if you can how loud everything is and steps and people. I can see her leaving. As far as her calling them? Unless they checked every other min it would be hard.Again to speak with someone who is in the concert and your outside it would be very hard to hear.Even outside you can can hear the band.
 
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