Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #2

[SuziQ]

How far is this from the concert?

Comfort Inn motel at I-64 and Route 250 in Charlottesville

 

[SuziQ]

Morning Search Finds no Clues in Harrington Case

http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=11376757

 

[crypto6]

Police don't seem to think the fighting rumours are true for some reason...http://www2.wsls.com/sls/news/local...etting_calls_in_morgan_harrington_case/57086/

"State Police could not confirm for us the woman actually called, because they don’t want to waste precious time in the investigation sorting through the numerous tips that have already been investigated. They did tell us they have no reason to believe Morgan was in a fight outside the arena.
Also, the FBI has joined the case. Investigators say the FBI offering help is typical in cases like this."

Don't have a feel for how good VASP is with this. They aren't overwhelming with their command of the situation. They have released contradictory information about the car and the friends' waiting and don't seem to be involving the media as fully as they could in an early-on suspicious disappearance. Would like to hear the FBI release some info to compare with VASP's.
The GM who witnessed the fight seems straightforward to me, though eyewitness information is notoriously tricky to debrief and analyze. So, do we believe the grandmother witness or VASP??

C6

 

[secret_agent_mom]

How far is this from the concert?

Comfort Inn motel at I-64 and Route 250 in Charlottesville

Driving it would take about 15-20 minutes.

 

[Waddles]

Forgive my enormous car ignorance but could a blue pick up and black SUV be any way confused in darkness? (from FB page-reported sighting I've actually heard reports of people seeing someone that matched her description between Madison and Culpepper on 29n. From what I understand they said they saw a girl who fitted Morgan's description next to a black SUV/truck on the side of the road. What struck the women as odd was that the SUV/truck was just sitting there in complete darkness with no lights. The women claims if it had not been for her headlights she wouldn't have seen anyone.
")

 

[Waddles]

Forgive my enormous car ignorance but could a blue pick up and black SUV be any way confused in darkness? (from FB page-reported sighting I've actually heard reports of people seeing someone that matched her description between Madison and Culpepper on 29n. From what I understand they said they saw a girl who fitted Morgan's description next to a black SUV/truck on the side of the road. What struck the women as odd was that the SUV/truck was just sitting there in complete darkness with no lights. The women claims if it had not been for her headlights she wouldn't have seen anyone.
")

or maybe the person who saw the car did not know much about cars...

 

[crypto6]

but... if this was a random or opportunistic grab, rape, & murder - the body is usually discarded by the perp ASAP openly somewhere - and no body has been found yet.

Could be either really, stranger abduction and nobody has stumbled upon her yet or Acquaintance/Boyfriend who took the time to hide her body.

Sorry to be thinking so pessimistically, and all is JMO

Right, ASAP discard for a certain subset of impulse or serial killers. Others have preferred hidden dumping grounds (ugh).
Makes me wonder why they called off the local search so soon. Although there is probably pressure from UVA to keep this low profile as some noted.

C6

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Just saw the news about the motel search..Morgan PLEASE be found safe

 

[Waddles]

"Police spent much of the morning checking out a tip in the disappearance of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington at a Pantops hotel, but nothing significant was found. State Police spokesperson Corrine Geller tells NBC29's Henry Graff that they received a phone tip that led them to the Comfort Inn at the intersection of US 250 and I-64 in Albemarle County. Geller tells us the search in that area was routine procedure after getting such a tip, but that no signifcant clues were found in the case."

http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=11376757

 

[Heroine]

Right, ASAP discard for a certain subset of impulse or serial killers. Others have preferred hidden dumping grounds (ugh).
Makes me wonder why they called off the local search so soon. Although there is probably pressure from UVA to keep this low profile as some noted.

C6

you're probably right about uva, but i thinks it's BS. Stuff like this happens everyday. I mean just look at the VT shootings, People still go to college there. They should keep searching! I wish there was some way I could help.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Police acted pretty majorly on this tip (shutting down road access and the motel, etc) so it leads me to believe there was something reported that they found to be pretty credible. According to FoxNews (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569388,00.html?test=latestnews) the tip came after a sighting of Morgan. Since I believe this tip was credible (because of the way police reacted) it gives me some hope Morgan is alive.

 

[Heroine]

Police acted pretty majorly on this tip (shutting down road access and the motel, etc) so it leads me to believe there was something reported that they found to be pretty credible. According to FoxNews (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569388,00.html?test=latestnews) the tip came after a sighting of Morgan. Since I believe this tip was credible (because of the way police reacted) it gives me some hope Morgan is alive.

Oh I hope she's alive and when found that she'll be safe and unharmed.raying:
I don't see anything in that article that said it came after a sighting of her, am I over looking something?....oh i see it's the headline.

 

[West]

Just an FYI on UVA's history with missing persons cases...

The last case to get major attention at UVA in regards to a missing person was Patrick Collins in 1986. Last seen using an ATM on/near campus, hasn't been seen since.

Patrick's dad had to file under the Freedom of Info Act to get access to his son's file in the early 90s. No arrests or substantial leads have been found. Patrick's dad said shoddy police work and a sense of 'covering it up' toprotect UVA's image were major factors that hampered the investigation from the start.

I've tried to find anything current on this and haven't been too lucky....let's hope Morgan's case doesn't go down this road and she's found alive and well very soon.

 

[Heroine]

Just an FYI on UVA's history with missing persons cases...

The last case to get major attention at UVA in regards to a missing person was Patrick Collins in 1986. Last seen using an ATM on/near campus, hasn't been seen since.

Patrick's dad had to file under the Freedom of Info Act to get access to his son's file in the early 90s. No arrests or substantial leads have been found. Patrick's dad said shoddy police work and a sense of 'covering it up' toprotect UVA's image were major factors that hampered the investigation from the start.

I've tried to find anything current on this and haven't been too lucky....let's hope Morgan's case doesn't go down this road and she's found alive and well very soon.

Well after hearing that I wouldn't go to the college for that reason alone. This is horrible! If you ask me this puts these poor kids more in harms way and also creates a stalking ground for kids. You know most perps know the safest place to find victims and if this is known to criminals then the first place they will look is colleges. Why are people so stupid?

 

[West]

Secret Agent Mom,

Thanks for the pics...It seems like JPJ is very well lit at night, right around the main entrances. I wonder why Morgan didn't just stay put right there...its unlikely that a stranger abduction would have occured in plain view of security at entrances and with such bright lighting. Lends more credence to the idea that maybe she was meeting someone there? But even so, why not have that person walk to at least meet you under the lights? If something fishy were to have happened up by entrance, I would think a security guard or door person would remember (a nasty fight, girl crying hysterically etc.). If Morgan was meeting someone, they clearly did not have tickets or they too left the arena before show. Why leave the show if you are both inside though?

Ugh I am going around in circles with this! Even with just 2 or 3 factual bits of info this case could be making some solid progress...I feel like I am spinning my wheels trying to figure things out here--I hope LE is not feeling this way too and have more ideas and tips to investigate at this point! :banghead:

 

[Heroine]

Secret Agent Mom,

Thanks for the pics...It seems like JPJ is very well lit at night, right around the main entrances. I wonder why Morgan didn't just stay put right there...its unlikely that a stranger abduction would have occured in plain view of security at entrances and with such bright lighting. Lends more credence to the idea that maybe she was meeting someone there? But even so, why not have that person walk to at least meet you under the lights? If something fishy were to have happened up by entrance, I would think a security guard or door person would remember (a nasty fight, girl crying hysterically etc.). If Morgan was meeting someone, they clearly did not have tickets or they too left the arena before show. Why leave the show if you are both inside though?

Ugh I am going around in circles with this! Even with just 2 or 3 factual bits of info this case could be making some solid progress...I feel like I am spinning my wheels trying to figure things out here--I hope LE is not feeling this way too and have more ideas and tips to investigate at this point! :banghead:

I still can't get over the fact that she told her friends she was leaving and noone knows where or who she was going with? This just doesn't make any sense. Where was she going when she thought to leave? How was she getting there without her keys?
They must have all been on crack!!!!! sorry about the outrage, but this is just aggravating to say the least!
Edited one more time to say, do the LE find any of this as odd as I do?

 

[crypto6]

Police acted pretty majorly on this tip (shutting down road access and the motel, etc) so it leads me to believe there was something reported that they found to be pretty credible. According to FoxNews (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569388,00.html?test=latestnews) the tip came after a sighting of Morgan. Since I believe this tip was credible (because of the way police reacted) it gives me some hope Morgan is alive.

The fact they came away empty after a weird search (from pickup door handle to woods by a motel a week out??) may mean they're grasping. Unfortunately since the time elapsed is now a week, there are going to be blonde girl sightings everywhere for a while. Increased resources with FBI will help there.

C6

 

[jnTexas]

Wonder if she called a cab and that is why she was waiting outside?
Feeling bad would not make me want to go outside in the cold. I would rather find a place to sit and wait in common area of the arena. There is something in the cell records I just feel it.

 

[tarheellvr]

I talked to my daughter last night, a recent college grad. She informed me pharmaceuticals are big now..ie:hydro (vicodin) oxy(oxycodone/oxycontin)
xanax,etc She also said in some circle herion is making a huge comeback.

From the descriptions given of her behavior and actions, I tend to think along these lines. I've seen many people stoned and they don't trip and fall even if totally baked. Same with coke and meth which make one hyped up and anxious.

Daughter wondered if she smoked weed, took some pills or snorted something.....said this would account for her behavior. From Morgan's friends facebook, it's more than obvious they were into the drug scene....pic of friend rolled in comforter "like a jay" she said, "so high I can kiss the stars" she said, plus in some of the pics they had red,glazed eyes. I know that look....hate to say it, but have seen my kids/their friends. Also wonder about the school change and her comment on being grounded right before collge. IMO something happened, kicked out of school, drugs, arrests????

The poster who mentioned her dropping her jacket (if the jacket story is true) is what I thought about her cell phone from the get-go. Did she drop the battery separately to "leave a trail?" Now with all these other sightings, I'm inclined to think she was with someone she knew.

Of course they is way more than we're being told and I agree with the poster who mentioned her family's attitude/actions. If it were my kid, I'd be out there telling/discussing EVERYTHING I knew to get her back, no matter how bad. My utmost concern would be getting her back/found. These parents seem to be "sugar-coating" her life....why I'm not sure...but wish they'd be more realistic and forthcoming. In fact, the whole investigation is sorta "hush-hush"......again, why I don't know. There is WAY more to this story than meets the eyes and IMO their silence may not be helping the way they think it should.

God bless Morgan..........may she found soon.

 

[crypto6]

I still can't get over the fact that she told her friends she was leaving and noone knows where or who she was going with? This just doesn't make any sense. Where was she going when she thought to leave? How was she getting there without her keys?
They must have all been on crack!!!!! sorry about the outrage, but this is just aggravating to say the least!
Edited one more time to say, do the LE find any of this as odd as I do?

I think the case will turn back to these basic questions at some point. The missing piece is at the beginning, not on a door handle a week later.

C6