Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #5

[part time prof]

Hi Weezie. It is my understanding that Morgan keeps her car with her on campus at Virginia Tech. Her parents have often talked about her coming home during the week for dinner, to do laundry, on the weekends etc.

The girls (MH and Roommate) went to Morgan's parents house Saturday morning, where Morgan tried on outfits for her mother, then they headed down to JMU to pick up another friend. From there, the girls drove to the concert in the JMU friends car, leaving Morgan's car behind. When she didn't turn up Sunday...her V Tech roommate drove Morgan's car from JMU back to Morgan's parents house for Morgan's parents, who were obviously distraught and more than likely didn't want to go all the way to JMU to pick up their missing daughter's car.

Here's where we all get hung up... the police and the media have said why didn't Morgan go back to her car, Morgan didn't have the keys to her car,...etc. I believe that when they say "HER CAR" they mean the car that Morgan was attached to, the car she rode down to the concert in. Her father has been quite clear that his daughter's car was parked and remained at JMU on Saturday night until MH's roommate drove it to him on Sunday.

I think it's now been established (LE statement in 11/4 press conference in response to a direct question) that it was MH's car, driven by someone else, that made the trip from JMU to JPJ, but that she did not have the keys when outside the arena.

 

[VirginiaDoll]

Hello

What is IIRC?

I believe he said he called all the friends to find out where she was and that was when they began to piece it all together and then he called in after they all realized she was not with the other party as previously thought.

I too had wondered what the actual time frame was for the friends and family during the hours after the last known contact and sighting. Where were all their phones pinging etc., (not implying guilt, but for further clues, at that time someone could have been distracting them or watching them or making "stranger contact" which they forgot about or didn't realize and that could lead to more clues.)

Also,

Where was her car and what route did the vehicle take from the point of Morgan being at her apartment before they left to go ANYWHERE?

Who drove it from each point to each next point and what was the arrival and departure times of each?

Is there any record of her mileage, did she note her mileage at fill ups or anything?

Did she have a twitter, maybe she tweeted something at some point about the concert or something?

Have their been house to house searches in the area at all (I am thinking of those apartments right there mainly since you guys brought that up.)

Are her friends scared maybe or have they been threatened (or to protect the case or her safety they have been hushed by investigators) and maybe that is why the deafening silence?

Sorry for the length... just been thinking a lot
:waitasec:

You bring up some great points!!!

See my above post for timeline on her car.

The cell phone pings are going to be crucial! LE and her parents have said that the friends are cooperating as much as possible. We don't know if they have looked at the friends phone records. I know what you are saying...just to throw it out there...imagine the girls waited in the parking lot and then drove over to the apartment or house of someone they knew, hoping to find Morgan. That could actually be a lead, because suppose they haven't told the police about someone Morgan knew...it would be an extra avenue to search.

That was just a theory. I actually think the friends are beeing totally cooperative and are scared to death for their friend and her well being. I think they have not been in the media for a few reasons, 1. the are immature 20 year olds and are probably scared and devestated and don't want to be in the limelight. They have organized vigils, but that's it
2. They probably realize that people are always quick to judge/blame the friends and don't want the added stress, 3. the cops have probably told them to keep quiet, because if sensitive information is leaked..it could jepordize finding Morgan.

 

[part time prof]

Hello

What is IIRC?

What I've learned:

IIRC - if I recall correctly
LE - law enforcement
TIA - thanks in advance
FWIW - for what it's worth
POI - person of interest
PIO - public information officer

 

[VirginiaDoll]

I think it's now been established (LE statement in 11/4 press conference in response to a direct question) that it was MH's car, driven by someone else, that made the trip from JMU to JPJ, but that she did not have the keys when outside the arena.

From readthehook.com:
"Another discrepancy between what police and the family seem to know revolves around the vehicle that transported the young woman and three other concert-goers to Charlottesville. Police spokesperson Geller says that although driven by a friend, it was definitely Morgan Harrington’s own vehicle. Dr. Harrington has maintained, however, that his daughter’s 2006 Honda Civic, along with its keys, remained in Harrisonburg until retrieved Sunday by his daughter’s roommate who drove it back to the family home in Roanoke."

I am so lost!

 

[MBLover]

From readthehook.com:
"Another discrepancy between what police and the family seem to know revolves around the vehicle that transported the young woman and three other concert-goers to Charlottesville. Police spokesperson Geller says that although driven by a friend, it was definitely Morgan Harrington’s own vehicle. Dr. Harrington has maintained, however, that his daughter’s 2006 Honda Civic, along with its keys, remained in Harrisonburg until retrieved Sunday by his daughter’s roommate who drove it back to the family home in Roanoke."

I am so lost!

Despite what MH"s Dad (GH) said - it has been determined (and determined long ago) beyond any doubt that it was MH's car driven to the JPJ - and it was driven by someone else, not MH

 

[VirginiaDoll]

I wonder if at first the firends told her parents it wasn't Morgan's car at the concert because they didn't want to get her in trouble for driving all the way to Charlottesville...but when the realized how serious this is, they told the truth. My parents used to flip out when I drove long distances in the car, because they didn't want me racking up miles on a leased car!

 

[kikid]

Despite what MH"s Dad (GH) said - it has been determined (and determined long ago) beyond any doubt that it was MH's car driven to the JPJ - and it was driven by someone else, not MH

exactly - which brings up the questions:

1. Why didn't she drive her vehicle to JPJ? >drinking or under influence of drugs?
2. Why would anyone leave their vehicle with friends so far from home? If you have no way home and your car is right there, would you take off to find a way home? >Makes zero sense
3) Why does her father insist her car & KEYS were left at JMU? >doesn't believe police? doesn't believe friends? doesn't believe Morgan would've allowed someone else to drive her car?

 

[Track292008]

From readthehook.com:
"Another discrepancy between what police and the family seem to know revolves around the vehicle that transported the young woman and three other concert-goers to Charlottesville. Police spokesperson Geller says that although driven by a friend, it was definitely Morgan Harrington’s own vehicle. Dr. Harrington has maintained, however, that his daughter’s 2006 Honda Civic, along with its keys, remained in Harrisonburg until retrieved Sunday by his daughter’s roommate who drove it back to the family home in Roanoke."

I am so lost!

Me, too!!

HOW can we find out the truth about this particular detail? It would surely be helpful -- if the public's help is wanted -- if we had clarification of WHERE Morgan's car was that night and WHY her father disagrees with LE on this issue without giving a reason. I.e., the truth could jog someone's memory.

Is there even a description available of her roommate's car? Someone might remember if that car was parked by the apartment all night or if they saw it at the arena.

JMO.

 

[part time prof]

But I think we haven't really been given info about that have we? Whether it was strewn about or not, whether it was cold and obviously there all night, if it was in a conspicuous area or not (wasn't it found a whole day later?)

I have read that LE says that there was no sign of a struggle, which I take to mean that, if accurate, the contents were all intact, save for the cell phone battery. But I agree that there is not much else that has been revealed about the purse (except that it was black, had two straps, and could be worn as a backpack).

I think they said it was found in the triangular parking area at Lannigan Field, the so-called R.V. lot, (as opposed to actual Lannigan Field, which joggers use, among other purposes), but nothing about whether it was found close to Copeley road/bridge or somewhat further back near the woods/boonies/baseball field or how long it had likely been there.

 

[kikid]

since LE didn't find the purse - it was turned in by someone, who knows where it was found. Sure, we have a "Good Samaritan" turning it in...... but that's taking this persons word about it - if they even know for sure who the person was who turned it in.

 

[VirginiaDoll]

I think we can all agree that with 20 year old college kids...it's safe to say alcohol was almost definitely involved. I am only a few years older than these kids..and I would be shocked if it wasn't involved.

Drugs, whether taken knowingly or slipped in a drink...we don't know.

 

[MBLover]

exactly - which brings up the questions:

1. Why didn't she drive her vehicle to JPJ? >drinking or under influence of drugs?
2. Why would anyone leave their vehicle with friends so far from home? If you have no way home and your car is right there, would you take off to find a way home? >Makes zero sense
3) Why does her father insist her car & KEYS were left at JMU? >doesn't believe police? doesn't believe friends? doesn't believe Morgan would've allowed someone else to drive her car?

I believe the girls thought they would get into trouble -
1) driving MH's car to JPJ
2) leaving MH behind & driving her car again

IMO the girls thought they were probably in some kind of trouble and this was the initial story and DH & GH believed it...

 

[Chromedaffodils]

Okay, I could have sworn I read a post on here referring to a FB post that stated the friends were planning to stay in Charlottesville at a hotel/motel for the night after the concert, but now I can't find it (and never did see the FB post). Iirc, this post also stated that they couldn't once they didn't have MH's financial contribution to that endeavor. Did anyone post this here?

If so, that would explain some of the nonchalance in the friends' reaction to the phone call once MH was outside. If it was "I'll find my own ride to the hotel," as opposed to "I'll find my own ride home" I could better understand. Also would explain (perhaps) the need to find an ATM, as well as (maybe) the friends hanging around after to see if she showed up (i.e., we don't want to drive the hour back, so let's give it some time).

Oh, so if they thought she went home, they would have brought her car to her so she could drive the next day??

 

[Waddles]

I believe the girls thought they would get into trouble -
1) driving MH's car to JPJ
2) leaving MH behind & driving her car again

IMO the girls thought they were probably in some kind of trouble and this was the initial story and DH & GH believed it...

Very inappropriate time to lie though huh!
I wish they had realised the gravity of it all from the very start.

 

[weetziebat]

Hi weetziebat, sorry I don't understand the last part of your message-imagine the friends hadn't left where when?.

He did call the friends when she didn't show up and only then discovered she had not been seen.

Sorry :heart: By saying "but imagine they didn't leave that early", I meant that I didn't think the friends, after having probably a late night, hadn't left before 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, when Morgan's dad reported she was
?missing?

Therefore, I figured Dr. Harrington had probably spoken with the friends before they set out for his home with Morgan's car.

But since I couldn't remember when he'd spoken with the friends I was hoping someone else had. Was wondering if he'd reached the friends before they would have dropped Morgan's car off at their home.

Sheesh, think I'd better get some sleep. The above confuses me just trying to explain it! But thanks for answering the question, even though I certainly didn't make it clear.

Goodnight all.

 

[MBLover]

Very inappropriate time to lie though huh!
I wish they had realised the gravity of it all from the very start.

Yeah...that's what it looks like to me... I to am guessing they didn't quite realize the seriousness of the situation - or they didn't want to realize...

Then again, I could be wrong, but that's the only plausible reason I can come up with that DH would have believed that MH's car wasn't driven to JPJ.

 

[Hoosll]

I thought that LE said very clearly at presser this week that there was no activity on MH's phone after 8:48, no texts, nothing ...

I'm hoping that one of the things searchers are looking for today-Sun is that battery ...

 

[Chromedaffodils]

since LE didn't find the purse - it was turned in by someone, who knows where it was found. Sure, we have a "Good Samaritan" turning it in...... but that's taking this persons word about it - if they even know for sure who the person was who turned it in.

Which bring up another point, has the good Samaritan been checked out and cleared, I am sure, but still, the possibility exists that it was a theft and then they saw she went missing and they panicked and said they found it. I don't want to blame anyone, but I am curious about who turned it in and if forensics were done to notice anything about how long it was there, etc.

 

[Waddles]

I thought that LE said very clearly at presser this week that there was no activity on MH's phone after 8:48, no texts, nothing ...

I'm hoping that one of the things searchers are looking for today-Sun is that battery ...

So the texts to the guy were before her friends called her, not after?
Funny how right after speaking to them there is nothing. You'd think there would be a flurry of calls or texts trying to make plans with people. She was seen dropping her purse in the parking lot so I guess her battery fell out at some stage.
So if she did have plans to leave they were made before 9pm. Would she have been waiting for a car until 9:30. If only we knew how she was in the RV lot. Did she talk to people, what was he limited interaction-and particularly was she looking lost or like she was waiting...

Someone out there knows something

 

[Track292008]

Do we know what time the Metallica concert actually ended? Just wondering if they were still playing on stage after 9:30 p.m. I've read that the stagehands are on a break while the band is actually playing, but have to be back at the arena to tear down the set when the concert ends.

So, my question is: Could a stagehand have had time to abscond with Morgan between 9:30 p.m. (the latest reported "sighting" of Morgan) and return to the arena in time to tear down? Does LE know that all the stagehands reported back on time that night? Do they typically drive their own cars or travel as a group (maybe in a bus, maybe in an RV?) when the band is on tour? Do the bands ever pick up locals to help with this work when they get to the site of the concert?

TIA.