Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #8

[MeoW333]

Notice the irony of the location " Camp Hydaway Road, Candlers Mtn."
Believe me LE has noticed. Somebody has a sick sense of humour.

I'm sure there is lots of names like that in the area, after all they are remote.
As to whether or not the killer chose the location by the name, i would be surprised. More likely the location would be chosen do to the comfort level the killer has with the location and not being caught. Not being caught is the main thing the killer would care about.
What has LE said about the irony of the name? I don't understand the humor? Do you mean "Camp Hydaway" the name? It's very possible it was a route during the underground railroad to bring freed slaves up to the north..

 

[di anna]

A body that is thought to be murdered found under a pile of rocks on a roadside or in an area called Camp Hydaway is interesting. Maybe the word IRONY was the incorrect word. I lived and grew up in Virginia, went to High School at W&L in Arlington Va and graduated from there. I am very familiar with many of the parks and mountain ranges in Virginia. I also was a resident of Front Royal Va for about two years, so I am familiar with the area.

 

[winterrose]

Supposedly there is over 100 (and i'm sure the number is much much higher than that, they just don't want to scare people) Serial Killers operating in the USA at one given time..
So the odds are very possible that there is an SK loose there, whether or not it is related to Morgan's disapearance or these other cases i don't know. I do think it deserves speculation.

There's been many missing people,murdered and attempted abductions especially since the early 90's.Just the one guy they call the Rt 20 stalker,runs from Northern Virgina to the Charlottesville area and has attempted many abductions in his truck.He had a white truck.

But,this could be another one that runs in the Roanoke,Lynchburg and Charlottesville area and picks up college girls maybe his MO.

 

[winterrose]

Camp Hydaway is a facility with a children's camp that's been there for many years.It's named after the Hydaway Lake and has trails and cabins,things like that.

 

[winterrose]

A body that is thought to be murdered found under a pile of rocks on a roadside or in an area called Camp Hydaway is interesting. Maybe the word IRONY was the incorrect word. I lived and grew up in Virginia, went to High School at W&L in Arlington Va and graduated from there. I am very familiar with many of the parks and mountain ranges in Virginia. I also was a resident of Front Royal Va for about two years, so I am familiar with the area.

You know I was thinking about that,if it's someone who's been behind alot of this.Or even for a short period at some point might want to start getting creative in his sicko mind and could very well have chosen the name specifically.Maybe he wants to start playing with LE or will want to get attention,see himself in the paper,hope he gets caught like now.Maybe he slipped up with this girl just found and might give LE clues as to who did this,it's so sad.I feel so sorry for these families.

 

[Eclipse33]

Hello Di

Sorry you feel that way! I hope that it is nothing I said. I understood what you meant with your comment....and you're right no one has the answers. I think we are just all frustrated b/c we want to help but feel so helpless.

Take Care!

Also I must add you guys can be a little clicky on here. Hey at this point nobody has the anwsers. You might get some good ideas if you toned down the snooty attiitudes.

 

[wanttohelp]

Most victims get sympathy; therefore, no one is going to point out that (for example) they weren't really that good-looking. They publicize a handful of their best photos.

You don't have to be young. A missing parent case gets huge attention. Also, an elderly person is usually found quickly; since their disappearance is usually due to wandering off. Their possible impaired judgment is obvious to all.

As for being White, your complaining is totally unfair. At least 65% of our country is White; and we are all just supposedly so evil because once in a while we show evidence of caring for our own?

Also, the missing reports of nonwhites usually provide so little info that you get no sense at all of what the person was like; esp. that important question, Do they want to be found? The public interest in missing nonwhites is actually there. Instead of sitting around and complaining, why don't you go publicize a case?

exactly my thoughts
:woohoo::bow::thumb::applause::applause::applause::cow::yes::yes::curtsey::aktion033::rocker::toast::toast::toast::bowdown:

 

[Mia]

I was also thinking that it could be bad-news-overload. It seems lately that virtually every day a young woman or child is lost or murdered. I watch and read news more than most, and yet just today I saw an article saying a child that had been missing was found dead ... and I didn't even know about the child being missing. I think it's a sign of the times, yes, but not all people shut out the bad news on purpose ... it just gets to be too much, the stories run together, or people just have to back out for a bit when bad news gets overwhelming.

ITA. Also, over the past several days I've been reading a website that specializes in using astrology in solving missing persons cases/unsolved murders, and I am amazed, absolutely amazed, at how many abductions and murders go unsolved. In fact, lately it seems like the huge majority of these cases go unsolved, and it also seems that after awhile LE doesn't even care about solving them anymore. No wonder these types of things seem to be happeing more and more often - criminals and would-be perps realize they have a much greater than average chance of not getting caught!

 

[wanttohelp]

Ok- I don't know if I think this info has any REAL bearing on what happened the night of Oct.17 but if true,it clears up for me alot of the other aspects of this situation we have all been baffled about e.g. the friend's seeming indifference,the parents loyalty to the friends,the parents breezing past the questions about "impairment" etc...to me, this gossip kind of rings true and fits into the big picture.I don't see how it could affect her vanishing except that heroin=deadly overdoses more than any other substance and impairment could for sure lead to terrible,erratic decision making.And again -for me ,and I hope everyone else this info would not diminish my concern for her well being at all.

There have been heroin problems rising again in virginia in the 17-early 20 range. Particularly one school I believe in Fairfax, but still things spread fast. They have been setting up stings and such to crack down on the problem and deaths.

 

[wanttohelp]

The thing about rumors is that they may either be based on truth, or they may not be based on truth at all and just assumptions.
While Morgan may have had friends who did heroine, it doesn't mean that she herself did, or maybe she did do drugs, but she didn't do heroine.
If Morgan did have a drug history, is Charlottesville known to the surrounding areas to be a place to go to get drugs?

When i was younger, i had an eating disorder and people spreaded rumors that i was on heroine, which i have never touched in my life. Rumors fly around by those wishing to make conversation and distract attention away from theirselves.

While we don't know for sure if Morgan did drugs and what the drugs were if she did do them, if she did ever have an eating disorder or was more thin than the normal weight for girls, i can easily see haters starting rumors about her that she was on heroine. Maybe it's based out of jealousy, i don't know the reasoning..

From what we've seen of Morgan's bedroom she has an eclectic taste in music which varies from Marilyn Manson to the Grateful Dead. I would say she took interest in being unique (her prom photo, she the only one of the 9 wearing a red dress, the rest wearing the same color) Morgan prided herself in not being the same as everyone else was. This isn't a bad thing, it shows she was in touch with herself enough to not be afraid to be different. Not everyone is like this, and some of those that aren't may have started rumors about her. Maybe they were jealous that they couldn't be like her as to even slightly break the rules of soceity's norms whatever they may be for them. You have a group of 9 girls, judging from the prom picture you have followers and then you have leaders. Morgan seems a leader in her own right.
This is all IMO...

I'm sorry for the way you were treated

IMO though that was your particular situation. I think rumors of heroin use are not usually stemmed because its assumed someone has an eating disorder. I think someone with an eating disorder would be more likely thought of as using meth or coc. also everything we discuss is based on rumor, assumption, speculation, and the poster did a VERY good job stating thats what her post was. I hope shannon continues to share with us things she hears.

 

[wanttohelp]

ITA. Also, over the past several days I've been reading a website that specializes in using astrology in solving missing persons cases/unsolved murders, and I am amazed, absolutely amazed, at how many abductions and murders go unsolved. In fact, lately it seems like the huge majority of these cases go unsolved, and it also seems that after awhile LE doesn't even care about solving them anymore. No wonder these types of things seem to be happeing more and more often - criminals and would-be perps realize they have a much greater than average chance of not getting caught!

fftopic:
but to me it seems like there has to be a ridiculous amount of evidence to convict. I mean to me it seems you have to be a complete idiot to get caught with the amount of evidence needed to prosecute.

 

[Wes]

Given the area, i would say the perp would have to be familiar with the area at least to know enough about it so that he wouldn't get caught when digging a grave to put the body in and then leave. That he actually took the time to bury a body shows that he was comfortable enough with the area to do so. The killer may appear "normal" to friends and acquaintances, maybe be married with children. The perp would also be one to follow their crimes in the media (maybe that's why not much has been released about this case, i don't know..)

*snipped*

ITA and this is quite disconcerting seeing as it is rather close to where I live and real close to several college campus, especially Liberty U that is located just a few miles away on that same mountain.

 

[x_files]

The thing about rumors is that they may either be based on truth, or they may not be based on truth at all and just assumptions.
While Morgan may have had friends who did heroine, it doesn't mean that she herself did, or maybe she did do drugs, but she didn't do heroine.
If Morgan did have a drug history, is Charlottesville known to the surrounding areas to be a place to go to get drugs?

When i was younger, i had an eating disorder and people spreaded rumors that i was on heroine, which i have never touched in my life. Rumors fly around by those wishing to make conversation and distract attention away from theirselves.

snipped

I agree with you rumors about heroin use could be based on jealousy rather than the truth. Would need more proof or an actual friend come forth.
I have a weight disorder caused by health issues and I was accused of being on heroin.
Nothing couldn't be farther than the truth. I don't do drugs and have a fear of needles.
They would be other signs in her behavior and it's hard to tell from the photos. She's thin but has bright eyes and healthy skin so if she's an addict it's in the early stages plus she is very young and attractive to begin with.

Hopefully, this case is solved soon.

 

[Mia]

I know it was said that she was seen or might have been seen talking to some Basketball Players from there.


Are the locations of where she was last seen and where this coach worked the same college?

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=11587398


If so I thought it was a coincidence though that the coach of the football team has been dismissed as head coach 2 years before his contract is up. The college and the now ex coach have come to an agreement of him getting 4.33 million dollars for being dismissed 2 years before he was suppose to be.

4.33 MILLION dollars?! This sounds way excessive for a college football coach! Do college sports coaches really make this much of a salary??? Unbelievable!

 

[MeoW333]

I'm sorry for the way you were treated

IMO though that was your particular situation. I think rumors of heroin use are not usually stemmed because its assumed someone has an eating disorder. I think someone with an eating disorder would be more likely thought of as using meth or coc. also everything we discuss is based on rumor, assumption, speculation, and the poster did a VERY good job stating thats what her post was. I hope shannon continues to share with us things she hears.

No apologies necessary, i only posted to try and make a metaphor, i don't want sympathy.

Every situation varies, i agree with you.
However the ones who said that rumor about me were individuals who are not familiar with drugs.

So i guess what i am trying to say is sometimes rumor spreaders will spread rumors even if the rumors don't fit. You make an excellent example saying that it would be more likely that people would say i was a cokehead or methhead, yet if those who are spreading the rumors have no personal knowledge of the drugs they rumored i was doing, the rumors may not "fit". I hope this makes sense, i have trouble explaining sometimes, let me know if i should elaborate better.

I am in no way saying anything negative about Shannon's post nor have i ever said anything like that. I am glad she shared with us, it's better to know than to not know.
IMO i think she did a wonderful job explaining it, and i do agree that we do need to speculate on certain rumors to an extent, as we don't know people in cases personally. Without knowing where the rumor originally started in Morgan's case, it is hard to figure out the basis behind it.
Since we have no new information to go on and LE is so tiplipped in this case, it is a struggle.

 

[MeoW333]

Also I must add you guys can be a little clicky on here. Hey at this point nobody has the anwsers. You might get some good ideas if you toned down the snooty attiitudes.

I'm sorry if i pissed you off. I didn't mean to come across as snooty i was just trying to make sure if the irony was in just the name or something i missed. If there is a joke i'm usually the last to get it if i get it at all sometimes.
If there's a clique on here, i'm not part of it at all.

Your right we don't have the answers, i wish LE would give us more info to work with.

I'm sorry you think we're clicky and have snooty attitudes, that's a mean thing to say.
We really do try to help solve cases on here. Sometimes it may be frustrating with lack of info to work with..
By the way, :Welcome-12-june: to Websleuths =)

 

[MeoW333]

snipped

I agree with you rumors about heroin use could be based on jealousy rather than the truth. Would need more proof or an actual friend come forth.
I have a weight disorder caused by health issues and I was accused of being on heroin.
Nothing couldn't be farther than the truth. I don't do drugs and have a fear of needles.
They would be other signs in her behavior and it's hard to tell from the photos. She's thin but has bright eyes and healthy skin so if she's an addict it's in the early stages plus she is very young and attractive to begin with.

Hopefully, this case is solved soon.

Opiates are a huge problem in the USA, between painkiller abuse to heroine. That painkiller industry has gotten worse over the years.

Rumors can be mean and nasty however..
If Morgan did have a problem, it's possible they want to keep it under wraps due to her image or maybe LE thinks that it may be irrelevant to what happened, i really don't know.. If she did by chance have a problem with drugs of any sort, it sad to think that they would keep it under wraps since people would judge her by it. That's how some people are they judge others by problems they may have. Regardless, we all know Morgan didn't deserve what happened to her even if she did have a problem. Maybe the lack of info in this case is leading to rumors.. i don't know anymore..

 

[Strawberry Fields]

I am a little puzzled that there is some speculation as to whether Morgan ever left Harrisonburg and made it to the JPJ arena. I am just wondering if someone could discuss possible scenarios as to how her purse would have shown up there near the JPJ arena. I really have not formed an opinion one way or the other, only that I cannot think of a scenario that would have her not going there and her purse showing up there, unless it was taken there and dumped to make it appear she was there?

 

[part time prof]

I am a little puzzled that there is some speculation as to whether Morgan ever left Harrisonburg and made it to the JPJ arena. I am just wondering if someone could discuss possible scenarios as to how her purse would have shown up there near the JPJ arena. I really have not formed an opinion one way or the other, only that I cannot think of a scenario that would have her not going there and her purse showing up there, unless it was taken there and dumped to make it appear she was there?

Your last point exactly. Why would it be taken there and dumped and by whom?

a) she's running away, her friends are complicit
b) something happened to her somewhere other than JPJ, friends are covering
c) something happened to her somewhere other than JPJ, companion or perp knew of plans and dumped purse to throw off LE; would require friends being part of conspiracy or having their reasons to claim she was with them
d) any others?

But given that LE has only seemed to release things they are sure of, I personally believe she was in attendance, was outside, was spotted in the UHall parking lot, Lannigan Field parking, and on the bridge (with at least her thumb out if not actually hitchhiking). Maybe I'm gullible, but it sure was a big community search effort if LE really doesn't believe she was ever here.

The biggest argument against her presence is when people claim she isn't seen on any videotape, but I believe the LE quote was along the lines of "there was nothing helpful to the investigation seen on tape." MOO.

 

[cat thief]

I am a little puzzled that there is some speculation as to whether Morgan ever left Harrisonburg and made it to the JPJ arena. I am just wondering if someone could discuss possible scenarios as to how her purse would have shown up there near the JPJ arena. I really have not formed an opinion one way or the other, only that I cannot think of a scenario that would have her not going there and her purse showing up there, unless it was taken there and dumped to make it appear she was there?

I suppose the thinking is that something bad happened to her BEFORE she got there and her friends dumped the purse when they went to the concert. I might think this was possible but there were several possible sightings of her at the arena, including one from a guard that would not let her back inside.