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

[ChasingMoxie]

I've been scouring the crowd of faces in Youtube videos and still photos, but I haven't found anything new (as the previous Youtube/still sightings have been verified false). I feel pretty helpless in that I don't know what to do to gain headway on this case. This one just hits me close to my heart; I want this girl found. I wish there were some way to come up with a verified timeline, but we need more information.

Just trying to brainstorm:

- I think with her previous concert experience MH would have known that there is no re-entry once you exit the venue. I've been to a ton of shows and this is always the first thing you ask when you're even considering venturing outside, and it is *always* the case in an arena. She knew she wouldn't be able to get back in, she knew. Going outside was intentional - perhaps because someone said they could get her in backstage or something through another entrance and she went along? Because somebody slipped her something? Because she knowingly took something and she was all messed up? I don't know.

- I'm pretty sure she was into casual drug use. I don't care. So was I. So were my friends, it's normal and it doesn't mean she was out of control or a junkie or anything. Realistically, though, she's into Lamb of God and Pantera - it would be naive to assume she was unversed in casual drug use. That doesn't change the fact that she may be the victim of a predator and she needs our help to be found. What it does mean, though, is that she likely didn't go nuts off of one hit of weed and become unresponsive - if the claims of seeing her all drugged and unresponsive are true it means she was given something pretty strong/unexpected. I don't need to hear anecdotal claims of drug free Pantera fans, I know they exist, I'm just trying to give an accurate view of typical Dimebag/Pantera fans. They're not naive about drugs, even if they don't actively do them all the time. No offense intended at all, I just don't want to get sidetracked on anecdotal claims of straightedge metalheads.

- We don't know that she was the one who sent a text to her friends saying she would get a ride. That could have been sent by the bad guy(s). Maybe after slipping her something or lying to her about what she was taking?

- The purse was found in the "RV/Bus lot" - are any of these band buses? Would she have been lured there under the guise of getting to board one of the band buses? To sleep it off or something? Is the lot even actually used as a bus lot during a non-sporting event?

- Her friends must be sharing a bunch of stuff with LE that we're not getting, because their behavior in this is pretty out of character for a group of girls at a concert. In a venue that huge NOBODY goes off alone. It just doesn't really happen. Even to the loo, they're going to go at a minimum in pairs. She had to be meeting someone for them to let her just walk off alone. Hopefully they have been able to explain the actual split up better to LE than we've heard, because as it stands they sound pretty bad.

Again, just brainstorming, trying to get my head around this one. I want this girl found.

 

[CindyS]

According to her parents this morning on the Today Show interview - last "known" contact was 9:30 - after that they know nothing.

Just a few posts up someone stated the Harringtons said LE reported Morgan's last phone call was made around 8:40pm, so how does LE know the last 'known' contact was at 9:30, especially since none of the arena cameras captured her image? Since 'eyewitness' accounts are notoriously inaccurate, I find it hard to believe LE would base its time line solely on their statements. I suspect there were additional phone calls and/or text messages made in the hour or so between when Morgan first called her friends and the last alleged contact. Perhaps she even let the friends know she had found a ride and (hopefully) provided information such as the driver's name, etc.

 

[eyespeeled]

im now stuck on the paperlady who spotted morgan-did she see a pantera shirt? a pocketbook/purse too? and if there are so many lookalikes, was the k-9 unit called in? or did uva refuse that? were the guys wearing jackets? anyone with a JMU or VT emblem?was MH previously aware of a party at UVa where there would be some JMU guys for sure? usually in other cases they release sketches and videos as soon as possible-unless they are already sittin on this guys? and, if you see, the witnesses with credible reports seem to be saying the same thing, that LE doesnt get back to them right away. also noted is a fact that the tip line was overrun-and a new numb estab'd. wtf? it might as well be a disconnected number. and it seems the response time is about 2days or more, with only phone interviews? their logistics sucks...and yet theyre relying on social media. this whole thing sux somethin serious.

 

[Waddles]

Just a few posts up someone stated the Harringtons said LE reported Morgan's last phone call was made around 8:40pm, so how does LE know the last 'known' contact was at 9:30, especially since none of the arena cameras captured her image? Since 'eyewitness' accounts are notoriously inaccurate, I find it hard to believe LE would base its time line solely on their statements. I suspect there were additional phone calls and/or text messages made in the hour or so between when Morgan first called her friends and the last alleged contact. Perhaps she even let the friends know she had found a ride and (hopefully) provided information such as the driver's name, etc.

Maybe what was meant was that the last reliable statement of a sighting -maybe seen by several people- was at that time. But yes I think they just really don't know.

 

[Waddles]

im now stuck on the paperlady who spotted morgan-did she see a pantera shirt? a pocketbook/purse too? and if there are so many lookalikes, was the k-9 unit called in? or did uva refuse that? were the guys wearing jackets? anyone with a JMU or VT emblem?was MH previously aware of a party at UVa where there would be some JMU guys for sure? usually in other cases they release sketches and videos as soon as possible-unless they are already sittin on this guys? and, if you see, the witnesses with credible reports seem to be saying the same thing, that LE doesnt get back to them right away. also noted is a fact that the tip line was overrun-and a new numb estab'd. wtf? it might as well be a disconnected number. and it seems the response time is about 2days or more, with only phone interviews? their logistics sucks...and yet theyre relying on social media. this whole thing sux somethin serious.

Very much agree
I might be wrong but I really don't believe this paperlady sighting for a number of reasons-or maybe she saw another girl.
We really need more details

 

[CindyS]

im now stuck on the paperlady who spotted morgan-did she see a pantera shirt? a pocketbook/purse too? and if there are so many lookalikes, was the k-9 unit called in? or did uva refuse that? were the guys wearing jackets? anyone with a JMU or VT emblem?was MH previously aware of a party at UVa where there would be some JMU guys for sure? usually in other cases they release sketches and videos as soon as possible-unless they are already sittin on this guys? and, if you see, the witnesses with credible reports seem to be saying the same thing, that LE doesnt get back to them right away. also noted is a fact that the tip line was overrun-and a new numb estab'd. wtf? it might as well be a disconnected number. and it seems the response time is about 2days or more, with only phone interviews? their logistics sucks...and yet theyre relying on social media. this whole thing sux somethin serious.

I read dogs were brought in, but they couldn't provide much help. No explanation was provided as to why they either couldn't hit on her scent or lost it.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Facebook MH group led me to Perez Hilton site where the comments section contains some curious posts by one individual in particular.

Here's the comment thread:
http://perezhilton.com/2009-10-26-metallica-offers-reward-for-missing-fan#respond

And here's the direct link to that particular profile's latest posts:
http://posse.perezhilton.com/public_profiles/thinkitwasamuleshapedpool

The comment on MH's post is this:

this isn't a game. you know who this is, exactly where he is. surrounded by everything you know. i was so shocked today. i coulnd't believe u'd think what you did. i did everything to protect you until this weekend when i gave you everyting and i needed two days to get over the fact that i just sent a message to the one person that mattered in the world that'd i'd never think i'd get the chance to. you couldn't look into my eyes and tell me all these things. why would you think after the sweetest thing i've ever done for you that i would want you to hurt. i was just afraid, how gay was i the necklace, the cds, the tears, the poems, why would i disapear to hurt you. you never understood that disapearing meant it was ok

Any thoughts on this? It certainly sounds curious. It's probably just some nut, but you never know.

 

[Waddles]

Facebook MH group led me to Perez Hilton site where the comments section contains some curious posts by one individual in particular.

Here's the comment thread:
http://perezhilton.com/2009-10-26-metallica-offers-reward-for-missing-fan#respond

And here's the direct link to that particular profile's latest posts:
http://posse.perezhilton.com/public_profiles/thinkitwasamuleshapedpool

The comment on MH's post is this:



Any thoughts on this? It certainly sounds curious. It's probably just some nut, but you never know.

Yeah it is curious, and it is worrying but on the other hand as I wrote on the FB page, comments to ALL Perez articles are like this and sometimes very abusive or crude and people often write to him about something totally unrelated to the article. That saying there could well be something here and it should be looked into...maybe someoen check with Perez? I am away from computer for a few hours

 

[Jamiejy]

Also possible that she bought (or someone bought for her) a 2nd ticket.

Maybe even had an extra ticket maybe that was how they were going to lure a victim, JMO

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Yeah it is curious, and it is worrying but on the other hand as I wrote on the FB page, comments to ALL Perez articles are like this and sometimes very abusive or crude and people often write to him about something totally unrelated to the article. That saying there could well be something here and it should be looked into...maybe someoen check with Perez? I am away from computer for a few hours

Yeah after looking at the profile more it seems the comments are in all posts, not just MH's, which would seem to indicate that they are directed more towards a site writer/user/Perez rather than to the subject matter. That said, I wish that the profile showed all posts, not just recent ones.

ETA: After reading through more of the posts I believe that guy is in San Francisco. He says at one point that he is "laying low go Crabtree" - Michael Crabtree is a San Francisco 49er. I don't think this poster is related to our girl at all.

 

[Zoemonster]

IMO.. there is only one reason she (imo, again) *purposely* left the arena minutes before the concert began. She wanted to toke on something w/ a distinctive odor. My guess is she wanted to use pot-- but it might have been crack -- or something else w/ a distinctive smell. And shortly after, this mystery began.

On another tangent.. her mother is one cool cuke. Awfully composed and made-up for this ordeal. (imo-- of course of course

Best, Zoemonster

 

[January.]

There are so many wierdos on the Perez site, I would really take any comments on there with a grain of salt.

 

[Eclipse33]

There are so many wierdos on the Perez site, I would really take any comments on there with a grain of salt.

I agree!! Grain of salt... this is just a weirdo!

 

[CindyS]

IMO.. there is only one reason she (imo, again) *purposely* left the arena minutes before the concert began. She wanted to toke on something w/ a distinctive odor. My guess is she wanted to use pot-- but it might have been crack -- or something else w/ a distinctive smell. And shortly after, this mystery began.

On another tangent.. her mother is one cool cuke. Awfully composed and made-up for this ordeal. (imo-- of course of course

Best, Zoemonster

I suspect she's either on anti-anxiety medication or tranquilizers to get through this horrible ordeal or has disassociated herself emotionally from the situation.

 

[future criminologist]

here's my crackpot theory on what happened, take it or leave it: I think that whoever took her pulled a classic Ted Bundy. So she gets outside, has a smoke, looks thru her pockets and realizes she dropped her ticket stub - dammit! bouncer says "sorry - no re-entry" and she's mad and begging him and he says "sorry" so she starts to walk away when out of the shadows steps a guy who says "hey - I know a way we can get you back in - there's a door back here that the bands and staff use, nobody's guarding it". she says "thank you thank you thank you!" and relays how she's been waiting for this show for 6 mos, how important it is to her. he leads her away toward another part of the parking lot. he says "oh wait - I'm out of cigarettes and there's another pack in my car - come with me to get it? then I can show you back in. so, how long have you been into Metallica?" and engages her in conversation, meanwhile luring her away from the arena and toward a deserted or less populated area of the parking lot. and just like that, she's gone. Ted Bundy pulled this off relatively easily on well-populated college campuses over and over again, by getting a girl to take pity on his crutches or his broken arm or 'can you help me get this into my car"-type scenario. and didn't Morgan grow up in the area too? that part of VA is pretty rural, and she's never left, so I'm just making a judgment and throwing this out there, but she probably did not have many chances to develop a real street sense. (I came from a small town too and did not develop those skills until I moved to the big city and lived there on my own). Again, not criticizing or judging her - if it were me I would probably see a concert among like peers with the same musical interests as me as a friendly arena. The thought that I could be lured away by a predator might not occur to me.

again - this is just my opinion.

 

[Track292008]

The thought that I could be lured away by a predator might not occur to me. again - this is just my opinion.

I agree that the thought of a predator was probably the last thing on Morgan's mind that night!

And I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps she still is in the arena -- a "copycat" version of two recent and well-publicized murders -- Annie Le and the cleaning woman in NYC. This seems more believable in terms of the perp being an employee of some company closely involved in the show or the facility itself.

JMO>

 

[future criminologist]

I just started reading the Kristi Leigh Cornwell thread, and I think it's possible that whoever took Morgan was not a rookie at this. Putting on my "Dexter' hat for a minute, I wonder if we could map out all of the similar abduction/murders in the Southeastern US in the past 6 months - the two kids in the Appalachian forest who were shot, Kristi, Morgan, are the only cases I can think of at the moment, but perhaps there's a link - the cases traveling north perhaps? the key might be in establishing a pattern.

 

[future criminologist]

I agree that the thought of a predator was probably the last thing on Morgan's mind that night!

And I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps she still is in the arena -- a "copycat" version of two recent and well-publicized murders -- Annie Le and the cleaning woman in NYC. This seems more believable in terms of the perp being an employee of some company closely involved in the show or the facility itself.

JMO>

good point! her father did say that she had been to the UVA arena "frequently" for concerts - maybe this person has seen her there before or works at UVA and was able to, from observations, establish her 'patterns'.

 

[future criminologist]

Brittanee Drexel is another one who could also fit the pattern - missing for 6 months on Oct. 25th.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

I agree that the thought of a predator was probably the last thing on Morgan's mind that night!

And I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps she still is in the arena -- a "copycat" version of two recent and well-publicized murders -- Annie Le and the cleaning woman in NYC. This seems more believable in terms of the perp being an employee of some company closely involved in the show or the facility itself.

JMO>

I also think the presence of some type of official "arena badge" or whatever work ID they have/use would increase the likelihood of her trusting him. When someone with a backstage access pass tells you he can get you in through a back door it doesn't seem all that crazy to try it, you know?