Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #9

[truthsleuth]

We had a young woman murdered in our county a couple days ago, and i have a friend who was friends with her. My friend is completely distraught (she had just hung out with her the weekend before) and is bordering on mentally unstable at the moment out of grief for her friend who was found murdered in her apartment.
... i keep thinking about the reaction from my friend, compared to that of Morgan's friends.
... Morgan's friends could have prevented this tragedy from happening had they accompanied her to the bathroom, or at least went outside to wait with her or even leave, at the least get her her own car keys until the end of the concert. We see such lack of guilt, pleas, or strong emotion from Morgan's friends. It's baffling...EDITED FOR SPACE

MeoW, I know the area you are discussing very well and in fact have a friend lives only a few streets away from the murder scene. I can certainly understand why your friend is so distraught--her reactions to this awful crime are normal and make complete sense. Your friend's going to need some extra TLC for quite a long time.

In comparison, the reactions of Morgan's friends to her disappearance and possible death do not seem to be normal at all. For a long time, I kept thinking, Did Morgan really go to the concert? Maybe something happened before she ever got there--or on the way. Was there an accidental death her friends are covering up? Did they fight? Where is their grief and sorrow? I saw the SS interview and it appeared as if she were discussing, oh, I don't know, the weather, or her grades, or the cost of gas.

Honestly, at the news conference at the beginning of this case, LE said something about how Morgan's friends need to get involved; so it seems right from the beginning they wanted out and showed no real emotion--to the point that LE felt they needed to mention it in public. I just can't stop wondering why.

JMO, MOO, MHO, ad infinitum.

P.S. I'm a bit worried about your friend; I hope she'll be OK.

 

[burbqueen]

yes, thank you truthslueth! Her friends are acting waaay to weird. Maybe she ran off?? I dunno, but either her "friends" had something to do with this order they are self absorbed jerks!

Regarding the black guy in the photo I didnt get it either. We arent sure who went to the concert. I'm not convinced a guy was there at all. It's just something reported on another website right??? If it is truth then I'm still baffled by two photos with Morgan and her friends but some black guy in the back and automatically we assume he was the guy at the concert?? I'm sure Morgan knew and hung out with lots of people. I'm sure she knew more than just one guy and probably has photo's with various friends.

I'm not sure about anything on this case anymore. just the fact that MH is missing everything else is suspect.

 

[MeoW333]

MeoW, I know the area you are discussing very well and in fact have a friend lives only a few streets away from the murder scene. I can certainly understand why your friend is so distraught--her reactions to this awful crime are normal and make complete sense. Your friend's going to need some extra TLC for quite a long time.

In comparison, the reactions of Morgan's friends to her disappearance and possible death do not seem to be normal at all. For a long time, I kept thinking, Did Morgan really go to the concert? Maybe something happened before she ever got there--or on the way. Was there an accidental death her friends are covering up? Did they fight? Where is their grief and sorrow? I saw the SS interview and it appeared as if she were discussing, oh, I don't know, the weather, or her grades, or the cost of gas.

Honestly, at the news conference at the beginning of this case, LE said something about how Morgan's friends need to get involved; so it seems right from the beginning they wanted out and showed no real emotion--to the point that LE felt they needed to mention it in public. I just can't stop wondering why.

JMO, MOO, MHO, ad infinitum.

P.S. I'm a bit worried about your friend; I hope she'll be OK.

BBM
Being that you are tri-state and familiar with the case i mention, you are familiar with the details of the case as well. The hardest is explaining the "why" part to my friend, especially since it seems that the murderer has had mental problems, if delusions factor into the "why" she was murdered, it can never make sense, as it wasn't rational to begin with. I was able to calm her though and assure her that they caught the right guy.

It really is odd that Morgan's friends wouldn't react similiar. They don't seem to be genuinely concerned at all, imo. I would be feeling so guilty and all the "what if's" would be going through my head, i should have done this, i should have done that.. Her friends don't seem to show any guilt, let alone any emotional at all. When a person is truly overwhelmed with grief, they cannot hide it, it will show through. I see a lack of that from Morgan's friends and it is very concerning. They don't show grief or sorrow, and it's bizarre, imo.. i agree with your post completely. SS is nonchalant in that video, and it's scary. Her "best friend" just went missing, it could have been prevented, and she is most likely deceased and SS speaks as if she's talking about an everyday thing.. i can't grasp my mind around their lack of reaction.. especially with this local murder here and seeing my friend's reaction, there is a huge contrast.. which only makes me wish Morgan's friends would talk more. LE asked them to keep Morgan in their perspective, as LE won't forget, and reminded her friends not to forget as well. Seems that Morgan's friends had forgotten very quickly about Morgan..

Thank you for your concerns about my friend, she will be okay in time. Not only is it the grief, it's also the fear she has, that safety has been compromised..

 

[MeoW333]

yes, thank you truthslueth! Her friends are acting waaay to weird. Maybe she ran off?? I dunno, but either her "friends" had something to do with this order they are self absorbed jerks!

Regarding the black guy in the photo I didnt get it either. We arent sure who went to the concert. I'm not convinced a guy was there at all. It's just something reported on another website right??? If it is truth then I'm still baffled by two photos with Morgan and her friends but some black guy in the back and automatically we assume he was the guy at the concert?? I'm sure Morgan knew and hung out with lots of people. I'm sure she knew more than just one guy and probably has photo's with various friends.

I'm not sure about anything on this case anymore. just the fact that MH is missing everything else is suspect.

Hi Burbqueen, Welcome to Websleuths =)

I agree with you that Morgan likely had many various friends and just since we may be privy to seeing some various photos of her with her friends, it's kind of ridiculous to assume that just because an individual is in photos with her, he was at the concert as well.

It is odd that the guy hasn't been named, supposedly in the beginning he was referred to as one of the 2 girl's boyfriends. Which girl, i am not sure.. There's a lot that is not very clear in this case, i wish that LE would release a statement to clear up some of the murky details.

 

[nostoneunturned]

http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=11589283

Body was found to be Casandra Morton --- so sad

There are two active missing person cases in the Lynchburg area. One is 23-year-old Cassandra Morton, who was last seen in Lynchburg October 10. The other is a woman from Pittsylvania County who attends Lynchburg College.

Investigators do not believe the remains belong to missing Virginia Tech student, Morgan Harrington. They say the clothing found Sunday does not match the description of what Harrington was last seen wearing.

The body is now at the medical examiner's office in Roanoke. A forensics team will use dental records and expert analysis from an anthropologist to help identify the body.

 

[trigger]

I went on this site to see how the area was, but having trouble finding exactly where the concert was. Can anyone help? Just scroll to Charl. VA then dont forget to click on "go". LOL. Once the page loads scroll down to see all the crime that was reported. Gee alot of crime reported.

http://spotcrime.com/

 

[MeoW333]

I went on this site to see how the area was, but having trouble finding exactly where the concert was. Can anyone help? Just scroll to Charl. VA then dont forget to click on "go". LOL. Once the page loads scroll down to see all the crime that was reported. Gee alot of crime reported.

http://spotcrime.com/

The concert was at John Paul Jones Arena, you can google JPJ Arena and then click maps and it will bring you to the area on the map where it is in Charlottesville

 

[MeoW333]

MeoW, I know the area you are discussing very well and in fact have a friend lives only a few streets away from the murder scene. I can certainly understand why your friend is so distraught--her reactions to this awful crime are normal and make complete sense. Your friend's going to need some extra TLC for quite a long time.

In comparison, the reactions of Morgan's friends to her disappearance and possible death do not seem to be normal at all. For a long time, I kept thinking, Did Morgan really go to the concert? Maybe something happened before she ever got there--or on the way. Was there an accidental death her friends are covering up? Did they fight? Where is their grief and sorrow? I saw the SS interview and it appeared as if she were discussing, oh, I don't know, the weather, or her grades, or the cost of gas.

Honestly, at the news conference at the beginning of this case, LE said something about how Morgan's friends need to get involved; so it seems right from the beginning they wanted out and showed no real emotion--to the point that LE felt they needed to mention it in public. I just can't stop wondering why.

JMO, MOO, MHO, ad infinitum.

P.S. I'm a bit worried about your friend; I hope she'll be OK.

What i also wanted to add is, not only is my friend experiencing grief, she's also very fearful. She had just hung out with Jami the weekend before, and my friend has that fear there that maybe the killer was there in the background stalking. She doesn't feel safe, with good reason, her friend was just murdered. She is very afraid and it took awhile of talking to her to assure her that LE caught the right guy in that case. Then she started questioning other local incidents such as a suicide case in the parking lot of a pharm company. Even though she wasn't with Jami when she as murdered, she still feels like her safety was compromised and is very afraid.
We see a lack of fear with Morgan's friends. When SS did that video, fear would have shown right through her if she was truly afraid. Morgan's friends don't seem to be afraid.. i would think the only reason who that is that they know something.. what i don't know.. Yet they were with Morgan the night she went missing, how can they be so sure that with a flip of a coin one of them didn't go missing instead? They don't seem to show that "what if it was me" type fear..imo. To go on with their lives as if nothing happened.. seems that they aren't afraid. If i were in their shoes and my friend went missing, a potential killer is on the loose, i would have taken a break from school for at the very least a semester, i would have went home or wherever i felt "safe", and most of all i would be helping LE and making public pleas for Morgan to be found.

Some have suggested maybe her friends are afraid to talk if there is someone out there that they might fear. Going public would be one of the best things to do, IMO, as they way they are making themselves known, people know who they are, they are recognizeable and if they were to be targeted, the chance that they would be recognized if someone was taking them. Also if someone is that afraid to talk out of fear, the best thing to do is go to the police, who would know how to handle it properly.
I'm sure the police could put a security detail on them if they had to fear for their lives. LE would do so, as if in the situation they were being targeted, they would lead LE right to the killer. So, IMO, i don't think Morgan's friends are afraid to not talk. They may choose not to talk under the advice of their lawyers, and honestly the only reason i could see for that is if they do talk, there might be potential for Morgan's friends incriminate themselves. It never hurts to speak out if one truly has nothing to hide. It doesn't hurt to plea for the return of a missing best friend. This is what i don't understand about the case at all.. lack of interest from Morgan's friends...

 

[truthsleuth]

... It really is odd that Morgan's friends wouldn't react similiar. They don't seem to be genuinely concerned at all, imo. I would be feeling so guilty and all the "what if's" would be going through my head, i should have done this, i should have done that.. Her friends don't seem to show any guilt, let alone any emotional at all. When a person is truly overwhelmed with grief, they cannot hide it, it will show through. I see a lack of that from Morgan's friends and it is very concerning. They don't show grief or sorrow, and it's bizarre, imo.. i agree with your post completely. SS is nonchalant in that video, and it's scary. Her "best friend" just went missing, it could have been prevented, and she is most likely deceased and SS speaks as if she's talking about an everyday thing.. i can't grasp my mind around their lack of reaction.. especially with this local murder here and seeing my friend's reaction, there is a huge contrast.. which only makes me wish Morgan's friends would talk more. LE asked them to keep Morgan in their perspective, as LE won't forget, and reminded her friends not to forget as well. Seems that Morgan's friends had forgotten very quickly about Morgan..

Thank you for your concerns about my friend, she will be okay in time. Not only is it the grief, it's also the fear she has, that safety has been compromised..

You're welcome.

In Morgan's case, my consensus is, with friends like this, who needs enemies?

For the police to tell Morgan's friends not to "forget her" they must have determined the forgetting had already taken place or the friends were heading in that direction. Now, that's one sad and inexplicable thing. If the friends were told not to share information they have, fine. But where was the grief? Not a tear was shed, not a grimace was made. Nothing. Vacuous nothing. Most of us have shown more emotion for the demise of a goldfish ... or the loss of a cherished piece of inexpensive jewelry.

 

[Javabean]

What i also wanted to add is, not only is my friend experiencing grief, she's also very fearful. She had just hung out with Jami the weekend before, and my friend has that fear there that maybe the killer was there in the background stalking. She doesn't feel safe, with good reason, her friend was just murdered. She is very afraid and it took awhile of talking to her to assure her that LE caught the right guy in that case. Then she started questioning other local incidents such as a suicide case in the parking lot of a pharm company. Even though she wasn't with Jami when she as murdered, she still feels like her safety was compromised and is very afraid.
We see a lack of fear with Morgan's friends. When SS did that video, fear would have shown right through her if she was truly afraid. Morgan's friends don't seem to be afraid.. i would think the only reason who that is that they know something.. what i don't know.. Yet they were with Morgan the night she went missing, how can they be so sure that with a flip of a coin one of them didn't go missing instead? They don't seem to show that "what if it was me" type fear..imo. To go on with their lives as if nothing happened.. seems that they aren't afraid. If i were in their shoes and my friend went missing, a potential killer is on the loose, i would have taken a break from school for at the very least a semester, i would have went home or wherever i felt "safe", and most of all i would be helping LE and making public pleas for Morgan to be found.

Some have suggested maybe her friends are afraid to talk if there is someone out there that they might fear. Going public would be one of the best things to do, IMO, as they way they are making themselves known, people know who they are, they are recognizeable and if they were to be targeted, the chance that they would be recognized if someone was taking them. Also if someone is that afraid to talk out of fear, the best thing to do is go to the police, who would know how to handle it properly.
I'm sure the police could put a security detail on them if they had to fear for their lives. LE would do so, as if in the situation they were being targeted, they would lead LE right to the killer. So, IMO, i don't think Morgan's friends are afraid to not talk. They may choose not to talk under the advice of their lawyers, and honestly the only reason i could see for that is if they do talk, there might be potential for Morgan's friends incriminate themselves. It never hurts to speak out if one truly has nothing to hide. It doesn't hurt to plea for the return of a missing best friend. This is what i don't understand about the case at all.. lack of interest from Morgan's friends...

Meow, I am so sorry for your friend!! *hugs*

 

[Javabean]

You're welcome.

In Morgan's case, my consensus is, with friends like this, who needs enemies?

For the police to tell Morgan's friends not to "forget her" they must have determined the forgetting had already taken place or the friends were heading in that direction. Now, that's one sad and inexplicable thing. If the friends were told not to share information they have, fine. But where was the grief? Not a tear was shed, not a grimace was made. Nothing. Vacuous nothing. Most of us have shown more emotion for the demise of a goldfish ... or the loss of a cherished piece of inexpensive jewelry.

I could not have said that better! LOL

 

[MeoW333]

You're welcome.

In Morgan's case, my consensus is, with friends like this, who needs enemies?

For the police to tell Morgan's friends not to "forget her" they must have determined the forgetting had already taken place or the friends were heading in that direction. Now, that's one sad and inexplicable thing. If the friends were told not to share information they have, fine. But where was the grief? Not a tear was shed, not a grimace was made. Nothing. Vacuous nothing. Most of us have shown more emotion for the demise of a goldfish ... or the loss of a cherished piece of inexpensive jewelry.

I agree with you completely, and LE had to "remind" her friends in the very first press conference video they made. So it may be possible her friends have been headed in that direction since she was reported missing..
Someone needs to put pressure on her friends to talk, imo. They stay silent since that's what's working for them. If people start questioning them, maybe they'll realize silence won't work after all and try another method, imo.

 

[MeoW333]

Meow, I am so sorry for your friend!! *hugs*

*hugs* to you and Thank you, Javabean. She will be okay in time, she has a good support system around her.

 

[truthsleuth]

What i also wanted to add is, not only is my friend experiencing grief, she's also very fearful. She had just hung out with Jami the weekend before, and my friend has that fear there that maybe the killer was there in the background stalking. She doesn't feel safe, with good reason, her friend was just murdered. She is very afraid and it took awhile of talking to her to assure her that LE caught the right guy in that case. Then she started questioning other local incidents such as a suicide case in the parking lot of a pharm company. Even though she wasn't with Jami when she as murdered, she still feels like her safety was compromised and is very afraid.
We see a lack of fear with Morgan's friends. When SS did that video, fear would have shown right through her if she was truly afraid. Morgan's friends don't seem to be afraid.. i would think the only reason who that is that they know something.. what i don't know.. Yet they were with Morgan the night she went missing, how can they be so sure that with a flip of a coin one of them didn't go missing instead? They don't seem to show that "what if it was me" type fear..imo. To go on with their lives as if nothing happened.. seems that they aren't afraid. If i were in their shoes and my friend went missing, a potential killer is on the loose, i would have taken a break from school for at the very least a semester, i would have went home or wherever i felt "safe", and most of all i would be helping LE and making public pleas for Morgan to be found.

Some have suggested maybe her friends are afraid to talk if there is someone out there that they might fear. Going public would be one of the best things to do, IMO, as they way they are making themselves known, people know who they are, they are recognizeable and if they were to be targeted, the chance that they would be recognized if someone was taking them. Also if someone is that afraid to talk out of fear, the best thing to do is go to the police, who would know how to handle it properly.
I'm sure the police could put a security detail on them if they had to fear for their lives. LE would do so, as if in the situation they were being targeted, they would lead LE right to the killer. So, IMO, i don't think Morgan's friends are afraid to not talk. They may choose not to talk under the advice of their lawyers, and honestly the only reason i could see for that is if they do talk, there might be potential for Morgan's friends incriminate themselves. It never hurts to speak out if one truly has nothing to hide. It doesn't hurt to plea for the return of a missing best friend. This is what i don't understand about the case at all.. lack of interest from Morgan's friends...

I understand your friend's fears completely.

I was attacked years ago in NYC by a gang of eight young men as I walked down 43rd street--I did nothing more than cross in front of them, and wound up beaten to a pulp. They just walked on and left me flat out, unable to move, on the sidewalk. My sense of security was robbed from me that day and for many years I was fearful in many situations and public places; my sense of security was gone. I've tried to understand this fear, and in counseling realized since that act made no sense, and I could in no way see it coming, I felt I had no way of protecting myself from another nonsensical attack occurring. KWIM? (But the way, I am doing very well now, but it took a long time to get to this place.) So, sorry for taking so long to get to the point, yes, once a sense of security is robbed, it takes a while to get it back.

Your friend's fear is normal and understandable. If it lingers though, she might find that she needs to speak with a professional to get through this. No shame in that whatsoever.

And once again on Morgan's friends, if they are afraid, they do not have to speak to the public about a potential POI. But they certainly could express sorrow and grief about Morgan's disappearance. So far, nada.

 

[Cardinal47]

I am thinking back to Oct. 17 when Morgan first went missing. This is from memory.
The friends, in the concert hall, texed back and forth to Morgan, who was outside and could not get back in and Morgan said she would get a ride home. Then the friends sat on their fat butts and watched the concert. After they went to somebodys car, theirs or Morgans, looked around did not see Morgan and went home to their beds.

I do believe it was Dan Harrington that sounded the alarm when Morgan did not show up at their home for an appointment she and her dad had made to go over her checking account and study for a test.

I wonder if Dan had to awaken the sleeping princesses???? I don't think those "friends" ever gave Morgan a second thought. Sad...so very sad.

MOO

 

[Janeumayer]

http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=11589283

Body was found to be Casandra Morton --- so sad

There are two active missing person cases in the Lynchburg area. One is 23-year-old Cassandra Morton, who was last seen in Lynchburg October 10. The other is a woman from Pittsylvania County who attends Lynchburg College.

Investigators do not believe the remains belong to missing Virginia Tech student, Morgan Harrington. They say the clothing found Sunday does not match the description of what Harrington was last seen wearing.

The body is now at the medical examiner's office in Roanoke. A forensics team will use dental records and expert analysis from an anthropologist to help identify the body.

The girl from Lynchburg College is not missing. Her mom reported her missing but was a mistake. She dropped out of College and mom didnt know about it.

 

[clarabelle]

Just tossing out a theory but what if Morgan had disappeared before? I could never understand the extreme "closeness" with her parents; so much that they had her passwords to her online activities. Perhaps there was some reason they were monitoring her. Its not unusual for a 20 year old to want to spread her wings and party and since drugs have been mentioned (true or untrue) then maybe she had a drug problem previously? It might explain her weight loss in photos and her parents keeping a close watch over her. It might also give some explanation to her friends un-reaction to her disappearance and their bizarre behavior of enjoying a concert while she is stuck outside and leaving a their good friend behind quite a distance from her home.

I am in no way defending Morgan's friends actions and attitude but I am trying to understand how anyone ends up with a close group of utterly crappy friends.

 

[Masterj]

MeoW333, I've been following Jami's story as well. She seemed like a wonderful teacher and friend, beloved by many. I'm so sorry for your friend's loss.

truthsleuth, I'm sorry you had to experience that.

This case has me truly perplexed. I'm not understanding Morgan's friends at all.

 

[Walker]

I am thinking back to Oct. 17 when Morgan first went missing. This is from memory.
The friends, in the concert hall, texed back and forth to Morgan, who was outside and could not get back in and Morgan said she would get a ride home. Then the friends sat on their fat butts and watched the concert. After they went to somebodys car, theirs or Morgans, looked around did not see Morgan and went home to their beds.

I do believe it was Dan Harrington that sounded the alarm when Morgan did not show up at their home for an appointment she and her dad had made to go over her checking account and study for a test.

I wonder if Dan had to awaken the sleeping princesses???? I don't think those "friends" ever gave Morgan a second thought. Sad...so very sad.

MOO

BTW: Anything I suggest is just a theory. If we could rule out certain possibilities, maybe we will see more clearly what happened.

Let's assume that Morgan OD'd at Harrisburg, possibly through no fault of her own. Her guests for the concert panic, and decide to get rid of her body somehow. Then, they need an alibi of some sort. Some of the girls had to attend the concert so their cell phones would provide evidence to their locations. One of the girls dresses up as Morgan; she leaves the concert early, then she makes several scenes, and finally puts on a great show of hitchhiking --- all just to make it seem that MH was the victim of a predator.

The only problem with this theory is that the girls probably have clean records or could find someone who did. Bringing a friend to the ER isn't really going to hurt them. Unless some guy (or less likely another girl) actually killed Morgan somehow, and they are covering up for him (her). Maybe Morgan had suffered something much worse than a drug overdose. Maybe "I don't know, Officer, she just took something at the party ..." wasn't going to work.

Another difficulty is that this cover-up would require at least three or four people (the fake Morgan, the two girl companions at the concert and the killer) to cooperate with each other fully.

 

[xorpsbane]

Just wanted to delurk long enough to throw in my 2 cents regarding billboards, etc. around Roanoke. Was born and raised in Roanoke and still go home for all the major holidays, including most recently Thanksgiving. While I was home, I saw Morgan's picture and info on an electronic billboard on Melrose Avenue, near Melrose Christian Church. I would imagine the billboard rotates through multiple ads/notices, but it didn't happen to change while I was driving past. Additionally, as has been mentioned, there's also an electronic sign near Bud's Suds - although what I happened to see was not actually Morgan's flyer on the screen, but a message to the effect of "Please Remember the Harrington Family in Your Prayers" or some such, which I thought was kind. Finally, Morgan's flyer was posted at the ticket booth window at the Tanglewood Mall movie theater or at least it was this past weekend.

I can't say that I was out at that many businesses while I was home (too busy seeing family and friends!), but I did feel like there was *some* effort being made to get her picture and info out there. I'm sure if I'd made a specific effort to look, I might have found even more instances, but all of these were just random things I saw as I was driving around.