- Morgan Dana Harrington
-
Morgan Harrington's mother, Gil, with a self-portrait by her daughter.
Morgan Dana Harrington (July 24, 1989 - October 17, 2009) was a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student whose disappearance touched off what is believed to be the largest search in Charlottesville, Virginia history.[citation needed] Although her body was found three months after she went missing from a Metallica concert, her death remains a mystery as no suspects have been named. Police have noted a "forensic connection" between the case and another unsolved abduction and assault [1].
Contents
Disappearance
On October 17, 2009, Harrington and three friends drove to the John Paul Jones Arena for the concert. During the opening act's performance, Harrington told friends that she was going to the restroom. When she did not return, they called her cell phone at 8:48 pm and she told them that she was locked out of the arena because of its "No Re-entry" policy. She added that she would find a way home and they should not worry. According to witness reports, she was last seen around 9:30 pm walking on a nearby bridge.
The following day, her purse with her identification and cell phone (with batteries removed) was discovered in one of the arena's overflow parking areas, the RV lot at UVA's Lannigan Athletic Field.[2]
Her remains were discovered on January 26, 2010 about ten miles (16 km) from the arena in a remote area of a 742-acre (3.00 km2) farm and at least one and a half miles from road access. Although investigators have not released information about her death, her parents confirmed that the death had been very violent and bones were broken.
In April 2010, law enforcement confirmed that a Pantera T-shirt that was found back in November outside of an apartment building about a mile and a half from the arena, was indeed the shirt she had been wearing on that evening according to forensic tests.[3] Police believe the murder to be related to a similar abduction and sexual assault[4], and that the killer may be familiar with the area where Morgan's body was found [5].
Gil Harrington confirmed on May 17, 2010 that Morgan Harrington had been raped. "It has been seven months since Morgan was abducted, raped, and murdered. Still no resolution! We find some comfort in having recovered her body; knowing is better than not knowing and trying to 'fill in the blanks'".[6]
Impact
The case achieved such widespread national attention that the Virginia General Assembly honored the murdered student with a special resolution.[7]
The killing provoked fears, expressed by her parents in many meetings with media including national television broadcasts, that a serial killer might be living in Charlottesville.[8]
Crimestoppers has offered a $100,000 reward and the band, Metallica, has added an additional $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.[9]
Aftermath
Her parents continued to appear at numerous special events including the University of Virginia's annual "Take Back the Night" rally [10] and urged UVA administrators to work toward a safer campus.
References
- ^ http://www.vsp.state.va.us/News/2010/NR-37%20VSP%20Ask%20Public%20Help%20ID%20Assault%20Suspect%20Linked%20to%20Harrington%20Case.doc
- ^ Simon, Mallory. "Police 'fairly certain' remains are student missing from Metallica concert", CNN, January 27, 2010.
- ^ Stuart, Courteney. "Pantera find: Shirt on 15th Street was Morgan Harrington’s". The Hook, Charlottesville, VA. April 15, 2010.
- ^ http://www.vsp.state.va.us/News/2010/NR-37%20VSP%20Ask%20Public%20Help%20ID%20Assault%20Suspect%20Linked%20to%20Harrington%20Case.doc
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/ad/gmaintroad.html?goback=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FUS%2Fmorgan-harringtons-killer-knew-obstacles-farm-area%2Fstory%3Fid%3D9749253
- ^ Harrington, Gil. Gil Harrington’s thoughts from May 17th, 2010
- ^ "Virginia general assembly honors former VTC intern Morgan Harrington: House Joint Resolution No. 357". Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute, 2010.
- ^ Stuart, Courteney. "‘Shattered bones,’ Harringtons say Morgan’s killer is ‘violent, sadistic’", The Hook. Charlottesville, VA. March 17, 2010.
- ^ "One Of Our Fans Is Missing", Metallica.com , January 9, 2010.
- ^ Spencer, Hawes. "Harrington, Seccuro help UVA ‘take back the night’", The Hook. Charlottesville, VA. April 10, 2010.
External links
Categories:- 1989 births
- 2009 deaths
- American murder victims
- People from Roanoke, Virginia
- People murdered in Virginia
- Unsolved murders in the United States
- 2009 murders in the United States
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