Police Searching Fields and Stadium Areas for Harrington
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Posted: 1:35 PM Oct 21, 2009
Police Searching Fields and Stadium Areas for Harrington
Charlottesvile, Va.
Four days after the disappearance of 20-year-old Morgan Dana Harrington, police continue to search the area surrounding the John Paul Jones Arena.
Reporter: Bianca Spinosa, Liz Palka, Jessica Jaglois
Email Address: bianca.spinosa@newsplex.com; liz.palka@newsplex.com; jessica.jaglois@newsplex.com

Police Continue Their Search Around JPJ, Charlottesville
Web Extra: Full News Conference - Parents Plea for Safe Return
UPDATE: Parents Stay Hopeful in Search for Missing Daughter and VT Student
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Four days after the disappearance of 20-year-old Morgan Dana Harrington, police continue to search the area surrounding the John Paul Jones Arena.

The University of Virginia Police Department, Virginia State Police and the FBI are working together on the search and are actively looking around Davenport Field where the UVA baseball team plays its home games.

On Wednesday morning, police were seen searching the woods around Davenport Field and the track near Klockner Stadium. The track, Klockner Stadium, and Davenport Field are all part of a sports complex that is one block away from the John Paul Jones Arena, where Morgan was last seen.

Morgan's parents, Dan and Gil Harrington, told reporters she was last seen going to the bathroom inside JPJ around 8:40 p.m. Saturday. They say she then went outside before Metallica took the stage and security would not let her back inside.

Police say if Morgan is found, she probably won't have any identification or cell phone on her. Gil told CNN's Nancy Grace that Morgan's purse was found across the street in the University Hall parking lot, not far from Klockner Stadium.

Avid heavy metal fan Travis Koshko attended the Metallica concert Saturday night, and he says it was the safest metal concert he's seen.

"The thing that surprised me the most of all about this concert was how calm it was and how safe and in control the security was in the venue. There were policemen inside and outside. Yes, there were a few mosh pits, but those were suppressed," says Koshko.

As Metallica continues the tour, band members have released a statement on their Website titled "One of Our Fans is Missing,"

In the statement, the bands writes, "We are deeply concerned about the disappearance of 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Dana Harrington, who was last seen while attending our concert at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA, on Saturday night."

Police announced Wednesday morning they will hold another news conference at 3 p.m.

On Tuesday, a job fair was held at John Paul Jones Arena to which hundreds of job seekers showed. However, just a few hundred feet away in the creek, police probed with batons, trying to find any bit of evidence.

Police spent about 15 minutes looking over a black piece of cloth. It is unknown at this time what exactly the cloth is but is may have been a tarp or a t-shirt. Police collected it for further information.

Fliers headlined "Missing" and explaining Morgan's mysterious disappearance are being posted around Charlottesville.

Police investigators say they've received a couple dozen calls regarding Harrington's disappearance and are following up on them. Each tip is prioritized based on the information provided.

Police are still encouraging the public to come forward with any information, especially those who may have gone to the Metallica concert Saturday night at John Paul Arena.

Anyone who may have been recording or taking pictures of the concert and/or audience with a camera or a cell phone Saturday night is asked to look over the video and pictures for someone who might resemble Morgan and contact VSP or the UVA police.

Morgan traveled to Charlottesville with a group of friends to see the popular metal band Metallica. She and one friend met up with another friend at James Madison University, and they all made it to the concert.

Dan reported her missing Sunday at 12:30 p.m. She was supposed to be back home to take an exam for which she had been studying. Dan said it was uncharacteristic of her not to call.

"That's our biggest concern. It's unusual that her friends and family haven't heard anything regarding her whereabouts. That's the biggest concern, is her whereabouts and her welfare," says Lt. Joe Rader from the Virginia State Police.

Search helicopters and canines have been heavily searching the UVA area in hopes of finding some clues about what happened to her in Charlottesville.

Morgan was last seen wearing a black Pantera shirt, a black skirt, black tights and knee high black boots. She's five-feet-six-inches tall and weighs about 120 lbs. She has long blond hair and blue eyes.

Virginia State Police can be reached by calling (434) 352-3435 or by e-mailing bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov. The UVA Police Department can be reached by calling (434) 924-7166.


Latest Comments

Posted by: ): on Oct 26, 2009 at 03:53 PM

I hope she comes home soon. Just come home safely and alive. I'm sure everyone misses you. Come home.
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