JLM Charged in Morgan Harrington murder

[DocBrew]

If a=b and b=c, then a=c.

I'm keepng my fingers and toes crossed that will apply here through the forensics, DNA primarily.

Transitive property of guilt. Heh.

 

[shutterbug22]

FBI profile re: Morgan Harrington's killer: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/201...an-harrington-killer/morgan-harrington_060412

 

[Spicer2000]

I was thinking the very same thing.

I disagree. Knowing what I do of Mr. Camblos, I think this case will be great for him, as it's a case in the national spotlight. Based on the evidence that we, the public, know right now, it's going to be very difficult to prove murder. Right now, there's too much circumstantial evidence that could create reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors.

Of course, the evidence in the Fairfax rape case is pretty solid, so JM isn't going to be free ever again.

 

[cluciano63]

I am wondering if maybe LE held back too much, back in 2010, that could have made someone think of JM. Did they really have cab driver info as a possibility? If she was strangled, for instance, in an unusual manner or with a specific type of fabric, belt, etc could an ex-GF have recognized such a description? They had DNA to match, if they got any wacky confessions. People who knew JM (at least some of them) knew he had "issues" at two schools and if combined with being a possible cab driver, something might have clicked, especially when they indicated the suspect was likely AA. I hate to think they held back too much back then. I think LE does that too often, especially in Missing Persons cases, i.e worrying about court before the victim is even found. Jmo

 

[Tink56]

I disagree. Knowing what I do of Mr. Camblos, I think this case will be great for him, as it's a case in the national spotlight. Based on the evidence that we, the public, know right now, it's going to be very difficult to prove murder. Right now, there's too much circumstantial evidence that could create reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors.

Of course, the evidence in the Fairfax rape case is pretty solid, so JM isn't going to be free ever again.

:thinking: Actually, some of the most convincing trials are based on well-established circumstantial evidence. We have all heard of the fallacy of "eye-witness" identification and accounts. I think there is a very strong murder case being constructed. I understand the adversarial, American legal system and the necessity of "proving" the prosecution's case. Every defendant is entitled to competent legal representation, but Mr. Camblos might do well to have his client follow the likes of John Gardener (Amber Dubois and Chelsea King murders) who plead guilty and saved the families from enduring the lengthy trial and sentencing.

Grabbing the national spotlight is only temporary. Being keenly attuned to needs of the innocents that suffer through trials, including the accused's family and friends, does seem like taking the higher road. The almost automatic "not guilty" that defense attorneys are prone to support is counter-productive to the greater good, IMO. (And, I come from a family that includes lawyers and judges...) Just saying...

 

[Deba]

I am wondering if maybe LE held back too much, back in 2010, that could have made someone think of JM. Did they really have cab driver info as a possibility? If she was strangled, for instance, in an unusual manner or with a specific type of fabric, belt, etc could an ex-GF have recognized such a description? They had DNA to match, if they got any wacky confessions. People who knew JM (at least some of them) knew he had "issues" at two schools and if combined with being a possible cab driver, something might have clicked, especially when they indicated the suspect was likely AA. I hate to think they held back too much back then. I think LE does that too often, especially in Missing Persons cases, i.e worrying about court before the victim is even found. Jmo

The one mistake, if you want to call it that, I think LE made was the mass publication of the digitally aged suspect sketch. JM looked much more like the 2005 suspect sketch even though five years had passed in 2010 and nine years to date.

I would have, at the very least, included the 2005 sketch with the updated sketch. Who knows if anyone would have connected JM to the 2005 sketch, rather than the aged sketch at the time it was publicized in the Charlottesville area from 2010 on.

 

[Spicer2000]

:thinking: Actually, some of the most convincing trials are based on well-established circumstantial evidence. We have all heard of the fallacy of "eye-witness" identification and accounts. I think there is a very strong murder case being constructed. I understand the adversarial, American legal system and the necessity of "proving" the prosecution's case. Every defendant is entitled to competent legal representation, but Mr. Camblos might do well to have his client follow the likes of John Gardener (Amber Dubois and Chelsea King murders) who plead guilty and saved the families from enduring the lengthy trial and sentencing.

Grabbing the national spotlight is only temporary. Being keenly attuned to needs of the innocents that suffer through trials, including the accused's family and friends, does seem like taking the higher road. The almost automatic "not guilty" that defense attorneys are prone to support is counter-productive to the greater good, IMO. (And, I come from a family that includes lawyers and judges...) Just saying...

My point was that I don't think Mr. Camblos is regretting accepting JM as his client.

I absolutely agree that he should advise his client to take a deal, if it were to be offered.

 

[Just K]

The one mistake, if you want to call it that, I think LE made was the mass publication of the digitally aged suspect sketch. JM looked much more like the 2005 suspect sketch even though five years had passed in 2010 and nine years to date.

I would have, at the very least, included the 2005 sketch with the updated sketch. Who knows if anyone would have connected JM to the 2005 sketch, rather than the aged sketch at the time it was publicized in the Charlottesville area from 2010 on.

I can't agree enough! That 2005 Original Sketch came directly from the victim, who before he attacked her, was engaged in a brief conversation with her attacker. He spoke to her and she went on her way...only for him to swoop down on her and begin to strangle and try to rape her. That sketch was so much more relevant...down to the way light reflected off his broad and rounded forehead and the shape of his nose and angle & thickness of his mustache and goatee.

 

[ThePhantom]

Forgive me if this was answered, but there has been lengthy discussion about the forensic link between the Harrington murder and rape case. Has this information been clarified with regard to the type of forensic evidence they found from the rape case? Thanks!!

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

This is really confusing...On July 1, 2010, the forensic link between MH and Fairfax was announced, and Dan Harrington said it was related to DNA was found on MH. Then, less than two weeks later, it's reported that the Harrington's think two people were involved. I understand there was confusion on two separate crimes being so far apart, but when you have the DNA match on both the remains and the rape, why would they think there may have been two people involved? These statements seem contradictory, especially when Dan mentions the location of the shirt.

http://www.wlox.com/story/12742496/update-morgan-harringtons-death-linked-to-case-in-fairfax
UPDATE: Morgan Harrington's death linked to case in Fairfax
Jul 01, 2010

"Investigators will only say that forensic evidence ties the suspect to Morgan Harrington's abduction and murder in Charlottesville. But Harrington's parents confirmed this afternoon it was DNA found on Morgan that matches the suspect in the Fairfax case."

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/h...cle_d26c5039-b998-57b8-a9d6-cf24c98f6035.html
Harringtons suspect 2 were involved in daughter's death
July 18, 2010

The parents of Morgan D. Harrington, the 20-year-old who vanished after a Metallica concert in Oc-tober, said Saturday that they believe two people were involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

Virginia State Police announced July 1 that forensic evidence shows a man who abducted and sexu-ally assaulted a woman in 2005 in Fairfax came into contact with Harrington. The man was never identified, and the Virginia Tech student’s body was discovered in January on a southern Albemarle County farm.

Dan Harrington, Morgan Harrington’s father, said it was unlikely that a person from outside the area would have just happened upon the pasture where she was found. “How does a person from Northern Virginia know about 15th Street?” Dan Harrington asked. “It’s not a place you happen to find.”

 

[jamicat]

This is really confusing...On July 1, 2010, the forensic link between MH and Fairfax was announced, and Dan Harrington said it was related to DNA was found on MH. Then, less than two weeks later, it's reported that the Harrington's think two people were involved. I understand there was confusion on two separate crimes being so far apart, but when you have the DNA match on both the remains and the rape, why would they think there may have been two people involved? These statements seem contradictory, especially when Dan mentions the location of the shirt.

http://www.wlox.com/story/12742496/update-morgan-harringtons-death-linked-to-case-in-fairfax
UPDATE: Morgan Harrington's death linked to case in Fairfax
Jul 01, 2010

"Investigators will only say that forensic evidence ties the suspect to Morgan Harrington's abduction and murder in Charlottesville. But Harrington's parents confirmed this afternoon it was DNA found on Morgan that matches the suspect in the Fairfax case."

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/h...cle_d26c5039-b998-57b8-a9d6-cf24c98f6035.html
Harringtons suspect 2 were involved in daughter's death
July 18, 2010

The parents of Morgan D. Harrington, the 20-year-old who vanished after a Metallica concert in Oc-tober, said Saturday that they believe two people were involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

Virginia State Police announced July 1 that forensic evidence shows a man who abducted and sexu-ally assaulted a woman in 2005 in Fairfax came into contact with Harrington. The man was never identified, and the Virginia Tech student’s body was discovered in January on a southern Albemarle County farm.

Dan Harrington, Morgan Harrington’s father, said it was unlikely that a person from outside the area would have just happened upon the pasture where she was found. “How does a person from Northern Virginia know about 15th Street?” Dan Harrington asked. “It’s not a place you happen to find.”

A lot of the MH info comes from her parents and not from LE They do include the parents' opinions at times. Until the evidence is on the table for court, it's hard to say what is fact and what is opinion.

Depending on the DNA that could be obtained from MH and her things, this case could be a difficult one as compared to the Fairfax case which is a dream in terms of evidence retreival. Once they got a match, it's going to be straight forward for that case in terms of DNA evidence. The only issue is whether the victim is willing, able to come to trial if necessary. Also the costs and whether it's worth prosecuting if it means holding up the murder cases.

If DNA has to be recultured in MH's cases, how strong that evidence of some match would be might be an issue for this case.

 

[AVIXEN]

I keep coming back to this. JLM seems to be a collector so it honestly wouldn't shock me if he did have her jewelry since it wasn't found with her body. Maybe I watch too much Crime TV but I can't shake the thought of MH's jewelry being found with HG. It's weird but ever since we learned of the forensic link between JLM and MH I can't get that scenario out of my head.

I think about this a lot too. Not so much because of the announcement of the forensic link to the Harrington case, but because of the way the charges were leveled before that announcement. IIRC it was right after LE searched his apartment for a second time that they changed the warrant for his arrest to include Abduction with the Intent to Defile. I can't help thinking they came to this charge because they found something of Morgan's in his apartment or in his car. The charge is just so specific. If they found something of Morgan's in his possession it would be very clear exactly what type of danger Hannah was in which would explain LE's quick and intense push of information to the public with the new charges. Perhaps the announcement of the forensic link was made later after they were able to test what they found and scientifically link it to Morgan. JMO. I just think about this often as well. I guess we will all find out as the case moves forward. Sorry for rambling!

 

[Aleph]

This is really confusing...On July 1, 2010, the forensic link between MH and Fairfax was announced, and Dan Harrington said it was related to DNA was found on MH. Then, less than two weeks later, it's reported that the Harrington's think two people were involved. I understand there was confusion on two separate crimes being so far apart, but when you have the DNA match on both the remains and the rape, why would they think there may have been two people involved? These statements seem contradictory, especially when Dan mentions the location of the shirt.

http://www.wlox.com/story/12742496/update-morgan-harringtons-death-linked-to-case-in-fairfax
UPDATE: Morgan Harrington's death linked to case in Fairfax
Jul 01, 2010

"Investigators will only say that forensic evidence ties the suspect to Morgan Harrington's abduction and murder in Charlottesville. But Harrington's parents confirmed this afternoon it was DNA found on Morgan that matches the suspect in the Fairfax case."

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/h...cle_d26c5039-b998-57b8-a9d6-cf24c98f6035.html
Harringtons suspect 2 were involved in daughter's death
July 18, 2010

The parents of Morgan D. Harrington, the 20-year-old who vanished after a Metallica concert in Oc-tober, said Saturday that they believe two people were involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

Virginia State Police announced July 1 that forensic evidence shows a man who abducted and sexu-ally assaulted a woman in 2005 in Fairfax came into contact with Harrington. The man was never identified, and the Virginia Tech student’s body was discovered in January on a southern Albemarle County farm.

Dan Harrington, Morgan Harrington’s father, said it was unlikely that a person from outside the area would have just happened upon the pasture where she was found. “How does a person from Northern Virginia know about 15th Street?” Dan Harrington asked. “It’s not a place you happen to find.”

Didn't LE suggest that there had been a non-participating witness to MH's murder? They reached out to this person at one point through the media, saying something like, "We know this isn't what you're about, it made you sick." And WSers theorized that maybe vomit was found at the scene.


All my recollection only. I am new to the MH case and wouldn't know where to look for a link.

 

[klily444]

This is really confusing...On July 1, 2010, the forensic link between MH and Fairfax was announced, and Dan Harrington said it was related to DNA was found on MH. Then, less than two weeks later, it's reported that the Harrington's think two people were involved. I understand there was confusion on two separate crimes being so far apart, but when you have the DNA match on both the remains and the rape, why would they think there may have been two people involved? These statements seem contradictory, especially when Dan mentions the location of the shirt.

http://www.wlox.com/story/12742496/update-morgan-harringtons-death-linked-to-case-in-fairfax
UPDATE: Morgan Harrington's death linked to case in Fairfax
Jul 01, 2010

"Investigators will only say that forensic evidence ties the suspect to Morgan Harrington's abduction and murder in Charlottesville. But Harrington's parents confirmed this afternoon it was DNA found on Morgan that matches the suspect in the Fairfax case."

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/h...cle_d26c5039-b998-57b8-a9d6-cf24c98f6035.html
Harringtons suspect 2 were involved in daughter's death
July 18, 2010

The parents of Morgan D. Harrington, the 20-year-old who vanished after a Metallica concert in Oc-tober, said Saturday that they believe two people were involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

Virginia State Police announced July 1 that forensic evidence shows a man who abducted and sexu-ally assaulted a woman in 2005 in Fairfax came into contact with Harrington. The man was never identified, and the Virginia Tech student’s body was discovered in January on a southern Albemarle County farm.

Dan Harrington, Morgan Harrington’s father, said it was unlikely that a person from outside the area would have just happened upon the pasture where she was found. “How does a person from Northern Virginia know about 15th Street?” Dan Harrington asked. “It’s not a place you happen to find.”

Oh, so the parents had it backwards. They were wondering how someone from Fairfax could have known the farm area so well, when in fact we should be wondering how someone from around Anchorage made his way up to Fairfax. This doesn't mean there are two perps but I guess I can see how MH's parents speculated that.

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

Oh, so the parents had it backwards. They were wondering how someone from Fairfax could have known the farm area so well, when in fact we should be wondering how someone from around Anchorage made his way up to Fairfax. This doesn't mean there are two perps but I guess I can see how MH's parents speculated that.

But with the DNA match, why would they say that?

 

[whatevs]

But with the DNA match, why would they say that?

Maybe because they assumed that only one of the two people they thought were involved actually did the dirty work so only one person's DNA showed up. Maybe they imagined the other one lured her into the car or something, for example.

I agree with the poster above who says MH's parent's ended up getting it backwards. It turns out it's more surprising that the perp linked to MH was in Fairfax than it is that he knew the Cville area.

 

[madeleine]

Pls forgive me for asking this but I forgot a lot of details about MH's case and I didn't manage yet to read everything new out there about these connections....

IIRC they linked MH's murder to the rape case a few years ago,no?then why no arrest?

am a bit confused here...

 

[Dear Prudence]

Pls forgive me for asking this but I forgot a lot of details about MH's case and I didn't manage yet to read everything new out there about these connections....

IIRC they linked MH's murder to the rape case a few years ago,no?then why no arrest?

am a bit confused here...

Yes, they linked suspect DNA from Morgan to suspect DNA in the 2005 rape years ago, but it didn't match any perp DNA already in the system. Jesse Matthew's DNA was just entered into the system after his arrest a few weeks ago.

 

[Heroine]

Pls forgive me for asking this but I forgot a lot of details about MH's case and I didn't manage yet to read everything new out there about these connections....

IIRC they linked MH's murder to the rape case a few years ago,no?then why no arrest?

am a bit confused here...

At the time they had no DNA to compare it to. They had JM's DNA but they didn't know who JM was then. Get what I'm saying?

 

[hambirg]

Didn't LE suggest that there had been a non-participating witness to MH's murder? They reached out to this person at one point through the media, saying something like, "We know this isn't what you're about, it made you sick." And WSers theorized that maybe vomit was found at the scene.


All my recollection only. I am new to the MH case and wouldn't know where to look for a link.

This is my understanding too. It very much seemed to appear that LE believed that someone else was at the MH crime scene as a witness. I think the vomit theory came from the letter, like you stated. "It made you nauseous" or something similar.

I speculated earlier that maybe the vomit came from another victim that is no longer alive. Pure speculation. . .Cassandra Morton? Who really knows though?!