Posts Tagged ‘virginia’

VIRGINIA COLD CASE: Morgan Harrington Kidnapping and Murder

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Police sketch

Police sketch

Morgan Harrington was last seen at a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA. It was October 17, 2009. Police say Morgan separated from friends when she walked out of the front entrance of a Metallic concert around 8:30 p.m.  Morgan never returned, and it was the last time she was seen alive. Investigators say she called her friends who were still inside and told them she was finding a ride home.

State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building and witnesses report seeing her hitchhiking close to the arena exit road. An intense search of the area yielded no new clues until three months later.

In January 2010, Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County, Virginia. Investigators said her decomposed body could have been on the land as many as 100 days.

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UPDATE: Police Locate Victims Family, Man Found Locked In Basement

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Herbert Knowles (Philadelphia Police Issued Photo)

Herbert Knowles (Philadelphia Police Issued Photo)

2 p.m. – Police say they have located Herbert’s family… Investigation continues..

Police say Herbert Knowles is 40-years-old, but has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old.  He was found on Oct. 15, around 10:40 a.m. in Philadelphia.  Herbert was with three others locked in a sub-basement of an apartment building located at 4724 Longshore Avenue.  One victim was chained to a radiator. Police say they do not know who Herbert belongs to.  His family may live in Virginia. 

Investigators say all three mentally challenged adults were malnourished and taken immediately to the hospital for evaluation.  

Three suspects have since been arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, kidnapping, criminal trespass, unlawful restraint among other charges.  Linda Weston, 51, Eddie Wright, 49, and Thomas Gregory, 47, are currently behind bars.

If you have any information, please contact the Northeast Detective Division 215.686.3153

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“FORGET ME NOT” COLD CASE: Morgan Harrington

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Police sketch

Police sketch

Morgan Harrington was last seen at a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA.  It was October 17, 2009.  Police say Morgan separated from friends around 8:30 p.m. when she walked out of the front entrance of a Metallic concert.  Morgan never returned, and it was the last time she was seen alive.  Investigators say Morgan called her friends inside and told them she was finding a ride home. 

State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building and witnesses report seeing her hitchhiking close to the arena exit road. An intense search of the area yielded no new clues until three months later.

In January 2010, Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County, Virginia. Investigators said her decomposed body could have been on the land as many as 100 days.

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COLD CASE FEATURE: Morgan Harrington Murder Mystery

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

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Cold Case Feature: Morgan Harrington Murder Investigation

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Police sketch

Police sketch

Investigators say Morgan Harrington was only 20-years-old when she vanished from a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA on October 17, 2009. She was separated from friends around 8:30 p.m. when she walked out of the front entrance of the Metallica concert. Authorities say Morgan called her friends inside and told them she was finding a ride home, and that they shouldn’t wait for her. State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building and witnesses report seeing her hitchhicking close to the arena exit road.

In January 2010, three months after she vanished, Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County, Virginia. Investigators told me her body could have been on the farm as many as 100 days.

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Morgan Harrington Case One Year Later

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Police sketch

Police sketch

One year ago Sunday, investigators say Morgan vanished on while attending a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Virginia. She was separated from friends around 8:30 p.m. when she walked out of the front entrance. Authorities say Morgan called her friends inside and told them she was finding a ride home, and that they shouldn’t wait for her. State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building. Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County a little over three months after she vanished from the Metallica concert. Investigators told me her body could have been on the farm as many as 100 days.

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MORGAN HARRINGTON’S KILLER STILL AT LARGE

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Police sketch

Police sketch

Investigators say Morgan vanished on October 17, 2009 while attending a concert outside the John Paul Jones arena in Virginia. She was separated from friends around 8:30 p.m. when she walked out of the front entrance. Authorities say Morgan called her friends inside and told them she was finding a ride home, and that they shouldn’t wait for her. State police officials report Morgan was last seen by the ticket office on the University Hall side of the building. Morgan’s body was found on a farm in Albemarle County a little over three months after she vanished from the Metallica concert. Investigators told me her body could have been on the farm as many as 100 days.

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ALLEGED SERIAL STABBER ARRESTED IN ATLANTA, WILL NOT FIGHT EXTRADITION

Friday, August 13th, 2010
Elias Abuelazam (suspect photo)
Elias Abuelazam (suspect photo)

The man suspected of stabbing 18 victims and trying to flee from the country was taken down Wednesday night at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.  Elias Abuelazam, 33, was booked on a Delta flight for Israel when a tip developed into a strong lead that put investigators hot on his trail.  As he was waiting to get on his plane, Abuelazam was taken down around 10 p.m.  I spoke with Lt. Gene Kapp of the Michigan State Police and he said since Monday they’ve received 600 tips in this case, one of which turned out to be an excellent lead.  Abuelazam had his first hearing today and will not fight extradition to Michigan to face one inital charge of assault with intent to murder for a July 27, 2010 incident.

Lt. Kapp realizes that if the tip had come in just a few hours later, the alleged suspect may have been on the flight across the world. “Everyone was working hard to place him there, and the fact that we had the contacts and the communications with the federal agencies to move that quick to make the apprehension for us,” added Kapp. 

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ARREST MADE IN SERIAL STABBER CASE

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Michigan State Police sketch

Michigan State Police sketch

Update:  An arrest was made over night for a man believed to be responsible for stabbing 20 victims from Michigan to Virginia.  The suspect is currently being held in Atlanta on unrelated charges as investigators begin to put the case against him together… Stay tuned for more.

A nationwide manhunt is underway for a suspect who is targeting and stabbing men. Investigators believe the suspect has attacked victims in Michigan, Virginia, and now Ohio. Out of the 16 attacks in Flint, Michigan, five have died. In Leesburg, Virginia police say that on August 3, 5, and 6th, three more attacks occurred. Chris Jones with the Leesburg Police told me two victims were attacked with a knife and another with a hammer. Over the weekend, yet another man was attacked in Toledo, Ohio. All of the cases have strong similarities and now investigators are looking for a Chevy S-10 Blazer, four-door, dark green with light tan color trim on the bottom. The vehicle has two large dents near the hood and could be a 1995-2000 model.

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BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN TO FIND “GRANDDAD BANDIT” (update)

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

WANTED

FBI May 2010 Missouri photo

FBI May 2010 Missouri photo

UPDATE: On August 11, 2010, investigators closed in on the man believed to be the suspect.  He is identified as 53-year-old Michael Mara and was taken into custody in Baton Rouge.

The FBI is kicking off a campaign to nab a man dubbed the “Granddad Bandit.”  Agents say his crime wave spills across 13 states, and he’s suspected in up to 25 robberies.  The suspect is bold, visible, and not afraid to demand what he wants.  This is why his face will be plastered on 2,000 billboards across every state in America.  He’s been on the run for 19 months since his first hit on December 19, 2008 at a SunTrust Bank in Richmond, Virginia.  When he made his getaway, it was believed he just blended into the crowd.

The FBI says the suspect usually hands tellers a note demanding money and threatening to have a weapon.  He may be traveling in a silver sports utility vehicle. The suspect may be between 50 and 60 years old, weighs about 230 pounds and may be 6 feet tall. 

A $25,000 reward is offered for any information leading to his arrest.

 Meanwhile, for the last 11 months the FBI has been hunting in Southern California for another suspect dubbed the “Geezer Bandit.”  He appears to be an elderly man robbing banks.  Most of the hits have been in San Diego County, and one in Riverside County.  His latest heist was at a Bank of America in Temecula, California.  If you take a close look at the photos, the suspect looks like someone’s grandpa, but the FBI says this grandpa is a gun-wielding bandit.  He is known to carry a small caliber pistol inside a leather case, and has threatened tellers that he will use it if they don’t cough up the cash.  Once he gets what he wants, the suspect walks out of the bank.