Michelle Sigona » virginia

VIRGINIA COLD CASE: Morgan Harrington Kidnapping and Murder

Michelle Sigona — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:48:50 +0000

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.

One year ago this month, investigators released shocking information. They said the man who may have killed Morgan could be the same suspect that committed a sexual assault against another female in 2005. Virginia State Police officials confirm there is a forensic link between the 2005 assault and the murder. Police spokesperson Corinne Geller said the Virginia Department of Forensic Science processes and analyzes all of the evidence and lab work for every department and they randomly came up with a hit in their internal database. When the connection was made, technicians notified Virginia State Police of the link.

Investigators from the state police contacted the Fairfax City Police in Virginia to compare notes. Geller said, “It’s one of those things, you never know what the next phone call is going to bring.” She added, “We know he (the man in the sketch) had contact with her (Morgan) the night of her disappearance, but we don’t know if he is responsible for her death. We are looking to identify and question him, and put the next pieces of the puzzle together.”

Within 24 hours of releasing the sketch, the state police had 50 leads, but since then, the case has gone cold.

SEPTEMBER 2005 INCIDENT: Police say a female was walking along Rock Garden Drive in Fairfax City from the Giant when she was attacked from behind. Authorities say she was dragged to a park and sexually assaulted next to a pool. Sgt. Pam Nevlud with the Fairfax City Police department said, “We’ve gotten quite a bit of calls. That is very inspiring and we are hoping this leads to something.” As far as someone recognizing the sketch, Nevlud said, “People have little things that happen to them that they think are odd and that they don’t report to the police.” There is a chance that there could be more victims who haven’t come forward, or others who have crossed his path, but haven’t called.

CLUE: Authorities also say the necklace Morgan was wearing the night of the concert has not been found.

BACKGROUND OF MORGAN’S DISAPPEARNCE:

According to a Virginia State Police press release:

“During the course of the investigation, police have been able to establish a timeline of Miss Harrington’s movements once she ended up outside of the arena at approximately 8:30 p.m. After talking to her friends on her cell phone, she then walked through the parking lot of University Hall and was also seen in the Lannigan Field athlete parking lot, which is also used for RV parking. At around 9:30 p.m., she was seen walking on the Copeley Road bridge near Ivy Road.”According to Virginia State police, based off independent witness accounts, investigators believe on October 17, 2009 (the night Morgan Harrington went missing) that she was hitchhiking along Copeley Road Bridge. Investigators are now searching for a vehicle they believe stopped in the middle of the bridge and possibly picked up Morgan. Also, investigators need the public’s help in finding a young woman the night of the Metallica concert that may have loaned her cell phone to Morgan.

ABOUT THE FARM: Nancy Bass, owner of the Anchorage farm where Morgan was found for more than 30 years, said the area where body was discovered is not accessible by vehicle. Nancy and her husband David said they have an SUV, and there’s no way they could get down there. If it wasn’t for David on the tractor checking fences, Morgan may have never been discovered.

David spoke out and said as soon as he saw the remains he instantly thought of Morgan. Nancy said when they first moved on the farm they did not allow hunting, but because of the trespassing, they decided to allow hunters assigned to different areas hoping that would keep an eye on things. Nancy says the main gate on the property is always open, it is never locked, but the pasture where Morgan was found is closer to a subdivision, only about 30 feet away. Morgan and the person who killed her may have had access to the location through the housing development, which isn’t too far of a walk.

The Bass family owns more than 700 acres total, and the farm is only a few miles away from interstate 64. Police say the hayfield was cut in August, and Morgan’s body could have been there any time after mid-October when she went missing.

CLUE: The red digital camera Morgan was carrying the night she went missing still hasn’t been found. It is a Sony or Kodak.

The suspect is described as a black male, between 25 and 35 and around 6 feet tall. In the 2005 attack, he was wearing a black pullover sweater with a zipper and light-colored pants.

On the FindMorgan website, her family posted this: “ We continue to work diligently with Law Enforcement to find justice for Morgan Dana Harrington and apprehend her killer(s). This is a difficult task during our worst nightmare with our limited energy and abilities. We will be successful though because of the strength we derive from the outpouring of love we have received from across the nation and beyond. Your support carries us as we continue to fight for Morgan and other precious children. We are so grateful to each of you.”

Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov or for to give information on the sexual assault

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

Michelle Sigona — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:24:46 +0000

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

“FORGET ME NOT” COLD CASE: Morgan Harrington

Michelle Sigona — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:54:38 +0000

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.

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.

Within 24 hours of releasing the sketch, the state police had 50 leads, but since then, the case has gone cold.

CLUE: Authorities also say the necklace Morgan was wearing the night of the concert has not been found.

BACKGROUND OF MORGAN’S DISAPPEARNCE:

According to a Virginia State Police press release:

CLUE: The red digital camera Morgan was carrying the night she went missing still hasn’t been found. It is a Sony or Kodak.

The suspect is described as a black male, between 25 and 35 and around 6 feet tall. In the 2005 attack, he was wearing a black pullover sweater with a zipper and light-colored pants.

COLD CASE FEATURE: Morgan Harrington Murder Mystery

Michelle Sigona — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:45:45 +0000

Police sketch 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 they say 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 said her body could have been on the farm as many as 100 days.Last summer, investigators released shocking information. They said the man who may have killed Morgan could be the same suspect that committed a sexual assault against another female in 2005. Virginia State Police officials confirm there is a forensic link between the 2005 assault and the murder. It is interesting how the connection was made, police spokesperson Corinne Geller said the Virginia Department of Forensic Science processes and analyzes all of the evidence and lab work for every department and they randomly came up with a hit in their internal database. At that point they notified the Virginia State Police of the link in the cases. The authorities from the state police contacted the Fairfax City Police in Virginia and took a couple of days to compare notes. It appeared the cases stacked up, and this latest development was released to the public a few months ago.Geller said, “It’s one of those things, you never know what the next phone call is going to bring.” She added, “We know he (the man in the sketch) had contact with her (Morgan) the night of her disappearance, but they don’t know if he is responsible for her death. We are looking to identify and question him, and put the next pieces of the puzzle together.” Within 24 hours of releasing the sketch, the state police had 50 leads. Right now their time is spent eliminating duplicates between the departments and prioritizing the tips.In the September 2005 incident, police say a female was walking along Rock Garden Drive in Fairfax City from the Giant when she was attacked from behind. Authorities say she was dragged to a park and sexually assaulted next to a pool. I spoke with Sgt. Pam Nevlud with the Fairfax City Police department and she said, “We’ve gotten quite a bit of calls. That is very inspiring and we are hoping this leads to something.” As far as someone recognizing the sketch, Nevlud said, “People have little things that happen to them that they think are odd and that they don’t report to the police.” There’s a chance that there could be more victims who haven’t come forward, or others who have crossed his path, but haven’t called.A few months ago, Alvin T. Daniels, 51, from Alexandria, Virginia was convicted of obstruction of justice in this case. Investigators say he called in a false tip to Virginia State Police and accused another man of kidnapping Morgan. Authorities checked out the lead, and determined the man accused of the kidnapping was not involved. Authorities also say the necklace Morgan was wearing the night of the concert has not been found.BACKGROUND OF MORGAN’S DISAPPEARNCE: According to a Virginia State Police press release: “During the course of the investigation, police have been able to establish a timeline of Miss Harrington’s movements once she ended up outside of the arena at approximately 8:30 p.m. After talking to her friends on her cell phone, she then walked through the parking lot of University Hall and was also seen in the Lannigan Field athlete parking lot, which is also used for RV parking. At around 9:30 p.m., she was seen walking on the Copeley Road bridge near Ivy Road.”According to Virginia State police, based off independent witness accounts, investigators believe on October 17, 2009 (the night Morgan Harrington went missing) that she was hitchhiking along Copeley Road Bridge. Investigators are now searching for a vehicle they believe stopped in the middle of the bridge and possibly picked up Morgan. Also, investigators need the public’s help in finding a young woman the night of the Metallica concert that may have loaned her cell phone to Morgan.ABOUT THE FARM: I spoke with Nancy Bass, owner of the Anchorage farm for more than 30 years, and she says the area where Morgan’s body was found is not accessible by vehicle. Nancy and her husband David have an SUV, and there’s no way they could get down there. If it wasn’t for David on the tractor yesterday checking fences, Morgan may have never been found. David spoke out and said as soon as he saw the remains he instantly thought of Morgan. I asked Nancy about the hunters on her property, and she says when they first moved on the farm they did not allow hunting, but because of the trespassing, they decided to allow hunters assigned to different areas hoping that would keep an eye on things. Nancy says the main gate on the property is always open, it is never locked, but the pasture where Morgan was found is closer to a subdivision, only about 30 feet away. However Morgan got to that location may have been through the housing development, which isn’t too far of a walk. The Bass family owns more than 700 acres total, and the farm is only a few miles away from interstate 64. Police say the hayfield was cut in August, and Morgan’s body could have been there any time after mid-October when she went missing. Although investigators say they have not searched this area because they didn’t have a need to, I spoke with the CUE center for Missing Persons and they had a search scheduled with Morgan’s family and 1,600 volunteers at the end of this month.The State Police told me the red digital camera Morgan was carrying the night she went missing still hasn’t been found. It is a Sony or Kodak. The suspect was described as a black male, between 25 and 35 and around 6 feet tall. In the 2005 attack, he was wearing a black pullover sweater with a zipper and light-colored pants.On the FindMorgan website, her family posted this: “ We continue to work diligently with Law Enforcement to find justice for Morgan Dana Harrington and apprehend her killer(s). This is a difficult task during our worst nightmare with our limited energy and abilities. We will be successful though because of the strength we derive from the outpouring of love we have received from across the nation and beyond. Your support carries us as we continue to fight for Morgan and other precious children. We are so grateful to each of you. 2 4 1 The Harrington’s”Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.govor for to give information on the sexual assault, please contact Jefferson Crimestoppers: (434) 977-4000.Remembering Morgan (family photo)

Cold Case Feature: Morgan Harrington Murder Investigation

Michelle Sigona — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:40:33 +0000

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.

Over the summer, investigators released shocking information. They said the man who may have killed Morgan could be the same suspect that committed a sexual assault against another female in 2005. Virginia State Police officials confirm there is a forensic link between the 2005 assault and the murder. It is interesting how the connection was made, police spokesperson Corinne Geller told me that the Virginia Department of Forensic Science processes and analyzes all of the evidence and lab work for every department and they randomly came up with a hit in their internal database. At that point they notified the Virginia State Police of the link in the cases. The authorities from the state police contacted the Fairfax City Police in Virginia and took a couple of days to compare notes. It appeared the cases stacked up, and this latest development was released to the public a few months ago.

Geller said, “It’s one of those things, you never know what the next phone call is going to bring.” She added, “We know he (the man in the sketch) had contact with her (Morgan) the night of her disappearance, but they don’t know if he is responsible for her death. We are looking to identify and question him, and put the next pieces of the puzzle together.” Within 24 hours of releasing the sketch, the state police had 50 leads. Right now their time is spent eliminating duplicates between the departments and prioritizing the tips.

In the September 2005 incident, police say a female was walking along Rock Garden Drive in Fairfax City from the Giant when she was attacked from behind. Authorities say she was dragged to a park and sexually assaulted next to a pool. I spoke with Sgt. Pam Nevlud with the Fairfax City Police department and she said, “We’ve gotten quite a bit of calls. That is very inspiring and we are hoping this leads to something.” As far as someone recognizing the sketch, Nevlud said, “People have little things that happen to them that they think are odd and that they don’t report to the police.” There’s a chance that there could be more victims who haven’t come forward, or others who have crossed his path, but haven’t called.

A few months ago, Alvin T. Daniels, 51, from Alexandria, Virginia was convicted of obstruction of justice in this case. Investigators say he called in a false tip to Virginia State Police and accused another man of kidnapping Morgan. Authorities checked out the lead, and determined the man accused of the kidnapping was not involved.

BACKGROUND OF MORGAN’S DISAPPEARNCE: According to a Virginia State Police press release: “During the course of the investigation, police have been able to establish a timeline of Miss Harrington’s movements once she ended up outside of the arena at approximately 8:30 p.m. After talking to her friends on her cell phone, she then walked through the parking lot of University Hall and was also seen in the Lannigan Field athlete parking lot, which is also used for RV parking. At around 9:30 p.m., she was seen walking on the Copeley Road bridge near Ivy Road.”

According to Virginia State police, based off independent witness accounts, investigators believe on October 17, 2009 (the night Morgan Harrington went missing) that she was hitchhiking along Copeley Road Bridge. Investigators are now searching for a vehicle they believe stopped in the middle of the bridge and possibly picked up Morgan. Also, investigators need the public’s help in finding a young woman the night of the Metallica concert that may have loaned her cell phone to Morgan.

ABOUT THE FARM: I spoke with Nancy Bass, owner of the Anchorage farm for more than 30 years, and she says the area where Morgan’s body was found is not accessible by vehicle. Nancy and her husband David have an SUV, and there’s no way they could get down there. If it wasn’t for David on the tractor yesterday checking fences, Morgan may have never been found. David spoke out and said as soon as he saw the remains he instantly thought of Morgan. I asked Nancy about the hunters on her property, and she says when they first moved on the farm they did not allow hunting, but because of the trespassing, they decided to allow hunters assigned to different areas hoping that would keep an eye on things. Nancy says the main gate on the property is always open, it is never locked, but the pasture where Morgan was found is closer to a subdivision, only about 30 feet away. However Morgan got to that location may have been through the housing development, which isn’t too far of a walk. The Bass family owns more than 700 acres total, and the farm is only a few miles away from interstate 64. Police say the hayfield was cut in August, and Morgan’s body could have been there any time after mid-October when she went missing. Although investigators say they have not searched this area because they didn’t have a need to, I spoke with the CUE center for Missing Persons and they had a search scheduled with Morgan’s family and 1,600 volunteers at the end of this month.

The State Police told me the red digital camera Morgan was carrying the night she went missing still hasn’t been found. It is a Sony or Kodak. The suspect was described as a black male, between 25 and 35 and around 6 feet tall. In the 2005 attack, he was wearing a black pullover sweater with a zipper and light-colored pants.

Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.govor for to give information on the sexual assault, please contact Jefferson Crimestoppers: (434) 977-4000.

Remembering Morgan (family photo)

Morgan Harrington Case One Year Later

Michelle Sigona — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:00:59 +0000

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.

Earlier this month, investigators released shocking information. They say the man who may have killed Morgan could be the same suspect that committed a sexual assault against a female in 2005. Virginia State Police officials confirm there is a forensic link between the 2005 assault and the murder. It’s quite interesting how the connection was made: police spokesperson Corinne Geller told me that the Virginia Department of Forensic Science processes and analyzes all of the evidence and lab work for every department. A hit came up in their internal database and they notified the Virginia State Police of the link in the cases. The authorities from the state police contacted the Fairfax City Police in Virginia and took a couple of days to compare notes. It appeared the cases stacked up, and this latest development was released to the public a few months ago.

Last week, Alvin T. Daniels, 51, from Alexandria, Virginia was convicted of obstruction of justice in this case. Investigators say he called in a false tip to Virginia State Police and accused another man of kidnapping Morgan. Authorities checked out the lead, and determined the man accused of the kidnapping was not involved.

Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov or for to give information on the sexual assault, please contact Jefferson Crimestoppers: (434) 977-4000.

Remembering Morgan (family photo)

MORGAN HARRINGTON’S KILLER STILL AT LARGE

Michelle Sigona — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:24:28 +0000

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.

Virginia State Police have a tip line, please call them with any information: (434) 352-3467 or send them an e-mail: bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov or for to give information on the sexual assault, please contact Jefferson Crimestoppers: (434) 977-4000.

Remembering Morgan (family photo)

ALLEGED SERIAL STABBER ARRESTED IN ATLANTA, WILL NOT FIGHT EXTRADITION

Michelle Sigona — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:37:32 +0000

: 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.

Authorities confirm that Abuelazam moved to Flint, Michigan in early May and three search warrants have been executed in this case; one on the suspect’s vehicle, one for the suspects home and one for the suspect’s uncle’s home, which is right next door to where he was living. Lt. Kapp said Abuelazam’s uncle is cooperating with the investigation. I spoke with neighbor Jeff Schmitz who lives on Maryland Avenue, just two doors down from the suspect. He said Abuelazam was fairly quiet, wasn’t home much and didn’t cause any problems. Schmitz said he learned recently that one of the earlier attacks in Michigan was only two blocks away from his home. What is interesting is one of the attacks in Leesburg, Virginia occurred only one block away from the suspect’s former home.

A warrant was issued Thursday for that charge that injured Antwoine Marshall. More charges expected in the near future. Authorities are stopping short of saying that the crimes were racially motivated, but that is something they are looking into at this time. Abuelazam had ties to Michigan where he was living on Maryland Avenue, and also in Leesburg, Virginia where he owned a home and was married, now divorced. He was arrested in Arlington, Virginia on August 5, 2010 for failure to obey a highway sign and the officer realized he had an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor assault out of Leesburg, Virginia. He was immediately taken into custody and his SUV was impounded. During the arrest, investigators seized a knife and a hammer inside the vehicle, but Abuelazam was released on bond on August 5, 2010 at 7:52 p.m. Authorities believe he attacked two more men before taking off for Toledo, Ohio last weekend where they say he stabbed another man.

Abuelazam is being questioned in Atlanta by the taskforce, and is awaiting extradition back to Michigan.

There’s a lot more to learn about this case and others.

By: Michelle Sigona

ARREST MADE IN SERIAL STABBER CASE

Michelle Sigona — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:03:55 +0000

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 6^th, 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.

I spoke with Lt. TP Johnson of the Flint Police Department and he said, “What this guy is doing is driving up to them, getting out of his vehicle, pretending to have car trouble. Or asking for assistance in some way. The victims are guilty of trying to help someone asking for help. In [sic] several occasions he’s walked up and started stabbing.”

In all of the cases in Michigan the victims appear to be smaller-framed black males, and are always alone in the area of Genesee County. Most of the stabbings occur near major roadways and multiple attacks have occurred off Saginaw Street. The attacks happen late at night or in the early morning hours, usually between 11 p.m. – 6 a.m. 10 of the stabbings occurred in Flint with the other three between Flint Township, Burton and Genesee Township.

Lt. TP Johnson confirms the victims are vulnerable, robberies are not taking place and two of the victims were handicapped “This happens so quickly, late at night, it’s dark and we need more information.”

As for the suspect, he’s been described as a muscular white male with a stockier, heavier build and good shoulders. A couple of victims have mentioned he has lighter colored hair, either gray or blonde.

Lt. Johnson said, “We are consulting with forensic psychologists, looking into trying to get into what kind of person does this kind of thing. The local FBI office has offered to assist as well as all of the agencies involved and the state police. We are all working together to get this guy off the streets as soon as possible.”

Leesburg Police issued a statement urging the town to be alert to their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity. Authorities want the public to avoid areas that are abandoned or poorly lighted; when jogging go with a partner, and carry a cell phone with you. It’s also important not to jog with head phones on.

Please contact Crimestoppers with any information.

Suspect's vehicle (Leesburg Police)

BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN TO FIND “GRANDDAD BANDIT” (update)

Michelle Sigona — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:25:03 +0000

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.

FBI PHOTO "Geezer Bandit" suspect

Agents believe the white male is between 60-70 years old, he’s fairly tall, standing about six feet, and weighing just less than 200 pounds.

From the FBI’s website:

“The Geezer Bandit is believed to be responsible for robbing the following banks:”

August 28, 2009 – US Bank

9643 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee

September 12, 2009- San Diego National Bank

7877 Ivanhoe, La Jolla

October 9, 2009 – US Bank

4627 Carmel Mountain Rd., San Diego

October 26, 2009- Bank of America

17008 Avenida de Acacias, Rancho Santa Fe

November 16, 2009- Bank of America

7680 Girard Ave., La Jolla

January 27, 2010 – San Diego National Bank

1075 Rosecrans, San Diego

April 20, 2010 – California Bank & Trust

140 Escondido Ave., Vista

April 30, 2010- US Bank

1301 E. Vista Way, Vista

May 11, 2010- Bank Of America

9711 Mission Gorge Road, Santee

June 7, 2010- US Bank

14837 Pomerado Road, Poway

June 24, 2010 – Bank of America

31934 Highway 79, South, Temecula