UPDATE: Tuesday, February 2, 7:58pm. A few sources including The Roanoke Times and NBC affiliates report that Morgan Harrington’s death has been ruled a homicide by the Virginia Medical Examiner’s office in Richmond. The Roanoke Times writes that the examiner ruled out exposure as a cause of death, and no other causes have been determined at this time. Afternoon calls by C-VILLE to the Medical Examiner’s office regarding this news were not yet returned, and the information is yet to be confirmed by Virginia State Police.
UPDATE: Tuesday, February 2, 12:05pm. Days after reclaiming the remains of their daughter, Morgan, the Harrington family announced plans to hold both a memorial mass and reception this Friday in Roanoke. The mass will be held at 3:30pm at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Roanoke (see map below for directions), with a reception to follow at the Hotel Roanoke. Dan and Gil Harrington request that donations be sent to a scholarship in their daughter’s name at Virginia Tech’s Carilion School of Medicine, or to Orphan Medical Network International. Addresses for each follow the map.
Orphan Medical Network Internationa
Virginia Tech
Attn: Gift Accounting
University Development (0336)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Orphan Medical Network International
C/O 6930 Empire Ln.
Roanoke, VA 24018
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In an entry posted Sunday on the website FindMorgan.com, Morgan Harrington’s mother, Gil, wrote that the Harrington family reclaimed the "skeletonized remains" of Morgan yesterday.
"Who would ever have thought it would be mine to see every image of Morgan’s life – from her first faint shadows on fetal ultrasound to the gaping orbital hollows in her skull?" writes Gil Harrington. "An abomination to witness this ending." She adds that the Harringtons "can finally begin the hard work of grieving and growing strong as a triangulated family."
Tomorrow’s issue of C-VILLE will feature an up-to-date account of the Harrington case so far. A call to Albemarle County Police regarding two reported assaults within miles of Anchorage Farm during weeks leading up to Harrington’s discovery was not returned by the time the paper went to press; however, Lieutenant Todd Hopwood tells C-VILLE that arrests were made in both assault cases.
