Missing Mississippi Family: What do you think happened?

[Maddy McCall]

This hits home with me because it happened in my home state--it's especially heartbreaking because a small child is missing. I know there are some forensics and criminal justice buffs on DU. I'd like you to read through the info I posted and tell me your theory? What is the likelihood the family will be found alive?

Some believe that investigators know what happened because family members have already been allowed back into the house from which the family was taken. Officials are being VERY tightlipped about the case. The family has been missing for eleven days today. The mother will be on Larry King tonight--there is huge national interest in this perplexing case.


General introductory articles:

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- Nearly a week has passed since relatives of Michael and Rebecca Hargon last saw the young couple and their 4-year-old son, all of whom appear to have vanished amid unexplained violence.

Investigators spent three days searching the Hargons' house in the small town of Vaughan, about 40 miles north of Jackson, for clues to what might have happened the family.

What authorities found were dried blood droplets throughout the house, bullet holes in the walls and shell casings on the floor. There was no sign of robbery or forced entry. Dirty dishes were left in the sink. Rebecca's wedding and engagement rings were also left behind. All three of the family's vehicles were accounted for.

snip/

Family members say Michael Hargon, 27, was last seen Saturday morning, when he had breakfast with a friend in nearby Canton. Another friend, who was driving by the Hargons' home later that morning, noticed the front door of the house was open and one of the doors on Michael Hargon's pickup truck was open, but the family didn't appear to be around. She told the Hargons' relatives what she saw, and when family members went to the home the three, including 4-year-old James Patrick, were gone.

more at http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/02/19/missing.family.ap/


More from another article:

Authorities are still treating the disappearances as missing person cases, but evidence points to it being something more.

Through the Hargons' house, in the small town of Vaughan, investigators found dried blood droplets, bullet holes and shell casings. (Bullet casings and blood were also found near Michael Hargon's open truck door.) But there was no sign of robbery or forced entry. Rebecca Hargon's wedding and engagement rings were left behind. Dirty dishes were left in the sink. The family's three vehicles have been accounted for.

The family also left behind Bull, the family dog, and asthma medicine that 4-year-old James Patrick Hargon takes twice a day, reports the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

"That's a huge red flag," Brent Turvey, a forensic scientist and criminal profiler in Oregon told the paper. "We don't have them following a normal pattern. "This is bad," he said. "This is going to end badly."

more at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/20/national/main601340.shtml


Timeline:

Feb. 14 : Relatives report Michael Hargon, 27, his wife, Rebecca, 29, and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick, missing from their Vaughan home in Yazoo County.

Feb. 15: Relatives hold a vigil while police and crime scene investigators continue to collect evidence and search the area. Relatives offer a $25,000 reward, and fliers are distributed for missing family's safe return.

Monday, Feb 16: Relatives take their search to national television. Meanwhile, Mississippi Crime Stoppers announce a $1,000 reward for information leading to family's whereabouts.

Tuesday, Feb. 17: Still no new leads on missing family.

Wednesday, Feb. 18: Rebecca Hargon's father, Bill Hirtz, tours missing family's home with reporters. Hirtz said he believes his daughter, her husband and the couple's son were kidnapped. Yazoo County Sheriff James Williams said the case is a missing-persons investigation.

Thursday, Feb. 19: Two things begin to bother criminal investigation experts: Missing couple left home in a hurry without Bull, the family dog, and asthma medicine that their child takes twice a day.

Today: Case still unsolved, family still missing.


Facts that need to be closely investigated, IMO:

Inheritance rival:

Charles Hargon, Michael Hargon's great-uncle, willed his Madison County farm to Michael Hargon. Charles Hargon's adopted son, Earnest Lee Hargon of Taylorsville was not included in the will. Earnest Lee Hargon couldn't be reached Friday.

A close family friend, Benny Fisher, has been staying at the farm. Fisher worked for Charles Hargon, who stated in his will that Michael Hargon and another relative, Greg Lott, were to care for Fisher and keep him employed. Lott couldn't be reached Friday.

Michael Hargon saw Fisher every day when he stopped by the farm to handle financial matters. Fisher said Michael Hargon came by the morning of Feb. 14 and brought him a sausage biscuit.

http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0402/21/ma01.html

AND associates of three men convicted of the murder of the missing man's father in the same building (then a grocery store; remodeled and now the kidnapped family's home) from which the family was kidnapped. The kidnapped man would have spoken at his father's murderers' parole hearings:

Turvey (forensic scientist) also thinks investigators should be careful about linking the Hargons' disappearances to the 1994 robbery and slaying of Michael Hargon's father, Dan Haywood Hargon.

"You have to go with what's at the scene," Turvey said.

Three men, Forest Branch, 37, Ronnie Joe Wright, 32, and James Wesley Jackson, 47, each was convicted in the slaying of Dan Hargon, known as Haywood. Parole for Branch, convicted of armed robbery, was denied last week.

Wright, convicted of capital murder, is up for parole eligibility next month. Jackson, also convicted of capital murder, is ineligible for parole.


OK, DU JPS folks, weigh in.

[hippiechick]

1. one of them flipped out and killed the other one, and the boy.

....then either took off, or aced themselves out in the woods somewhere.




:hippie:

[xultar]

2. Yup, murder suicide. n/t

[Rowdyboy]

3. This is all happening about 20 miles from my house and

I don't know what the hell to think. I'm sure, though, that the three of them were dead within hours of their disappearance. Blood spatter wounds on-site sound pretty bad.

Murder/suicide isn't even considered a possibility, so far as I've heard.

[Maddy McCall]

5. Aren't you amazed that no DNA info has been released yet to tell

whose blood it is?

And I agree, not murder-suicide. From EVERY indication, there were NO marital problems here. Also, the fact that there were bullet casings and blood by the missing man's open truck door AND there were bullet holes inside the home and blood spatters tells me it couldn't be murder suicide.

The family planned to attend the Dixie National Rodeo in Jxn that night...if it were murder suicide and the murderer wanted the bodies NOT to be at the home, then couldn't he or she have done this on the way to Jackson? Why shoot the other in the house and then move the injured party? Why not go to a place away from the home and then do it there?

I really don't believe the evidence looks like murder-suicide. It looks more like a vendetta killing to me.

Rowdy, what did you think about the revelations about the will? I think the disinherited adopted son needs close scrutiny. You?

[Liberal Classic]

7. Lab results on DNA typing take time to complete

Also police departments often don't release results to the press if there is the possibility of tipping off culprits.

I am no psychology expert, but if it is a murder-suicide, where are the victims? I am leaning towards foul play, not emotional problems.

[Rowdyboy]

8. Absolutely

I just heard that aspect this morning.

[Streetdoc270]

4. My wife's thoughts

(btw she was a Criminal Justice major in college)

It looks like the wife was doing a 'drop everything and start a new life' escape from an abusive/unwanted relationship. She tells me that the rings left behind really lend a lot of weight to this, also people who do this have everything they need (childs asthma meds) set up at their new home. It seems like the husband came back unexpecidly during the move and thats when he was shot, they removed the body and escaped and is currently in hiding.

[Maddy McCall]

6. My understanding is that there were NO marital problems...

and the family had planned to attend the Dixie National Rodeo that night.

[Maddy McCall]

9. Edit: INFO ADDED

Don't have a link, but just heard that Hargon had testified in a parole hearing of one of his father's murderers the WEEK BEFORE he and his family went missing.

Also hearing that there was bad blood between him and other family members over the inheritence of the uncle's farm.

Curiouser and curiouser :shrug:

[DoNotRefill]

10. Going on what I've heard....

I don't think that the husband or wife had anything to do with it. I think all three are probably dead. I base this on the reported fact that the family had 3 vehicles there, two privately owned vehicles and a company truck. All three were still at the scene. If it was the husband or wife, I'd expect one of the vehicles to have bloodstains in it from moving the bodies of the other two, or one of the vehicles to be missing.

As for the rings being there, well, my wife's wedding rings are currently sitting next to the computer. Due to the pregnancy, she can't wear them right now.

I don't know who did it, but based upon the limited knowledge we have now, I don't think it was one of the missing people.

[booksenkatz]

11. jchild, you've got me hooked!

I'm a true crime buff, I can't resist immersing myself in reading about cases like this and allowing them to bug me all day long. All I know about this case is what you've posted here, since I don't watch TV, but I'll sure make it a point to watch LKL tonight.

I'm thinking along the same lines that you are, but I'd like to know if any cars are missing? I haven't gotten the idea that there is a family vehicle missing, which would indicate that the perp(s) took the family in some other vehicle.

That phone call from the son gave me the creeps... was that all he said to his dad? It sure does put a wrench in my burgeoning intruders theory, though. Because if there were intruders shooting his wife, wouldn't he have *said* so? If there were intruders, would he ASK his dad to come to the house, thus putting his dad in danger as well? If it were someone he knew, wouldn't he have said that to his dad?

Someone has been shot before that phone call was placed, but dammit, who pulled the trigger? I wish Michael could have said "Rebecca is shooting us" or "I've shot Rebecca." His phone call merely complicates things!

I don't get too worked up over the rings yet, because some ladies take off their rings to do certain household chores. It may or may not have meaning. I also don't get too worked up over "they were the perfect couple," because everyone said that about Laci's marriage, too.

I have a feeling this one is going to have me tossing and turning at night... thanks alot!;)

Edited, was confused re: family vehicle status

[Maddy McCall]

12. Great, patsified...we will discuss LKL tonight here, then!

No cars are missing, and bloodhounds traced the family's scent through the woods behind the house to the rural volunteer firestation, and then traced a vehicle scent for a little ways before losing it.

Clarification: The phone call was from another son-in-law, not the one who is missing.

NEW REVELATION TODAY ON NOON NEWS: The mother said in a plea to the public, "Please look at your property for tiretracks that don't belong or look in buildings and sheds. My grandson needs his medicine and Michael is injured." So it sounds like it is Michael's blood all over the house and outside. Also, blood was found on the undercarriage of the family car which was parked in front of the house...makes it sound like when he was shot at he crawled under the car...or worse yet, the little one.

The sister of the woman said she always did housecleaning on Saturday mornings, so that would explain the rings being off.

It is really an intriguing story. Can't wait to see LKL tonight...I really do feel for the whole family--it's horrible.

Also, another tidbit: Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics is now involved in the investigation. Also, the disinherited cousin was cut out of the will this past January because of a drug problem.

I am leaning his way--I think he is somehow majorly involved.

[booksenkatz]

13. Wow

Thanks for the clarification on that phone call.

We need more blood info! That is horrifying, it sounds like it's everywhere.

I have a 4-year-old boy, I think that's one reason why this story is really bugging me more than usual.

Another thing: it's been ten years since Michael's dad was shot, is the anniversary of the crime around this time of year?

That thing with the will is fairly recent, though, right? They need to find that cousin and (my best friend is a cop and I don't believe in police brutality) attach hot electrodes to his private parts and make him talk!


Counting down to LKL, will chat with y'all tomorrow about this.

Edited to add, thanks for the links and keeping us updated, jchild!

[Maddy McCall]

15. Well, this case was pushed aside by the FMA last night...

don't know if King is going to do another show on the case or not.

[booksenkatz]

16. LKL

As frustrated as I was that the show wasn't devoted to the missing family last night, I was still glad I tuned in. The FMA is an important issue, too, and our side really put those sorry bigots in their place, I was very proud! The shellac-haired blonde and the preacher were left sputtering. The only defense of their position they were able to offer was Bible-based, and I'm sorry, but our country's laws are not based upon the commands of this person's or that person's god. It was a great show, except for having to see and listen to the grinning, kill-happy fraud that some call president.

But I digress. I'll keep checking this thread for new info, anything you can post on this missing family is appreciated. And I promise in the future to read thoroughly that which you offer before making comments i.e. the misinformed stuff I wrote about the phone call... I admit that I was only skimming the articles previously, because I was trying to avoid getting sucked in to this fascinating mystery!! Too late now!

Thanks again.

[Maddy McCall]

18. Larry King Live was EXCELLENT last night...

I adore the mayor of San Francisco. What a brilliant advocate for gays and lesbians.

Here is my thread on it from last night:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=803564

[Maddy McCall]

14. NEW INFO

Authorities are looking for a white panel van that was seen driving around the area and then speeding away on the day the family went missing.

[booksenkatz]

17. Here's some creepy stuff

Greta van Susteren (I know, I know, Faux) wrote about what she saw when she visited the site... there are no links to the photos she discusses, I hope they put some up:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,112369,00.html