John Allen Muhammad Death Penalty: John Allen Muhammad is John Allen Williams: Muhammad November 10 Lethal Injection

The Washington, D.C. Beltway Sniper, who took the lives of 10 people in 2002 will receive a lethal injection at a Virginia prison on November 10th. Only 7 years and less than one month for the death penalty to actually be administered. Virginia is doing something right. Oh, wait, how silly of me. An appeal is planned. Muhammad is in the news today because he refused to choose the way he would die - either lethal injection or electrocution. Lethal injection is Virginia's "default" choice. See video below. Update 11-10-09 Execution Night - see below.

Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad

John Allen Muhammad (49) converted to Islam through the Nation of Islam in 1987, and changed his name from Williams to Muhammad. His partner in the deaths, Lee Boyd Malvo was in the U.S. illegally.

The two left a trail of death in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Thirteen shootings occurred. Ten died. Both men are suspected of killings in Louisiana and Alabama.

Muhammad was found guilty of the death of one person in Virginia, 6 in Maryland, and was sentenced to death in August 2005.

Malvo is 24-years-old today and was 17 at the time of murders. He met Muhammad through his mother who had a "strong friendship" with the killer. In a foray to the U.S., the mother, Una Sceon James left her son with Muhammad, in Antigua. Lee Boyd Malvo is serving multiple life prison sentences without the possibility of parole.

Four persons survived: Paul LaRuffa, 55 at the time, Caroline Seawell 43 of Fredericksburg, VA, Iran Brown, just 13 years old and on his way to school in Bowie, Maryland and Jeffrey Hopper, 37, in Ashland, Virginia.

LaRuffa was shot a month before the other victims. His computer was stolen by the shooters and was later recovered by authorities with "shooting sites marked with skulls and crossbones and locations of planned further killings..." LaRuffa was shot 5 times:

Did I feel each shot? I heard them all, but I can't tell you. The worst I felt was something hitting me," he said. "One second you're sitting there, and a millisecond later there's blood pouring out of your body. 

He was confronted by a boy wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a T-shirt that read, "I only have to be nice to one person a day. Today's not your day." LaRuffa continues his life with bullet fragments near his chest and spine, and a surgical scar running from his chest to his navel.
Iran Brown was interviewed by CNN about 2 months after he was shot:

"I'm not in any pain right now. I feel normal, I just can't lift heavy things like I did before," 13-year-old Iran Brown told reporters at Children's National Medical Center.

I feel great and am looking forward to picking up my life where I left off. That includes a lot of basketball and hanging out with my friends," Brown said.
He said he was able to shoot baskets, but not as many as he used to.

Caroline Seawell, a stay-at-home mom of two at the time, went shopping and loaded a holiday scarecrow and a wreath into her minivan. A bullet went through her back and exited her chest and lodged in her Toyota minivan. She knew immediately that she had been shot. First she said a prayer, and then she told a stranger in the parking lot. He didn't believe her.
She had talked about the "snipers" with her husband over breakfast that morning.

Jeffrey Hopper and his wife Stephanie were traveling home to Melbourne, FL. Hopper knew about the shootings and "tried very hard to make sure we had enough gas to get past D.C." After dinner, the couple walked to their car. Stephanie had a cookie in each hand. She had just leaned over to her husband for a quick kiss and he was hit. When Hopper testified in October 2003, he had just had his "most recent" surgery of 5, to "reconstruct his abdominal muscles."

Claudine Parker, a clerk at a Montgomery, AL liquor store was shot and killed in September 2002. Muhammad's palm prints were found at the crime scene.







  Paul LaRuffa - John Allen Muhammad Victim (video)

I don't know about you, but I am beyond weary of these animals living for years after receiving a death sentence. It makes no sense, and it is designed for attorneys to milk the system. I don't object to an appeal, but let's face it, the trial documents are available. An appeal usually allows for nothing additional to be introduced that was not already introduced during the trial proceedings. Taking years to get to an appeals decision is not justice for anyone.

Update 11-10-09 Execution Night:

Fox News has just reported that John Williams Muhammad's last chance for a stay-of-execution has been eliminated. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has ordered that he receive his full punishment by execution tonight via lethal injection - 9 p.m. EST.

Morgan Dana Harrington is Virginia Tech Student Missing

Morgan Dana Harrington, a Virginia Tech student is missing after attending a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Area.  See 10-22-09 10-23-09 10-24-09 10-27-09 update below video. See new video below. Update 1-25-10: A body has been found, and the Harrington family believes it is likely their daughter, Morgan. If the skeletal remains are Ms. Harrington, they were found on farm in Charlottesville, Virginia. Source. Updates when available.

Morgan Dana Harrington

 Ms. Harrington is a junior at Virginia Tech and is 20 years old. She was last seen about 8:40 p.m. Saturday night, according to this report from WHSV.com, when she became separated from friends at the concert. She has long blond hair, blue eyes, weighs about 120 lbs. and is 5'6" tall. She was wearing a black T-shirt with "Pantera" scribed in "tan" lettering across the front, a black mini skirt, black tights and knee high black boots.

Harrington reportedly drove with another VT student to James Madison University to pick up a friend and then the three made their way to the concert in Charlottesville. Police are treating the case as a "missing person" investigation, but her parents say this is not typical behavior for Morgan.

Morgan Dana Harrington Photo

Morgan Dana Harrington's father, Dan Harrington, reported her missing about Sunday just after noon.

This message from the University of Virginia Police Department:

If you have seen Morgan Dana Harrington or have knowledge of her whereabouts contact the University of Virginia Police Department at 434-924-7166.

In August 2009, the bodies of two Virginia Tech students, David Lee Metzler and Heidi Lynn Childs, were found murdered in the Jefferson National Forest, about 15 miles from campus.

In January 2009, a Virginia Tech man, Zhu Haiyang, decapitated a female student, Yang Xin in a local cafe.

In April 2007, a Virginia Tech student, Seung-Hui Cho killed 25 students and 5 faculty in Norris Hall.







 Morgan Dana Harrington Missing (video) 

 Morgan Dana Harrington's Parents' Press Conference (video)

Update 10-20-09, 10:20 a.m. CDT:

Police were just interviewed on FOX and confirmed that Ms. Harrington does not have identification or a cell phone with here. The anchor asked if it is true that Morgan's purse and cell phone were found outside the stadium, and the spokeperson declined to answer.

Update 10-21-09:

A  vigil will be held for Ms. Harrington tonight at 7:00 p.m. on the football field at Northside High School in Roakoke, VA: 6758 Northside High School Road, Roanoke, VA.

NEW number for the tip line: 434-352-3467 - Tipsters can call 24/7

Odd comment in the new video above. The officer says: "however, it is very unusual that we have not heard anything, either from her friends or family, about her whereabouts." Obviously, the police have heard from her family. I think he misspoke and intended to say that it is unusual that her family and friends have not heard from Dana.

Update 10-22-09:

I heard a television report this morning that I cannot verify in print. Someone connected to the investigation said that Morgan Dana Harrington, called her friends in side the stadium - said she left the venue and security would not let her back in. Later, a "passerby" found her purse, i.d. and cell phone "between the arena and an athletic field at the VT.

This report indicates that the missing person search has been called off and the investigation is a criminal investigation.

Later today an announcement about a reward for $50,000 is expected.

This from HelpFindMorganDanaHarrington:

Though one of “The Nine” — best friends since elementary school — is still missing, Morgan Dana Harrington’s friends say they are doing everything they can to alert people of her disappearance and bring her home.

Update 10-23-09:
Fox News reports comments from Harrington's college roomante, Amy Melvin:

Melvin, told The Roanoke Times that her friend walked out of the stadium before Metallica appeared on stage, but she didn't know why. Rader said Harrington then called her friends to let them know she wouldn't be coming back, and disappeared sometime after 9:30 p.m.

Morgan is a pretty transparent kid, who's had a really close relationship with us," her father, Dan Harrington, said in a phone interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. "I don't think there are lots of secrets, so this kind of behavior of (her) missing is not something I think we would expect.

His daughter doesn't have a boyfriend, he said, and he couldn't think of anyone who'd want to hurt her.

Update 10-24-09 3:20 p.m. CDT:

A motel in Charlottesville, VA was shut down yesterday as police acted on a tip the Morgan Dana Harrington had been seen at the motel. At this time, there has been no further information on the result of the investigation. The FBI has joined the search for Morgan.

Update 10-27-09:

Police give this account of the last time someone matching Morgan's description was seen in the area of the Paul Jones Arena: 9:20 - 9:30 PM:

The person matching Morgan's description was seen on the Copely Road Bridge near Ivy Road. The last spotting of Morgan Harrington was at 9:30 PM near the intersection of Copeley Rd. and Ivy Rd.