During the summer, police officials have continued to investigate the death of Morgan Harrington, whose skeletal remains were found Jan. 26 after disappearing during an Oct. 17, 2009 Metallica concert. State and local investigators identified a forensic connection between the Virginia Tech student's death and an unsolved 2005 abduction and sexual assault in Fairfax, Va., according to a July 1 state police press release.
In that assault, a 26-year-old woman was grabbed from behind and abducted on her walk home from the Giant Food store located on Jermantown Road.
"The suspect carried the victim to the park / pool area where he sexually assaulted her," according to a 2005 City of Fairfax Police Department press release.
The suspect in the case was described by the woman as a 25- to 35-year-old, 6-foot-tall, black male with medium build. In addition, he had black hair, a beard and a mustache.
But state police officials are careful to note that although they do have the sketch of the suspect based on the descriptions from the 2005 victim, it has been five years since the first incident, and thus the suspect may have changed his appearance by now.
Once Harrington's connection to the 2005 case was revealed, however, both the state and local police departments received an influx of information related to both abductions, said Corinne Geller, Virginia State Police public relations manager. In fact, during the first 24 hours after the connection was made known, individuals called in with more than 50 tips.
Not all tips regarding the death of Harrington have been helpful, though.
For example, Alvin Daniels of Alexandria, Va. was convicted Aug. 11 in Appomattox County of obstruction of justice by "maliciously and intentionally making a false statement" that led investigators astray.
According to state police, Daniels anonymously provided a false telephone tip in November 2009 that directed officers to "seek out a 34-year-old Prince William County man" whom Daniels alleged was responsible for Harrington's disappearance.
Within 48 hours of this anonymous call, state police officials, with the assistance of the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Team Adam Consultants, tracked down the Prince William County suspect and Daniels. Further investigation led to the conclusion that the suspect was in no way connected to Harrington's disappearance or death and Daniels' tip was an "act of vengeance," according to the press release.
The Appomattox Circuit Court sentenced Daniels to six months suspended jail time with the condition that he maintain good behavior during the next 12 months. Additionally, Daniels was ordered to pay $1,600 in restitution to the Virginia State Police.
Overall, no arrests have yet been made in direct connection to Harrington's murder.
"The investigation remains ongoing and active," Geller said. "We do ask anyone in the Charlottesville area to contact us if they recognize the man featured in the 2005 suspect sketch by Fairfax City Police."
Geller added that the $150,000 reward - with $100,000 coming from Harrington's parents and $50,000 from Metallica - still stands for "information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the Morgan Harrington homicide investigation."
-Allie Vandivier contributed to this article
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