Polygraphs, dogs, but no sign of missing Mississippi family (Day #16)

The Clarion Ledger ^ | February 21, 2004 | By Lora Hines

[WKB]

VAUGHAN

[leisi]

I grew up in Mississippi, and we'd always call relatives before 911 if there were an emergency. Relatives would always arrive waaaay before any emergency vehicles.

[Letitring]

We need a good map of that area around the house and that volunteer firedept.

[WKB]

I'll look for a map.
To tell you the truth I'm starting get dizzy

[Darlin']

Hey :) Afternoon. I've been looking for info about this today and I may be able to clear that one question up a little.

From the Yazoo Herald on 18 Feb 2004

"William Hertz and his wife, Diana, drove from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Saturday when they heard that their daughter and her family were missing. With tears in his eyes and a quivering voice, he talked of his pain Monday afternoon.

“We found out at about 12:30 or 1 o’clock Saturday afternoon,” Hertz said. “David (Moore), our son-in-law, who is married to our daughter, Elizabeth, called us and said, ‘Mr. Bill, you better come. Something has happened bad. There’s blood outside.”

He said he last spoke to his daughter, Rebecca, on Thursday night on the phone. “She was quite tired. She was off that day and James Patrick wasn’t feeling good and was cranky.”

[Letitring]

1-16-04. That is recent enough for hard feelings to be there. NOne of my searches turned up anything on Ernest Lee Hargon.

Do we know how big that 'farm' is? Some areas of land in Madison County is very valuable. Also, the Hargon family once owned a Plantation in Madison County, circa Civil War days.

[Letitring]

I understand that, but his Father-in-Law lives out of State. Hence, my confusion.

[El Gran Salseron]

"I grew up in Mississippi, and we'd always call relatives before 911 if there were an emergency. Relatives would always arrive waaaay before any emergency vehicles."

Yes, I agree with you. I do not find it at all unusual that he would call family instead of 911. Families will drop what they are doing and respond.....especially if he said, "It's Rebecca, there's blood!"

Law enforcement? Ah, they might respond but only when they get around to it. After all, they DO have to finish their doughnuts and coffee.

[Howlin]

And yet somebody driving by the house alerted the family? That doesn't even make sense.

[Darlin']

This article from The Jackson Channel provides a bit of info about that recently inherited property. Note: the headline is misleading

Missing Family Had Problems With Bills Friends, Family Assist In Search, Keep Faith
UPDATED: 7:24 PM CST February 20, 2004

YAZOO COUNTY, Miss. -- The Hargon family -- Michael, Rebecca and their son James Patrick (pictured, right) -- has been missing for nearly a week now. Relatives said Michael Hargon was having some money troubles with his inheritance from an uncle.

Friday, investigators spent time inside the family's Vaughan home, and carried more evidence away for analysis. Also, search crews brought out bloodhounds to search the area surrounding the home.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Hargon's relatives scheduled a weekend prayer vigil in their home state of Missouri.

Michael Hargon inherited land in Madison County from his uncle, Charles Hargon, who had been sick and died a few weeks ago. But relatives said the land didn't come without a price. He also inherited the bills.

They said he talked about selling some of his uncle's cattle to help pay some of the bills. He also inherited 50 acres of land, five tractor-trailers and two pickup trucks.

Bennie Brown, who has been the property's groundskeeper for more than 20 years, said after Charlie Hargon died, Michael Hargon began coming by the house and managing the property.

Brown said he talked to him the day Hargon and his family disappeared. Brown says he and Hargon had breakfast about 6:30 that morning.

Investigators are working to figure out what happened between the time Hargon finished eating breakfast with Brown and the time he and his family disappeared.

Yazoo County investigators focused Thursday and Friday on obtaining evidence from a pickup truck belonging to the family. 16 WAPT reported that the truck was covered in fingerprint dust and a speck of what investigators think might be blood. Yazoo County's Sheriff James Williams said he would send evidence and video to an FBI profiler in Virginia.

Many residents in the surrounding area were looking for ways to help in the search. During the day, many volunteers searched nearby woods. At night, they strung up ribbons and asked people to pray for the missing family.

"Say a prayer every time you see a ribbon," said family friend Kristi Moore. "That they will make it home safely -- that's what we want more than anything."

Relatives of Michael and Rebecca Hargon said they were thankful for the community's help.

Officials asked people with information that might help locate the Hargon family to call the Yazoo County Sheriff's Department at (662) 746-5611.

[Letitring]

Hey Girlfriend. Good to see you. How kind of you to take time out to look at our mess, when you have so much going on in your area. Thanks.

As always, you cleared that up. It was a different son-in-law who called them. Seems like the newsreporters are as confused as we are.

[Letitring]

I think Darlin' cleared that up for us. The in-laws live in Poplar Bluff, Mo., about a 6 hour drive (?), and it was a different son-in-law who called, not our missing Mr. Hargon. Whew. Glad that's settled. Now, on to the dogs...

[WKB]

Do we know how big that 'farm' is?


I think 50 acres valued at $50,000
that may be before Nissan

[Letitring]

Hi Ya Howlin. Good to 'see' you, too. I do believe our Darlin' cleared that up. What do you think about the hounds? That article I posted said they started out of the house went one direction, then circled back North, tracked that until they lost the scent. Do you think that means they had to leave on foot?

[Howlin]

I am the last person to figure stuff like that out; it is interesting though.

And I saw the "timeline" correction.

[Letitring]

You are SO good. Thanks bunches.

We need to know more about Ernest Lee Hargon. 50 acres, cows, tractor-trailers (do you think that means those big truck thingies?), PUT's, etc. Yep, could go to motive.
Plus, like I said, some of that land in Madison County is prime. That's where the elite from Jackson are running to, building grand homes out that way.

[Letitring]

That article also explains who the 'family friend' is, Mr. Hargon had breakfast with every morning. No wonder he stopped by, he had to. That makes sense, now.

[Darlin']

:) Its great to see you, too.

Yes, fuzzy press accounts. LOL. Probably a case of a reporter's story being edited by an editor who was no where near the crime scene. Rebecca's parents, Mr & Mrs Hertz (or Hirtz), lived in the area for a few years before moving back to Missouri but their daughters Rebecca and Elizabeth still live in Mississippi.

From what I've read or heard, Michael and Rebecca were high school sweethearts. In fact, she is the only girl he ever dated.

This is not good. Their little boy needs to receive breathing treatments for his asthma twice a day and needs a inihaler. Those treatments require special equipment. One of my nieces had to have those same treatments for a few years when she was about his age.

[freedox]

I'm wondering if the dogs tracked the scents of all three family members along that route. Also, can the dog handlers be sure that the dogs were tracking the most recent scents leading away from the property, as opposed to scents that might have been left earlier? Anybody here know much about tracking dogs and how these things are determined?

[Letitring]

Yes, it is interesting, puzzling, and doesn't look at all good.

Noone seems to be uncovering a motive in this case. UNLESS, it IS that farm and all. Maybe those convicts? I think I've read where things can be arranged from jail, but why? What good would it do them to kill those particular family members, when others were testifying too. Awwwwwrrrrrg.

[Indie]

It does sound like a home invasion/robbery/abduction to me. I don't sense an inside deal at all. I feel strangers did it after casing the place. Just my gut.