Special Grand Jury To Get Hargon Murder Case (Hargon found guilty gets death penalty )

TAYLORSVILLE, Miss. (AP) -- After two days of intensive searching, investigators say they've exhausted any hope of finding the missing Yazoo County family near the property of a relative suspected in the case.

"We've done everything we can do here," State Highway Patrol spokesman Warren Strain said. "We've exhausted all the information we have developed regarding this site and the buildings on it."

Investigators had been searching near the 160-acre property of Earnest Lee Hargon. Strain said Hargon will be arraigned Monday in Yazoo County on multiple felony charges. Hargon was charged Sunday in Smith County with a drug and firearms violation.

Hargon is a suspect in the disappearance of Michael and Rebecca Hargon and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick.

Strain said prosecutors in Yazoo County will continue with their case against Earnest Hargon.

"Not being able to locate the Hargon family will have zero effect on going forward with the charges," Strain said.

Strain said there was "a laundry list" of possible charges that could be filed in Yazoo County, but declined to specify any of them.

Authorities have not said whether they believe the family members are still alive. Blood and spent bullet casings were discovered at the family's home in Yazoo County. Investigators have not found a .22-caliber weapon that apparently was fired in the home.

Earnest Hargon, an adopted cousin of Michael Hargon, was named in a single charge of possession of methamphetamines while also in possession of a firearm. Hargon was carrying less than an ounce of the drug, authorities said Sunday. The firearm is an AR-15 assault rifle, which Strain said could be converted into an automatic weapon.

Strain said possible evidence was found Saturday at Hargon's property in Smith County but would not elaborate.

Investigators also have been checking a piece of land that Michael Hargon recently inherited from his uncle, Charles Hargon, to determine if it is linked to the disappearance, said Jennifer Hargon, Michael's sister. Earnest Hargon, Charles Hargon's adopted son, was not included in the will, she said.

Strain said the Madison County property is a consideration in the case, but not necessarily a motive.

"It could be a potential motive, but it's not the only one," Strain said, adding that other evidence collected in the searches has linked Hargon to the family's disappearance. He declined to elaborate.

Smith County Sheriff Charlie Crumpton said an arraignment for Hargon had not been set on the drug and weapons charge, but he said it would occur before Wednesday.

No big developments emerged on Sunday, although Crumpton said significant progress had been made.

Lisa Ainsworth, the wife of Earnest Hargon, has been questioned at least twice, Strain said. When asked whether she provided evidence against Earnest Hargon, Strain declined to comment.

Authorities closed off a county road on both sides of Leaf River Veterinary Services. The clinic is on Earnest Hargon's property and his wife works there as a veterinarian, Strain said.

The search area included the clinic, Earnest Hargon's residence, several other buildings and the banks of the nearby Leaf River, Strain said.

Earnest Hargon's brother-in-law, John Ainsworth, 24, described Hargon as an outgoing guy not capable of kidnapping a family. He said the investigation has been hard on his sister, Lisa Ainsworth, who has been happily married to Earnest Hargon for almost eight years.

"It's really a surprise," John Ainsworth said of the speculation of Earnest Hargon's possible involvement in the family's disappearance. "She (Lisa) is dealing with it. It's been pretty hard on her."

Taylorsville Mayor Ron Walker said Lisa Ainsworth, tends to the animals on his farm and he has met Earnest Hargon, who he called "quiet and cordial."

"Lisa is the vet in town. She and her family are well known," Walker said. "Her family is well-respected hardworking people. I'm sorry they're having to go through this."

Janette Brewer, 48, who teaches Earnest Hargon's 16-year-old son, said she is praying for the missing family," Brewer said. "We want them to be found hopefully alive."

Good Morning all.

About the rendering - We've discussed the vet clinic owning digging machinery for disposing animals either on site or elsewhere. Earnie most likely has done such. One article did state the clinic didn't have an incendiary so hopefully the LE is looking into some sort of body disposal service or procedures. Ugh, I read a book (don't remember title or author) once where they got rid of the bodies in the rendering plant. The description was pleasant then and most certainly isn't now. Remember, Rebecca didn't have her rings and Michael probably didn't wear his what with his job. Michael probably had a watch but that's easily removable. With our little family being gone for over 2 weeks now, it would be too late to find anything. Would a MS poster please check if there is a rendering plant close by?

I find it interesting that they have given up on the Ainsworth property and are going back to Yazoo. Charles' farm is in Madison so unless the journalist got it wrong, then we're back to ... where?

Family knows why the will was changed PING

March 1, 2004

Search ends on cousin's property for missing family

By Lora Hines
lohines@jackson.gannett.com

TAYLORSVILLE — Investigators ended their search here without turning up the missing Hargon family Sunday night.

A search of 160 acres of property near the home of Michael Hargon's cousin, Earnest Lee Hargon, had been going on since Friday.

"The investigation in Smith County is bittersweet," Strain said. "We got what we needed for the case against Earnest Lee Hargon. But we did not find the Hargon family."

Strain wouldn't say whether officials think Michael and Rebecca Hargon and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick, are still alive.

Meanwhile, Earnest Lee Hargon, 43, suspected in the family's disappearance Feb. 14, is to appear in Yazoo County Court today.

"(Ending the search) has zero impact on the case against Earnest Lee Hargon," Strain said. "This is a setback for finding the family."

Officials would not say what charges they expect to file against Earnest Lee Hargon. He was held at an undisclosed jail. Officials didn't say why the location is not being disclosed.

Earnest Lee Hargon was charged Sunday in Smith County with a drug and firearms violation. He was carrying less than an ounce of methamphetamine and had an altered AR-15 assault weapon when he was arrested Friday, officials said.

Hargon doesn't have a criminal record, Smith County Sheriff Charlie Crumpton said.

Hargon turned down an opportunity to call an attorney after his arrest, Crumpton said.

Strain said investigators consider an inheritance as a possible motive. Charles Hargon, Earnest Lee Hargon's adoptive father and Michael Hargon's great-uncle, willed his Madison County farm to Michael Hargon. Charles Hargon, 78, died Jan. 16. Charles Hargon originally left the land to Earnest Lee Hargon but changed his will Jan. 3.

Detectives still have other motive "options" though, Strain said, without elaborating.

Michael Hargon and his family were reported missing after a family friend passed by their Vaughan home and told relatives a door to one of Michael Hargon's pickups and the home's front door was open. Blood and shell casings were found at the home.

More than 50 law enforcement officials had been searching property near the Leaf River where Earnest Lee Hargon lives with his wife, veterinarian Lisa Ainsworth, who has a clinic on-site.

Ainsworth and her relatives couldn't be reached Sunday.

Strain said investigation leads led law enforcement officials to low-lying land near the river Sunday night.

Late Sunday afternoon, Crumpton said during a news conference authorities were "trying to find three bodies." Afterward, he and Strain tried to retract the statement.

"We hope we're going to find three persons," Strain said.

But Crumpton's words stung Hargon relatives who watched the televised conference.

Louis Fischer, of Wesson, Michael Hargon's first cousin, said they have believed the search was for rescue.

"We were stunned," said Fischer, the Hargon family spokesman. "It's in the back of your mind, but it still hurts to hear it."

A dog handler returned to Michael Hargon's house Sunday afternoon with a police evidence bag. Handwriting on the bag said it contained unidentified evidence belonging to Earnest Lee Hargon.

The dog, Kirby, started sniffing inside the Hargon house, to the driveway and ended near woods across the street from the house.

Dog handler Joe Canfield would not say what the dog was sniffing for.

Fischer said it has been years since his family has seen Earnest Lee Hargon, whom Michael looked up to "because he was a cowboy.

"Michael never had a grudge with nobody," Fischer said.

He said his family thinks Charles Hargon's will is the reason for the disappearance of Michael Hargon and his family.

"That would be the only thing it would be," Fischer said.

Fischer said his family knows why Charles Hargon changed his will, but he would not elaborate.

Mary A. Chapuis, of Canton, is Charles Hargon's niece and Earnest Lee Hargon's first cousin. She witnessed the signing of the will when it was changed. On Sunday, she said she would not comment about it.

Doris Ann Lott, who is included in Charles Hargon's will, also would not comment Sunday.

The white Ford Econoline van police were searching for last week as a possible link, Strain said, "is not very high on our priority list."

Relatives of Michael Hargon and his wife are expected to attend Earnest Lee Hargon's 10 a.m. court hearing in Yazoo City.

"Earnest Lee will have to face us in the morning," Fischer said Sunday.

Good morning, W. You just beat me to the CL.

Sooo, ol' Earnie hadn't been around family for years so if Kirby found his scent then we can expect more charges to be filed today. Poor, Kirby, sure doesn't look like Earnie's shoes are rosy smelling; as someone already said the dogs are holding their noses.

It's a given the family knew why the will was changed. We knew Doris was Greg's wife but didn't know she was in the will. She must be Charles' relative, a Hargon, perhaps a sister to Haywood making her a niece since we haven't heard Earnie having any siblings.

Detectives are holding Earnie on trumped up charges, imo, so wonder what their other "options" are.

Earnie has the one 16 yo son living with him rather than the mother. He is a FORMER cattle truck driver and is now helping at the clinic. Perhaps those trailers at Charles' are merely smaller trailers and have nothing to do with a big hauling business especially since he hadn't been around the family for years. Hmm, wonder if the comment about Michael looking up to him was related to him having to face the family this morning. The family has convicted him, but there's still a slim (slim to none, imo) chance he's innocent in this.

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