[Mississippi missing family] Case Gets Tougher as Time Passes

[Maddy McCall]

VAUGHAN — A task force of about 50 law enforcement officers has followed more than 100 leads in the disappearance of the Hargon family. (have been missing 11 days)


J.D. Schwalm / The Clarion-Ledger
4 hours ago
22 February 2004

Employees of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, who would not give their names, on Monday search wooded land a few miles from the Hargon home near Vaughan. Law officers, volunteers and friends of the Hargons took to the muddy hills of Yazoo County, searching for the missing family.

As time passes, the case gets tougher to solve, said Chester Quarles, criminal justice professor at the University of Mississippi.

Today marks the 11th day since Michael and Rebecca Hargon and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick, were reported missing. A family friend alerted relatives after she saw an open door to one of Michael Hargon's pickups. The front door of the house was open, too.

"In this case, there is great difficulty," Quarles said. "You can't find people or bodies. If you don't have an adequate description or (suspect) name in about 72 hours, solvability becomes incredibly low."

more at: http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0402/24/ma01.html

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I live in Mississippi and I am amazed at the national media exposure this case is receiving. It's a heartbreaking case; two young parents and a four-year-old child are missing. If you want to know more about the case, I posted this thread in the criminal justice forum: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x41403

The mother of the missing man will be on Larry King Live tonight.

[Florida_Geek]

1. Why is there no Amber Alerts out

I just checked the Amber Alert site.

[Maddy McCall]

2. I know the Center for Missing and Exploited Children is involved in the

case. I don't know why there's no Amber Alert. The child is only four. Shouldn't there be?

[Rowdyboy]

3. Doesn't fit the profile for Amber Alerts

No absolute proof its a kidnapping and no sort of identification of a possible vehicle they might be in. At least thats the excuse the authorities gave.

[Maddy McCall]

4. I really think authorities know what happened...

They know much more than they are telling.

Have you heard whether or not they have been able to contact the disinherited adopted son of the guy who willed his property to the missing man?

That's the most suspicious twist in this whole story, IMHO.