Metallica is doing its part to help the FBI solve the murder of a 20-year-old college student after a 2009 concert by the rock band in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In a one-minute announcement on YouTube, Metallica frontman James Hetfield urges anyone who knows anything about what happened to Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington to contact authorities.
"Remember, any information, no matter how small you think it is, could be that crucial piece investigators need to help solve the case," Hetfield says in the video, with guitars and amplifiers in the background.
The band offered $10,000 in 2010 for information leading to an arrest in the case; the reward fund since has grown to $150,000, Hetfield says.
"This crime we feel was horrific in nature and what we want to do is bring closure to Morgan's family," Virginia State Police Capt. Timothy Lyon says in a video on the FBI's website. "We want an arrest, and that's what we're committed to doing."
Morgan Harrington
The FBI says Harrington was last seen hitchhiking on a Charlottesville bridge after leaving the concert before it was over on October 17, 2009. Her body was found in a field four months later. She had been wearing a distinctive silver necklace with Swarovski crystals, which has not been recovered.
The FBI says DNA evidence links Harrington's case to a 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax, Virginia. The bureau issued an enhanced composite sketch of an unnamed man they think may be responsible.
The suspect is described as an African-American male with black hair and facial hair at the time of the 2005 attack. He is about 6 feet tall and was believed to be between 25 and 35 years old at the time of the attack, making him 32 to 42 now.
Information can be conveyed by calling Virginia State Police at 434-352-3467; Fairfax police at 703-385-7959; or the FBI at 800-225-5324.
Why wear anything valuable to a concert? This was easy pickings for the ape, I mean person.
I'm sorry, but how is this Metallica's fault? A college girl hitchhiking alone in the middle of the night in north carolina? Make up whatever name for the guy you want, but i really doubt the concert had anything to do with it. Any woman dumb enough to do that better have a weapon on her. It's not 1950 anymore.
Yeah because Virginia and North Carolina are the same state, sort of like Texas and Mexico!
If a white man killed an African American woman coming out of a Jay-Z concert...would the case take 3 years to solve?
@Amused: I'm sorry, you're right...The "unfortunate accident" case would have to close since the whole force would be directing their attention to the riots going on.
A few years ago, Metallica also came out as the patsy for the recording industry, offending against music sharing just as if the recording industry actually respects and pays artists for the value of their songs.
And this is relevant how?
and your an idiot if you can't separate their music/business actions with the fact that they're trying to help the family of a murdered girl find justice. go kill yourself.
@AJ you're
Huh, why don't you owrite that down and mail it to 10 years ago when it was relevant?
Is that another Obama's son or just an ape got loose from the zoo? 🙁
Don't you have a KKK meeting to get to?
troll
Please, PLEASE tell us that you have not reproduced, you worthless racist oxygen thief.
The rest of us can only pray that you haven't reproduced.
Yeah, dang racists, pointing out the reality the 99% of inter-racial rap es are black-on-white.
@Alabama Black Snake...Nope, there is absolutely NO reason why anyone should think that racist, toothless, inbred crack ers are idiots.
Its risky enough to hitchhike when youre with a friend. But a lone woman is taking a bigger risk.
While it may be alright 99.9% of the time, you dont want to become that 0.1%.
Pretty women out walkin' with gorillas down my street......
Kill yourself.
Finally, an intelligent comment..
\m/ MEGADETH \m/
"The suspect is described as...oh, never mind, you already know what the suspect looks like."
Wow... I knew before reading a single comment that this was going to be a racism feeding frenzy, but man oh man! I feel like I'm in Mississippi in 1910. My condolences to many of the posters here, that your application to sponsor a highway was denied.
Yeah, dang racists, pointing out the reality the 99% of inter-racial rap es are black-on-white.
Our apologies! Obviously the picture depicts a WHITE MAN...how could we have ever mistaken him for an innocent BLACK MAN?
Misssissippi in 1910 was way too liberal and inclusive for the morons posting their hate on here.
Well, the first sign that he was up to no good was probably the fact that he was a black guy at a heavy metal concert.
Sure CNN, delete the true comments.
Metallica sold out years ago as soon as Jason left the band was toast! Reload had country music on it! All they are doing now is living off their name trying to make a buck. Seriously? 150k reward from a band that has made millions charging ridiculous ticket prices! They should be offering 1 million.
heck these are the guys that got Napster BANNED! $150.00 concert tickets weren't enough for them. Their reward is insulting!
Jame Hetfield is a sellout and Pantera is way more better heavy metal.
Ooooh, Metallica is on the case! I guess it should be wrapping up shortly, eh?