Shipman, Virginia

Help Save the Next Girl hosted this rally stop for Unsolved Homicide Morgan Harrington and Missing Alexis Murphy at the Lovingston Cafe (10/4/13 2pm). When we arrived it seemed as it had already started, there was a lot of press chomping at the bit to begin.

Morgan Harrington, a 20 year old college student , disappeared in 2009 from outside of a Metallica Concent. 3 months later her remains were located 6 miles from the concert venue. Her parents, Dan and Gil, started the national non profit organization Help Save the Next Girl in her honor. The organization promotes personal safety and violence prevention, and works to sensitize young women and girls to predatory danger.they hold women's issues awareness and Take Back the Night rallies on campuses and have begun branching out to the Girl Scouts of America.

Alexis Murphy vanished on August 3, 2013. At 17, she was getting ready to begin her senior year of high school as volleyball captain when she was last seen at a gas station. Her car was found 3 days later in a multiplex parking lot. Randy Taylor has been arrested for abduction by force and is being held without bond.

This stop was also full of children and teenagers, including all the girls on Alexis' volleyball team dressed in pink shirts featuring Alexis' picture, her parents, younger siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and grandparents. Alexis' teammates kissed her mother one by one, and they all signed our banner, both as a team and individually. At one point they came over to the van where Janeane and I were standing. Looking at the van they were amazed at how many people are missing, and not just children. I wish it didn't happen this way, but I am glad they are learning about missing people and keeping themselves safe.

Gil has been involved from the beginning, I believe, trying to lead the family through these first steps in what may be a long journey to resolution and justice. The family held it together as best they could  through the press conference. They are luckily to have received so much press interest and the ability to get their message out. Most missing families do not get this opportunity.

When the rally was over we were able to sit in the cafe and get a quick bite before heading back to NC for a 7:00 vigil.  Dan and Gil sat with us and one of Alexis' aunts came over. She was asking all the correct questions about what hasn't been done yet and what needs to be done in the future. I feel confident leaving the Murphy's in Gil's hands and knowing that they will be registering with CUE. I can see the wheels in Monica's head spinning with possible search areas and I know CUE will return and help find Alexis. Her aunt also asked about the upcoming holiday season. "How do you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years" she asked? Memories of when Mathew was missing flooded my brain. Mathew went missing on November 6th, holidays can be and remain difficult. It's October 4th, Alexis has been missing 2 months and 1 day. We have about 6 weeks until Thanksgiving and it's already on this family's radar. Holidays will never be the same, but then life will never be the same.

Elisa