Bodies of Missing Miss. Family Found : Michael and Rebecca Hargon Articles / In The News Date: Feb 19, 2004 - 08:57 AM |
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YAZOO CITY, Miss. — The bodies of a family missing since Valentine's Day were found on Monday in a wooded area in Mississippi. Earlier in the day, a relative was charged in the deaths of the couple and their young child. District Attorney James Powell told The Associated Press late Monday that the bodies had been identified as Michael and Rebecca Hargon (search) and their 4-year-old son. An autopsy was scheduled for late Monday night or Tuesday. "It's awful. You deal with bad stuff all the time but rarely where the whole family was killed," Powell said. Bill Hirtz, Rebecca Hargon's father, said the discovery of the bodies gave him a measure of solace. "At least I know where they were at," he said in a telephone interview Monday night. Please Click here to enter prayer . Earnest Lee Hargon a relative of the family, was arraigned on three counts of capital murder on Monday. Hargon, a 43-year-old truck driver, was ordered held in Yazoo County without bond. The discovery of the remains and the charges against Hargon capped an intense three-week search for clues in the case. Teams of law officers using portable lights searched through scattered rain and into the evening hours for the bodies. Hargon was arraigned in a Yazoo County courthouse about 100 miles away from the search area in southern Mississippi. Friends and relatives of the family, many visibly shaken, attended the brief court appearance. Blood and spent bullet casings were discovered at the family's home in Yazoo County after their disappearance. Investigators have not found a .22-caliber weapon that apparently was fired in the house. Prosecutor James Powell said the slayings occurred during the kidnapping of one or more of Michael Hargon's family. He said Hargon had acted alone. "We've been saying all along since we've anticipated filing these charges that our case is rock solid," said Warren Strain, spokesman for the Mississippi Highway Patrol The whole Family is missing - Michael Hargon, Rebecca Hargon, and their four year old son, JamesMississippi Family Missing Vaughan, Miss. Associated Press The family is offering a $25,000 reward for the Hargons' safe return. Mississippi Crimestoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information on the family, missing since Saturday. The Sheriff's Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol are handling the investigation. Blood found outside the family's house in Vaughan, Miss., is being tested by the Mississippi Crime Lab. Yazoo County Sheriff James Williams says the blood was found outside the house and shell casings were found inside the home. POPLAR BLUFF -- A Region 8 family is desperate for answers tonight after these loved ones are reported missing. A family of three is missing and their loved ones in Poplar Bluff are praying tonight. The Hargon family now lives in Mississippi but their relatives worry about similarities from a case ten years ago. It's national news that's tough to stomach, but when it hits close to home, it breaks your heart... Rebecca Hargon, her husband Michael and their 4-year-old son James Patrick were discovered missing from their home in Vaughan, Mississippi on Saturday. "You hear the stories on the news all the time and you don't think it's going to be your family," said Kristen Duncan, Rebecca's cousin. While nothing is missing from the house, police officials did find blood drops leading to the home from outside. Shell casings were also discovered. "My hopes is that they are alive, just bring them all home safely. In my heart, I'm scared," said Trudy Duncan, Rebecca's aunt. The home the family lives in was once a grocery store, and 10 years ago, Michael's father was killed there during a robbery. His murders are behind bars now, but last week, Michael testified at their parole hearings. Family members say it's frustrating not knowing what's happened. They say all they can do is sit, wait and pray. "You think sometimes the tears will stop and the do for a while, just get the strength to keep going and do all we can here. We all feel so helpless. We don't know what to do. All the prayers are coming in and that's very important and that's what we want," said Trudy. Family here has been keeping busy praying for the family's safe return. "Regardless of the outcome, I'm praying for closure for the family. This waiting and the not knowing, I think is harder than anything. You know, the phone rings and you jump," said Trudy, fighting tears. They're also worried, because James Patrick has asthma and needs medication daily. "They didn't take any of his medications with him, so they know that he's without. They told me that all of the coats are still there in the kitchen, where they always are," said Trudy. "Were afraid that they just took them out. They think Rebecca was probably still in bed." And meanwhile, the family waits for answers.... "We need our family to be complete and it's not going to be complete until we have answers," said Kristen. The Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Poplar Bluff will be holding prayer vigils every night at 5:30 in honor of the family. Also, a $25,000 reward is also being offered for any information leading to the Hargon's safe return. If you have any information regarding this case, you are asked to call the Yazoo County Sheriff's Office at (662) 746-5611 or the Mississippi Highway Patrol at (601) 987-1530. |
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