350+ sign up for new Morgan Harrington search

6:32 p.m.

Search crews came in right before dark.

The search will resume tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.  But organizers say you can come by at any time afterward if you would like to help.

The search concentrated on UVA’s campus today, but will fan out on Saturday and Sunday.

The search will begin on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. as well.

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5:00 p.m.

Leaders with the Texas-based group Laura Recovery Center signed up more than 350 volunteers today for the search effort.

Roanoke County Police Sgt. Jeff Herrick said he felt compelled to be there, taking a day off from work to help.  “I just felt compelled that with two daughters of my own that like to go to concerts, the thought of something like this happening just boggles the mind.“

Sgt. Herrick’s daughter has been best friends with Morgan Harrington for more than ten years.  His daughter is one of “the nine,“ a group of close friends who grew up with Morgan in Roanoke County.

Current JMU student and Northside High School graduate Sarah Snead is another member of “the nine” who came out to search on Friday.  Sarah also was one of two friends at the Metallica concert with Morgan, and maybe one of the last to talk to Morgan before her disappearance.

She took a phone call from Morgan that said “don’t worry, I’ll find a way home.“  Sarah and the other friend drove Morgan’s car back to JMU after that concert.

“We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think it was okay.  Now obviously we wish things had taken place differently,“ Sarah told me.  “It’s been one of the worst experiences ever,“ she added.

Sarah and the other volunteers patiently waited through safety and search training from the Laura Rescue Center group that was in Charlottesville.  Volunteers took their time going through the woods, not wanting to miss anything that appears out of place.

State Police tell WSLS that nothing of significance has been found so far.

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12:05 p.m.

From Scott Leamon, in the field
WSLS Reporter

I talked with two Roanoke area people who came up to help with the search.

Roanoke County Police Sergeant Jim Herrick told me he took the day off from work to come up to search.  Herrick says his daughter is one of Morgan Harrington’s nine close friends from Northside High School.

I also spoke with current JMU student, Northside High School graduate, and close friend of Morgan Harrington, Sarah Snead.  Snead told me she was one of the three people in Morgan’s car on the way to the Metallica concert, and one of the two people in the car on the way back from the concert to JMU.  Snead talked about Morgan’s phone call from outside John Paul Jones Arena the night of the concert, as well as how Dan and Gil Harrington have been “pillars of support” for her since Morgan disappeared.

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11:57 a.m.

By WSLS News Staff

In an interview with our NBC affiliate WVIR 29 in Charlottesville, Gil Harrington said the community support from the people who showed up to help search for her daughter Morgan Friday, brought hope to her.

Gil Harrington also said she would not be among the searchers, because they would have to “carry her out” of the woods afterwards.

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10:48 a.m.

From Scott Leamon, in the field
WSLS Reporter

The new search for missing Virginia Tech student Morgan Harringtion began at 9:00 a.m. in Charlottesville.

This weekend’s searches are being organized by the Laura Recovery Center.

I see a group of Virginia Tech students being informed on what and how to search.  I’m trying to see if we’ll be able to go with them on their part of today’s search effort.

More updates as I get them.