The 2004 murders of the Vaughan-based Hargon family are one of the most tragic cases Mississippi has ever seen.
Michael Hargon, his wife Rebecca, and the couple's four-year-old son James Patrick went missing from their home on Valentine's Day, only to be discovered in a shallow grave over two weeks later. The culprit in the case was a relative named Earnest Lee Hargon, who murdered the family of three over issues around inheritance. He was sentenced to death but was stabbed to death while on death row in 2007.
My Family's Deadly Secret on ID will further delve into the Hargon family killings in an upcoming episode this Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 7 pm ET. The synopsis of the episode, titled Bloodland, states:
"Michael and Rebecca Hargon vanish from their Mississippi home along with their young son; investigators discover Michael has recently come into an inheritance, and they are forced to confront the idea that his recent good fortune may be a factor."Hargon family murders: Five quick facts about the Valentine's Day killings from nearly two decades ago
1) The Horgan family went missing from their Vaughan house
The Horgan family, comprising Michael Hargon, 27, his wife Rebecca, 29, and their son James Patrick, 4, disappeared from their remote Vaughan home on February 14, 2004, sparking a 17-day search. They were only reported missing after a neighbor reportedly spotted Michael's pick-up truck's side door and their house's front door wide open.
2) Suspicious evidence and signs of struggle found inside the Horgan family home
Evidence of daily life and some signs of struggle were found inside their family home. According to reports, the family's belongings, including Rebecca Hargon's wedding band and engagement ring, were spotted on the dresser. Also, dishes were in the sink, and the family dog was running around.
However, there was no sign of the Hargons. On top of that, the family's relatives tried to call Michael, but all the calls went unanswered since the evening of February 14. Authorities discovered blood on the floor, a bullet hole in the wall, and spent .22-caliber gun shells inside the home, all indicating some struggle.
3) Their remains were found more than two weeks later in a shallow grave
A little more than two weeks later, on March 1, the bodies of all three members of the Hargon family were found buried in a remote, forested area of Covington County, roughly 75 miles south of their Vaughan home. An autopsy found that Rebecca and James were strangled to death, while Michael supposedly died from two gunshot wounds. The incident was then declared to be a homicide.
4) Michael Hargon's cousin led authorities to their remains after being arrested
According to reports, before his death, Michael Hargon had received a 50-acre property from his uncle Charles Hargon. Just a few weeks before his passing, the latter, who had a falling-out with his adoptive son, Earnest Lee Hargon, left him out of the will, leaving the ranch under Michael's name.
Earnest Lee Hargon was taken into custody on February 29 on unrelated drug charges. He was initially accused of possessing methamphetamine and carrying a firearm. But when authorities found the Hargon family's bodies as he said they would, he was charged with three counts of capital murder.
5) Earnest Lee Hargon was on death row when he was stabbed to death
In December 2005, Earnest Lee Hargon was found guilty on two counts of capital murder and one count of murder, receiving a death sentence for the Hargon family murders. However, in August 2007, he was stabbed to death while on death row by a fellow inmate at the state prison in Parchman.
Jessie Wilson, an inmate who broke out of his cell, reportedly attacked the 46-year-old convicted murderer with a homemade knife. He was stabbed at least 30 times and succumbed to his wounds at the prison hospital.
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