Metallica bassist on missing fan: "I was crushed"

Tuesday (November 17th) marked one month since the disappearance of Metallica fan Morgan Harrington from outside the band's concert in Charlottesville, Virginia. The 20-year-old Virginia Tech student vanished after she accidentally left the venue and was unable to get back in. Although she called her friends inside and said she'd either wait for them or find her own way home, Harrington was not seen again. Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo told us how he felt when he first heard about the situation: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "I mean, I was crushed. Stuff like this just really, really bums me out, especially when you are a parent and you have children. I mean, it's the worst thing that you could ever imagine. And of course, you know, we're all hoping for the best and just praying that she's alive. It really hit a sour chord with us and bummed us out."

Police have had few leads in the Harrington case, despite extensive searches by air and on the ground. Her cell phone and purse were found in the area outside the arena, with one report suggesting that she might have tried to use another concertgoer's phone to make a call.

Other unconfirmed reports suggest that Harrington was last seen hitchhiking.

Harrington's parents have offered a $100,000 reward for information on her whereabouts, with Metallica adding another $50,000 to the total.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has gotten involved with the search, fielding calls and taking any information about Harrington's case. Executive director Bob Lowery told Noisecreep.com, "We're going to pursue this case like Morgan is still alive and she's safe and we're not going to give up until we find out otherwise."