5 chilling details about the Hargan Killings that were linked to a money transfer and favoritism

The 2017 deaths of mother-daughter duo Pamela and Helen Hargan shook the world, especially as Megan Hargan, attempted to frame her dead sibling for their mother's death. Megan was convicted earlier this year, and her sentencing is scheduled for October 28.

It was revealed that Megan attempted to fraudulently wire transfer a six-figure amount from her mother's bank account the day before the incident. This revelation was a turning point in the case, initially labeled as a murder-suicide. Authorities and prosecutors alleged that the crime was fueled by jealousy and greed, given that Megan always felt Pamela favored Helen over her.

48 Hours is prepared to revisit the case in an upcoming episode titled Death Hits Home: The Hargan Killings, which airs on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at 10 pm ET on CBS.

Here are a few unsettling details about the Hargan Killings, a case believed to be a result of favoritism and an attempt to scam one's mother.

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Five unsettling facts about the 2017 Hargan Killings in Virginia

1) Megan Hargan accused her dead sister of killing their mother

Megan Hargan claimed that Helen was the perpetrator of the Hargan Killings on July 14, 2017. She alleged that her 23-year-old sister shot and murdered their mother before turning the pistol on herself. According to Megan Hargan, her mother and Helen fought over her purported drug usage and house purchase.

Fairfax County prosecutor Steve Descano added that,

"Obviously, committing a murder is one of the worst things you can do, but then also trying to pin that on another victim, on your own sister, really goes to show, quite frankly, the depravity of this act."

Prosecutors and investigators built a case around Megan after incriminating evidence indicated that she committed the crime out of hatred and jealousy.

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2) Elder sister Megan staged the crime scene of the Hargan Killins

Pamela's body was discovered, lying face down in a pool of blood within the mud room that connected their house kitchen to the garage. Helen's body was found on the toilet seat with a .22-caliber rifle positioned between her legs to make it seem like she had shot herself.

Megan Hargan and her defense team alleged that the 23-year-old shot herself after gunning down their mother. They asserted that she used her toes to pull the trigger, which justified the absence of fingerprints on the weapon, given that she was wearing socks at the time.

Prosecutors believed the crime scene was staged to make it at par with Megan's narrative. A wound on the top of Helen's head proved their suspicions correct. They claimed she was shot from the top, and the bullet went into her neck after entering the skull.

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3) Megan pretended to be her mother on a bank call to acquire money fraudulently

Sources state that Megan Hargan apparently pretended to be her mother in a phone call with the bank the day before the twin deaths. Megan was attempting to wire transfer $400,000. She needed the money to close a house deal, however, her mother, Pemal Hargan, refused to help her with the payment.

Authorities believed this incident triggered the Hargan Killings, given that Megan was willing to go to any lengths to get her hands on the money.

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4) Victim's fiance received a call during the horrific Hargan killings

Helen Hargan's fiance Carlos was out of town when he received a distressing call from her that day. She reportedly told him that Megan "had killed her mother." Carlos reported that Helen sounded terrified on the call and feared for Megan's daughter's life.

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5) Officers found the bodies of the Hargan Kilings' victims after an urgent 911 call

Fairfax County Police Major Ed O'Carroll claimed that Pamela and Helen Hargan were discovered dead in their million-dollar McLean home. O'Carroll, who described the deaths as "domestic violence at its worst," said officers got "an urgent 911 call reporting that someone in the home might have been killed" on the day of the homicides.

Authorities hurried over to the house and discovered the dead bodies. Pamela's body was discovered in the mud room, while Megan's was found in an upstairs bathroom. The Hargan Killings were ruled a murder-suicide, claiming Helen killed her mother before shooting herself.

However, a detailed examination of the evidence revealed that someone else was behind the murder and that the crime scene was staged to seem like a murder-suicide.

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CBS will revisit the brutal Hargan Killings in an upcoming 48 Hours episode. It airs on October 1, 2022, at 10 pm ET.