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Megan Hargan, the eldest sister of the Virginia-based Hargan family, was found guilty earlier this year of murdering her own mother and sister in their million-dollar McLean home in July 2017. Her sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2022. However, her current whereabouts remain unclear at the moment.
Hargan was convicted on all charges, including two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of firearm use, in the double homicide case of her mother, Pamela, 63, and younger sister, Helen, 23.
Prosecutors and authorities believe Megan was involved in the killings and later staged the crime scene to make it look like Helen Hargan had killed herself. Megan also accused her sister of killing their mother before shooting herself with the same rifle, using her toes to pull the trigger.
The "tragedy for money" will be the subject of this Saturday's 48 Hours episode. The episode, titled Death Hits Home: The Hargan Killings, will air on October 1, 2022, at 10 pm ET on CBS.
Read ahead to learn more about the double homicide and Megan Hargan's conviction.
Megan Hargan's defense maintained her innocence, calling the incident a murder-suicide
The two versions of the events that transpired on July 14, 2017, at the McLean home, one provided by the prosecution and the other by Megan Hargan's defense counsel, were remarkably contrasting.
Megan Hargan, according to the prosecution, committed the murders to acquire money from her mother's fortune. It was revealed that on the day before the incident, she signed a deal for a new house, for which she tried to fraudulently wire transfer a six-figure amount from her mother's account.
According to the prosecution, jealousy, anger, and greed were the root causes of the murders. They asserted that the accused thought their mother, Pamela Hargan, prioritized Helen over her as she refused to give Megan a sum of $400,000.
On the other hand, Megan Hargan's defense argued that her sister Helen shot their mother before turning the gun on herself, calling the incident a murder-suicide case. Megan reportedly asserted the same, maintaining her innocence throughout.
Prosecutors contended otherwise, claiming that Helen Hargan was shot from the top
The prosecution disagreed, drawing attention to a gunshot wound on the top of Helen's head as proof that she was shot from the top of her head and the bullet passed through her skull and into her neck. Megan allegedly shot both the women with a .22 caliber rifle to acquire the $400,000 from Pamela's account.
The defense, however, stated that the prosecution got the facts wrong. They alleged that Helen put the gun up under her chin and shot the weapon into her skull, pressing the trigger with her toes. Additionally, they insisted that she was wearing a sock, which accounted for the absence of her fingerprints on the murder weapon.
Moreover, the victims' family alleged that the sisters had grown apart over the years because of jealousy. Helen Hargan's then-boyfriend even testified against Megan, stating that Helen called her at the time of the occurrence and allegedly told him that Megan had killed their mom.
Megan Hargan's arrest, conviction for the murders of sister and mother, and current whereabouts
Megan Hargan's arrest came in November 2018 after authorities acquired sufficient evidence against her. Her trial came about three and a half years after her arrest when she was ultimately convicted of the 2017 deaths of her mother, Pamela, and sister Helen.
According to Law & Crime, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano stated:
"We in Fairfax County have no tolerance for such disregard for human life and I am committed to addressing crimes of this magnitude with the seriousness they merit. We will be asking or a substantial sentence that reflects the seriousness of the crime."
The trial concluded with the jury's recommendation that Megan Hargan must serve life in prison for both murders. Although her current whereabouts remain unknown, her sentence hearing is slated for October 28 this year.
Tune in to 48 Hours on CBS this Saturday, October 1, 2022, to learn more about Megan Hargan's trial.
