Harvey Murders in Richmond, VA
I just found out that someone I knew from Virginia was brutally murdered on New Year's Eve. The whole story is completely shocking. Links to the news stories about the murder of Bryan Harvey (formerly of the band "House of Freaks") are here: Richmond Times-Dispatch: Harvey family slayings.
I met Bryan and his co-band member Johnny Hott of House of Freaks on several occasions while I was living in Richmond, Virgina, going to school at VCU and waitressing at the Village Cafe downtown.
When I got a job in the music business in 1987 at East Coast Entertainment in Charlotte, NC, I helped my boss book bands at fraternity parties and remembered House of Freaks as a unique, 2-man music experience. I thought they'd be perfect for frat parties so tracked down Bryan to book the band. I also helped book them into a local alternative music club and remember hanging out with Bryan outside the club on a beautiful, clear night, just talking.
Later, after I moved to NYC, we were still in touch and when House of Freaks came up for some gigs, Bryan stayed at my place. I vividly remember running through a rainy Manhattan street at night after an evening out and then he kissed me impulsively.
We considered pursuing a more romantic involvement but finally agreed that we were better as friends. We eventually lost touch, although I did look him up when passing through Richmond in 2001 after September 11th. I even stopped by House of Mirth, his wife's store in Carytown. He was happy, settled, a family man. I was still the restless wanderer, trying to find my place, trying to find my home.
My sister called and left a message for me tonight, stumbling over the words to tell me what happened, thinking that maybe she shouldn't. Then she vaguely said that he was killed. I had no idea that he was brutally murdered along with his family. I'm still in shock.
And are there coincidences or not, I wonder? During the day on New Year's, I thought I wanted to listen to some Beatles music and pulled out an old box of cassette taped then decided to go through them to organize them. In that box were two cassettes of House of Freaks - "Tantilla" and an old demo that Bryan had given me. I remember thinking "I wonder how Bryan is doing?" but didn't think much more about it as I carefully placed the cassettes back in the box and closed it.
Other news coverage:
MSNBC: House of Freaks singer and family slain
Family found slain in burning house
Virginia Family Reportedly Found in Burning Home
Court TV: Musician, Wife & Children Slain in Home
NY Daily News: New Year's massacre
Daily Press: Musician and his family found slain in Virginia home
Crime Library: Harvey Family Murders Hit the Blogosphere
TimesDispatch.com: Remembering the Harveys
NBC 12: Police continue investigating family murder; vigil held (includes news video)
The Velvet Rope: RIP Bryan Harvey
BLOG LINKS
SLANTblog: Family Found Murdered
Buttermilk & Molasses: Thoughts, One Day In
Richmond Democrat - Richmond Mourns
Save Richmond: Remember Them Well
The Dark Side: The Burning of a House in Richmond (The Harvey Family Murders)
bluemerle: Harvey Murders - Local Updates
MISC
I remember we stopped by World of Mirth, there was a toy drive and Bryan played music dressed as Santa Elvis. There were all these faces I recognized from "back in the day," faces I'd see at Hard Times or Rockitz in the 80s hanging out at shows. And there they were, hanging out at the store, still looking so cool, but they were parents and they were with their kids, all watching Bryan with that goofy Elvis outfit.
Posted by: Leah Sherman | January 04, 2006 at 07:53 AM
I live in Richmond only a few miles from where the Harvey Family lived. This is so disturbing that it is all our community is talking about and thinking about. Let's hope the police come through and find the killer and learn from this.
Posted by: CLHall | January 04, 2006 at 06:01 PM
I live in Richmond only a few miles from where the Harvey Family lived. This is so disturbing that it is all our community is talking about and thinking about. Let's hope the police come through and find the killer and learn from this.
Posted by: CLHall | January 04, 2006 at 06:02 PM
I think I've seen most of the band incarnations Bryan had ever been involved in since first moving to Richmond in 1981. Kathy was a delightful and gracious soul of the first order. There is hardly a person I know in this city that hasn't been touched by this tragedy. I'm still utterly dumbfounded by it all.
Posted by: Donnie "Doc" Gillespie | January 05, 2006 at 09:44 AM
I will always be haunted by this tragedy .
What kind of evil Demon does this to an innocent family > shaking head < It sickens me to No end !
The electric chair is too kind for the Evil thugs who did this !!
Posted by: Ila Ratterree ~ | February 06, 2006 at 08:53 PM
HANG ALL THOSE THAT EVEN ATTEMPT AT HURTING A CHILD,IN THIS CASE YOU SHOULD DRAW AND QUARTER THEM IN THE CENTER OF RICHMOND VA WHERE ALL THE OTHER THUGS AND LOW LIFES CAN SEE THAT A COMMUNITY WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS ANY LONGER! NO WARM JAILS WITH TV AND NO HOT WATER OR MEALS ,JUST HARD WORK TILL THEY ARE HUNG OR QUARTERED!
Posted by: JC | October 07, 2006 at 06:59 PM
Richmond, VA is cursed. I lived there for a while and saw so much murder and sadness that you'd think I was a drug dealer. I wasn't. Tragedy after tragedy... I'm so glad I got the hell out of Richmond years ago. The people are strange and unfriendly... it's just a sickening place... good riddens.
Posted by: I hate Richmond | October 25, 2006 at 04:29 AM