A Virginia woman convicted of killing her mother and younger sister and then staging the scene to look like a murder-suicide was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences Friday.
Pamela Hargan and her daughter, Helen, were found shot in the head in their McLean home in July 2017. Evidence at trial revealed after Megan Hargan shot her mom and sister, she propped up the rifle to make it look like Helen had shot herself.
Investigators learned Megan Hargan had been in the process of stealing $400,000 from her mom for a house down payment, but her mom discovered the scheme.
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“She killed her own mother and sister so she did not have to face the consequences for her fraud,” Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kelsey Gill said.
Megan Hargan’s first conviction was thrown out because of jury misconduct, but a second jury found her guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The judge gave her the maximum sentence.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steven Descano called the crime one of the worst, most depraved the county has seen.
“This was a brutal, unjustified, meticulously planned murder of two loved ones,” Gill said.
Megan Hargan continues to insist she is innocent, and her defense attorneys say they plan to appeal.
“There will be no point when Megan Hargan accepts responsibility for these offenses,” defense attorney Andrew Elders said. “She did not carry them out.”
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