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Body found believed to be missing student Hannah Graham Remains found in search for U-Va. student believed to be Hannah Graham’s
(about 2 hours later)
Human remains believed to be those of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham have been found on an abandoned property outside Charlottesville, authorities announced Saturday evening. Police on Saturday announced that they found human remains believed to be those of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, who disappeared from Charlottesville five weeks ago after an evening out with friends.
Graham, 18, of the Alexandria-area of Fairfax County, vanished in the early hours of Saturday Sept. 13. She was last seen by witnesses on the Downtown Mall with a man identified by police as Jesse L. Matthew Jr., 32, of Charlottesville. Graham, an 18-year-old from Fairfax County, vanished in the early hours of Sept. 13. Jesse L. Matthew Jr., a 32-year-old Charlottesville man who was last seen with Graham, was arrested and charged with her abduction, but the young woman’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said authorities must still make a conclusive identification of the remains. But he said police have notified the teen’s family. Authorities also said Graham’s case has become a death investigation. Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said the remains were found by a sheriff’s deputy during a search of an abandoned property in Albemarle County. Authorities stressed that a conclusive identification has not been made and said the remains would be sent to the Virginia medical examiner’s office for forensic testing.
If the body is that of the sophomore, it marks a grim end to a five-week search for the teen, who apparently became lost after a night out drinking and socializing with friends. Longo said police have notified Graham’s family. Authorities also called off a search for the teen planned for Sunday, saying they would focus on the newly discovered evidence.
The remains were found by a sheriff’s deputy in Albemarle County. If the body is that of the sophomore, it marks a grim end to a massive and emotional search that involved more than 4,000 tips and the help of family, students, community members and law enforcement who scoured the city and rural areas.
“I want to thank everyone who gave up their days, their nights, their weekends,” Longo said of the search for Graham. “People who called, wrote and dropped food and good wishes and words of encouragement to the search groups and the detectives who work so hard through this investigation.”“I want to thank everyone who gave up their days, their nights, their weekends,” Longo said of the search for Graham. “People who called, wrote and dropped food and good wishes and words of encouragement to the search groups and the detectives who work so hard through this investigation.”
“Today would have not been possible without their prayers, their encouragement and their help,” the chief said.“Today would have not been possible without their prayers, their encouragement and their help,” the chief said.
Longo said a police official reached out to Hannah Graham’s parents, John and Susan Graham, with “a very difficult phone call to share this preliminary discovery.” Longo said a police official reached out to Graham’s parents, John and Susan Graham, with “a very difficult phone call to share this preliminary discovery.”
Police said they have been searching the property for any clues, and said they would not release further details at this stage of the investigation. Police said they have been searching the abandoned property for any clues and said they would not release further details at this stage of the investigation.
“Today’s discovery is a significant development. And we have a great deal of work ahead of us. We cannot and we will not jump to any conclusions in regards to today’s discovery,” said Col. Steve Sellers, of the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office. “Today’s discovery is a significant development. And we have a great deal of work ahead of us. We cannot and we will not jump to any conclusions in regards to today’s discovery,” said Col. Steve Sellers of the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office.
“This sadly is now a death investigation,” Sellers said.“This sadly is now a death investigation,” Sellers said.
Police have said they linked Matthew’s DNA to the investigations of a violent sexual assault in Fairfax City in 2005 and the abduction and murder of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, 20, in October 2009. Graham’s parents did not immediately comment Saturday night. Five days ago, they issued a statement pleading for information about their daughter’s whereabouts.
Matthew has also been identified as a football player who was accused of sexual assault at Liberty University in 2002 and transferred to Christopher Newport University, where he was accused of another sexual assault in 2003 before dropping out. The university investigations did not lead to criminal charges. “It is heart-breaking for us that the person or persons who know where Hannah is have not come forward with that information,” the Grahams said Monday. “It is within their power both to end this nightmare for all and to relieve the searchers of their arduous task.”
James L. Camblos III, the lawyer representing Matthew said he would await further information. “The police have located human remains and we will wait to see what the medical examiner says to see who it is,” Camblos said. In an interview with The Washington Post in September, John and Susan Graham said they had been holding out hope that their daughter would be found alive but suspected a crime in her case.
Clarence Williams contributed to this report. Friends and teachers describe Hannah Graham, a 2013 graduate of West Potomac High School in the Alexandria area of Fairfax, as a good student with a sense of humor.
At U-Va., Graham participated in an alternative spring break as a freshman, volunteering long hours rebuilding homes in Tuscaloosa, Ala., destroyed by tornadoes. She was known as a central figure in the college’s ski club.
“If she’s a victim of foul play, then someone perpetrated it,” John Graham said last month. “We want to prevent that person or persons from doing it again.”
The investigation into Hannah Graham’s disappearance has led to leads in other unsolved crimes.
Matthew, who had worked as an orderly at the University of Virginia hospital, has been linked by DNA evidence to the investigations of two violent crimes: a violent sexual assault in Fairfax City in 2005 and the abduction and slaying of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, 20, in October 2009, police have said.
He has not been charged in either case.
In addition, two Virginia universities that Matthew attended between 2002 and 2003 said that he was accused in two separate incidents of sexually assaulting women. Both women declined to press charges against Matthew, and he was not convicted of any crime connected to the allegations.
Witnesses said Graham and Matthew crossed paths sometime early the morning of Sept. 13.
Graham spent the evening of Sept. 12, a Friday, drinking and socializing with friends near campus before heading out on the town around midnight. By 1 a.m., she was seen wandering the Downtown Mall, about a mile and a half from her apartment. She sent messages to friends indicating that she was lost.
Shortly after 1 a.m., witnesses saw Graham with Matthew near Tempo restaurant.
Brice Cunningham, the owner of Tempo, told The Post that his employees later saw Graham and Matthew leaving the restaurant together. She had not been seen since.
Police quickly focused on Matthew, searching his car and his Charlottesville apartment and eventually seeking a warrant for his arrest. After a nationwide manhunt, Matthew was arrested Sept. 24 on a beach near Galveston, Tex., more than 1,300 miles from his apartment.
Matthew was charged with abduction with intent to defile, indicating that police believe he planned to sexually assault Graham.
He has been held without bond in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.
James L. Camblos III, the lawyer representing Matthew, said he would await further information.
“The police have located human remains, and we will wait to see what the medical examiner says to see who it is,” Camblos said.
Clarence Williams, Mary Pat Flaherty and Spencer Hsu contributed to this report.