Virginia Police Say Forensic Evidence Connects Suspect To '09 Disappearance
Virginia State Police have announced that they have connected forensic evidence for the suspect associated with the recent disappearance of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham and another student, Morgan Harrington, five years ago.
Police announced Monday that forensic evidence connects 32-year-old Jesse Matthew with the disappearance of Harrington, a Virginia Tech student who went missing in 2009 after a Metallica concert and whose remains were later found on a farm in Albemarle County.
Mathews was arrested and charged with abduction and intent to defile in the disappearance of 18-year-old Hannah Graham, a University of Virginia student who went missing in the early morning of September 13. Police believe Mathews was the last person to have seen Graham, as surveillance footage shows the two walking into a bar on the morning of her disappearance.
Police said Monday that the arrest of Matthew "provided a significant break in this (Harrington) case with a new forensic link."
"Last week, the arrest of Jesse L. Matthew Jr., 32, of Charlottesville, Va., provided a significant break in [the Harrington] case with a new forensic link for state police investigators to pursue," Virginia State Police said in a statement. "There is a still a great deal of work to be done in regards to this investigation and we appreciate the public's patience as we move forward."
Matthew was arrested after being found by police in Galveston, Texas last week after locals reported seeing a suspicious man camping on the beach. Police ran Matthew's license plates and found he was wanted for arrest in Virginia. The suspect was transported back to Virginia last week.
