The Murder of Hannah Graham
I watched the 48 Hours episode about this case, and I’ve also heard it covered in a few of my favorite podcasts. Hannah didn’t deserve to be killed, and neither did the other women that this monster killed or attempted to kill. This person committed his crimes every few years, which is why he wasn’t caught right away, but he was interviewed by the police. He was able to be out on the streets, and was able to hurt many people and their families by taking the lives of their loved ones.
Background
Hannah Graham was born on February 25, 1996. She was from Reading, Berkshire, England, but came to the United States and was attending the University of Virginia, when she disappeared on September 13, 2014. She was just 18 years old.
Hannah
Disappearance
Hannah was last heard from at 1:20am, she had texted her friends. She had told her friends that she was on her way to a party, but was lost.
Hannah was caught on surveillance footage that night at a restaurant called Tempo. She was last seen with a man, who was later identified as Jesse Leeroy Matthew Jr., who was also referred to as L.J. He would become a person of interest. A witness who was also at the restaurant that night, came forward and said Hannah appeared drunk, and that Matthew was seen with his arm around Hannah. This witness said that Matthew didn’t look friendly.
Another witness heard Hannah say “I’m not getting in that car with you.” The car was a 1998 Crystal Sebring, and it was orange in color. That was the last time anyone ever saw Hannah.
The picture on the left shows what Hannah was last seen wearing.
Searches
On September 20, over 1,000 volunteers search for Hannah in Charlottesville, Virginia.
On September 25, Charlottesville police chief Timothy Longo, said that the police thought Hannah was in the Charlottesville area, or in the surrounding counties.
Hannah is Found
On October 18, 2014, Hannah’s remains were found at an abandoned property in Albemarle County. They were positively identified as Hannah on October 24.
On November 18, the Albemarle County police department, said Hannah’s cause of death was homicide by an undetermined etiology.
Investigation
The police were able to determine where Hannah was last seen, and they looked at the surveillance footage of Hannah with the suspect. The police identified as Jesse Matthew as their suspect the next day. They tried to contact him to interview him, but he didn't answer or respond.
The police sketch of the person of interest
The police went to search Jesse’s apartment on September 22, where they took items of clothing. The police then offered a $100,000 reward for any information about Hannah’s disappearance.
Arrest
On September 21, the police issued an arrest warrant for Jesse Matthew for reckless driving.
On September 23, the police announced that they had charged Matthew for abduction with intent to defile.
Trial
On February 10, 2015, it was announced that Jesse Matthew was indicted for the first degree murder of Hannah Graham, as well as the abduction charges. They changed the charge to capital murder on May 5, 2015.
Jesse pleaded guilty on March 2, 2016. He received four additional life terms for his other crimes.
Jesse in court
The Murder of Morgan Harrington
Morgan Harrington was a 20 year old Virginia Tech student. She went missing on October 17, 2009, while she was at a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia.
Morgan
Morgan was with three of her friends, and right before the concert started, Morgan told them she was going to the bathroom. They called her at 8:48pm, when she didn’t come back. She told them she had gotten locked out, and would find another way home.
Morgan’s purse, her ID and cell phone were discovered in a RV lot at the University of Virginia’s Lannigan Athletic Field. Her remains were found on January 26, 2010, 10 miles away from the arena.
Morgan’s parents later said that her death had been very violent, her bones were broken and she had been raped.
In April 2010, Morgan’s shirt that was found in 2009, was tested. The police were able to determine that the DNA matched another crime they were working on in Fairfax, Virginia in 2005.
Jesse Matthew pleaded guilty to Morgan’s murder, as well as Hannah’s on March 2, 2016.
Fairfax, Virginia Case
On October 20, 2014, Jesse was indicted on the charges of attempted murder, object sexual penetration and abduction with intent to defile from what happened in Fairfax in 2005. The victim who was 26 at the time, said she was walking home from the grocery store when she grabbed from behind. She said her attacked dragged her into a wooded area behind some houses and raped her. She was saved by a good Samaritan, who was visiting a friend that night. By the time the man found the victim, Matthew ran away.
Jesse took an Alford plea, meaning the defendant knows the prosecution has enough evidence to convict, but maintains their innocence.
Jesse’s defense tried to say that Jesse was also raped as a child, and that he had a hard life growing up, and that he had an alcoholic and abusive father. The prosectors didn’t care for the sob story, and said that Jesse showed no remorse.
Other
Jesse Matthew has been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. He was transferred to the Sussex 1 State Prison in Waverley, Virginia for cancer treatments. Morgan and Hannah’s families were both notified of his transfer.
After Hannah’s remains were found, students from the University of Virginia built a memorial in her honor.
My heart breaks for the Harrington and Graham families.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This sounds mean to say, because cancer is an awful thing to watch somebody go through, but karma is a bitch. These girls suffered at the hands of this man, so he should suffer now.
He should have been caught a long time ago, and if it wasn’t for all the years he wasn’t committing crimes, he would have been. I also think he still could have been caught because he was sloppy and his DNA was found on several items, especially in Morgan’s case.
I hope that his first victim is living an amazing life, and has comfort knowing he is behind bars. I hope Morgan and Hannah’s families have peace knowing he is locked up and can’t hurt anyone else. It won’t bring their daughters back, but at least they have closure.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Hannah_Graham
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Morgan_Dana_Harrington
