Monthly Archive for September, 2014

A Charge in the Hannah Graham Case

Published by CItizen McCord on September 24, 2014 in Crime. Closed

Charlottesville police have issued an arrest warrant for Jesse Leroy “LJ” Matthew Jr., charging him with abduction with intent to defile, a felony.

Hannah Graham was last heard from early Saturday morning, Sept. 13, shortly after 1:00 AM. Eyewitness testimony and video evidence indicate that Matthew spoke to her, put her arms around her, and may have bought her a drink right around that time.

Early on in the investigation, police announced that a man fitting Matthew’s description was a “person of interest”. After police executed a search warrant at his Hessian Hills apartment and impounded his car to the state police forensics lab, Matthews himself came to the Charlottesville police station on Saturday with family members to declare that he wanted a lawyer. Matthews then reportedly took off at “a high rate of speed” and has eluded police capture since.

The CVille Weekly has published a thorough timeline of all the known events and news surrounding Hannah Graham’s disappearance and the investigation, and The Washington Post has aggregated all of their related stories.

Sideblog

Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on ~~four~~ six and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #
Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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