Report: Jesse Matthew Was Driving Cab Night of Morgan Harrington Disappearance

Charlottesville TV station CBS-6 reported Thursday night that the suspect in the disappearance of UVA sophomore Hannah Graham was driving a cab five years ago the night that another college student, Morgan Harrington, went missing. Harrington’s remains were found months later.

The suspect, Jesse Matthew, is in jail charged with abduction with intent to defile Graham, who was last seen with him on a video surveillance camera in the early morning hours of Saturday, Sept. 13 in downtown Charlottesville.

Graham is a 2013 graduate of West Potomac High School in Fairfax County, south of Old Town Alexandria.

In Charlottesville, a longtime cab driver told CBS-6 that Harrington was last seen getting into a cab after she left a concert in Charlottesville. Authorities have reportedly confiscated the cab, from a nearby farm, Charlottesville media outlets reported. There are no charges against Matthew in the Harrington case.

Some media outlets were reportedly saying that Virginia State Police had interviewed Matthew in 2009 after Harrington’s disappearance, but VSP issued a statement Thursday night refuting that information:

“Inaccurate information was released today by certain media outlets citing unnamed “sources” regarding the Morgan Harrington investigation. Jesse L. Matthew Jr. was never interviewed in 2009 by state police in connection with the Morgan Harrington investigation.

Right now the disappearance and death of Morgan are the core focus of the Virginia State Police investigation. Release of information from anyone other than the Virginia State Police concerning this case is not official nor factually confirmed. The Harrington family and public deserve accurate representation of the facts of this case. State police will release new information at a time and in a manner that does not jeopardize the integrity of this ongoing, complex criminal investigation.”

Also read:

• Video: Parents of Missing UVA Student Hannah Graham: ‘Help Us End This Nightmare’
• State Police Link Jesse Matthew to 2009 College Student Murder
• Suspect in Hannah Graham Disappearance Won’t Fight Extradition from Texas
• Police Charge Jesse Matthew with ‘Abduction, Attempt to Defile’ in Hannah Graham Case
• Police Issue Wanted Poster for ‘Person of Interest’ in Missing College Student Case
• Missing College Student’s Parents: ‘This Is Every Parent’s Worst Nightmare’
• Charlottesville Police Reveal Name of ‘Person of Interest’ to Media in Hannah Graham Case, No Charges Filed
• Police: Missing College Student Hannah Graham Left Bar with ‘Person of Interest’
• Police Execute Search Warrants in Connection with Missing UVA Student Hannah Graham
• UVA Holds ‘Bring Hannah Back’ Candlelight Vigil
• Charlottesville Police Offer Description of ‘Person of Interest’ in College Student Disappearance
• Security Video Shows Missing UVA College Student Hannah Graham
• New Videos Provide Clues to College Student’s Disappearance
• Family of Missing College Student, Hannah Graham, Issues Statement
• Missing College Student’s Last Text: ‘I’m Lost, Come Find Me’
• Police: West Potomac High School Grad Reported Missing at UVA

PHOTO by Meg Miller, The Hook newspaper, September 2007/via Twitter