State Police Link Jesse Matthew to 2009 College Student Murder

Police are saying Monday that there is a link between Charlottesville resident Jesse Matthew, charged with the alleged abduction of missing UVA college student Hannah Graham, and a college student who was murdered five years ago, according to a news release from Virginia State Police. Here’s what state police said Monday, in a news release:

“For the past five years, the Virginia State Police has been aggressively pursuing the investigation into the disappearance and death of 20-year-old Morgan D. Harrington of Roanoke, Va. Last week, the arrest of Jesse L. Matthew Jr., 32, of Charlottesville, Va., provided a significant break in this case with a new forensic link for state police investigators to pursue. 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.”

The FBI has noted that DNA evidence linked the Harrington murder to a sex assault in Fairfax City.

(Also read: Can a Family Member’s DNA Solve a Fairfax Rape and Morgan Harrington’s Murder?)

On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, a 26-year-old victim was walking home from the Giant Food Store located on the 3700 block of Jermantown Road in Fairfax City, according to the FBI. The suspect grabbed the victim from behind as she walked down Rock Garden Drive toward her residence. He then carried the victim to a grassy area behind a maintenance shed, where he sexually assaulted her. The suspect was last seen running from the area.

The suspect was then described as an African-American male with black hair and facial hair at the time of the attack. He was described as approximately 6’ tall and was believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35 years old at the time of the attack.

The two attacks were connected through DNA after a forensic profile was submitted by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to the FBI’s national DNA database. The search found that the suspect in the Harrington murder investigation matched the DNA profile of the attacker in Fairfax City.

A multimedia campaign in the Harrington investigation by VSP, City of Fairfax Police and the FBI in Washington and Richmond includes a public service announcement by Metallica lead guitarist James Hetfield appealing to the public to come forward with information concerning the Morgan Harrington investigation. Harrington, then a Virginia Tech student, was leaving a Metallica concert in Charlottesville when she disappeared.

The composite sketches of that suspect have been featured on bus shelters in Washington, D.C., as well as on digital billboards in Richmond, Roanoke, Washington, D.C.; and in 23 other states along the East Coast. Social media outreach and alerts via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, along with a website dedicated to the Harrington case were also launched.

The Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Morgan Harrington’s murder. In addition, the band Metallica is adding $50,000 to the reward, for a total of $150,000.

Anyone with new information concerning the Harrington investigation is encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police at 434-352-3467 or the Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000.

Meanwhile, state police continues to dedicate the necessary resources to assist the Charlottesville Police Department through the course of its investigation and with their efforts to locate Hannah Graham. In fact, right now, the public’s focus needs to remain on helping Charlottesville Police locate and bring Hannah Graham home.

PHOTO: A sketch provided by police, from a description provided by sex assault victim in Fairfax City; other photo is of Charlottesville resident Jesse Matthew, charged in abduction of UVA student Hannah Graham