Jesse Matthew Junior appeared in a Texas courtroom today and agreed to return to Virginia without a fight. The sheriff of Galveston County announced plans to search Matthew’s car, and Virginia police are preparing to bring him back. Meanwhile, Charlottesville’s Chief of Police agreed – for the first time in 48 hours – to answer questions about the case.
Police Chief Tim Longo said he could not discuss the results of DNA testing on materials removed from Jesse Matthew’s home and car, nor could he talk about possible links between this case and the murder of Morgan Harrington. He did not know why Matthew might have fled to Texas, and the law did not allow him to discuss reports by a British newspaper that Matthew was accused of rape and expelled from Liberty University in 2002.
Had police learned anything new from Jesse Matthew since his arrest yesterday afternoon?
“As you know, he invoked his right to remain silent and his right to counsel. We cannot re-approach him until such time as he chooses otherwise.”
He stressed that the search for Graham continues.
“You know this is a complicated investigation, first and foremost because we don’t know where Hannah Graham is, and we have to find her.”
He urged property owners to search their land, asked realtors to inspect vacant properties and suggested people who have wildlife cameras take a look at what they’ve got. The public, he said, should be looking for the clothing Graham wore when she was last seen or her iPhone in a pink case. So does Longo think Hannah Graham is dead?
“That’s a difficult question to answer. Everyone realizes the more time that goes by the more difficult this is going to become for everyone. I can’t lose hope until I have to, until I need to, until it’s appropriate.”
If people see mysterious tire tracks on their property, if they spot possible evidence, they should not touch anything, Longo said. Instead, call the police tip line or e-mail to CPDtips@charlottesville.org. That’s CPD as in Charlottesville Police Department Tips at Charlottesville.org. Already, the department says it’s received more than 1,500 tips from the public. The reward for information leading to Graham is now $100,000, and Longo said anonymous tips are welcomed.
The tip line number is 434-295-3851.
