Searchers may have found the remains of 18-year-old Hannah Graham, the University of Virginia student who disappeared five weeks ago.
Search teams from around the state had been combing farm fields and woods around Charlottesville when they made a grim discovery Saturday. Police Chief Tim Longo told reporters:
“Sometime before noon today a search team from the Chesterfield County Sheriff's Department was searching an abandoned property along Old Lynchburg Road in southern Albemarle County when they discovered what appears to be human remains.”
Soon after, he said, Hannah Graham’s family was notified.
“Detective Sgt. James Mooney made a very difficult phone call and reached out to John and Susan Graham to share with them this preliminary discovery. Forensic tests need to be conducted to determine the identification of those remains, but nonetheless we wanted to be quick to share that information with the Graham family.”
Because the body was found outside city limits, Albemarle County Police Chief Steve Sellers took charge of the death investigation – ordering a search of the area for additional clues and sending the remains to Richmond.
“The remains will be taken to the office of the chief medical examiner for examination, autopsy and official identification.”
He and Longo said they could not provide additional information, since the criminal investigation continues. The body was found less than ten miles from where the remains of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington were found four years ago.
Police have linked her death to suspect Jesse Matthew Junior, who is now behind bars, charged with kidnapping Hannah Graham. Some years ago, he lived in the Walnut Creek area where searchers made their discovery Saturday.
