Hannah Graham was last seen on video on Saturday, September 12, 2014 outside a gas station in Charlottesville, Virginia walking, then running. Minutes before, she was seen about 12:45 a.m. talking to a man outside McGrady's Pub, close to her campus. It was reported that she was turned away by the doorman at the Pub.
Ten minutes later, she is seen running past a gas station, and it was said that she was alone and no one appeared to be pursuing her. Five minutes later witnesses saw her about four blocks from the gas station, She was in a restaurant in an area known as 'Downtown Mall', per witnesses. There was video footage at an Italian café that shows her walking along the mall about 1:06 a.m. The camera at a jewelry store recorded her passing two minutes later. About this time, she sent a text to a friend stating she was lost.
Earlier that night she was at an off-campus party. She was never seen or heard from again.
Hannah was a second year student at the University of Virginia.
Hannah was described as 5'11 with blue eyes, light brown hair with freckles, and was wearing black pants and a crop top.
The suspect was named as Jesse Matthew, 32, reporting that he was the last person who saw, and was the ma on the video with Hannah. His car and his apartment were searched. Shortly after he was at the Charlottesville Police Department for an interview, he lawyered up, and left without speaking. Police believe that Matthew’s burnt orange 1998 Chrysler coupe may have been somehow a part of Hannah's disappearance and/or death.
Another suspect police initially reported they were looking for was a man who did not fit Matthew’s description. This man was described as a black male in his twenties or thirties with a shaved head and goatee. Matthew has dreadlocks.
Early on in the investigation, CBS News reported a slightly different version of events at the Pub prior to Hanna's disappearance.
The owner of Tempo Restaurant, Brice Cunningham reported that Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., 32, was in his bar on September 13th early morning and ordered two beers, which is confirmed with the credit card used, before re-joining Hannah outside. The owner insists that Hannah was not inside the bar and was not served at the bar.
One of the employees at the Tempo reported witnessing Matthew's arm around Hanna. She could barely walk without support. Investigators stand firm that they can place Hannah inside the bar with Matthew.
Video shows Hannah walking unsteadily, even running at times, past a pub and the service station, then to the Downtown Mall. There is no evidence that Hannah and Matthew knew each other prior to this incident.
September 24, 2014, Matthews was arrested for abduction with intent to defile, in Hanna's disappearance, after Investigators obtained enough evidence to make the charge. While it seemed he was wanted and on the run, a woman called it in.. She was at the beach to walk her dog, she saw Matthew, knew he was wanted, and called it in. He was picked up immediately in Texas.
September 30, 2015, Jesse avoided the death sentence by pleading guilty to everything, while prosecutors took the Capital Murder charge off the table, in return for four consecutive life sentences.
CR15000052-00 Abduction
CR15000053-00 1st degree murder
CR15000516-00 Murder
CR15000517-00 Abduction with intent to defile
This comes in the wake of additional information, investigation and evidence against another woman that disappeared, Morgan Dana Harrington (also posted on our website).
Information accumulated by:
NBC News
CNN
CBS News
Huffpost