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| Police search area where remains believed to be those of Hannah Graham were found | |
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| CHARLOTTESVILLE—Police on Sunday combed a narrow two-lane backroad near an abandoned property in Albemarle County south of here, where searchers on Saturday found human remains believed to be those of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham. | CHARLOTTESVILLE—Police on Sunday combed a narrow two-lane backroad near an abandoned property in Albemarle County south of here, where searchers on Saturday found human remains believed to be those of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham. |
| Graham, an 18-year-old from Fairfax County, vanished in the early hours of Sept. 13. Jesse L. Matthew Jr., a 32-year-old Charlottesville man with whom Graham was last seen, was arrested and charged with her abduction, but the young woman’s whereabouts were unknown. | Graham, an 18-year-old from Fairfax County, vanished in the early hours of Sept. 13. Jesse L. Matthew Jr., a 32-year-old Charlottesville man with whom Graham was last seen, was arrested and charged with her abduction, but the young woman’s whereabouts were unknown. |
| Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said the remains were found by a sheriff’s deputy during a search of an abandoned property in Albemarle County. Authorities stressed that a conclusive identification has not been made and said the remains would be sent to the Virginia medical examiner’s office for forensic testing. | Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said the remains were found by a sheriff’s deputy during a search of an abandoned property in Albemarle County. Authorities stressed that a conclusive identification has not been made and said the remains would be sent to the Virginia medical examiner’s office for forensic testing. |
| Police on Sunday had blocked off a section of Old Lynchburg Road near where the body was found as investigators combed the area. For much of its length the road is unmarked and without shoulders, surrounded by woods that are turning amber, gold and crimson, and houses set back from the pavement, many with white country fenches. A tiny brick church sits at one end of the barricaded stretch, across the road from a cemetery with several dozen very weathered tombstones. | Police on Sunday had blocked off a section of Old Lynchburg Road near where the body was found as investigators combed the area. For much of its length the road is unmarked and without shoulders, surrounded by woods that are turning amber, gold and crimson, and houses set back from the pavement, many with white country fenches. A tiny brick church sits at one end of the barricaded stretch, across the road from a cemetery with several dozen very weathered tombstones. |
| Longo said police notified Graham’s family of their discovery. Authorities also called off a search for the teen planned for Sunday, saying they would focus on indentifying the body.. | Longo said police notified Graham’s family of their discovery. Authorities also called off a search for the teen planned for Sunday, saying they would focus on indentifying the body.. |
| If it is that of the sophomore, it marks a grim end to a massive and emotional search that involved more than 4,000 tips and the help of family, students, community members and law enforcement who scoured the city and rural areas. | If it is that of the sophomore, it marks a grim end to a massive and emotional search that involved more than 4,000 tips and the help of family, students, community members and law enforcement who scoured the city and rural areas. |
| Graham’s disappearance brought anxiety and unease to Virginia’s flagship public university, where students have held candlelight vigils and worn orange ribbons in hope of her return. | Graham’s disappearance brought anxiety and unease to Virginia’s flagship public university, where students have held candlelight vigils and worn orange ribbons in hope of her return. |
| Student council president Jalen Ross helped organize a candlelight vigil on the U-Va. campus that attracted hundreds of students. Ross and others at the event, which occurred five days after Graham was last seen, spoke about the missing sophomore in the present tense. Now Ross said that the student council was planning on a memorial for Graham to provide a central place on campus for students to honor Graham. | Student council president Jalen Ross helped organize a candlelight vigil on the U-Va. campus that attracted hundreds of students. Ross and others at the event, which occurred five days after Graham was last seen, spoke about the missing sophomore in the present tense. Now Ross said that the student council was planning on a memorial for Graham to provide a central place on campus for students to honor Graham. |
| "We were adamant to have hope in the first few weeks," said Ross, 21. Then reality set in, he said. "Nobody wanted to hear there's been a body found." | "We were adamant to have hope in the first few weeks," said Ross, 21. Then reality set in, he said. "Nobody wanted to hear there's been a body found." |
| But it was the news many students were expecting, Ross said. In the five weeks that Graham had disappeared, the campus has transformed. It is autumn. A funereal mood has descended again over the state's flagship college. | But it was the news many students were expecting, Ross said. In the five weeks that Graham had disappeared, the campus has transformed. It is autumn. A funereal mood has descended again over the state's flagship college. |
| On Sunday evening, chaplain The Rev. Heather Warren at St. Paul's Memorial Church planned to give a sermon touching on Graham's disappearance. A bridge near campus is still painted with the message "Bring Hannah Home," more than 35 days since she went missing. | On Sunday evening, chaplain The Rev. Heather Warren at St. Paul's Memorial Church planned to give a sermon touching on Graham's disappearance. A bridge near campus is still painted with the message "Bring Hannah Home," more than 35 days since she went missing. |
| "It revives the whole pool of sadness everyone went through originally," Ross said. "A lot of us were worried that it would take a long time or infinite time to get closure.” | "It revives the whole pool of sadness everyone went through originally," Ross said. "A lot of us were worried that it would take a long time or infinite time to get closure.” |
| Many students have worn orange ribbons in homage to Graham. Everyday since Graham went missing Ross has worn his orange ribbon pinned to his lapels. | Many students have worn orange ribbons in homage to Graham. Everyday since Graham went missing Ross has worn his orange ribbon pinned to his lapels. |
| "I told myself I'd wear it until they found her," Ross said. | "I told myself I'd wear it until they found her," Ross said. |
| Ross said that many students recalled that it took investigators 101 days to find Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who was last seen at a Charlottesville concert in 2009. Her body was discovered in January 2010 on a remote farm about 10 miles outside the city. | |
| On Sunday, the southern-most police barricade on Old Lynchburg Road was at its intersection with Red Hill Road. Red Hill Road winds a little more than three miles to the northwest before it boarders the 742-acre Anchorage Farm. It was there, in a remote hayfield, that Harrington’s body was found. | |
| “I want to thank everyone who gave up their days, their nights, their weekends,” Longo said of the search for Graham. “People who called, wrote and dropped food and good wishes and words of encouragement to the search groups and the detectives who work so hard through this investigation.” | “I want to thank everyone who gave up their days, their nights, their weekends,” Longo said of the search for Graham. “People who called, wrote and dropped food and good wishes and words of encouragement to the search groups and the detectives who work so hard through this investigation.” |
| “Today would have not been possible without their prayers, their encouragement and their help,” the chief said. | “Today would have not been possible without their prayers, their encouragement and their help,” the chief said. |
| Longo said a police official reached out to Graham’s parents, John and Susan Graham, with “a very difficult phone call to share this preliminary discovery.” | Longo said a police official reached out to Graham’s parents, John and Susan Graham, with “a very difficult phone call to share this preliminary discovery.” |
| Police said they have been searching the abandoned property for any clues and said they would not release further details at this stage of the investigation. | Police said they have been searching the abandoned property for any clues and said they would not release further details at this stage of the investigation. |
| “Today’s discovery is a significant development. And we have a great deal of work ahead of us. We cannot and we will not jump to any conclusions in regards to today’s discovery,” said Col. Steve Sellers of the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office. | “Today’s discovery is a significant development. And we have a great deal of work ahead of us. We cannot and we will not jump to any conclusions in regards to today’s discovery,” said Col. Steve Sellers of the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office. |
| “This sadly is now a death investigation,” Sellers said. | “This sadly is now a death investigation,” Sellers said. |
| In an interview with The Washington Post in September, John and Susan Graham said they had been holding out hope that their daughter would be found alive but suspected a crime in her case. | In an interview with The Washington Post in September, John and Susan Graham said they had been holding out hope that their daughter would be found alive but suspected a crime in her case. |
| Friends and teachers describe Hannah Graham, a 2013 graduate of West Potomac High School in the Alexandria area of Fairfax, as a good student with a sense of humor. | Friends and teachers describe Hannah Graham, a 2013 graduate of West Potomac High School in the Alexandria area of Fairfax, as a good student with a sense of humor. |
| At U-Va., Graham participated in an alternative spring break as a freshman, volunteering long hours rebuilding homes in Tuscaloosa, Ala., destroyed by tornadoes. She was known as a central figure in the college’s ski club. | At U-Va., Graham participated in an alternative spring break as a freshman, volunteering long hours rebuilding homes in Tuscaloosa, Ala., destroyed by tornadoes. She was known as a central figure in the college’s ski club. |
| “If she’s a victim of foul play, then someone perpetrated it,” John Graham said last month. “We want to prevent that person or persons from doing it again.” | “If she’s a victim of foul play, then someone perpetrated it,” John Graham said last month. “We want to prevent that person or persons from doing it again.” |
| The investigation into Hanna Graham’s disappearance has led to leads in other unsolved crimes. | The investigation into Hanna Graham’s disappearance has led to leads in other unsolved crimes. |
| Matthew, who had worked as an orderly at the University of Virginia hospital, has been linked by DNA evidence to the investigations of two violent crimes: a sexual assault in Fairfax City in 2005 and the abduction and slaying of Harrington, police have said. | |
| He has not been charged in either case. | He has not been charged in either case. |
| In addition, two Virginia universities that Matthew attended between 2002 and 2003 said that he was accused in two separate incidents of sexually assaulting women. Both women declined to press charges against Matthew, and he was not convicted of any crime connected to the allegations. | In addition, two Virginia universities that Matthew attended between 2002 and 2003 said that he was accused in two separate incidents of sexually assaulting women. Both women declined to press charges against Matthew, and he was not convicted of any crime connected to the allegations. |
| Witnesses said Graham and Matthew crossed paths sometime early the morning of Sept. 13. | Witnesses said Graham and Matthew crossed paths sometime early the morning of Sept. 13. |
| Graham spent the evening of Sept. 12, a Friday, drinking and socializing with friends near campus before heading out on the town around midnight. By 1 a.m., she was seen wandering the Downtown Mall, about a mile and a half from her apartment. She sent messages to friends indicating that she was lost. | Graham spent the evening of Sept. 12, a Friday, drinking and socializing with friends near campus before heading out on the town around midnight. By 1 a.m., she was seen wandering the Downtown Mall, about a mile and a half from her apartment. She sent messages to friends indicating that she was lost. |
| Shortly after 1 a.m., witnesses saw Graham with Matthew near Tempo restaurant. | Shortly after 1 a.m., witnesses saw Graham with Matthew near Tempo restaurant. |
| Brice Cunningham, the owner of Tempo, told The Post that his employees later saw Graham and Matthew leaving the area together. She had not been seen since. | Brice Cunningham, the owner of Tempo, told The Post that his employees later saw Graham and Matthew leaving the area together. She had not been seen since. |
| Police quickly focused on Matthew, searching his car and his Charlottesville apartment and eventually seeking a warrant for his arrest. After a nationwide manhunt, Matthew was arrested Sept. 24 on a beach near Galveston, Tex., more than 1,300 miles from his apartment. | Police quickly focused on Matthew, searching his car and his Charlottesville apartment and eventually seeking a warrant for his arrest. After a nationwide manhunt, Matthew was arrested Sept. 24 on a beach near Galveston, Tex., more than 1,300 miles from his apartment. |
| Matthew was charged with abduction with intent to defile, indicating that police believe he planned to sexually assault Graham. | Matthew was charged with abduction with intent to defile, indicating that police believe he planned to sexually assault Graham. |
| He has been held without bond in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. | He has been held without bond in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. |
| James L. Camblos III, the lawyer representing Matthew, said he would await further information. | James L. Camblos III, the lawyer representing Matthew, said he would await further information. |
| “The police have located human remains, and we will wait to see what the medical examiner says to see who it is,” Camblos said. | “The police have located human remains, and we will wait to see what the medical examiner says to see who it is,” Camblos said. |