18-year-old Hannah Graham went missing on September 13, 2014. She attended the University of Virginia, and was at parties the night before she was declared missing. She was last seen in the early morning on surveillance cameras in the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. In the footage, a man was seen following her, and he was later identified as Jesse Matthews Jr. This 32-year-old man then became the prime suspect in the case.

On September 24, 2014, Jesse Matthews Jr. was found near Galveston, Texas, camping on a beach. He was then arrested and brought back to Charlottesville, Virginia and was charged with abduction with intent to defile. Hannah Graham had still not yet been found, but the Charlottesville police vigorously searched the area, looking for any sign of the missing student.

After about five weeks of searching, human remains were discovered twelve miles away from the university campus on October 18, 2014. The remains were later positively identified as Hannah Graham on October 24. Hannah Graham’s parents stated, “When we started this journey together we all hoped for a happier ending” (quote taken from CNN).

The suspect in the murder of Hannah Graham, Jesse Matthews Jr., was also charged with crimes involving a 26-year-old woman in a suburb of Washington D.C. in 2005. He has also been linked to the kidnaping and murder of 20-year-old Morgan Harrington, a student at Virginia Tech, who went missing in October 2009 and was found dead in January 2010. However no charges have been raised regarding this case.

Jesse Matthew Jr.’s lawyer has refused to comment, but his father, Jesse Matthews Sr., said, “The only thing I could see, him, maybe trying to give the girl a ride or help her out. To kill or hurt somebody, that’s not my son” (Quote taken from CNN).

This story has also directly affected some students at Langley. “I know my sister had a class with her last year, and it’s really sad because UVA is such a great school, but it shows how these events can happen anywhere,” said 9th grader Grace Gent. Ms. Jewell, a 9th grade English teacher, said, “Although the individual circumstance is horrifying, I hope that some good might come out of it if we actually catch the perpetrator.”

These terrible incidents are occurring more and more often. College students have to be alert at all times so they do not become a victim to this horrendous crime. The death of Hannah Graham was a horrible tragedy, but many hope that her death will be wake-up call for colleges and students, making them more alert and informed about these crimes.

Sources:
“Remains found in Virginia ID’d as those of Hannah Graham, police confirm.”
Fox News. FOX News Network, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.
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Martinez, Michael. “Remains found last week are those of UVA student Hannah
Graham.” CNN U.S. Cable News Network, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.
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“Human remains ID’d as missing U.Va. student Hannah Graham.” Crimesider. CBS
Interactive, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 25 Oct. 2014. .