VA - Hannah Elizabeth Graham, 18, Charlottesville, 13 Sept 2014 - #14 *ARREST*

[IzzyBlanche]

Wow, what is all that stuff? Looks like a big round thing too in the back seat

That looked like a sleeping bag to me. But then again you'd think a sleeping bag would have been in the tent.

 

[IMO]

Thanks for this info. I personally don't think he was worried about not being able to come back to the States. JMO

Agreed. And to clarify, of course I always have my passport with me, but crossing into Mexico is like a spinny gate and you walk right through. No guard house or guards or anything, and certainly no checking of ID. It is when you return that serious ID, customs, and searches begin.

 

[ksj3]

What's really scary is that if this case was not getting as much national attention that it is, JM could be in Mexico by now, gone from radar. From there onto S America or some Caribbean island. The only thing that might set off suspicions would be his extra large size, if that.

He could have very well managed to do it if the case was just a local one and ppl hadn't seen his pic on national tv.

It is very worrying that he managed to make it all the way to Galveston, now that I think about it.

Perhaps LE knew that was a possibility, and that's why the appealing PCs that made national news - so folks across the country would actually WATCH, even though it had "nothing" to do with them.

 

[MJPeony]

We don't know if he told LE that Hannah wasn't in his car.

Oh, oops, I could have sworn I read that he had said he'd parted ways before the car. But maybe that was just hearsay from the G'ma. Thanks.

The misleading LE charge is in Texas, not really in relation to HG case, just his fugitive status.

Ah, interesting. Yes, would eliminate the other then.

 

[Lava]

Oh, oops, I could have sworn I read that he had said he'd parted ways before the car. But maybe that was just hearsay from the G'ma. Thanks.


Ah, interesting. Yes, would eliminate the other then.

Just to add, to be sure...Texas wouldn't have the jurisdiction to charge him for the HG stuff. They would hold him on his warrants, and then extradite him

 

[Fireweed]

I wonder if his intention was to go to Mexico. If it was, then stopping to camp in the afternoon seems like an odd choice. Personally, if it were me fleeing to Mexico, then I would just flee to Mexico. Why stop? Why not keep going the extra 5.5 hours and actually go to Mexico?

I do not think this guy was headed to Mexico, and in fact I do not think he had a solid plan at all. I bet he wound up on that island because he asked someone where he could camp in secluded place without a lot of people around, when of course that is the best way to bring attention to yourself.

 

[Phoebeb]

I wonder if his intention was to go to Mexico. If it was, then stopping to camp in the afternoon seems like an odd choice. Personally, if it were me fleeing to Mexico, then I would just flee to Mexico. Why stop? Why not keep going the extra 3.5 hours and actually go to Mexico?

I do not think this guy was headed to Mexico, and in fact I do not think he had a solid plan at all. I bet he wound up on that island because he asked someone where he could camp in secluded place without a lot of people around, when of course that is the best way to bring attention to yourself.

True, he was in the convenience store on Bolivar at 8 pm or so buying Off! Tuesday night... If he was on the move, it seems odd that he'd still be in the same area at 3:30 pm the next day.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I subscribe to the theory that JM inserted himself into Hannah's sphere hoping to get lucky. Hannah resisted and something ugly ensued.

Just speculating--if this theory is correct, I doubt JM at age 32 just woke up that day with this plan in mind. He's tried it before and possibly succeeded with victims who gave up the resistance but never reported it.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he has additional victims out there.

 

[Snoods]

Really, it seems to me that JM wasn't so dense after all. Maybe I'm one of the few on here though that thinks this. But if I were to be in his shoes, I do believe that's exactly what I'd do: I'd try to find some obscure, out-of-the-way beach far away from the home state to disappear to. Makes sense to me honestly.

I understand the concept of what you are saying...that JM thought he could disappear in a po-dunk town...that Bolivar is such an out of the way place.. but......oops.... Bolivar has no other route to escape from....

But thank goodness JM thought this was the best place to escape to...!

 

[ksj3]

Interview (audio) regarding the assault/taking the phone of the lawyer event is here - and I completely transcribed it Tuesday am when it first began to circulate. :book:

Both have been posted here several times, but here's one link to the audio and transcription.

It's also linked here in the No Discussion Media Thread

Forgive me, but I'm going to make a huge leap here. This was 2009. JM was looking at the possibility of being charged with assault and perhaps abduction in this incident. That means DNA would be taken.

Perhaps this guy IS smarter than I'm giving him credit for.

I wonder who the ACA was that requested the case be dropped. And why.

 

[Lovepink]

True, he was in the convenience store on Bolivar at 8 pm or so buying Off! Tuesday night... If he was on the move, it seems odd that he'd still be in the same area at 3:30 pm the next day.

That's a really good point. And clearly he hadn't completely ran out of money if he was buying Off.

 

[Fireweed]

True, he was in the convenience store on Bolivar at 8 pm or so buying Off! Tuesday night... If he was on the move, it seems odd that he'd still be in the same area at 3:30 pm the next day.

Yeah, I do not think he was on the move. I think he thought he was at a place where he could lay low and hide out for a while.

 

[Lovepink]

Forgive me, but I'm going to make a huge leap here. This was 2009. JM was looking at the possibility of being charged with assault and perhaps abduction in this incident. That means DNA would be taken.

Perhaps this guy IS smarter than I'm giving him credit for.

I wonder who the ACA was that requested the case be dropped. And why.

Not sure who the ACA was, but typically in my experience it's because the victim isn't cooperating. If this guy just wanted his bills paid, once they were paid he probably told the ACA he didn't want to testify and they decided it wasn't worth pushing the issue. It's really hard to win a battery case like that without the victim, and just not worth even trying most of the time.

 

[borndem]

This is late, late, late, but here's another headline:

http://www.wral.com/man-charged-with-abducting-va-student-apprehended/14014027/

I'm behind about 4 whole threads on here. Trying to catch up.

 

[TravelingBug]

Oh and fwiw I'm with stones on this! There is no evidence is sex trafficking in this case...and I'm surprised at how many really don't understand state laws or civics on a crime board. Yes open several tabs google is your friend. Link to his prior record please. Last name Mathew.....not Mathews. I see no prior arrest record for him. Link to any violence or hatred of women of exs coming fwd. Do we even know if he is a straight male? These r the questions we should b asking.....this in no way is a case to start posting WE got him, it's a witch hunt I request this stops until DNA evidence is in or trial. Nothing on record to show he is someone who has to rape kill and defile in order to receive sex. There r so many questions NOT being asked here that I figuratively slap a few wrists. And offer caution.

You're spelling his last name wrong as well. It's Matthew.

And his record has been posted here multiple times showing other charges, including an assault - which was physical, so that applies to your question about violence I would think?

It has been described in depth by the victim of the assault, who is now a lawyer, and had no idea that JM from now is the same person who assault him until he was speaking with a reporter after discussing the incident from 2009.

The assault charges were dropped, but the victim had only pressed charges, really, to make sure his medical expenses were covered. Which they were.

He expressed concern about JM's well-being at that point, feeling he was depressed and actually suspected he was suicidal based on what had gone on/their interactions.

As a result, and that at the point he was interviewed that CPD hadn't brought up the abduction and intent to defile and indicated they didn't have evidence [at the time of his interview about the assault] to even be sure anything had happened to Hannah or that JM was involved, he didn't want to be videoed and possibly be involved with a witchhunt of someone, who at the time hadn't been charged with anything in Hannah's case.

Here's a link to the audio regarding the assault and a full transcription of it - it's been posted here before and was posted in the Media No Discussion thread Tuesday AM also.

Here's an article from NBC mentioning more of his history and what's in his criminal record.

Jesse Matthew, 32, a patient technician in the operating room at the university's medical center, has a history of serious charges — assault, grand larceny, possession of stolen property and trespassing — as well as a host of traffic infractions.

Legal records show Matthew was charged with assault and attempted grand larceny in Virginia in 2009, but the charges were dropped. The charges stemmed from an incident in June of that year, where Matthew was accused of assault while attempting to steal a cell phone, NBC affiliate WSLS in Virginia reported. He was then charged and convicted of trespassing in 2010. And in 2012, he faced a possession of stolen property charge; that charge was dropped as well. The circumstances surrounding those charges were not clear from the court records. Matthew also has several traffic infractions listed on his record.

In at least been stated by his grandmother that he has a long-term girlfriend, but it's in the Daily Mail. Of course others have printed it and referenced it both on air and in print, but they were the ones who stated it after their apparent interview with his grandmother.

However, it's also been verified by several longtime WSers here also. But as they're not tied in a way that is something that falls into the 'verified insider' category anymore, so you can take or leave that in terms of whether it carries any significance for you.

But several have been members here for over a year - and one over four years - here and also posting. For me, at least, that certainly carries weight.

His grandmother, Mrs Carr, says she instantly recognized her grandson ‘LJ’ when she watched the video tape released by police investigating Hannah’s disappearance.

<snip>

‘I practically raised LJ,' Mrs Carr added. 'His mom was working and I looked after him and his sister, Nicky.

‘He had a live-in girlfriend but I don’t know what happened. They lived together at his apartment.'

Mrs Carr said she last saw her grandson on Thursday, when he visited her house along with his mother.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...drive-car-hundreds-volunteers-search-her.html

 

[purpleppleater]

First time posting although i did follow the AM case and now this one. Im located about 2 hours southwest of charlottesville and my sister lives very close to there. So these cases peak my interest as my sister trains for marathons and i worry about her safety running. I remember a couple of years ago she talked of a girl in that area who was out running and had an attempted abduction. I dont remember any specifics, but it makes me worry. Not sure if this was posted or if I'm just really behind, but this is the page to the Galveston county jail inmate lookup

 

[ksj3]

Not sure who the ACA was, but typically in my experience it's because the victim isn't cooperating. If this guy just wanted his bills paid, once they were paid he probably told the ACA he didn't want to testify and they decided it wasn't worth pushing the issue. It's really hard to win a battery case like that without the victim, and just not worth even trying most of the time.

The ACA asked the victim if charges could be dropped, according to the victim. Interesting.

 

[kathryann]

Will they have access to his DNA now that he's been arrested?

 

[Lovepink]

First time posting although i did follow the AM case and now this one. Im located about 2 hours southwest of charlottesville and my sister lives very close to there. So these cases peak my interest as my sister trains for marathons and i worry about her safety running. I remember a couple of years ago she talked of a girl in that area who was out running and had an attempted abduction. I dont remember any specifics, but it makes me worry. Not sure if this was posted or if I'm just really behind, but this is the page to the Galveston county jail inmate lookup

Thanks for posting! I am new, too. But :welcome:

 

[whiskers]

Not sure how some are coming to conclusion HG was sheltered and naïve. If you researched and read you would know she was probably more well-travelled than many twice her age. Her Twitter feed shows a very well rounded young woman who obviously visited her family in the UK regularly and studied abroad. This isn't a girl who was simply dropped off at college not understanding the world around her. She is interested in what is going on the world. That is very obvious from research. In the UK and Europe the drinking age is 18.

Perhaps that night she had more than normal, but perhaps someone put something in a drink. But she is definitely not a sheltered coed never having seen the world or not used to dealing with many sorts of different people.