Virginia

Jesse Matthew, Suspect in Hannah Graham's Abduction, Appears in Court

Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., the man charged with abducting missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, was denied bond during a magistrate hearing in Texas Thursday morning.

Matthew was arrested Wednesday on a beach in the community of Gilchrist in Galveston County, Texas. On Thursday morning, he appeared briefly via video link  before Galveston County Judge Mark Henry.

Matthew, 32, is charged with abduction with intent to defile Graham, an 18-year-old sophomore who went missing Sept. 13 in Charlottesville. In Texas, he's charged with being a fugitive from justice and with giving false information to an officer. Henry set bond at $1,500 on the latter charge, but Matthew is being held without bond on the fugitive charge.

The judge said he expects authorities from Virginia to arrive in Galveston around noon. Matthew will be extradited to Virginia at a later time.

He was taken into custody Wednesday after deputies responded to a beach about 20 miles northeast of Galveston for a call referencing a suspicious person camping in a tent. A deputy ran the person's license plate, which came up "hot," or wanted, matching Matthew's plates.

The arrest came on the 11th day of Graham's disappearance. She was last seen just after 1 a.m. Sept. 13 on Charlottesville's heavily-trafficked downtown mall with Matthew, who was seen wrapping his arm around Graham and buying the 18-year-old girl alcohol.

Investigators believe Matthew acted alone and did not know Graham before her disappearance, according to NBC's Craig Melvin. Police are still searching for Graham.

Police intensified their search for Matthew Tuesday after they formally charged him with felony abduction with intent to defile.

Charlottesville Police Chief Tim Longo announced Matthew's arrest Wednesday evening, crediting local and federal authorities.

"Their attention to detail was one of the aspects that brought Mr. Matthew into custody...," Longo said of the Galveston County Sheriff's Office tracked Matthew down.

When asked if Matthew revealed any information regarding Graham's location, Longo replied, "I have no idea."

“This case is nowhere near over. We have a person in custody but a long road ahead of us,” Longo said. “We’re asking every person within the sound of my voice to find Hannah.”

New video shows suspect Jesse Matthew coaching football hours before University of Virginia student Hannah Graham disappeared. Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey reports.

Longo said search and rescue experts have combed over close to 90 percent of the city. Some outlying areas around the city and neighboring Albemarle County were also searched as recently as Wednesday.

"We're going to continue to very aggressively search particularly rural and wooded areas around the city in an effort to try and find Hannah," Longo said Thursday morning on NBC's "Today" show. "We're hopeful that we will find Hannah and return her to her parents."

The reward for information leading up to Graham's whereabouts has been doubled to $100,000.

Charlottesville Police initially searched Matthew's Albemarle County apartment and vehicle Friday after receiving tips about seeing his burnt-orange car at the downtown mall the night of Graham's disappearance.

They have since pulled nearly two dozen items, including clothing, from Matthew's home

Footage obtained by NBC29 in Charlottesville shows Jesse Matthew — who has been charged in the abduction of UVa. student Hannah Graham — at a football game hours before Graham vanished.

Saturday, Matthew walked into a local police station in an effort to obtain a lawyer, not divulging much information to police. That same day, police surveilling Matthew overtly said he sped away from them, leading officers to file reckless driving charges against him. 

FBI agents returned to Matthew's apartment Wednesday, going door to door to find out if neighbors saw any suspicious activity in the days since Graham disappeared.

"They identified themselves as FBI agents, said they wanted to ask some questions... I guess [to] see if I had anything to share," said resident Susan Evans.

Charlottesville defense attorney Jim Camblos has stepped forward to say he's representing Matthew. 

"That's the only thing I'm going to confirm at this point," Camblos said. "The family and I, nobody is making any statement at this point at time. We might later but right now we are not."

Matthew has worked at U.Va. Medical Center since 2012 as a patient technician. The university issued a statement Wednesday that Matthew has been suspended without pay as a result of the abduction charge against him.

RAW VIDEO: Charlottesville police have charged Jesse Matthew with abduction with the intent to defile in the case of missing UVa. student Hannah Graham. Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo discusses the charge in this Sept. 23 press conference.

Online court records show Matthew was convicted of trespassing in 2010 but no details were provided about the incident. Details also were unavailable for two other charges of assault and attempted grand larceny relating to a 2009 incident that were not prosecuted. Matthew also has several traffic infractions, records show.

Matthew had a taxi permit from 2007 through 2010, according to Pam Goheen with Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

He was a part-time volunteer assistant football coach at a private school in Charlottesville.Video obtained by NBC29 in Charlottesville shows Matthew at a game on Friday, Sept. 12, hours before Graham went missing.

The headmaster of the Covenant School has sent a letter to parents letting them know Matthew will "no longer be working" with the program.

U.Va. officials announced Tuesday they are increasing patrols around school grounds and expanding hours and vans for the Safe Ride program as a response to Graham's disappearance.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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