VA - Hannah Elizabeth Graham, 18, Charlottesville, 13 Sept 2014 - #6

[leilarose68]

MOD NOTE:

The POI has a name now. Please refer to him by his name, or by his initials -- JM, JLM, or LJM.

Thanks


Police Confirm Identity of Person of Interest in Hannah Graham Case
Posted: Sep 20, 2014 1:20 PM CST Updated: Sep 20, 2014 3:36 PM CST

Charlottesville police have identified the person of interest in the case of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham as Jesse 'LJ' Matthew.

LE confirmed the name but still don't want news outlets to use it. isn't it more ethical to just say POI?

 

[zapped]

He also has the legal responsibility to come forward with any information he has regarding a missing persons case.. Whether he is black, white, purple, or blue, shouldn't be a factor, imo.

Not to mention moral and ethical reasons as well....but then again most defense attorneys dont seem to care about those to begin with.

 

[Madison418]

I think it would be really strange if LJ had something of Hannah's in his car and hadn't disposed of it yet. He had to have seen himself on tv and know it was only a matter of time before the police came knocking. That would be really, really dumb.
If they saw something that was undoubtedly hers in the car, I would think he'd be bumped from POI to suspect immediately, right?
I really don't know...

Good point. I don't think it was something of hers in his car, he would definitely be a suspect in that case.

 

[lovethesnark]

I've been following websleuths for years but never commented. I'm always impressed with ya'll's ability to catch things others don't. That's why when a missing person case comes up I'm more likely to follow WS instead of media sources because media sources miss so much, repeat themselves, and state things incorrectly.

That being said I don't know why I feel drawn to comment, but I think it's ridiculous that anyone's theories are being called disrespectful, wrong, stupid, etc. It's not disrespectful to speculate that she may be drunk/high/etc. It's not disrespectful to wonder if she is perhaps looking for drugs. If we don't follow lines of questioning for fear of them being thought disrespectful you're lessening the likelihood of finding out the truth. Well, not really us perhaps, but if LE doesn't.

And just... as far as it's Dreads Guy or White Guy, honestly I'm creepified by both following her, but I can also see possible legit reasons for either. Perhaps WG was concerned, but I'm far too disturbed by his hiding in an alcove/window before following her to be able to shake that off. I'm also too creeped by DG crossing the courtyard to follow. Did she have to know DG to go to a restaurant with him or be okay with him putting his arm around her? No. If she's drunk all he needs to do is flirt or offer her a ride to where she's wanting to go if she's that inebriated. Could she have known him though? Yeah. Could DG have put her in his car after Temp, yeah, but he also could have bought her a cup of coffee and given her directions. Could the WG have been a concerned citizen, yes, but he also could have followed them to the restaurant, waited for them to part ways, and continued following her.

I was living in Baton Rouge for the heightened insanity and paranoia of Derrek Todd Lee, a black dude who committed many murders that we know of, and for a long long long time the sketch going around was a white guy, and the description was a white guy in a white pickup truck. (And then several years later, Brandon Scott Laverne, a white man with a white pickup truck, turns out was also possibly operating during the same timeline).... The point I'm making is, until bodies are found and DNA evidence connects people or you have confessions, no one can really ever be ruled out. So to say someone is rude or disrespectful for still saying they're suspicious of WG even though DG is the POI... The sad fact is, rude though it may be if he's a model citizen who thought he was doing a great thing, it's still damn suspicious, and I am unconvinced either can be 100% ruled out.

 

[Samantharock]

So do we know if they have any OTHER persons of interest? maybe someone who works at that bar? i remember a case a while back where a bouncer had raped (I hate that word) a young lady..

 

[Z&BsMommy]

Not to mention moral and ethical reasons as well.

Thank you.

 

[Claudia]

Could it be that they saw something on the exterior of his car that prompted them to search his apt. For example, blood on the outside of the door, or something else visible on the outside of the car???

That's a thought. It just seems like he had more than enough time to clean up anything obvious. I'm having a hard time with this one... [emoji53]

 

[otto]

Map experts, can someone please post a map with Tempos, Water St garage and LJ's residence marked? I'm curious...

 

[leilarose68]

He also has the legal responsibility to come forward with any information he has regarding a missing persons case.. Whether he is black, white, purple, or blue, shouldn't be a factor, imo.

cool, well in an ideal world that would be lovely. unfortunately, black people are still completely railroaded in this legal system and quite rightly don't have faith in LE. and honestly, any lawyer will tell you to grab a lawyer if you find yourself in a crime situation, if you do value your freedom. the courts don't guarantee justice is served and truth will reign, they just guarantee a fair trial, and 'fair' is often subjective.

 

[momrids6]

but they had to have seen something of hers to get the warrants.

There could have been anything female in there- he supposedly has a long term girlfriend...

 

[FightTheOstrich]

I would be scared if I was granny right now. I don't think she realize SHE is the one who outed him in the media. Uhoh

The DM likely paid her for the interview.

Grandma may have given the interview to help raise money if he ends up requiring a lawyer.

 

[birdbox]

Welcome to Websleuths!

That's very creative -- that the "I'm lost" is the phone talking, sort of like someone dialing the "in case of emergency" number. Police have said she sent a text pretty shortly before she met up with the POI, suggesting she still had her phone, but anything is possible!

Guess that is one possibility...just wonder why they would not have simply typed, "This person's phone is lost on the corner of 14th street."

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

Why wouldn't she be texting about the party from in his car? Maybe she told him she was going to a party but couldn't find the address. Maybe he offered to help, or said he was going to the same party? She was visibly intoxicated, so she probably was not thinking straight. Maybe they went into Tempo to buy a bottle of wine for the party, each had a small glass, they put the top back on, and got in the car to go to the party.

"• After 1:08 a.m. Graham and a man with dreadlocks enter Tempo Restaurant & Bar on Fifth Street Southeast. He buys alcohol, they stay 15 minutes and leave together.

• 1:20 a.m. Graham texts friends, "I'm coming to a party...but I'm lost." It was the last time she had contact with anyone. If her phone pinpointed her location, police have not released the information, and police did not clarify whether the text was sent before or after leaving the bar."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/19/missing-virginia-student/15890571/

Could be he WAS going to the party with HG...and he did buy take-out drinks from Tempo. Maybe that's the evidence in his car--one for him, one for her? She couldn't find the party, he dropped her off, and after that...........

 

[leilarose68]

Not to mention moral and ethical reasons as well....but then again most defense attorneys dont seem to care about that to begin with.

LE often isn't moral or ethical, which is why people don't come forward.

 

[Plumeria5]

Someone said earlier today that he received a citation for something regarding his tag or license plate...did I dream this up or did someone post earlier??

Failure to display.

 

[bessie]

LE confirmed the name but still don't want news outlets to use it. isn't it more ethical to just say POI?

LE released the name, and major news outlets have published it. Therefore, it can be posted here. However, initials and/or POI are preferable since he has not been charged.

 

[elmomom]

He also has the legal responsibility to come forward with any information he has regarding a missing persons case.. Whether he is black, white, purple, or blue, shouldn't be a factor, imo.

Legal responsibility? Can you explain that, I am completely unfamiliar with that concept that a witness is legally required to provide info?

 

[Lava]

So do we know if they have any OTHER persons of interest? maybe someone who works at that bar? i remember a case a while back where a bouncer had raped (I hate that word) a young lady..

They have not named any other POI. However, because they have a POI and not a suspect, they are open to investigating all different avenues. They probably aren't just focusing on JLM

 

[birdbox]

That's a thought. It just seems like he had more than enough time to clean up anything obvious. I'm having a hard time with this one... [emoji53]

My original thought that I posted earlier was perhaps he removed his license plate, which prompted a neighbor to alert authorities. I know, I am grasping here.

 

[thinksalot]

Welcome to Websleuths!

That's very creative -- that the "I'm lost" is the phone talking, sort of like someone dialing the "in case of emergency" number. Police have said she sent a text pretty shortly before she met up with the POI, suggesting she still had her phone, but anything is possible!

Someone earlier posted that the last message was something to the effect of I'm going to a party, but I'm lost, so I doubt someone finding the phone would write that.