Albemarle County Issues Statement On Jesse Matthew Indictment

A grand jury has indicted Jesse Matthew with the October 17, 2009 disappearance and death of Morgan Harrington.

Matthew is facing with first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile. The maximum penalty for each offense is life in prison.

Here’s the news release from Albemarle County:

On September 11, 2015, an Albemarle County Grand Jury returned two Indictments against Jesse Leroy Matthew, Jr. in connection with the October 17, 2009 disappearance and death of Morgan Dana Harrington. Matthew was charged with First Degree Murder of Morgan Harrington and Abduction with the Intent to Defile. The maximum penalty for each offense is life in prison.

These Indictments were received by the Court on September 15, 2015. An indictment is a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the Commonwealth to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Matthew was served with the Indictments on September 15, 2015. His first appearance before the Albemarle County Circuit Court will take place at 12:45 p.m. on September 16, 2015.

The indictments result from the dedicated investigative efforts over the past six years by the Virginia State Police, Albemarle County Police, Charlottesville Police, University of Virginia Police, and the FBI.

Matthew has already been charged with the murder of Hannah Graham.