CHARLOTSVILLE, Va. — It has now been more than three weeks since University of Virginia student Hannah Graham went missing. And this weekend there was a renewed vigor in the search for the missing 18-year-old.
“You can think of an eight mile radius around the city of Charlottesville we will be touching the in some shape or form during the course of the day,” says Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo, who says he put out the call for help in the search for Hannah Graham. “I reached out to my colleagues around the state and they’re here.”
More than 100 officers from Albemarle, Fairfax, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Hanover counties, as well as park rangers and about 60 Virginia State police officers were taking part in an aggressive search for Graham.
Also involved in the search are ATV’s, mounted police search teams, a special recon airplane with high definition cameras, a Virginia State Police chopper, and K9s, like Gyro. Gyro’s handler is Sharon Johnson, the president of Dogs-East Search and Rescue.
Johnson says this is the fifth trip they’ve made to Charlottesville for the search during the last three weeks. She says last weekend they were doing 10- 11 hour stretches.
Gyro
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Search dogs like Gyro have made multiple trips to Charlottesville. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
Johnson says Gyro is what’s referred to as “cross-trained,” meaning he can find the living and those who are no longer alive.
Chief Longo says after hearing the heart-breaking plea Saturday from Hannah Graham’s mother for this nightmare to be over, they need to get this done and bring Hannah home.
“I had an opportunity to read that statement to our searchers and they went out here with a clearer understanding of the important of finding Hannah Graham,” Longo says.
The chief says he made a promise to Hannah Graham’s parents to bring their daughter home.
“We’re going to find Hannah Graham. Until such time that is done, this search will continue in some way, shape or form.”
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