WASHINGTON — A Charlottesville man facing a capital murder charge for the death and disappearance of a University of Virginia sophomore now faces similar charges for the death of another young woman, killed five years earlier.
An Albemarle County grand jury returned an indictment for Jesse Matthew charging him with first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile in the death and disappearance of 20-year-old Morgan Harrington. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Harrington disappeared in October 2009 after attending a concert in Charlottesville. The remains of the Virginia Tech student from Roanoke were found months later in an Albemarle County field.
Matthew is also charged with killing Hannah Graham, who disappeared from downtown Charlottesville last September. Her remains were also found in the county.
Matthew, who remains in custody awaiting his capital murder trial, has been formally served with the new charges. He is expected to make an initial appearance in court Wednesday.
DNA evidence found on Harrington’s remains linked her death to a 2005 sexual assault victim in Fairfax City but investigators didn’t know who left that evidence until Matthew’s arrest on charges related to Graham’s disappearance.
Matthew was convicted of the 2005 attack after entering an Alford plea in that case earlier this year.
