RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Nearly six years after Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington went missing after a Metallica concert, her alleged killer has been charged with her murder.
Jesse Matthew is now accused of attacking three women over the past 10 years, killing two of them.
“We are very relieved that we have the perpetrator, he’s behind bars and justice will have its way,” said Gil Harrington, the mother of Morgan Harrington.
Justice that has been five years, 11 months in the making — on October 17, 2009, Morgan Harrington attended a concert at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville when she disappeared.
“I would have loved to have seen, you know she would be 26 now, how she turned out, we’ll never see that. Never see what kind of babies she would have made,” said Harrington.
In the months after her body was found, sketch’s of the alleged suspect were released.
On Tuesday, the Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorney saying they believe they can prove those sketches are Jesse Leroy Matthew. Jr.
“You can’t do something as evil as kill someone and suffer no consequences — there must be consequences,” said Harrington.
Gil and Dan Harrington say the fact that an arrest has been made isn’t all good news because the fact remains their daughter is dead.
“I have thoughts of how could someone hurt Morgan — Morgan was so sweet and nice, how could you snuff her out. Why?” asked Harrington.
And now a new chapter. On Wednesday, the first court proceedings will begin. Matthew is set to be arraigned on Abduction with the Intent to Defile and First Degree Murder. That happens at 12:45 p.m..
And, just as she has for every court proceeding for other cases Matthew has been apart of, Gill Harrington will be there, this time looking at the man officials say saw Morgan when she breathed last.
Matthew is also charged with Capital Murder in the September 2014 disappearance and death of 18-year-old University of Virginia student Hannah Graham.
8News reached out to Jesse Matthew’s defense team, but have yet to receive a response.
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