<p>Morgan spent 101 days out in the elements, through a winter and they found DNA evidence with her body. It sounds like Hannah was partially buried. The weather has been mild over the past month. It’s possible they’ll get something but we are all just speculating. I get the impression from the continued search that some of her clothing or body may have been scattered by animals. They are probably also searching for evidence of other crimes. </p>
<p>Is Mr. Camblos his court appointed lawyer? I had the impression the family hired him. I can see them quickly running out of money. When he’s charged with capital murder he will probably be appointed two attorneys. I don’t think a lawyer appointed in Charlottesville would also be appointed in Fairfax. </p>
<p>I’m not certain this is correct. I read an account that the DNA they found came from a shirt she had been wearing that was somehow found, miraculously, and improbably, separately, in Charlottesville.</p>
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<p>He may not be cunning in every way, but he is Madoff-like in his instinct for choosing his targets. </p>
<p>It is not clear to me if what connects the Fairfax case to Morgan’s came from Morgan’s shirt, or her remains or both. The first article I linked below gives some information about both cases. It contains comments from a retired CPD Police Sgt who gives his opinion that it is likely DNA and was probably from her shirt. The shirt had previously been forensically identified as being hers. I think it is important to note that even if he wasn’t retired, this man would not have any intimate knowledge of the evidence in the Harrington case, since that case was under the jurisdiction of UVA and VA State Police. The article also states that a VSP spokesperson (who would have been familiar with the details) declined to discuss what type of forensic evidence was tested. The second article I’ve linked is about Morgan and reports that Mrs. Harrington said DNA and toxicology tests were going to be performed on her remains. </p>
<p>So, I’m not sure we really know for sure what it was and where it came. Probably it is one of those key details of the investigation (like the specific cause of Morgan’s death) that the police have kept pretty quiet and are saving for a trial. </p>
<p>I hope this brings some measure of closure to the family. I hope if the suspect is tied to other missing women, those families can get closure as well. </p>
<p>So sad. Her poor family. I hope they’ve got the right guy and if it is proven that he has committed serial crimes, it would be a great relief. Just going by “looks”, he just doesn’t look like a killer, does he? He looks like a regular nice guy. You just never know.</p>
<p>Funny @VaBluebird I thought the exact same thing. I look at that video where he is being brought into court and I do not see a killer either. With a lot of these high profile cases you can look at these people and see it in their eyes. But I look at Duncan and just do not detect the evil. He looks harmless to me but would bet I am wrong on that one.</p>
<p>“Chief Judge Dennis J. Smith said he wanted the trial to go forward “relatively soon” because the case had gone unresolved for so long ,and Matthew’s attorney indicated he wanted a mental health evaluation of his client.”</p>
Mathew was charged with first degree murder in the death of Hannah Graham. Evidence also links him to the Morgan Harrington murder but charges in that case not yet filed.
I’m interested in the strategy of the prosecutor here. I would have thought that he might have gone after one of the other cases first where he reportedly has a DNA link between the two.
Im not sure that they have that here, but they do have the sightings and film of the two together late that night. If its only circumstantial evidence, I hope we have a decent jury.
From what I have read, the Morgan Harrington case is the weakest of the three. The DNA is supposedly on her tee shirt which was found in Charlottesville, not near her, and it is possible that he touched it somehow. It was put on display there so easily seen, and other DNA is likely on it too. I’ve not read a thing connecting JM with Morgan Harrington other than that DNA on the shirt.
THe Fairfax rape case is probably the strongest in terms of DNA and it’s been put on the delay again just recently. The problem there, I suspect, is getting the victim to show up. LE has said she will, but they could be posturing, as they often do. IF she does not show up, the case may have to be dropped. I am afraid that the Hannah Graham case has moved up because word has come down that the victim may not show, and that the rape case may have to be dropped.
No telling what the evidence is for the HG case, as her body was picked clean by carrion birds. DNA on her clothes don’t mean a things. Yes, she left with him in her car, and was nuzzled close to him on tape, so of course some of her DNA would in his car and his on her clothes. JM has not said a word, so it is up to the DA to prove that he took her from Tempo’s and killed her. The only evidence I have seen is that he left Tempo’s with her, and maybe took her for a ride in his car to where? If he refuses to say, and the DA can’t prove that he didn’t just drop her off where she last said she was, there is no direct evidence that he killed her. That he won’t talk cannot be used against him, and being a black man in the south having been with a white girl, a UVA student even, before she disappeared, being the last one ided with her is understandably going to make him nervous, so why should he say a word. Selfish, but not incriminating in a court of law.
There is the fact that the body was found near Mathew’s mothers house, so he knew the area. Circumstantial I know. I imagine there is evidence that the police have not divulged to the public. The fact that he ran to Galveston is also evidence of consciousness of guilt.
The prosecutors are not asking for the death penalty, it seems.
He knew a lot of the area, and the place was not that close to his mother’s house. That isn’t going to an issue. Yes, that he ran to Galveston isn’t going to look good, but also he was scared, very much so. The police come in the middle of the night and confiscated his car and then phone at his home without a “how de doo” to him. They didn’t even bother to talk to him or watch him, just went after the car. Then they stalked him, all before accusing him or anything.
Frankly, I think he is the culprit, but I don’t think the case was well handled. Someone v;e-r-y good should have come to his door when they had the warrant for his car and tried to have a conversation with him instead of sending the the B team of the goon squad to do that job. I’ don’t know anyone who would have been willing to talk after that happened. Not good they are not asking the death penalty either. Have a feeling they don’t have a real strong case. The DA didn’t want to charge him with squat until he ran off. Just stalk him.
They needed his DNA before they had anything to charge him with but they had been watching him for years. When he ran off they had a reason to arrest him. I think they know what they are doing. The DA didn’t want anything to happen until they had a case that would stick. Here’s hoping.
No. He was off the radar all of those years. They could have gotten his DNA easily, if they wanted it as they got another guy’s DNA , same head of the police, by grabbing a drink glass/ straw. JM would have been an easy target given he hung out at bars regularly. They did not even try to get his DNA which they would have in an instant if they suspected him in those brutal crimes, a rape and a high profile murder. They did not know what they were doing until he ran off and they were watching, stalking him after HG’s disappearance, not for anything earlier. They even had trouble iding him when they had him on video.