48 Hours - 48 Hours: The Hannah Graham Story Episode 5: Genesis of Evil

Episode Date: September 18, 2015

Genesis Of EvilSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to this podcast ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app today. Even if you love the thrill of true crime stories as much as I do, there are times when you want to mix it up. And that's where Audible comes in, with all the genres you love and new ones to discover. Explore thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. Listening to Audible can lead to positive change in your mood, your habits,

and even your overall well-being. And you can enjoy Audible anytime, while doing household chores, exercising, commuting, you name it. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free. Visit audible.ca. In 2014, Laura Heavlin was in her home in Tennessee when she received a call from California. Her daughter, Erin Corwin, was missing. The young wife of a Marine had moved to the California desert

to a remote base near Joshua Tree National Park. They have to alert the military. And when they do, the NCIS gets involved. From CBS Studios and CBS News, this is 48 Hours NCIS. Listen to 48 Hours NCIS ad-free starting October 29th on Amazon Music. I'm Neil Orgenstein for WTOP Radio. Over the coming week, I'll be doing a series of podcasts leading to 48 Hours' season premiere on the disappearance of Hannah Graham. It's the story of how one missing, then murdered college student in Charlottesville, Virginia, leads to other cases of unsolved attacks against young women.

Join us each day as we examine new details of these crimes in this series of podcasts, and also on the two-hour season premiere of 48 Hours on Saturday, September 26th at 9 p.m. Eastern on the CBS television network. Sometime before noon today, a search team discovered what appears to be human remains. Previously on the CBS News 48 Hours podcast, the Hannah Graham story. Look at the sketch picture. And I said, oh my God, they're the same people. Happened to look over and notice something odd. Noticed there was quite a few buzzards on the roof as well as in the trees in the backyard. We had an answer. The person was apprehended, but it came at a hideous cost. After the emotional, intensive 35-day search, the longest search in Virginia history, a search that included emotional pleas from police and parents, the final chapter in the

Hannah Graham story began with an emailed news release from the Albemarle County Commonwealth's attorney. It read, Today the medical examiner's office confirmed that the remains found in South Albemarle County on October 18, 2014 are those of Hannah Graham. are those of Hannah Graham. It was news that most people by then had feared was inevitable. Her parents, John and Susan Graham, released a statement. It read,

We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Hannah. Put simply, Hannah lit up our lives, the lives of our family and the lives of her friends and others who knew her. The M.E. determined Hannah Graham had been murdered but couldn't be sure how. The autopsy has never been made public. My name is Denise Lunsford. I'm the Commonwealth's attorney for Albemarle County. On Monday, February 2, 2015, Jesse Matthew Jr. was indicted in Albemarle County for abduction and murder of Hannah Graham. Specifically, Mr. Matthew was indicted for first-degree murder and abduction with the intent to defile occurring on or about September 13, 2014.

The prosecutions for the abduction and murder of Hannah will bring Mr. Matthew to justice for these crimes, crimes that were committed against Hannah Graham, against her family, and against our community. You will note that Mr. Matthew is charged with first-degree murder and abduction with the intent to defile. He is not charged with capital murder. The decision of how to charge in a specific case is very difficult and oftentimes there are many considerations that go into charging decisions. However, understand that a great deal of serious thought went into the term this determination including the impact on the community, the grams, and the need to provide Mr. Matthew with a fair trial. In this case, first degree murder and abduction with the intent to defile the penalty for the two felony charges, the abduction with the intent and the first degree murder are 20 years to life.

So it's a substantial penalty that the jury will be able to consider. But they couldn't consider the death penalty. Many had been calling for execution even before Jesse Matthew had been caught and charged with killing Hannah Graham. Prosecutor Denise Lunsford had determined she would not seek the ultimate penalty in the most highly publicized murder in the Charlottesville area's history. Did prosecutors not have enough evidence against Jesse Matthew? Did prosecutors believe Jesse Matthew was insane? What is the genesis of evil?

Morgan Harrington's mother Jill and father Dan, who's a psychiatrist by profession, talked with 48 Hours' Susan Spencer about the man they believed killed their daughter in 2009. Was he a sweet little boy? And five years old, 10 years old, did he become evil? Did Jesse Matthews become evil? Or were they out of the chute? Were they innately evil?

I don't know. It'd be a good thing to figure out because if it's something that happens in process, we can stop it. I don't think people are inherently bad, you know, but there are bad eggs. And when does that, I agree with Jill, when does that happen? You know, and things can happen and that person accidentally did something or it was unintentional. However, when you have a pattern of three cases, this is a repetitive problem. You know, that's different from something bad could happen. You know, I mean, bad things do happen and people do snap, you know, but I don't think people snap multiple times. You know, I mean, I think that's more of an ingrained

personality disorder, a sociopathy or a psychopath. And in May 2015, Albemarle County Prosecutor Denise Lunsford put the death penalty back on the table, serving a new indictment against Jesse Matthew. The capital indictment alleges first-degree murder and abduction with the intent to defile. The Commonwealth received some additional forensic information in late February that led to this increase in charge, which is really factually no different than what was already charged, but it does provide the opportunity for the possibility of a capital verdict and capital punishment in this matter. Will you seek that? If this matter goes to trial, the Commonwealth will seek the death penalty.

Why wouldn't it go to trial? There's always the possibility that something could happen in the interim. There's been no discussions along those lines, but there's always that possibility, and the Commonwealth is not taking anything off the table at this point. Very little is known about the Commonwealth's case against Jesse Matthew. It's unclear what physical evidence may tie him to Hannah Graham's disappearance and murder. That'll come out in trial or the hearings leading up to the trial. But before details are revealed in the Hannah Graham case, Jesse Matthew has to stand trial in Fairfax County, Virginia.

He's charged with a 2005 rape and attempted murder of a 26-year-old woman from Asia who'd come here to go to graduate school. It took 10 years to bring this case to trial. The young woman has flown 8,000 miles to testify against the man who attacked her. In court, she was identified only by her initials, R.G. She calmly and credibly described the night she was walking home from the grocery store. Just steps from her front door, a man picked her up and carried her into a wooded area, ripped off her clothes and carried her into a wooded area, ripped off

her clothes and molested her. She fought back and scratched her attacker. DNA found under her fingernails matched Jesse Matthews' DNA. When the prosecution rested, it was finally time for Jesse Matthews' lawyers to put on their defense. Would they suggest it wasn't him? Would they attempt to disprove the DNA evidence? After the woman traveled halfway around the world, relived her trauma on the stand, and after having everyone in the courtroom know her name, Jesse Matthew decided

to enter an Alford plea. That means he doesn't admit committing the crimes, but acknowledges prosecutors had enough evidence to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Fairfax County Prosecutor Ray Morrow said RG never once looked at Jesse Matthew. It was very difficult, very difficult for her. I think she expressed that on the stand. A lot of emotions going through her mind. I can't pretend to understand how difficult it was, but she did tell me it was a very difficult thing to do, and I'm glad she did it. Back in the Stone Ages out here in the court system, the victims weren't allowed to do things like that. And so now we're more enlightened,

and victims get a chance to have their say in court and speak up for themselves. And I think it's a great thing. Do you have any sense that the victim would appreciate or accept an apology from Jesse Matthew at some point? You know, some things I think are beyond an apology. You know, I hope we've anchored him now. We've got him pinned down. He's not going to go anywhere and others can take a shot at making him pay for anything else he may have done. You know, even after 30-some years in this business, I still believe most people are good, but some people are very, very bad, and he's one of them. Also in the

Fairfax courtroom for the entire trial was Morgan Harrington's mother, Jill. She had a chance to thank the woman who survived her brutal attack. She's the one that got away. And I'm sure she didn't feel like the lucky one, but thank God she did. I was so proud of her and really seeing how she is one of the few that was able to transform hideous experience into a strengthening process. And I also just was so aware of just the waves of misery and pain that emanate from Jesse Matthews, how many lives he has intersected with and hurt RG, her family, our family, his own family. I mean, it's just a vortex of

sorrow and sadness. He is the hub of the wheel. It all spins out from him. Since he entered a plea in Fairfax County, Jesse Matthew has never had the chance to take the stand to tell his side of the story. His lawyers and family have declined multiple requests for interviews. Because there was so much time between the 2005 rape in Fairfax County and the disappearance of Hannah Graham, investigators are looking into the possibility there have been other victims over the years. And Jill Harrington says the victims include Jesse Matthews' family. I mean, we both have been damaged by the same individual. My damage, our family's damage is different.

Our family's damage is different, but both families have, many families have really been riddled with pain from his actions. And I'm not, you know, insensitive to their pain also. It's a different one, but they, you know, they will be painted with infamy from his actions. And it's just such a damn shame all around. When the Hannah Graham Story podcasts were first posted online, this was supposed to be how the story ended. With Jill Harrington showing the grace that comes with six years of hope that eventually someone would be charged with murdering her daughter and her determination to help prevent future attacks against young women. And then the phone rang.

The Commonwealth's attorney called me yesterday afternoon late and said, we just want to give you a heads up that we are filing motions against Jesse Matthew for first degree murder and abduction with intent to defile. He'll be arriving in court today. On September 16th, 2015, Jesse Matthew makes his first court appearance after being indicted for first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile for the death of Morgan Harrington. The same charges that were filed for the death of Hannah Graham. A bizarre, obscene link is the catalyst for our relationship with the Grahams, that it's quite likely that the same person stopped the hearts of both of our girls. Unlike the Graham case, Prosecutor Denise Lunsford says she does not expect to upgrade to capital murder.

Jill and Dan Harrington say they're lucky. Unlike others whose daughters have just disappeared, their daughters' remains were found, and Jessie Matthew will now face two murder trials. I liken this judicial process as stepping on an escalator. And once you get on, it's going to go where it's going to go. You really have no input. And we're along for the ride and grateful to be at this point in time. Jesse Matthew is scheduled to go on trial for capital murder in the Hannah Graham case in July 2016.

It's not clear whether he'll be tried first for killing Morgan Harrington. What is clear to her mother, Jill, is the need to keep trying to help save the next girl. Because we tend to want to go back to zone of comfort. And like, okay, so danger's gone. That cannot happen. comfort and like, okay, so danger's gone. That cannot happen. The vigilant safety awareness has to continue because there's another predator in training who will take his place, who uses the same style and exploits vulnerability on college campuses in particular. I'm Neil Lichtenstein for the CBS News 48 Hours podcast.

And join us on Saturday, September 26th at 9 p.m. Eastern on the CBS television network for the special two-hour season premiere of 48 Hours on the Hannah Graham case. It's Hannah's story, it's Morgan's story, and RG's story. Will the courts ultimately find that these three lives were forever altered by one man? Will their families ever know what happened? And will it ever be clear why? And will Jesse Matthew, or someone else, pay the ultimate penalty for crimes that snuffed out so much promise.

If you like this podcast, you can listen ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick survey at wondery.com slash survey. As a kid growing up in Chicago, there was one horror movie I was too scared to watch. It was called Candyman. But did you know that the movie Candyman was partly inspired by an actual murder? Listen to Candyman, the true story behind the bathroom mirror murder, wherever you get your podcasts. In the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Peru and New Zealand, lies a tiny volcanic island. It's a little-known British territory called Pitcairn, and it harboured a deep, dark scandal.

There wouldn't be a girl on Pitcairn once they reach the age of 10 that would still have heard it. It just happens to all of us. I'm journalist Luke Jones, and for almost two years I've been investigating a shocking story that has left deep scars on generations of women and girls from Pitcairn when there's nobody watching nobody going to report it people will get away with what they can get away with in the Pitcairn trials I'll be uncovering a story of abuse and the fight for justice that has brought a unique lonely pac Pacific island to the brink of extinction. Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery+.

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