#HannahGraham case: Hurry up and wait
I can’t imagine the frustrations of law enforcement in dealing with a case like the disappearance of Hannah Graham / murder of Morgan Harrington / suspect in custody, Jesse Matthew: such a complex and emotionally charged problem.
In an interview with the Associated Press Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo stressed the need, ” as frustrating as it is… to be very careful to get it right, not to rush to judgment.”
What I can imagine is the frustration and confusion caused all too often when law enforcement sends mixed messages to the public. Last week we were told of the utmost urgency to leave no stone unturned. This week’s message from Chief Long is, “he wont rush Hannah Graham investigation”.
To be sure, this is a fast-moving process, and priorities are going to change. But police should be sympathetic to the public’s predicament:
– We are told to check everything immediately, but then asked not to rush.
– We are told that no tip is insignificant, then instructed not to bother the police with information that is not evidentiary.
It would be helpful if law enforcement could give the public some idea of the kinds of things they are looking for (what exactly might be evidence), but then of course they can’t because that could potentially compromise the investigation. The result is the police have to sift through a lot of irrelevant information, and both sides are left tired and frustrated.
While we wait, a couple of things I’ve observed don’t add up:
Assumptions:
1. Place and time (video surveillance) link Graham to Matthew.
2. DNA links Matthew to Harrington.
3. The discovered black Pantera t-shirt links to Harrinton (DNA), so then possibly to Matthew.
The black Pantera t-shirt found on a bush outside an apartment building at the corner of 15th Street and Grady Avenue, reportedly was the one Harrington was wearing when she disappeare
Something isn’t right here. This does not sound like what we’ve been told of Jesse Matthew. The placement of the t-shirt is a deliberate, calculated and bold gesture. Matthew, from all accounts, is reactive and impulsive. Either:
1. The t-shirt has no link to the Harrington disappearance, and therefore Matthew.
2. Matthew changed his m.o..
3. The police are giving the public bad information.
4. There are errors with some of the facts we have been told.
All comments and opinions are welcome.
Or maybe someone else found the T-shirt somewhere, and put it on the bush.
Yes, I sort of get that under some set of circumstances like this:
They find it. They know what it is, what it means; but they don’t want contact with the police.
I thought the same thing about the t-shirt. Jessie seems too reactive and honestly not smart enough to do that.
I wonder if they couldn’t have found a DNA match or other forensic link in his car or apt. They could have also found something belonging to her in his apt. I believe Morgan was missing some jewelry. Not sure about Hannah. I have only heard unconfirmed accounts the forensic link is DNA, so I don’t know if that was confirmed.
I also haven’t ruled out there isn’t an accomplice, like the police claim there isn’t, and he didn’t take Morgan or Hannah to someone else.
As to tips… from the Find Hannah Graham FB some are calling in with wild ideas just as a tip. People who live across the country look at Google Maps and say she could be here or there as though they know more than the investigators. That’s just a waste of time for them. People should have some common sense.
Love your blogs on this case!