Suspect in the Hannah Graham & Morgan Harrington Case Jesse Matthew Pleads Not Guilty to the 2005 Sexual Assault of “RG” in Fairfax County, VA

Jesse Matthew, the suspect in Hannah Graham’s disappearance and the death of Morgan Harrington, appeared in court Friday to answer charges on another case of  abduction and sexual assault from 2005.  Jesse Matthew is facing three felony charges: attempted capital murder, abduction with intent to defile and sexual penetration with an object. Matthew’s plead “not guilty” to all three charges related to the September 2005 incident. The victim is only referred to as “RG”. Authorities state that on September 24, 2005, a 26 year-old woman was returning from a grocery store in the city of Fairfax when someone grabbed her from behind and sexually assaulted her. The victim was raped and beaten nearly to death and only spared because her attacker was scared off by a passer by.

At Friday’s court hearing, lawyers for the 32-year-old Matthew waived the hearing of the charges against him. But according to the indictment in the 2005 case, he “did feloniously, willfully, deliberately, intentionally and with premeditation attempt to kill (the victim) in the commission of or subsequent to an abduction with the intent to defile.”

The woman now lives in India and is prepared to fly to the United States to testify Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh told reporters Friday.

The victim “RG” now lives in India; however, is ready to travel back to the United States and testify against her attacker in the upcoming trial, Fairfax County. Judge Dennis Smith set a trial date of March 9.

CNN:

While he awaits the next legal steps in the death of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, Jesse Matthew appeared in court Friday to answer charges on another case — an alleged abduction, sexual assault and attempted murder from nearly a decade ago.

During a brief appearance at the Fairfax County Courthouse in northern Virginia, Matthew only uttered two words — “Not guilty” — to all three charges related to the September 2005 incident.

Judge Dennis Smith set a trial date of March 9. The trial is expected to last six or seven days.

Authorities say that on September 24, 2005, a 26-year-old woman was returning from a grocery store in the city of Fairfax when someone grabbed her from behind and sexually assaulted her.

Linkage of the three cases of Hannah Graham murder … Morgan Harrington murder and “RG” sexual assault and attempted murder

Linkage of the three crimes against victims: Hannah Graham, Morgan Harrington and “RG”.

Most recently, DNA recovered from underneath the fingernail of the sexual assault victim linked Matthew to the abduction of University of Virginia student, Hannah Graham.

Graham was last seen on Sept. 13 on surveillance video walking with Matthew in downtown Charlottesville. In October, remains found on an abandoned property on Old Lynchburg Road in Albemarle County were identified as those of Graham.

According to officials, forensic evidence linked to the Fairfax rape also links Matthew to the disappearance of Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington.

Harrington was last seen leaving the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville in 2009. Her remains were found in Albemarle County in January 2010. Harrington was from Roanoke County.

For further updates on the above true crime cases, to provide your opinions and analysis and to read others, go to Scared Monkeys Forum: Morgan Dana Harrington and Hannah Elizabeth Graham.