Speaking to a small throng of about half a dozen reporters—one-tenth the number present at last week’s press events for missing UVA student Hannah Graham—Albemarle County Police Chief Steve Sellers said the search for Graham will continue at least through the end of this week in targeted areas and with smaller numbers of volunteers. For the last few days, the search has focused on an 8-mile-radius area within Albemarle County, Sellers said at a press event today, noting that tips have continued to come in that have helped investigators narrow their focus. On Saturday and Sunday, 120 professional searchers covered about 70 percent of that area, Sellers said, and today’s team, consisting of 35 searchers from the Albemarle County Police, the Virginia Park Police, and the Virginia State Police departments, hopes to complete the remainder.
In addition to urging property owners to search their own land for any sign of the missing teen and to call the tip line to let police know the area has been examined, Sellers said police are interested in speaking with anyone who has ever known Jesse “LJ” Matthew, the man charged with Hannah’s abduction. “Even if it was 10 years ago,” said Sellers, adding that investigators remain particularly interested in hearing from anyone who saw or interacted with Matthew in the days after Hannah disappeared.
“It’s about finding Hannah Graham and bringing her home,” he said.
The Hannah Graham tip line is 295-3851.