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Police: Witness saw man put arm around missing UVa. student Hannah Graham

Posted at 11:01 PM, Sep 17, 2014
and last updated 2014-09-18 11:22:38-04

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Charlottesville Police continue to examine new surveillance video in the case of  missing 18-year-old  Hannah Graham.

[Scroll down to view new videos]

Police have been searching for the second year University of Virginia student since Sunday, but she was last seen by friends Friday night, and last heard from around 1:20 a.m. Saturday when she sent a text, police said. Now the most recent video shows her last seen at 1:08 a.m., and they continue to search for more footage.

At a Wednesday press conference Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo said they had received over 100 tips, interviewed over 50 people and had new video to examine.

Detectives visited businesses on the Downtown Mall, a pedestrian area located just over a mile away from the UVa. campus, to see if anyone had surveillance video that might show Graham's path the night she disappeared.

Wednesday evening Capt. Gary Pleasants told CBS 6 reporter Melissa Hipolit that they examined two new videos, which showed an unidentified white male following Graham.

The first video was taken at 1:06 a.m.  from Sal’s Pizza, located at 221 E. Main St. It shows a white male walking into the cameras view, he looks over his shoulder, then steps into a doorway and Graham walks past him, police said.

After she passes, the male starts walking behind her. The second video picks up at 1:08 a.m., from a camera at Tuel’s Jewelers located at 319 E. Main St. The video shows Graham walking with the same white male some distance behind her, Pleasants said.

Pleasants then said that the man in the video came to the police station, and said he had also left his story on the tip line.

He told police that he was walking with her to make sure she was okay, because she seemed physically distressed and he "wanted to make sure she got safely wherever she was going."

The man told police that he saw a black man approach Hannah, and that man put his arm around her. The unidentified man told police she didn't react, and seemed to know him. Once those two started speaking, he said it appeared the black male was "was either known to Ms. Graham or was trying to help her."

So he went on his way, he told police. He said the two were standing there talking when he left.

The pieces continue to connect, and a timeline take shape, as more witnesses come forward and video is shared.

The updated timeline of the last hours anyone heard from Graham looks like this:

  • 11: 50 p.m. Friday — Graham last seen by friends at Camden Plaza Apartments, in the 200 block of 14th Street NW.
  • 12:45 a.m. Saturday — Graham seen on surveillance video outside of McGrady’s Pub on Grady Street.
  • 12:55 a.m. Saturday — Graham seen on Shell station surveillance video on Preston Ave.
  • 1 a.m. Saturday — Witness reports seeing Graham on Downtown Mall
  • 1:06 a.m. Saturday -- Video captures Graham in front of Sal's, continuing to walk east along the mall.
  • 1:08 a.m. Saturday -- Graham seen in front of Tuel Jewelers.
  • 1:20 a.m. Saturday — Graham sends a text to friends saying she was lost in the area around 14th and Wertland Streets.

Police described Graham as a 5’11” white female with a skinny build. She has blue eyes, light brown hair and freckles. She was last seen wearing a dark/silver/black crop top with mesh cut outs.

Her parents say they're worried something happened to her after she left a gathering with friends Friday night in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"Hannah is beyond precious to us," John and Susan Graham said in a statement released by police Wednesday. "We are truly devastated by her disappearance. It's totally out of character for us not to have heard from her, and we fear foul play."

"We are so very grateful for everyone involved in the search for Hannah. Like you, we will not rest until we find her and she come home."

Anyone with information about Graham was asked to call the tip line with the Charlottesville Police Department at 434-295-3851 or CrimeStoppers at 434-977-4000.

This is a developing story. Below are videos from the Wednesday press conference.Part one is on top, part two below it.