Remains confirmed as Virginia student

The human remains found last Saturday in a rural area of Virginia have been confirmed as those of University of Virginia sophomore Hannah Graham. The 18-year-old disappeared Sept. 13 after a night out with friends.

Graham, whose remains were found about 12 miles from campus in a heavily wooded area of Albemarle County, was last seen with 32-year-old Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., who has been charged with abduction with intent to defile Graham.

The location of last Saturday’s discovery is roughly 6 miles from where the body of 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington was found after she disappeared in 2009. According to police, forensic evidence connects Matthew to Harrington’s killing, which in turn is linked by DNA to a 2005 sexual assault in northern Virginia. Matthew faces charges in the 2005 case.

“When we started this journey together we all hoped for a happier ending. Sadly that was not to be,” Graham’s parents, John and Sue Graham, said in a statement provided by the Albemarle County Police Department. “We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter. … Although we have lost our precious Hannah, the light she radiated can never be extinguished.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.