University of Virginia Student Missing

Authorities are looking for a missing University of Virginia student, Hannah Graham, 18 who disappeared Saturday morning. She was last seen on a security camera early Saturday at the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. A man is seen walking in front of Graham, but the man later stops and is then walking behind her. Authorities say the man on the video has come forward and spoken with police. He said he was following Graham to see if she needed help. The man also told police he saw a second man put his arm around Graham.

Authorities say the mall was more than a mile and half away from a party that Graham attended Friday night. A final text from Graham’s cell phone was sent at approximately 1:20 a.m. Saturday.

Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo said Graham met friends for dinner at a restaurant Friday night, dropped by parties at two off-campus housing units and left the second one alone. She sent several texts, including the one indicating that she was lost, but Longo said he “didn’t get the sense there was fear” in any of the messages. Graham had been drinking that night.

Authorities released information to emphasize that she may have been usually vulnerable and her judgment may have been impaired. Detective Jim Mooney has interviewed about 50 people so far in the case.

Longo said three males were present when police arrived to search an apartment and vehicle in the college town. No one was detained or questioned.

The first search began when police arrived at 4:00 a.m. Friday to search a vehicle, but Longo declined to say what led investigators to the vehicle in their hunt for the whereabouts of Graham.

The vehicle search then led police to seek a search warrant for a local apartment. Longo also declined to say what evidence may have been gathered in the search of the apartment, where no one was inside.

Investigators are offering a $50,000 reward for “information leading to the cause” of her disappearance, police said.