Hannah Graham: Jesse Matthew Was Expelled From Christian University After Rape Allegations; Described as 'Weird'

By Benge Nsenduluka, CP Reporter Thursday, September 25, 2014

Hannah Graham, 18, a University of Virginia student missing since the weekend, is shown in this missing persons poster released by Charlottesville Police Dept. in Charlottesville, Virginia September 18, 2014. | (PHOTO: Credit: Reuters/Charlottesville Police Dept./Handout)

Jesse Matthew, the man charged with the abduction of missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, was reportedly expelled from a Christian university after being accused of rape.

Matthew, 32, a nurse's assistant, was forced to leave Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 2002 after a claim that he sexually assaulted a female student, according to reports. No criminal charges were ever filed. The report follows that Matthew was captured on a Texas beach by a sheriff's deputy on Wednesday, after being sought by the FBI on suspicion of Graham's abduction with the intent to defile.

"We have a person in custody, but there's a long road ahead of us, and that long road includes finding Hannah Graham," Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo told reporters. "By the grace of God and the good work of the Galveston's Sheriff's office, it took place. The Grahams would like to thank them too."

He is currently being held at Galveston County Jail without bond pending his extradition to Virginia.

Graham, 18, has been missing since Sept. 13 and police are offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to her safe return. She was last seen on that day with Matthew in an area of Charlottesville known as the Downtown Mall.

So far police have received 1,500 tips in the case and they are urging anyone with information on Graham's disappearance to come forward.

Little is known about Matthew or whether he has provided police with any information about Graham. He reportedly won a sports scholarship to Liberty University after he was named Charlottesville's "Athlete of the Year" in 1999.

"LJ was on the football team. He was a defensive end. He won a sports scholarship for football," former Liberty Flames football captain William Haith said, according to Daily Mail UK. "But he left in 2002. He got into some trouble over sex with a girl. She made a complaint against him. He was put out of the football team because of the complaint. He was kicked out of the university as well."

Milton Johnson, another former teammate, described Matthew as being "awkward around people" and "kind of weird."

Liberty University is a private, non-profit college which was founded as Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971 by Jerry Falwell. It is said to be the largest Evangelical Christian university in the world.