With the arrest of Jesse Mathew Jr., friends are coming to his defense -- calling him a "gentle giant." People who went to school with him for years cannot believe he’s guilty of abduction with intent to defile. More likely, they say, he left town because he was terrified.
The Graham case has riveted Charlottesville bloggers and Facebook fans. They’ve offered theories and challenged official claims, cheered and criticized police. Now, with Jesse Matthew Jr. accused of abduction with intent to defile, his friends are coming forward online.
“I’m going to be 32 in October, and I’ve known LJ since I was about 15.”
Sara was a classmate at Monticello High School, where friends called Jesse Leroy Matthew "LJ".
“He was just a really nice guy – never had any problems with anybody. A really good example of his character comes to mind. At Albemarle High School there was a riot in the 90’s, and my friend was stuck in the surging crowd. LJ put her on his shoulders and took her to safety.”
Over the years, she’s remained a friend and cannot believe that the person she describes as gentle could be responsible for a violent crime.
“This summer a couple of my friends were out and we were drinking, and LJ was around, and he honestly couldn’t even keep up with us. We’re not heavy drinkers. He got a ride home with us and walked one of my friends back to her front door, and she didn’t have any issues with him. None of us have ever had any problems with LJ. He’s a big sweetheart.”
Another friend, Karen Shipley, has known Matthew since elementary school when both were in a program for kids with learning disabilities . She calls Matthew a kind-hearted person who’s looked after her over the years. I can only imagine how scared he and his family must be at this time,” she wrote on Facebook. “I hope he will find the courage to come forward to help find this poor girl and help the world see the person that so many of us call a friend.”
Sara agrees.
“A lot of us who have known him since childhood have kind of banded together, and until there is solid evidence supporting these accusations, it’s really sad seeing his name being drug through the dirt. I would be terrified if I was in his situation.”
Matthew is now behind bars at the Galveston County jail awaiting extradition to Virginia.
