FAIRFAX, Va. -- The woman raped and beaten by Jesse Matthew near her home in 2005 testified in a Fairfax Circuit courtroom Thursday, ahead of Matthew's sentencing. She spoke just feet from her attacker who was convicted June 10 of attempted capital murder and sex crimes in a trial that lasted three days. Matthew entered an Alford Plea.
"It was very difficult for her she expressed that on the stand a lot of emotions going through her mind," said Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrough. "She didn't want to look at him. She relives this constantly and just was not comfortable looking at him."
In her victim impact statement, the woman known as RG explained how her life has changed since the September 24, 2005 night when Matthew grabbed her outside of her Fairfax home, dragged her in the woods, sexually assaulted her and tried to kill her.
She told the judge that day started out as a "happy Saturday." When she was attacked, she said, it was "panic, shock and unreal." She said she felt "utterly helpless," explaining, she thought she was going to be killed. She went on to say, she has been depressed and in denial and "coming close to death -- I stopped living." The victim testified that it was worse than losing someone close.
The scene of the crime
Back in her former Fairfax neighborhood Thursday, there was a sense of relief for those who still live there. Neighbors said many people had moved away because of the attack.
"I am really, really happy," said the victim's former neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous. "She suffered from that person and for how long she was in bad situation."
Ten years after the attack, the neighbor said she can still hear the fear in the victim's voice.
"The screaming I have in my mind when she was screaming, so scared," said the victim's former neighbor.
Matthew's victim said as difficult as it was traveling to Fairfax from India to testify against him, and pulling those painful memories out of "cold storage," it was "important" to her so someone wouldn't get hurt again.
"A lot of tears back there from a lot of people who fought hard," said Morrough. "Lots of hugging and gratitude both ways. She never lost faith in the system. I think you heard her say she kept Detective Boone's card in her wallet all these 10 years."
"She's very humble she was thankful and we tried to communicate our great admiration and gratitude for the sacrifices and energy it took for the courage for her to speak her truth," said Gil Harrington, Morgan Harrington's mother.
Matthew has been linked by DNA to Harrington the 2009 night she disappeared from Charlottesville and was later found murdered. He has also been charged with capital murder and sex crimes in connection with the disappearance and death of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham.
"Even after 30 years in this business, I still believe most people are good, but some people are very, very bad and he's one of them," said Morrough. "Hope we've anchored him now. We have him pinned down. He's not going to go anywhere and others can take a shot at making him pay for what he may have done."
Matthew was transferred back to the Albemarle/Charlottesville Regional Jail. He will appear at a hearing Thursday, June 25, in Charlottesville where the judge will rule on a defense motion to recuse herself and a trial date will be set in the Hannah Graham case. Prosecutors expect that trial to be scheduled for late spring or early summer 2016.
Matthew faces life in prison when he is sentenced in the Fairfax case in October.
