Police launch hunt for 'person of interest' seen by witness walking with his arm around missing UVA student Hannah Graham as she staggered through downtown mall

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Police in Charlottesville have released a description of a man seen with his arm around missing UVA student Hannah Graham on the night she disappeared.

Labeled a person of interest by police, the man was seen by a witness with the 18-year-old student just after 1.08am walking through the town's downtown mall.

Described by the witness as a black male around 5'10"- 5'12" and weighing 250-285 pounds, police said that he has a close shaved head, a goatee beard and a slight 'beer belly'

He is estimated to be in his late 20s or early 30s.

Dressed in black jeans and a white T-shirt, the man was seen with Hannah walking past Tuel’s Jewellers around 12 minutes before she sent her last text to friends saying she was lost.

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New footage: This screen shot of new security video shows Hannah Graham (red) walking past an Italian restaurant in Charlottesville downtown mall just after 1am on Saturday morning as the witness (circled in green) watches her

Watching: As the 18-year-old student approaches the unidentified witness her erratic walking and stumbling catches his attention

Follow: The man - who has spoken to police and is not a suspect - begins to walk after Hannah - concerned that her drunken behavior could be harmful 

Police have not yet released surveillance footage of the person of interest, but did release footage of the witness who followed her.

He has told police he became concerned seeing her stumbling around the downtown mall outside Sal's Pizza at 1.06am.

Film taken from two separate cameras shows the witness pursue the 18-year-old through the mall area shortly after 1am.

In the first clip the man looks over his shoulder, steps into a doorway and is obscured from Hannah's view as she walks past before following her.

The man is then captured in a second clip walking some distance behind her.

Late last night investigators said the man in the video presented himself at Charlottesville Police Department (CPD).

He had also called the dedicated tip-line offering information about Hannah, officers have said.

The man, who has not been identified, told police he had followed Hannah as she appeared ‘physically distressed’ and wanted to make sure she was safe.

According to the police, he said he saw another man stop Hannah and put his arm around her.

The man, who he described as black, is not captured in any of the video footage - but police have released a description of him.

Police have issued a statement to say the black man shown walking with Hannah Graham in video footage released by police has been ruled out of their missing persons inquiry.

The man, seen in the video who has dreadlocks and is wearing three-quarter length trousers, has already been interviewed by detectives.

A spokesman for Charlottesville Police Department said: ‘We already know who the black man in the video is and he has spoken with officers.

‘He has been ruled out of the inquiry.

‘He has nothing to do with Hannah’s disappearance.’

Police have however released a description of a different black man seen with Hannah that they are desperately trying to trace.

Search: University of Virginia officials have launched a huge hunt for the missing second year student after she disappeared on Saturday morning

Walking: The same man from outside the Italian restaurant is seen in this screen shot walking with Hannah as he tries to check if she is okay

The witness said it appeared that the man police want to speak to appeared to know Hannah or was trying to help her.

The witness, who is white, then walked away leaving Hannah talking with the black man.

A statement issued by the CPD said: ‘At 10:15 pm the unidentified white male in the videos came to the police department.

‘He told police that he was following Ms. Graham as she looked to be somewhat physically distressed and he wanted to make sure she got safely to wherever she was going.

‘Soon after he was following her, he said that a black male came up to her and put his arm around her, stopping her.

‘Ms. Graham and this black male started speaking and it appeared to the witness that the black male was either known to Ms. Graham or was trying to help her.

‘The witness then walked away and he said that Ms. Graham and the black male were still standing and talking when he left.

The black male is not shown in either of these videos.’

Yesterday, video footage of UVA student Hannah Graham outside a bar and a gas station was released by police today as her anguished parents revealed that they now fear foul play.

Hannah, 18, can be seen staggering and visibly drunk outside McGrady’s Irish in two clips taken from the bar’s surveillance equipment.

Wearing a short top and trousers, the 18-year-old appears disorientated. She halts by the side the pub’s outside beer garden before falling off the curb. 

Confusion: This map shows Hannah Graham's movements on the night of Friday 12 and Saturday 13. At 11.50pm she was seen at a party by friends with another male friend. She then seemed to head westwards towards the Charlottesville downtown mall

Crucial: The footage of Hannah is from approximately 30 minutes before she called her friends to say she was lost

The second-year student re-enters the video camera frame some two minutes later when she walks up to the bar entrance, but crucially she does not go in.

Hannah is then seen walking away from the bar heading in the direction of Charlottesville’s old town. Police have confirmed this was at 12.46am – not the time which appears on the film.

The teenager can be seen running in a second video taken from a 24-hour Shell petrol station on Preston Avenue, less than half a mile from the bar.

The video footage was taken less than five minutes after she had left McGrady’s according to investigators. 

Approach: The footage released by Charlottesville police shows Hannah (bottom left) walking by the doors of McGrady's Irish pub at around 12.46am on Saturday

Eerie: At today's press conference, Charlottesville police released footage of the eerie Shell station forecourt that Hannah Graham ran past just before 1am on Saturday morning

Charlottesville’s Chief of Police Timothy Longo said he did not believe she was being chased as the second film shows her stop running and walking.

He was also pained to point out that no one should judge the student just because she appeared to be intoxicated and that the most important thing now is to find her.

However Hannah’s parents have revealed they now fear the worst.

In a statement released through the police John and Susan Graham said: ‘Hannah is beyond precious to us, and we are devastated by her disappearance. It is totally out of character for us not to have heard from her, and we fear foul play.

‘We are in constant contact with the Charlottesville Police Department (CPD) and the University of Virginia.

‘We have learned has received many helpful leads from the leads from the public. We are very grateful for all the information already provided and urge members of the public to continue to call the dedicated tip line, with anything at all, however small it seems.

‘We would also like to recognize the many messages of support we have received from Hannah’s friends at UVA, her friends from high school, band and soft ball team, as well as our neighbors, friends and work colleagues, too many to count.

‘Although we are British, Hannah has lived in Virginia since she was five. This is her home and we have always felt welcome here.

‘We are so grateful for everyone involved in the search for Hannah. Like you, we will not rest until we find her and she comes home. 

Police have released this missing poster and are asking anyone with information to contact them

Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo speaks at a press conference on Wednesday, September 17, 2014 along the downtown pedestrian mall in Charlottesville, Va. where Hannah Graham was seen by an eye witness at a nearby restaurant on 2nd Street

Heartbroken and hopeful: Hannah with her brother, James, mother, Sue and father, John. The Graham's issued a joint statement on Tuesday saying they are hopeful Hannah will be found

With friends: Hannah with a group of friends who have all described her disappearance as extremely uncharacteristic 

Police Chief Longo said he was pursuing ‘an aggressive investigation’ to find Hannah and he described her disappearance as every parent’s worst nightmare.

He said he had met with Mr and Mrs Graham today and was clearly moved by their plight.

He said: ‘You can only imagine. As a parent and as a husband you can imagine what they are going through these past several days.

‘Our focus is to find their daughter and by the grace of God return her to their care.’

Chief Longo said investigators had received over 100 calls to the dedicated Hannah Graham tip line and he urged anyone who ‘may have seen or heard anything on the Friday night and Saturday night’ to call.

He said although ‘straight A’ student Hannah is under the legal age for drinking she should not be judged for being drunk.

Chief Longo said: ‘We had reason to believe she was under the influence of alcohol. I think it’s extremely important to point something out.

‘Folks have gone very quickly to this issue and attacked the character of this young lady.

‘The reason that information came out as from an investigative stand point, was because it suggests the fact that she was vulnerable. That she may not have been in a position to protect herself. And so we thought it important to get that information out publicly.

‘It also speaks to the fact that not only was she vulnerable that she may not have been in a position to make good decisions.

‘I find it unfortunate that some people are latching on to that and despoiling this young lady’s character.’

Chief Longo said investigators had obtained video footage from across the city and had also seized electronic equipment from Hannah’s apartment.

Hannah Graham is alleged to have ventured into a poor neighborhood in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to residents.

The student is known to have sent a text message saying she was lost.

Investigators were spotted following blood hounds around Friendship Court, a low income housing development across the railway tracks from Charlottesville’s upmarket Downtown Mall area.

Shop keepers have offered police video footage which appears to show the 18-year-old student walking through the red-brick pedestrian street.

And it appears that Hannah may have cross the tracks into Garret St, a notorious area of Charlottesville close to the city’s Old Town.

One resident told Mail Online: ‘There were police with blood hounds down here yesterday. The dogs were following a trail around Friendship Court and men were searching through the bushes.’

Another resident added: ‘I heard about the missing girl and then I saw the police and detectives come through the area.’

Shell Station. Hannah was seen outside this station at 12.55 am

Another witness has come forward to say that they saw Hannah at 1am approaching Charlotesville downtown mall, adding to the confusion as to why she was walking away from her friends and where she lived. 

Authorities have said they do not know why she texted her friends at 1.20am to say she was lost near to the UVA campus - an area she knows very well - and said the new footage will change the whole focus of their search for Hannah.

Hannah was last seen by friends at Camden Plaza Apartments, in Charlottesville at 11.50pm on Friday night at a party with another male friend and police have said she was heavily intoxicated.

At 1.20am, friends waiting at a party for the student got a text from her saying that she was lost in the area around 14th and Wertland Streets, which is near the student's own off-campus home.

However, the new surveillance footage released on Wednesday places her half-a-mile away at the Charlottesville downtown mall just 20 minutes before the text.

The 5'11' softball player, whose parents are English, was wearing black pants and a gold top that had black mesh cut outs on the evening she went missing.

The search for the northern Virginia woman has involved local police, the Virginia State Police, University of Virginia police and the FBI, which is processing leads, Pleasants said. The search has also included canine teams and helicopters.

Asked if investigators were fearful Graham was abducted, Pleasants said, 'Right now there's nothing that points to anything criminal. However, we're obviously not discounting anything.'

The FBI has confirmed that it is involved in the search as authorities admit the teen is at least the fourth young woman to go missing in the area in the past five years. 

Last known pictures: Police have released this CCTV footage of Hannah Elizabeth Graham, 18, on the night she disappeared after failing to show up for a party

Five minutes later; Hannah was then seen walking towards the Charlottesville Mall at 1.00am - twenty minutes before she texted to say she was lost

Search focus: Police in Charlottesville have said that witnesses and surveillance footage place Hannah Graham outside McGrady's Pub around 12.45am on Saturday morning

Her friends reported her missing on Sunday morning after she failed to contact anyone.

University President Teresa A. Sullivan issued a statement saying the community is 'united in our deep concern'' for the Fairfax County second-year student.

And Hannah's family, originally from England issued their own statement.

'Since learning of Hannah's disappearance, we have been heartbroken and at the same time heartened by the outpouring of support and help we have received. We remain hopeful that Hannah will be found soon,' said her father John, mother Susan and brother James Graham in a joint statement.

'Those of us who know and love Hannah know that she would not disappear without contacting family or friends.

Hannah, who is not a US citizen is 5'11' with blue eyes and light brown hair. She is said to live off campus

'She is highly responsible and organized. She embraces life with energy and enthusiasm and has enriched the lives of many.

'Her empathy is evident in her daily interactions with us and her friends. She loves the University of Virginia, and all summer she was looking forward to the start of the new school year.

'We express our sincere gratitude to law enforcement and everyone who is involved in the search for Hannah. We also thank the University for the full attention they are devoting to the situation.'

Also on Tuesday authorities asked local residents to check their property for any clues, including in bushes and under any tarps if they have any. 

On Monday night, Charlottesville Police released images of Hannah recorded on a surveillance camera inside her own apartment block.

They are from around 9pm and later on Friday Hannah attended a party with a male friend just a few blocks away.

Anyone with information is asked to call Charlottesville Police Department at 970-3280 or Crimestoppers at 977-4000.

Missing UVA student Hannah Graham is the FIFTH young woman in five years to vanish along 'Route 29 corridor' - and only one body has ever been found 

Missing student Hannah Graham is one of five young women to have disappeared from the Charlottesville area in the past five years within a few minutes' drive of the same Route 29 highway.

As the FBI, police and volunteers continue their desperate search for the 18-year-old and her parents said they fear 'foul play', the mother of one of the young women who vanished said the worry of not knowing is the hardest part to bear.

Gil Harrington suffered months of despair after her 20-year-old daughter Morgan disappeared from Virginia Tech University (UVA) in October 2009 while attending a rock concert. 

Her body was not recovered until three months later, hidden at a remote farm. She had been raped before she was murdered. 

Mrs Harrington said: 'You kind of go down the rabbit hole again of anguish. My heart goes out to Hannah's family. It is all about their girl, their beloved daughter.'

Mrs Harrington, 57, from Roanake added: 'I hope and pray that Hannah is somewhere and is recoverable and will come walking through the door with a sheepish look on her face any moment now. 

'That's my hope. But my logic tells me that is unlikely to happen. I'm really holding out hope that we can have a good outcome.'

Missing on Route 29: Five women have gone missing in and around Charlottesville, Virginia, just a few minutes' drive from the same highway in the last five years. The body of just one has been found so far

Tragedy: Morgan Harrington, 20 (left), vanished from UVA's John Paul Jones Arena while attending a Metallica concert in October 2009. Alexis Murphy, 17 (right), was last seen at a gas station in Lovingston in August 2013

Mystery: DaShad Laquinn Smith, 19 (left), has not been seen since November 2012. Samantha Ann Clarke, 19 (right) vanished after leaving her home in Orange in September 2010

Hannah is one of five young women who have disappeared from Charlottesville and the surrounding area in past five years along the Route 29 corridor. Only one of the cases has been solved and the whereabouts of four, including Hannah, remains unknown.

Morgan Harrington, 20, vanished from UVA's John Paul Jones Arena while attending a Metallica concert in October 2009. Her remains were discovered three months later but her killer is still at large.

Samantha Ann Clarke, 19, went missing after leaving her home in nearby Orange County in September 2010. Her body has not been found.

DaShad Laquinn Smith, 19, disappeared in Charlottesville in November 2012. Her whereabouts remain a mystery.

Alexis Murphy, 17, disappeared after leaving her home in Shipman, Virginia, in August 2013. This May, Randolph Taylor, 48, was convicted of her abduction and murder in January although her body has never been found.

Another two young women, Alicia Showalter Reynolds, 25, and Anne Carolyn McDaniel, 20, were abducted and murdered in 1996 along the same corridor.

Mrs Harrington has launched a charity in her daughter's honor called Help Save The Next Girl to educate young women of the dangers of predatory men. She has previously said that a serial killer was responsible for Morgan's murder.

Mrs Harrington said: 'My own daughter was abducted in the area that Hannah went missing. Morgan was abducted and murdered in Charlottesville in 2009. We know that the person involved with Morgan's case was a serial offender. We know that because he was involved with a previous abduction and rape in 2005.'

She refused to elaborate or speculate further.