
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WJZ) — A major development in the case against the man accused of killing a University of Virginia student.
Prosecutors have upgraded the charges against Jesse Matthew to capital murder in the death of Hannah Graham.
READ MORE: Montgomery County Public Schools Adding Over 300 Electric Buses; Aim To Be All-Electric By 2025The new charge means Matthew now faces the possibility of the death penalty.
Graham, 18, disappeared last September and her body was found a month later on an abandoned property.
READ MORE: Southwest Airlines Adding Flights From BWI Airport To Destin-Fort Walton Beach, FloridaMatthew was originally charged with first-degree murder and abduction.
Prosecutors say the upgraded charge of capital murder is based on new forensic evidence.
MORE NEWS: Downtown Partnership BOOST Program Accepting Applications For Grants Of Up To $50K To Fill Empty StorefrontsMatthew also faces a trial in June on charges of attempted murder and sexual assault in an unrelated case in Fairfax County.