Matthew B. Harper

Matthew B. Harper is a former college student and murderer.

Harper was the younger child of Elizabeth and Michael V. Harper.

On November 23, 1995, the 18-year-old Harper stabbed his 20-year-old sister Anne to death in the family home at 10985 Ryers Place in the Middleridge neighborhood of Fairfax. Harper then set the house on fire in an attempt to conceal his crime.

Harper's 46-year-old mother Elizabeth was injured in the fire, suffering first and second degree burns and a broken back. [1][2]Harper's grandmother Delphine Parson, who lived in a basement apartment, escaped with the help of a neighbor.[3]

While investigating the fire and murder, a Fairfax County Police investigator noticed blood on Harper's jeans.[4] The blood, when tested at the Northern Virginia Forensic Laboratory, was found to be consistent with Anne's blood.[4] A fire investigator found a pair of shoes in a ditch nearby which had strands of hair on them.[4][5]

Following the murder, Harper attended James Madison University, where he majored in psychology and was described as "laid back and mature" by his adviser.[6] While at college in October 1997, Harper was served with a search warrant for his shoes and to take plaster casts of his feet to compare with the shoes found in the ditch.[4] A second search warrant was executed in December to take hair from Harper to compare with hair found on the shoes.[7][8]

After almost three years of investigation, Detective June Boyle was finally able to convince the Commonwealth's Attorney's office that the evidence was strong enough to finally charge Harper, and he was arrested on September 23, 1998.[8][9]

Harper plead guilty to second degree murder on February 16, 1999.[6] He was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Michael P. McWeeny on May 7 to 35 years in prison without the possibility of parole.[10]

Harper is currently incarcerated at the Greensville Correctional Center, and is projected to be released on August 2, 2029.

References

  1. ↑ Fountain, John W. "Community Shaken After Death of 'Exemplary' Student in Va. Fire." The Washington Post (pre-1997 Fulltext): 0. Nov 25 1995. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  2. ↑ Jackman, Tom. "Evidence Taken Illegally in Slaying, Lawyers Say; Woman was Medicated at Time of Consent." The Washington Post: 0. Jan 26 1999. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012
  3. ↑ Fountain, John W. "Woman found Dead in Fire was Stabbed, Autopsy shows." The Washington Post (pre-1997 Fulltext): 0. Nov 28 1995. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Melillo, Wendy. "Fairfax Police Search Student's Home in 1995 Stabbing Death of His Sister." The Washington Post: 0. Oct 23 1997. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  5. ↑ "Police Seek Hair from Brother of Slain Woman." The Washington Post: 0. Dec 06 1997. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jackman, Tom. "Va. Man Guilty in Sister's Death; Plea Entered in Stabbing, Arson on Thanksgiving '95." The Washington Post: 0. Feb 17 1999. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  7. ↑ "Police Seek Hair from Brother of Slain Woman." The Washington Post: 0. Dec 06 1997. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Pae, Peter, and John W. Fountain. "Brother is Arrested in '95 Stabbing Death; Body found in Rubble After House Fire." The Washington Post: 0. Sep 24 1998. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  9. ↑ Jackman, Tom. "Detective Named 'Top Homicide Investigator'." The Washington Post: 0. Oct 07 1999. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
  10. ↑ Jackman, Tom. "Fairfax Man Gets 35 Years for Killing Sister, Setting Fire." The Washington Post: 0. May 08 1999. National Newspapers Core. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.