
On September 7, 2012, 19-year-old Faith Hedgepeth, a student at the University of North Carolina, was found brutally murdered in her off-campus apartment. Her killer, 28-year-old Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, was arrested in September 2021, almost a decade after the crime. In this article, we will explore the details of Faith's tragic death, the subsequent investigation, and the eventual arrest of her killer.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date of murder | 7th of September, 2012 |
Victim | Faith Hedgepeth |
Age of victim | 19 |
Status of victim | Undergraduate student in her third year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Murder weapon | Empty liquor bottle |
Suspect | Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares |
Age of suspect | 28 |
Status of suspect | Painter |
Arrest date | 16th of September, 2021 |
Arrest location | Durham |
Charge | First-degree murder |
Trial status | Awaiting trial |
What You'll Learn
The suspect, Miguel Salguero-Olivares, was arrested in 2021
On September 16, 2021, the Chapel Hill Police Department arrested 28-year-old Miguel Salguero-Olivares, charging him with the first-degree murder of Faith Hedgepeth. Salguero-Olivares was not initially a suspect in the case, but his DNA was identified as a match to the crime scene after he was arrested for driving while impaired in Raleigh on August 16, 2021.
Following the arrest, search and arrest warrants were issued, allowing law enforcement to enter his apartment in Durham and seize several cell phones and a laptop. A third warrant, issued on September 30, sought to confirm whether Salguero-Olivares' palm print matched the print found on the murder weapon—a glass or wine bottle.
Salguero-Olivares has been held without bond in the Durham County Detention Center since his arrest. He made an initial virtual court appearance on September 17, 2021, and his next court date is scheduled for October 13, 2023. While the case is still pending, the prosecution has confirmed it is not seeking the death penalty.
Faith Hedgepeth's father, Roland Hedgepeth, expressed his emotions about the arrest, saying, "It's just a new beginning. Everything is just starting." However, he noted that the case has had little movement since the arrest, and the family is still waiting for closure.
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Salguero-Olivares' DNA was identified via a DWI traffic stop
On September 7, 2012, Faith Hedgepeth, a 19-year-old University of North Carolina (UNC) student, was found brutally murdered in her off-campus apartment. Hedgepeth had been beaten over the head with a blunt instrument, which was later identified as an empty liquor bottle, and there was evidence of semen and male DNA at the crime scene.
Almost a decade later, investigators identified a suspect, 28-year-old Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, through DNA ancestry technology. Salguero-Olivares's DNA was obtained without his consent during a DWI traffic stop on September 14, 2021, two days before he was charged with Hedgepeth's murder.
On August 16, 2021, about a month before he was charged with Hedgepeth's murder, Salguero-Olivares was arrested and charged with driving while impaired (DWI) in Raleigh, North Carolina. According to court records, an officer found him asleep in his vehicle with the engine running, an open container of alcohol, and slurred speech. He failed to appear in court for this charge on September 3, and an order for his arrest was issued on September 7.
On September 14, investigators from Chapel Hill and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) obtained a DNA sample from Salguero-Olivares without his knowledge during a DWI traffic stop. This was done two days before he was officially charged with Hedgepeth's murder. The DNA sample was sent to the North Carolina Crime Lab in Raleigh, where it was compared to the evidence found at the 2012 crime scene.
The DNA found at the crime scene, including on the wine bottle believed to be the murder weapon, was determined to be a probable match to Salguero-Olivares. Additionally, a palm print on the wine bottle matched the suspect's left palm.
Based on this DNA evidence and the palm print match, Salguero-Olivares was arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of Faith Hedgepeth on September 16, 2021, about nine years after the crime.
At the time of his arrest, Salguero-Olivares was 28 years old and working as a painter. He had moved to the area from Guatemala and was never enrolled as a student at UNC. Investigators seized six cell phones and a laptop from his apartment, hoping to find any memories or communications related to the crime.
While Salguero-Olivares's DNA was key to identifying him as a suspect, it is important to note that investigators initially turned to DNA ancestry technology to identify distant relatives of the suspect. These relatives were interviewed and provided DNA samples, which helped lead investigators to Salguero-Olivares.
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A palm print on the murder weapon matched the suspect
On September 7, 2012, 19-year-old Faith Hedgepeth, a student at the University of North Carolina, was found brutally murdered in her off-campus apartment. Hedgepeth had been beaten over the head with a blunt instrument, which was later identified as an empty liquor bottle. There was also evidence of semen and male DNA at the crime scene.
For years, the case went unsolved, despite the collection of a significant amount of DNA evidence. However, in September 2021, a major breakthrough occurred. 28-year-old Miguel Salguero-Olivares was arrested and charged with Hedgepeth's murder. Salguero-Olivares had not been a suspect initially, but his DNA was identified through a drunken-driving arrest a month before his arrest for murder.
A crucial piece of evidence linking Salguero-Olivares to the crime was the palm print found on the murder weapon, the empty liquor bottle used to assault Hedgepeth. This palm print matched the suspect's left palm, providing strong physical evidence of his involvement in the murder.
The investigation into Hedgepeth's murder involved the collection and analysis of a vast array of forensic evidence, including DNA samples and palm prints. The palm print discovered on the murder weapon played a pivotal role in solidifying the case against Salguero-Olivares. While DNA evidence can be powerful, the presence of the suspect's palm print on the weapon used to inflict the fatal blows adds a critical layer of corroborating evidence.
The case against Salguero-Olivares continued to build as investigators seized electronic devices from his apartment and worked to uncover any additional evidence that could further strengthen the case. The combination of DNA evidence, the matching palm print, and any potential digital evidence will likely play a significant role in the prosecution's case as they seek justice for Faith Hedgepeth and her grieving family.
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Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old UNC student
Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old third-year undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She was a biology major and had earned a Gates Millennium Scholarship to attend the university. She was a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Native American tribe and was born in Warren County, North Carolina, which is part of the tribe's traditional territory.
Hedgepeth was an active and well-rounded student. She was a cheerleader and a member of many extracurricular clubs and organizations, including the National Honor Society, Project SEED at Duke University, Project Uplift, Camp Carolina, Summer Bridge, and Renaissance. She was also involved in community programs such as Rising Stars Tutors, NCNAYO, SWAT, the Native American Student Association, and the Youth Summit Committee.
Hedgepeth had a passion for helping children and wanted to become a pediatrician or elementary school teacher. Her family described her as outgoing, smart, and loving, always thinking of others before herself. She was the joy of her family and kept them going during difficult times.
On September 7, 2012, Hedgepeth was found murdered in her off-campus apartment in Chapel Hill. She had been beaten over the head with a blunt instrument, later identified as an empty liquor bottle, and there was evidence of semen and male DNA at the crime scene. The last time she was known to be alive was earlier that morning when she returned home from a local nightclub with her roommate, Karena Rosario.
The investigation into Hedgepeth's murder has been challenging, and it was only in 2021, nine years after her death, that a suspect was arrested. Advances in DNA technology led investigators to identify the suspect as Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, who was 28 years old at the time of his arrest. He was charged with first-degree murder and is currently awaiting trial.
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The case remains active, with little public movement
The case of Faith Hedgepeth's murder remains active, with little public movement. The investigation and the case against 28-year-old Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, who faces a first-degree murder charge, have shown little progress since his arrest on September 16, 2021. Salguero-Olivares has been held in the Durham County Detention Center without bond since his arrest.
Salguero-Olivares' next court date is scheduled for October 13, 2023, but it is not the start of the trial. Instead, it is an annual homicide status conference, a procedural event where the court and district attorney's office review every active or pending homicide case.
The case has seen delays due to the amount of discovery and evidence, including digital forensic analysis. Investigators collected DNA from 52 pieces of case evidence, and while no public leads emerged, they were able to rule out suspects by cross-referencing DNA samples with over 200 different samples. The DNA found at the crime scene and on the murder weapon, a wine or rum bottle, matched Salguero-Olivares' DNA, which was obtained during a DWI traffic stop in August 2021.
The investigation into Hedgepeth's murder has been ongoing since 2012. Hedgepeth, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of North Carolina, was found beaten to death in her off-campus apartment on September 7, 2012. Evidence indicated that she was sexually assaulted, and a note with a vulgar message was left at the scene.
The case of Faith Hedgepeth's murder remains unresolved, with her family still awaiting justice and closure.
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Frequently asked questions
Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She was a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Native American tribe.
On 7 September 2012, Faith Hedgepeth was found dead in her off-campus apartment. She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death with a blunt instrument, later identified as an empty liquor bottle.
Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, 28, of Durham. He was arrested and charged with Hedgepeth's murder in 2021.
Investigators used DNA ancestry technology to find Hedgepeth's killer. They identified distant family members of the suspect who shared his genetic information and obtained their DNA, which helped identify Salguero-Olivares.
The suspect, Salguero-Olivares, is currently awaiting trial. Hedgepeth's father has said that the case has had little movement since the arrest.