Durham, N.C. – The trial of Miguel Salguero-Olivares for the 2012 killing of UNC student Faith Hedgepeth took a notable turn on Wednesday when the defense rested its case without presenting any evidence or calling a single witness. The decision brings the weeks‑long proceeding one step closer to closing arguments and eventual jury deliberations.
Defense rests without testimony
Earlier in the week, Salguero-Olivares’s attorneys told the court they intended to present a defense case. On Monday, they announced plans to call witnesses, but after prosecutors rested their case on Wednesday, the defense also chose to rest. In a brief statement to the judge, Miguel Salguero-Olivares confirmed he would not testify on his own behalf.
Motion to dismiss denied
Following the rest, defense counsel James Rainsford asked the judge to dismiss all charges, arguing that the state had failed to meet its burden of proof. Prosecutors opposed the motion, and the judge denied the request, allowing the trial to proceed to the next phase.
Trial background
Jurors have already heard testimony from investigators, forensic experts, friends, family members and others connected to Hedgepeth’s death. The victim, a University of North Carolina student, was found dead inside her Chapel Hill apartment in September 2012. Prosecutors have emphasized DNA evidence that they say links Salguero-Olivares to the crime, while the defense has challenged the state’s investigative methods and the reliability of that evidence.
What comes next
With both sides now resting, the court is expected to move to closing arguments in the coming days. After closing statements, the case will be handed to the jury for deliberations, which could begin as early as next week.
Community reaction
Several jurors expressed surprise at the defense’s decision to rest without presenting any evidence. The outcome of the trial remains a point of concern for the Durham community, which has followed the case closely since the 2012 homicide shocked the university and surrounding neighborhoods.
The trial continues to be a focal point for discussions about public safety, forensic science, and the pursuit of justice in North Carolina’s capital region.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
