Durham, N.C. – After more than a decade of investigation and a nine‑year gap between the crime and the arrest, a Durham jury reached a verdict on Oct. 23, 2026, finding Miguel Salguero Olivares guilty of first‑degree murder, rape and burglary in the death of Faith Hedgepeth.
Background of the case
Faith Hedgepeth, a 19‑year‑old sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was brutally beaten to death in her off‑campus apartment on Sept. 7, 2012. The case went cold for years until 2021, when Salguero Olivares was stopped for driving while intoxicated. A mandatory DNA sample matched evidence collected at the crime scene, leading to his arrest nine years after the murder.
Trial proceedings
Jury selection began on Oct. 7, followed by opening statements and testimony. The defense chose not to call any witnesses and rested its case on Wednesday. Nearly two dozen prosecution witnesses testified, including Hedgepeth’s roommate Karena Rosario, friends, crime‑scene technicians, law‑enforcement officers and a DNA expert.
Rosario described the night’s events: after returning from a club around 2 a.m., she became ill and left the apartment, leaving Hedgepeth alone. She returned hours later to discover Hedgepeth’s body.
Forensic evidence
Prosecutors presented forensic testimony that DNA from a rum bottle, identified as the murder weapon, matched Salguero Olivares. Erin Ermish, a forensic scientist with the state crime lab, explained that DNA from Hedgepeth’s body was “170 septillion times more likely” to be a mixture of Hedgepeth and Salguero Olivares than a mixture with an unknown individual. She also noted that DNA on the bottle was “48.6 tredecillion times more likely” to come from Hedgepeth and Salguero Olivares than from two unrelated strangers.
While Ermish cautioned that DNA cannot be said to be 100 % certain, the statistical probabilities presented were overwhelming.
Defense challenges
Defense attorneys questioned the reliability of the DNA evidence, pointing to alleged gaps in the crime‑scene processing and the loss of potential blood evidence. They also challenged Rosario’s account of the night.
Emotional impact
Several jurors were moved to tears after viewing autopsy photographs of Hedgepeth’s injuries. Salguero Olivares himself was seen crying when prosecutors played a video of a jailhouse call with a friend who later died.
Community response
The verdict brings a measure of closure to Hedgepeth’s family, friends and the broader Durham community, which has followed the case closely for years. Local officials and campus leaders expressed relief that justice has been served, while emphasizing the importance of continued vigilance in campus safety.
Next steps
Salguero Olivares now faces sentencing for the three charges. The court will schedule a sentencing hearing later this year, where the judge will consider the severity of the crimes, the impact on the victim’s family, and any mitigating factors presented by the defense.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
