The Murder of Faith Hedgepeth
- Posted:
- January 25, 2022
- 10:03 pm
Faith Danielle Hedgepeth was murdered on Sept 7, 2012, in her apartment in Chapel Hill, NC. She was beaten to death in her apartment; her murder went unsolved for 9 years.
Background
Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old University of North Carolina sophomore student and member of the Haliwa-Sapona Tribe in Warren County, NC. She excelled at her studies, having received the Gates Millenium Scholarship. She had intentions of earning her degree as a pediatrician. She had also discussed plans of returning to her hometown of Hollister, NC, once she finished with her education. She wanted to support her community and her tribe. At the time of her death, she was working part time at a Red Robin Restaurant in Durham, NC.
The Murder
According to police, on Sept. 6, 2012, at around 6:00 p.m., Hedgepeth attended a recruiting event for the Alpha Pi Omega sorority. Once she left, she made her way to the University of North Carolina-Davis Library to meet up with her friend, Karena Rosario. The two friends left the Davis Library and arrived at Rosario’s apartment at around 7:30 p.m. Hedgepeth was staying with Rosario temporarily until her new apartment became available at the end of the month. News sources report that the two women left the apartment just after midnight and went to The Thrill, a Chapel Hill nightclub. They arrived at 12:40 a.m. and left at 2:06 a.m., according to nightclub surveillance cameras. They returned to the apartment. At around 4:25 a.m., Rosario was picked up by a male friend. She stated that when she left, Hedgepeth was asleep in her bed. She said that she left the apartment door unlocked.
According to the 911 call, Rosario told the dispatcher that she came home and found her roommate unconscious and there was “blood everywhere”. She said that Faith felt cold to the touch.
Rosario told investigators that she and a friend, Marisol Rangel, returned to the apartment at around 11:00 a.m., found Hedgepeth, and dialed 911 at 11:01 a.m.
Police arrived to find the top half of Hedgepeth’s body hanging over the edge of the bed, laying face up, and wearing only a black t-shirt that was pulled up to cover her head. A pool of blood had gathered on the floor under where her head had been suspended.
The Investigation
Faith’s autopsy report was released to the public in September 2014. It noted cuts and bruises on her arms and legs. There was also blood under her fingernails. The most significant injury was to her head. Investigators listed her cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head, with supporting evidence being the blood splatter on the wall and closet door. Police believed that the murder weapon had been a Bacardi Peach Rum bottle from the kitchen because tissue fragments and DNA were discovered on the bottle. Additional evidence of blood, tissue, and semen was discovered on Faith’s body and a bloody tampon was found near her body. Police also found a white, fast-food bag from a restaurant called Time-Out that someone had written “I’M NOT STUPID BITCH” and “JEALOUS”. Oddly enough, no blood was found on the bag.
A voicemail was found on Faith’s phone that police say did not correlate with the time of the murder. Even though they do not believe it is relevant many members of the public are convinced this may be the final moments of Faith’s life; though this has not been confirmed by police.
Over the course of 9 years, investigators lead a very thorough and complex investigation. According to the North Carolina Attorney General, Josh Stein, 229 separate DNA samples were compared to DNA taken from the crime scene, and thousands of interviews were conducted. DNA phenotyping suggested the perpetrator was of Latin American descent, possibly having olive skin tone and dark-colored eyes.
Over the course of 9 years, investigators lead a very thorough and complex investigation. According to the North Carolina Attorney General, Josh Stein, 229 separate DNA samples were compared to DNA taken from the crime scene, and thousands of interviews were conducted. DNA phenotyping suggested the perpetrator was of Latin American descent, possibly having olive skin tone and dark-colored eyes.
DNA Connection
Without any leads in the case, investigators turned to ancestry technologies to try to locate any individuals that may be related to the DNA left at the crime scene. Investigators were able to locate distant family members related to Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares.
From this new lead, investigators were able to serve three warrants; two of the three were obtained by The News & Observer. One warrant stated that investigators collected blood, hair, and saliva from Salguero-Oliveras; the other allowed investigators to search his home for evidence. The warrants also stated that Finger and palmprints that were taken from Salguero-Olivares matched ones found on the murder weapon.
Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares
Miguel Salguero-Olivares, 28, a Guatemalan immigrant who had been working as a painter and drywall finisher at the time of his arrest. He would have been 19 years old at the time of Faith’s death. In 2012, he had only been in America for approximately 2 years, and spoke little to no English, according to a friend of his mother’s.
According to court documents, he was convicted of DUI in Orange County, NC in 2014. He was arrested again on August 16, 2021, in Wake County, NC, for DUI (two and a half times over the legal limit), no operator’s license, driving with an open container of alcohol, and a vehicle registration violation. He failed to appear in court on Sept. 3, 2021, and a warrant for his arrest was issued on Sept 7, 2021.
Salguero-Olivares was arrested for the first-degree murder of Faith Hedgepeth, nine years and nine days following her murder.
4 Comments
anon
this is not the killer , that phone call showed who the killers were back at the time they claimed she had been murdered at 130 am, so the voice mail could not be her be cause it because was around 4.30 am (why would it be there if she is already dead did she return from the grave to post it ? what a ridiculous theory ) and now we find out she left the club at 2.05 am and her “friend” left her house at around 4am, and now the investigation is saying she was murdered a round 4.30 am the same time on that voice mail. what sloppy police work any cop can plant evidence why werent they questioned about that voice mail if they were why can it be heard,and the name rose well her friends last name is rosario.
Steve Treiber
U must be his mom lol…that piece of shit should have stayed in his own shithole country instead of coming to the greatest country in the history of the world to rape an murder an now be taken care of for the rest of his miserable pathetic life by the hardworking taxpayers of America
Izzie
1st commenter: Ignorance can be fixed. – Stupid can’t. Is English your first language? Just asking bc your comment is nearly incoherent. And if you were born here & English is your native language, might I (kindly!) suggest a remedial English class? It would be of great help in your future endeavors , honestly. Pls @ANON, check your facts b4 commenting.
2nd commenter: You’re absolutely correct – America IS the greatest country on Earth. But your comment just sheds disgrace on Her. We are a Country of immigrants, all of us, even you. There is room for everyone & acceptance should be a given. You can’t blame an entire country for one person’s vile actions. It’s disgusting, unchristian & unamerican. You’re desecrating America as well as Faith with your racist rhetoric.
I pray Justice is swiftly served so her family can leave the ugly behind & remember the beautiful. I know of what I speak. My child was murdered too.
Steve Treiber
Fuck him an the liberal cucktards like you that spew that bullshit…I’m
Not a immigrant nor is my parents grandparents or great grandparents…take care of your own first…if theirs enough leftover you take care of others…without borders there is no country…fuck him an you…o yeah fuck Christian’s too…I don’t believe in fairy tales