Jurors in the Faith Hedgepeth murder trial heard testimony on Friday linking Miguel Salguero-Olivares to DNA found on the victim. The proceedings, entering their eighth day, involve allegations that the defendant killed the 19-year-old UNC-Chapel Hill student in 2012.

What did the DNA evidence show?

A DNA expert testified that evidence linked Salguero-Olivares to semen found in Hedgepeth’s body. During the trial, investigators also played a recorded exchange in which the defendant questioned how his DNA could be connected to a woman he claimed he had never met.

Details of the investigation

Special Agent Justin Heinrich of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) provided several details regarding the long-term investigation:

  • Investigators analyzed a spreadsheet containing over 1,700 names potentially connected to the victim.
  • Evidence showed Salguero-Olivares worked at a restaurant directly across from where Hedgepeth was employed.
  • The SBI noted that the passage of time made the investigation difficult as memories and surveillance footage can change or disappear.

Challenges in the decade-long search

Investigators spent nearly a decade attempting to uncover the truth behind the 2012 homicide. Agent Heinrich explained to the jury that the long delay presented significant hurdles, as physical evidence and surveillance videos can be lost over time. The investigation eventually led to the 2021 arrest of Salguero-Olivares, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and murder.

Witness testimonies

Several witnesses provided accounts of the defendant's life and surroundings. Eldis Cordero Ordonez, a former coworker, testified that he and Salguero-Olivares did not socialize outside of work. Ordonez noted that the defendant's mother had contacted him recently, stating she wanted him to "tell the truth" in court.

Additionally, Luiz Alfonso Lainez Lopez, a neighbor of the victim, testified about a cookout held the night before the killing. While Lopez lived in the same complex as Hedgepeth, witnesses could not confirm the defendant's presence at the social gathering.

FAQ

When did the crime occur?

Faith Hedgepeth was killed on September 7, 2012.

When was an arrest made?

Chapel Hill police made an arrest in the case on September 16, 2021.