Prosecutors opened the trial against a man charged with first-degree murder, rape, and burglary in the 2012 death of UNC student Faith Hedgepeth by stating that DNA evidence left on various items at the crime scene implicates him as the killer. Assistant District Attorney Angela Garcia-Lamarca emphasized the clarity of the evidence, arguing it proves a stranger killed Hedgepeth in a fit of rage. In contrast, defense attorney James Rainsford highlighted inconsistencies and missing details in the prosecution's case.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 7, 2012, Faith Hedgepeth, a 19-year-old junior at the University of North Carolina, was found murdered in her off-campus apartment. She was discovered naked and severely beaten by her roommate. The killer left behind a disturbing message etched on a fast-food bag near her body reading: "I'm not stupid b*h jealous." No arrests were made for nearly nine years until Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares**, 33, was taken into custody in September 2021. DNA evidence from the crime scene, including semen found in Hedgepeth's rape kit and blood on a wine bottle, led investigators to identify him through a distant family member. Prosecutors claim that Salguero-Olivares' DNA was also found on the bloody murder weapon and the fast-food bag with the taunting message. His trial began on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary.
Written for “UNC Student Murder Trial” on 2026-10-08,
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The trial of a man accused of killing a North Carolina college student 14 years ago began Wednesday with the prosecution alleging she was killed in a fit of rage by a stranger who left his DNA all over the crime scene.
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who → accuse → scene
The defense said the evidence doesn't add up.
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evidence → say → ?
In her opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Angela Garcia-Lamarca said the defendant left his
on the murder weapon – a bottle of rum found covered in blood – inside Hedgepeth's body and on a note written on a fast-food bag found at the scene.
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defendant → open → scene
"The evidence in this case is louder than the noise around it," she said.
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she → say → it
She described Hedgepeth as a caring friend who was beloved by everyone who knew her and was on track to become the first person in her family to graduate from college.
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who → describe → college
"You will see from the evidence in this case that the defendant committed these acts against Faith in a fit of rage, not because he knew her," she said.
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she → see → her
"He didn't do this to her because of who she was, he did it because of who he is."
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he → do → it
Garcia-Lamarca said Hedgepeth and her roommate had been at a popular club that night, and that Hedgepeth, the designated driver, drove them home around 2 a.m.
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Hedgepeth → say → them
The roommate was drunk and sick, she said, but later called a friend to come pick her up around 4 a.m.
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she → say → her
She returned hours later and found Hedgepeth dead.
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She → return → Hedgepeth
but it's also simple," the prosecutor said.
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prosecutor → say → ?
In his opening statement, defense attorney James Rainsford said prosecutors left out key details and urged jurors to ask themselves, "Where's the rest of the evidence?"
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rest → say → evidence
The friend who picked up Hedgepeth's roommate told police he saw what looked like blood on her hands.
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what → pick → hands
A downstairs neighbor reported hearing loud thumps between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.
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neighbor → report → a.m.
And police later lost evidence related to what appeared to be blood in the apartment's bathroom.
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what → lose → bathroom
"Is this just noise or are you starting to hear things that don't add up?" he said.
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he → start → things
"Maybe that's noise to some people; that sounds like forensic evidence to others."
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that → sound → others
His arrest came after a DNA sample submitted to the state crime lab by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Chapel Hill Police Department matched a profile found at the original crime scene, authorities said.
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authorities → come → scene
"Finding something doesn't mean a crime occurred.
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crime → mean → something
You have to connect them," Rainsford said of the DNA evidence.
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Rainsford → have → evidence
"It doesn't mean what you think."
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you → mean → what
The prosecutor said the message on the fast-food bag -- "I'm Not Stupid (expletive) Jealous" -- called to mind an old adage.
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I → say → adage
"Men, some men, are terrified women will laugh at them," she said.
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she → terrify → them
"Women are terrified of being killed or raped."
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Women → terrify → ?
As one of their first witnesses, prosecutors called Karena Rosario, who found her roommate's lifeless, battered body.
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who → call → body
Rosario said she found Hedgepeth's body off the bed with her shirt pulled all the way up and nothing on her body from the waist down, CBS affiliate WNCN reported.
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WNCN → say → waist
Rosario sobbed as she described the 911 dispatcher asking her to touch Hedgepeth to see if she was warm.
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she → sob → Hedgepeth
"And I told them that she felt cold," she said through tears.
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she → tell → tears
As she waited for an ambulance to arrive, Rosario said "it felt like a thousand hours."
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it → wait → hours
The prosecutor asked Rosario how it felt to not know what happened to her roommate and friend, WNCN reported.
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WNCN → ask → roommate
"It felt like I was going crazy.
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I → feel → ?
It felt like I was living in a nightmare," she said.
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she → feel → nightmare
"It felt like one day, I was just like a normal college student, and the next it felt like my whole life was flipped upside down, and the one person that I wanted to be there with me was not."
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I → feel → me
The Aporia
