Oct 8, 2026

DURHAM, N.C. (Court TV) — Prosecutors say DNA proves a man standing trial on murder charges killed a student asleep in her bed, but the defense says he is innocent.

Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares appears in court on Oct. 7, 2026. (Court TV)

Miguel Salguero-Olivares, 33, is charged with first-degree murder, burglary, rape and sexual offense in the death of Faith Hedgepeth, 19, who was attending the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill when she was killed on Sept. 7, 2012.

At the time of her death, Hedgepeth was living with a roommate in a small apartment near her school. On Sept. 6, 2012, she and her roommate went out for drinks, then returned to their apartment after 2 a.m. on Sept. 7.

Hedgepeth’s roommate, Karena Rosario, told police that after returning to their apartment, she was sick in the bathroom for more than an hour before deciding to leave with a friend. Rosario said she assumed Hedgepeth was asleep when she left the house at around 4:30 a.m., leaving the door unlocked behind her.

The next morning, Rosario tried to call Hedgepeth 14 times but got no response. Another friend drove her home and went inside with her. Rosario told police she struggled to grasp what she saw: lots of blood and Hedgepeth on her bed.

Prosecutor Angela Garcia-Lamarca told the jury that the defendant’s DNA was found “all over the crime scene,” including on the presumed murder weapon: a bottle of Bacardi rum. A handwritten note left at the scene said, “I’m not stupid. B—. Jealous.” “The scene calls to mind, as we’ve all heard a dozen times, men — some men — are terrified women will laugh at them, make them feel stupid,” Garcia-Lamarca said. “Women are terrified men will kill them, correctly.”

“He crept into her apartment, under the cover of darkness; he walked past the kitchen, took two bottles off the counter: the Bacardi bottle and the blue Riesling bottle,” Garcia-Lamarca said. “He dropped the blue Riesling bottle on the floor and used the Bacardi rum bottle to come down on her head. She didn’t even have a chance to get up and he did it again and again.”

The Bacardi bottle, the Riesling bottle, boxer shorts that Hedgepeth had been sleeping in and a tampon that had been in her body were all found next to her bed.

Despite the DNA at the scene, Garcia-Lamarca said it took years to track down a suspect because the victim and defendant were strangers. But Salguero-Olivares’s attorney, James Rainsford, suggested that the two may have known each other and that any DNA found in the victim’s body was there from a previous consensual encounter. “The state has repeatedly said, ‘Well, they didn’t know each other at all. They were complete strangers.’ Prove it. That’s just a throwaway statement.”

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Rainsford also accused investigators of mishandling evidence and suggested to the jury that the real killer was Hedgepeth’s roommate. The friend who had picked Rosario up on Sept. 7 later called the police to report that he had seen blood on her hand; when he asked her about it, Rosario changed the subject. “Now, some people might consider that to be noise, but other people might consider that something you want to consider when you’re sitting in judgment of somebody accused of murder,” Rainsford said.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 3 – 10/9/26



LIVESTREAM: NC v. Miguel Salguero-Olivares – Day 3 | The Faith Hedgepeth Murder Trial



DAY 2 – 10/8/26



LIVESTREAM: NC v. Miguel Salguero-Olivares – Day 2 | The Faith Hedgepeth Murder Trial

Karena Rosario returned to the witness stand



Clarified the timeline of her return home, throwing up and sitting on the bathroom floor.

Confirmed she did not check on Hedgepeth before leaving at 4:20 a.m.

Did not notice the missing rum bottle at the scene on Sept. 8, 2012, due to shock, but noticed the blue wine bottle out of place.





Talib Cochrane, victim’s friend



Was a friend and romantic partner of Hedgepeth’s in fall 2010.

Saw the victim on the evening of Sept. 6, 2012, when she picked up earrings she had forgotten.

Engaged in oral but not vaginal sex with the victim, who said she was menstruating.





Irvin “Mitch” Mitchell, working at “The Thrill” in Sept. 2012



Remembered Hedgepeth and Rosario coming to the club, receiving VIP armbands, and leaving around 2 a.m.

Assisted police by reviewing surveillance video timestamps.

Authenticated video showing Hedgepeth and Rosario entering and exiting the bar.





Jordan McCrary, Rosario’s friend



UNC student-athlete; had an on-and-off dating relationship with Rosario and picked her up at 4:20 a.m.

Noticed a small red/blood-like smudge on Rosario’s finger after picking her up. Rosario said she didn’t know where it came from.

Authenticated a video of his police interview.





Linda Holt, former 911 dispatcher



Authenticated the 911 call from Sept. 7, 2012.

Published full 911 audio recording of Rosario reporting Hedgepeth was unconscious and blood everywhere.





Marisol Rangel, victim’s friend



Picked Rosario up on Sept. 7, 2012, and drove her back to the apartment she shared with the victim.

Entered the apartment and found Hedgepeth partially wrapped in a comforter.

She has blocked out memories over time and suffers severe trauma/triggers from discovering the scene.





Officer Michael Castro, Chapel Hill Police Department



One of the initial responding officers after the 911 call.

Observed victim on far side of bed, half on/half off, with black shirt pulled up near her neck, partially covered by a comforter, with obvious blood spatter on the walls.





Tamika Price, Chapel Hill Police Department forensic evidence technician



Narrated crime scene video footage showing the apartment’s exterior, interior bedroom, blood spatter, blue wine bottle, boxer shorts, bloody tampon and white paper bag with handwritten note.







DAY 1 – 10/7/26



LIVESTREAM: NC v. Miguel Salguero-Olivares – Day 1 | The Faith Hedgepeth Murder Trial

Prosecutor Angela Garcia-Lamarca delivered opening statements for the prosecution.



Framed the case as a violent home invasion, murder and sexual assault.

A single male DNA profile was found on multiple items at the crime scene and inside the victim’s body.





James Rainsford delivered opening statements for the defense.



Gaps in time and missing or lost forensic evidence, potential contamination and alternative theories add up to reasonable doubt.





Alexis Evans, victim’s niece



Described Faith Hedgepeth as academically gifted, a cheerleader, involved in youth organizations and church activities.

UNC Chapel Hill was Hedgepeth’s top choice for school; she was studying biology with plans to become a pediatrician.

Last saw the victim on the Sunday before her death. Received a text from the victim the night before her death asking ifshe was registered to vote.

She did not know the defendant and the victim never mentioned his name.





Karena Rosario, victim’s roommate



Met Hedgepeth freshman year at UNC Chapel Hill; they lived together as roommates.

The victim moved in late July/early August 2012; the two girls shareed a single bedroom, mattress, car and only had one key to the apartment.

On Sept. 6, 2012, they studied at the library, returned to the apartment, changed, and then went to a bar around midnight.

Rosario became heavily intoxicated and emotional after seeing her ex-boyfriend’s family and was sick.

Hedgepeth drove the two of them home; Rosario threw up in a trash can and then spent time texting in the bathroom.

At around 4:20 a.m., Rosario left the apartment, leaving the front door unlocked, and got picked up by a friend.

Returned at around 11 a.m. on Sept. 7, to find Hedgepeth on the floor beside her bed.

Identified a blue wine bottle on the bedroom floor that normally sat on the kitchen counter.

She never knew the defendant and he had never been in her apartment, to her knowledge.