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Inside the hunt for killer of University of North Carolina student found beaten, bloodied
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Key Points:
- Faith Hedgepeth, a 19-year-old University of North Carolina sophomore and member of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, was found beaten and sexually assaulted to death in her off-campus apartment in September 2012.
- Despite investigating over 1,800 suspects, authorities were unable to identify the killer until 2021, when new DNA technology and genetic genealogy linked the crime scene DNA to Miguel Salguero-Olivares, who was arrested and charged.
- Salguero-Olivares pleaded not guilty at his 2026 trial but was found guilty of first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary, receiving a life sentence without parole; his defense plans to appeal.
- Hedgepeth’s family and community remember her vibrant spirit and have honored her legacy through the Faith’s Smile Memorial Scholarship and support from the MMIW Memorial Grove organization.
- The case and Hedgepeth’s story are featured in a new "20/20" episode titled "Justice for Faith," highlighting the investigation, trial, and impact on her community.
