The Unsolved Mystery of Faith Hedgepeth’s 2012 Murder

Who Was Faith Hedgepeth?

Born on September 26, 1992, in North Carolina, Faith Hedgepeth was a proud member of the Haliwa-Saponi Native American tribe. From a young age, Faith was active in her church and community, joining the youth choir and excelling in academics and extracurriculars. A National Honor Society member and part of her high school’s Native American Student Society and cheerleading team, she juggled a busy schedule while remaining committed to helping those around her.

Faith’s hard work paid off when she was awarded a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Aspiring to become the first college graduate in her family, she dreamed of a career as an elementary school teacher or pediatrician. But just days before her 20th birthday, her life was tragically cut short.

The Night Everything Changed

On the morning of September 7, 2012, Faith Hedgepeth’s lifeless body was discovered in her bedroom by her roommate, Karena Rosario, and their mutual friend, Marisol Rangel. Concerned after Faith didn’t respond to calls to pick her up, Rosario had called Rangel for a ride home. The two women entered the apartment and found a horrifying scene.

Faith was found bloodied, partially nude, and wrapped in a comforter. According to police, she had suffered severe head trauma, likely caused by an empty rum bottle found nearby. A rape kit confirmed the presence of semen at the scene, and a cryptic note scrawled on a paper bag added to the mystery. It read: “I’M NOT STUPID B — CH JEALOUS.”

Piecing Together the Timeline

Investigators began reconstructing the events leading up to Faith’s death. The night before, Faith had attended a sorority event before heading to the library with Rosario. The pair left around 11:30 p.m. and returned to their shared apartment to prepare for a night out. They arrived at a local nightclub, **The Thrill**, and stayed until closing time at 2 a.m. Security footage confirmed the two leaving together.

The women returned home around 3 a.m. Rosario later claimed that Faith helped her get to bed before retiring to her own room. However, at approximately 4:30 a.m., Rosario called another friend, Jordan McCrary, to pick her up. By the time she returned to the apartment that morning, Faith was dead.

Adding to the timeline’s complexity, a neighbor living below the apartment reported hearing three loud thuds around 3 a.m., the same time Faith’s Facebook account was accessed. A text was also sent from Faith’s phone at 3:40 a.m. to someone named Brandon Edwards, asking him to visit the apartment.

Early Leads Turn Cold

Initial suspicion fell on Eriq Takoy Jones, Rosario’s ex-boyfriend. Jones had a contentious history with Faith, who had supported Rosario in obtaining a restraining order against him. At one point, Jones had allegedly threatened Faith’s life. Despite this, his DNA did not match evidence at the scene, and police ruled him out as a suspect.

Investigators worked with a genetic profiling company to analyze the DNA from the crime scene. The profile pointed to a man of Native American, Latino, or European descent. While this narrowed the possibilities, progress on the case slowed, and leads dwindled over the years.

A Breakthrough Arrest — Or Another Question Mark?

Nearly nine years later, in September 2021, police arrested 28-year-old Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares, charging him with Faith Hedgepeth’s murder. Salguero-Olivares’ DNA matched the evidence collected at the crime scene, and his handprints reportedly matched those found on the rum bottle used as the murder weapon.

The arrest offered a glimmer of hope to Faith’s grieving family. Her father, Roland Hedgepeth, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to thank God for allowing me to see this day.”

In January 2022, authorities continued to gather evidence, seizing Salguero-Olivares’ phone and laptop. Despite these developments, a trial date has yet to be set, leaving the case in limbo.

Lingering Questions

To date, Salguero-Olivares is the only person charged in connection with Faith Hedgepeth’s murder. However, his lack of a known connection to Faith raises doubts. Was he truly responsible, or is there another explanation yet to come to light?

Faith’s mother, Connie Hedgepeth, remains steadfast in her belief that the truth will emerge, saying, “Everything will be revealed that happened in Faith’s death.”

The world is still waiting for justice for Faith Hedgepeth, a bright and compassionate young woman whose life was tragically stolen. Until her case is resolved, it remains one of the most haunting unsolved crimes in recent memory.

Thank you for reading!

If you find this piece interesting, please leave a heart, comment, or even subscribe! Your support means a lot to me as a writer!