DNA match pivotal in arrest in 2012 murder of Faith Hedgepeth

The importance of DNA evidence was illustrated in the murder of Faith Hedgepeth. A man was finally arrested in the UNC student's death on Thursday after a DNA sample was submitted.
Posted 9/17/2021, 2:32:00 AM Updated 9/17/2021, 2:46:32 AM

LIVE IN CHAPEL HILL.

TODAY'S MAJOR ARREST

ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE OVER THE

COURSE OF NINE YEARS.

INVESTIGATORS WENT THROUGH A

LOT OF DNA SAMPLES, RIGHT?

>> Reporter: DNA WAS CRITICAL

HERE.

INVESTIGATORS SAY FROM SKETCH

TO MUG SHOT THEY FINALLY MADE

AN ARREST IN THE 2012 MURDER OF

FAITH HEDGEPETH.

IN TERMS OF ON THE TRAIL, TO

FINDING ANSWERS DURING

INVESTIGATION DNA PROVED HELP

CIVIL IT WAS TO UNCOVER ANSWERS

AND UNSIGNED CRIMES.

A FATHER AND MOTHER RELIVING

THEIR MISERY ALL OVER AGAIN.

IN A BITTERSWEET WAY.

AN ARREST IN THEIR DAUGHTERS

MURDER WAS FINALLY MADE.

GIVING THEM SOME ANSWERS.

>> I CRIED TEARS OF JOY.

TEARS OF RELIEF.

KNOWING THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN

ARRESTED IN HER CASE.

>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS SAY

THE ARREST OF 28-YEAR-OLD

MIGUEL OLIVERAS WAS MADE RELIED

ON A KEY ELEMENT TO THE CASE A.

>> AN ARREST A DECADE IN THE

MAKING HAS BEEN MADE.

THIS CASE UNDERSCORES THE

IMPORTANCE OF DNA.

>> Reporter: JOSH STEIN SAID

SOMETHING INVESTIGATORS

SUBMITTED TO THE STATE CRIME

LAB ALLOW FOR A MATCH TO BE

MADE TO THE ORIGINAL CRIME

SCENE NINE YEARS AGO.

WHEN FAITH HEDGEPETH WAS FOUND

DEAD IN HER APARTMENT NINE

YEARS AGO.

THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO DO.

>> THE CASE IS NOT SOLVED.

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

>> Reporter: WENT TO THE STATE

ATTORNEY GENERAL THERE ARE MORE

THAN 200 SAMPLES OF DNA

PROCESSED FOR THE

INVESTIGATION.

THE DNA WAS MATCHED YESTERDAY.

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