The trial of a man accused of killing North Carolina University student Faith H. began on Wednesday, 14 years after the student was found dead in her off-campus apartment.
The prosecutor alleges that Marlon Segura-Olivares had left DNA evidence at the crime scene, which included rum bottles that investigators said were covered in Hedgepeth’s blood. Olivares has been charged with first-degree murder, rape, and burglary in connection with the 2012 death.
The district attorney, in her opening statement, said that the evidence would establish Olivares’ connection to the killing. She said that Olivares’ DNA was found on the rum bottle, which prosecutors identified as alleged murder evidence, as well as other pieces of evidence found in the apartment.
According to the prosecutors, Hedgepeth had spent the night with her roommate at a popular club before returning to her apartment in the early morning hours. Hedgepeth had driven her roommate home at around 2 a.m. When the roommate returned several hours later, she discovered Hedgepeth dead.
Prosecutors described Hedgepeth as a young woman who was deeply loved by her family and friends and had been working toward becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college.
Hedgepeth was attacked in a sudden and violent outburst rather than any other situation by the alleged killer.
The defense said that the prosecution’s evidence does not tell a complete or convincing story and argued that how the DNA evidence connects to the crime remains unclear.
The killing remained unsolved for several years and has attracted a lot of attention in North Carolina.
The prosecutors are expected to present further evidence and testimony regarding the DNA recovered from the apartment as the trial reaches the next stage.
For Hedgepeth’s family, the proceedings represent a long-awaited battle to establish the details of that night’s incident and seek justice for their daughter.