NC NC - Faith Hedgepeth, 19, UNC student, Chapel Hill, 7 Sep 2012 #2

[Webthrush]

Ive heard of this case, many times, this is my first time delving into it

Was a time of death ever released in her case?

No, never released, and obviously even an imprecise TOD estimate would help with some of the theories around the case.

 

[Kell1]

No, never released, and obviously even an imprecise TOD estimate would help with some of the theories around the case.

Sadly it will be tough to analyze it without in this case.

Victim analysis (Victimology assessment) would be something else Id be interested in seeing

 

[Blknyellw]

Ive heard of this case, many times, this is my first time delving into it

Was a time of death ever released in her case?

I think this is part of the information LE are holding close to their chest. Either that or they don’t have one.

 

[Webthrush]

They are undoubtedly holding back a number of bits of info. And I don’t sleuth a lot of cases like many on this site, but seems very odd to me that estimated time-of-death would be withheld, and even odder that it is not included in the autopsy, though maybe others can comment on how unusual it is to withhold that particular info?

 

[Kell1]

Usually done for exclusionary reasons, but i cant say why in this case, again ive only heard about her case, a few times

 

[root661]

I heard there were multiple leads that came out after the podcast CrimeWeekly covered the murder of Faith. I wish the PD would put out some type of update. I guess I understand why they don't but her story needs to stay in the news. I feel like at this point, the PD should be able to release more (not all).

 

[Webthrush]

I heard there were multiple leads that came out after the podcast CrimeWeekly covered the murder of Faith. I wish the PD would put out some type of update. I guess I understand why they don't but her story needs to stay in the news. I feel like at this point, the PD should be able to release more (not all).

I think the more they release at this point the worse they come off looking, so unfortunately little incentive to release additional info unless/until they are making an arrest.

 

[raiders444]

Looks like LE is finally getting to some of those backlogged rape kits. Fingers crossed Faith's attacker shows up elsewhere
NC making significant process on backlog of rape kits :: WRAL.com

 

[borndem]

Good News! And not just for our Faith.
'Bout time, but also a kudos.

 

[Simplestarz86]

Just thought I would update as I’m not sure anything has been posted of Gaspo’s death. Gaspo died in 2020 from cancer. Gaspo was the first local to blog about Faith’s murder and then created a podcast, In Pursuit or it’s just Pursuit. I had the chance of speaking with him on a number of occasions. He had a personality. Anyway, RIP Gaspo and #J4F.

 

[Doghairrules]

Just thought I would update as I’m not sure anything has been posted of Gaspo’s death. Gaspo died in 2020 from cancer. Gaspo was the first local to blog about Faith’s murder and then created a podcast, In Pursuit or it’s just Pursuit. I had the chance of speaking with him on a number of occasions. He had a personality. Anyway, RIP Gaspo and #J4F.

Oh that is terribly sad. He will be missed.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Just thought I would update as I’m not sure anything has been posted of Gaspo’s death. Gaspo died in 2020 from cancer. Gaspo was the first local to blog about Faith’s murder and then created a podcast, In Pursuit or it’s just Pursuit. I had the chance of speaking with him on a number of occasions. He had a personality. Anyway, RIP Gaspo and #J4F.

RIP Gaspo. He really kept the issue in the public eye in the local MSM, and asked the hard questions.

 

[borndem]

Just thought I would update as I’m not sure anything has been posted of Gaspo’s death. Gaspo died in 2020 from cancer. Gaspo was the first local to blog about Faith’s murder and then created a podcast, In Pursuit or it’s just Pursuit. I had the chance of speaking with him on a number of occasions. He had a personality. Anyway, RIP Gaspo and #J4F.

Thanks for the update.
I'm sure many people will mourn his passing for many reasons. He was dedicated to helping people and families, and I'm sure Faith's dad will miss him quite a bit.
Rest in Peace, Gaspo.

 

[CastlesBurning]

A look at the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women featured in Dateline NBC’s Missing in America and Cold Case Spotlight

Faith Hedgepeth was beaten to death with an empty liquor bottle in the early morning hours of September 7, 2012, at her off-campus apartment near Chapel Hill, North Carolina after returning from a nightclub.

She was a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Native American tribe.

Security footage shows Faith and her roommate, Karena, arriving at the now-closed nightclub “The Thrill” in downtown Chapel Hill and then again later when they left around 2:30 a.m. Karena later told police that after they arrived home, she left for the night and Faith went to bed.

The next morning, Karena said she returned home to find Faith’s partially nude body, wrapped in a comforter that had been on the bed and called 911. According to the call that was later released, Karena told the operator that she found Faith unconscious in the bedroom. When asked if Faith was breathing, she responded, “I don’t know. I don’t think so. There’s blood everywhere.”

The police investigation stretched on for two years. In 2014, just days before the second anniversary of Faith’s murder, Durham County court officials unsealed documents in the search for her killer.

The autopsy report, which was also unsealed at that time, revealed what her family already knew. Faith had died from blunt force trauma to the head. The report also detailed cuts and bruises on her arms and legs, along with blood under her fingernails.

Investigators believe the murder weapon to be an empty Bacardi rum bottle that was found in the bedroom with tissue fragments and DNA on it. Also found in the bedroom near Faith’s body was a fast-food bag with a hand-written note that read, “IM NOT STUPID. .”

Male DNA was found at the scene, but her killer has not been found.

A DNA profile was created from DNA collected from the scene and semen collected in a sexual assault kit. Investigators believe the DNA belongs to the killer, Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue said in a 2014 press conference.

In 2016, police released an image generated by Parabon NanoLabs, a genetic testing lab in Reston, Virginia, of what the suspect who left the semen behind might look like based on the phenotype in his DNA profile. According to Parabon, the suspect was of Native American and European mixed ancestry or Latino with olive skin, brown or hazel eyes and black hair.

Police and family members believe Faith likely knew the person or persons involved in her murder.

Approximately 2,000 people have been questioned and the DNA of more than 100 people has been tested, Assistant Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew told Dateline in April of 2020.

But nine years later, there’s still not a match.

Faith not only made an impact when she was alive, but her legacy lives on now with the Faith Hedgepeth Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is offered to help a Native American woman from a North Carolina tribe earn a higher education.

“She wanted to help people. That was her dream,” her mother Connie told Dateline. “Now she’s helping women like herself every year.”

The family is offering a $40,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for Faith’s murder.

Anyone with information about Faith’s case should contact the Chapel Hill Police Department at 919-614-6363 or go to http://www.crimestoppers-chcunc.org.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Sadly, we're approaching yet another anniversary not knowing any more than we did a year ago. I expect there will be some local news stories shared here pretty much saying this is the case.

 

[borndem]

Wondering if LE runs a DNA match from time to time on this case. Years have passed and the do-er could be added to the DNA string for some other crime.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

9 years later, UNC student Faith Hedgepeth's murder remains unsolved

 

[Curious_in_NC]

9 years later, UNC student Faith Hedgepeth's murder remains unsolved

"A team of investigators is working tirelessly to follow leads. We are committed to solving this case," said Lehew. The department saying any specifics beyond this risk compromising the investigation.

 

[Doghairrules]

"A team of investigators is working tirelessly to follow leads. We are committed to solving this case," said Lehew. The department saying any specifics beyond this risk compromising the investigation.

I don’t mean this to sound disrespectful but their approach to this investigation hasn’t worked in 9 years and I have serious doubts that it will. Time to open the files up IMO.

 

[Webthrush]

I don’t mean this to sound disrespectful but their approach to this investigation hasn’t worked in 9 years and I have serious doubts that it will. Time to open the files up IMO.

There are lots of questions LE could address without "compromising" the investigation (such as it is); their frustrating claim otherwise seems simply an excuse from making further disclosures that might prove hugely embarrassing to their own efforts on the case.