Faith Hedgepeth’s once-cold case now has a murder conviction
A jury found Miguel Salguero Olivares guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense and first-degree burglary on Friday in relation to the 2012 killing.
By Regan Butler and Aidan Lockhart • October 25, 2026
Fourteen years, one month and 16 days after the rape and murder of UNC student Faith Hedgepeth, her killer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The once-cold case, which did not have a suspect until nine years after Faith’s killing, concluded Friday afternoon at the Durham County Courthouse.
A jury found 33-year-old Miguel Salguero Olivares guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense and first-degree burglary in relation to Faith’s killing.
Early in the morning on Sept. 7, 2012, she was murdered in her off-campus apartment at the Hawthorne at the View apartment complex, on the border of Chapel Hill and Durham.
Faith, a 19-year-old UNC sophomore from Hollister, North Carolina, was studying biology to become a pediatrician, holding the Gates Millennium and Alston-Pleasants scholarships. A member of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina, Faith was active in the Carolina Indian Circle and a volunteer at the American Indian Center on campus.
Judge Keith Gregory, following the suggestion from state prosecutors, sentenced Salguero Olivares to four consecutive sentences, one for each charge: life in prison without parole for first-degree murder; 64 months minimum and 89 months maximum for first-degree burglary; 240 months minimum and 348 months maximum for first-degree rape; and 240 months minimum and 348 months maximum for first-degree sexual offense. Salguero Olivares must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
On Thursday, the jurors heard impassioned closing arguments from the prosecution and defense before beginning deliberation, which lasted a little more than six hours over two days. Jurors made only one request to review evidence: laboratory reports of DNA testing and latent finger and palm print analysis.
The courtroom fell silent as the clerk announced the verdict. Faith’s family and supporters, who filled in the rows of wooden benches behind the prosecution, listened intently, nodding and holding one another. Some members of the public began crying and jurors appeared solemn as each one of them stood and confirmed their verdict with the clerk. After sitting back down, multiple jurors began crying as well.
Defense attorney James Rainsford informed the judge that the defense would be filing an appeal.
Salguero Olivares appeared defeated, shaking his head repeatedly. Gregory had to ask him to sit back down multiple times after the verdict was announced, and he cast a blank look at the jury before taking his seat. Salguero Olivares’ mother, sitting behind him, appeared bleary-eyed.
Family impact statements
Before the judge began sentencing, Faith’s family members delivered victim impact statements to the court. They emphasized their forgiveness for the defendant and their trust in God’s plan, as well as their appreciation for the district attorney’s office.
Connie Hedgepeth, Faith’s mother, spoke first.
“I guess I’ve been really overwhelmed. This time here, and we’ve been waiting a long time, over 14 years. And I’m just glad that we have the closure that we need. I have peace and I forgave,” she said. “It was just three weeks after her death. It didn’t matter who done it. I knew that I had to forgive and I do forgive.”
Connie said that her heart aches for Salguero Olivares’ family.
“We try to raise our children the best we know, but it just seemed like it was such a senseless and cruel act. But we have to go on and we just have to trust God and just go on with our lives,” she said.
“She’s in a better place than we will ever be here on this earth. But I want to meet her one day and I know I will,” she added.
Gregory told Connie that his son is one year younger than Faith, and was a second-year at UNC at the time of her killing. He said her ability to forgive gives him reassurance there is still goodness in mankind, and thanked her.
“We’re not supposed to watch our children leave this Earth before we do,” Gregory said.
Continue/Read Original Article: Faith [Hedgepeth]’s once-cold case now has a murder conviction – The Daily Tar Heel
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