Jury Convicts Miguel Salguero Olivares in 2012 Faith Hedgepeth Murder

A Durham jury found Miguel Salguero Olivares guilty of first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary on Friday. The verdict resolves the 2012 killing of University of North Carolina student Faith Hedgepeth, a case that remained unsolved for more than a decade.

Judge Keith Gregory invited the Hedgepeth family to the bench immediately after the decision. He noted his own son is one year younger than Faith and told the family, "We're not supposed to watch our children leave this earth before we do."

Connie Hedgepeth, Faith's mother, stated she felt peace after waiting 14 years for answers. "I'm just glad that we have the closure we need. I have peace and I forgave," she said. She described the crime as a senseless and cruel act and thanked the Durham County District Attorney's Office, Chapel Hill Police, and the State Bureau of Investigation.

Faith's niece, Alexis Evans, said the family will no longer carry uncertainty into the holidays. She described the loss as felt in every event and place. Schylar Steverson, a relative who was a high school junior when Faith died, said the verdict brought healing. "Today I take back that power," she told the court.

Roland Hedgepeth, Faith's father, spoke to Olivares directly. He said Olivares had no right to take his daughter's life and that his faith requires him to forgive. He added that he would pray for Olivares to repent.

The State Bureau of Investigation stated the case took nine years and nine days to solve. The agency deployed more than 25 special agents to work with Chapel Hill police. Investigators followed thousands of leads, conducted hundreds of interviews, and tested more than 400 DNA samples. SBI Director Chip Hawley called the case a monumental event in agency history.

The SBI noted that investigators never classified the case as cold because they actively pursued leads throughout the period. The agency now uses the case to train new agents at the SBI Academy. A press conference followed the verdict at the Durham County Courthouse, where District Attorney Satana Deberry and the Chapel Hill police chief addressed the media.