ALL-NEW ‘20/20’ EXAMINES THE MURDER OF UNC CHAPEL HILL STUDENT FAITH HEDGEPETH, FOLLOWING THE GUILTY VERDICT JUST HANDED DOWN FOR THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HER

On Sept. 7, 2012, UNC Chapel Hill sophomore Faith Hedgepeth was found murdered in her off-campus apartment, leaving her family and friends devastated and desperate for answers. Who would want to kill her? A devoted member of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe, Faith was known for her outgoing personality and vibrant social life. Thousands of potential suspects were investigated, and hundreds of DNA samples were tested, but despite the involvement of the FBI, state agencies and private investigators, the case remained unsolved for years. In 2016, there was a break in the case. Investigators turned to DNA phenotyping technology, with Parabon Nano Labs generating a composite sketch of a potential suspect whose ancestry was described as Native American and European or Latino. Still, years passed without an arrest. Then, in 2021, authorities announced a major breakthrough: Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares had been arrested in connection with Faith’s murder after DNA collected during a DUI stop matched evidence from the crime scene. Although he had no known personal connection to Faith, he was reportedly working near her apartment around the time of her death.

Following the jury’s recent announcement of a guilty verdict against Salguero-Olivares, “20/20” correspondent Ryan Smith examines the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, the yearslong investigation that led to the arrest, and the DNA evidence that helped bring the case to trial. With the verdict just announced, the all-new report revisits the search for answers in a case that haunted Faith’s loved ones for more than 13 years. “Justice for Faith” airs Friday, Oct. 30 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC, streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

ABC News’ “20/20” is the No. 1 award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for almost 50 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports, and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9-11 p.m. ET on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms, Disney+ and Hulu.

*COPYRIGHT ©2026 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC News. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.

Media Contacts

You must be logged in to view this content. Please log in or create an account.