The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. He appeared drunk and brought liquor. He was her pimp, or as the podcast preferred to describe it, the person who placed craiglist ads for her escort services. Coats ran a background check on the Fair and found the rape charge. Larson, the chief criminal deputy prosecutor, noted Fairs DNA was found on Jinagas neck, a piece of duct tape used to gag her, a piece of toilet paper or paper towel found at the crime scene, and was mixed with Jinagas blood on a robe found in the apartment buildings trash bin. On the evening of Oct. 31, 2008, Arpana Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer and Indian immigrant, co-hosted the holiday get-together at the Valley View Apartments in Redmond, a suburb of Seattle. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinaga's death, and his. It contends Fair was asleep at his friends apartment when Jinaga likely was attacked, and that he didnt attempt to leave the area: He helped clean up outdoor areas after the party and stayed with his friend at her apartment for two more days. He heard "a horrible growling" for about twenty seconds until he heard a thud. The prosecutors office told Rolling Stone: We look forward to addressing these allegations in a public courtroom; we stand by our case., Fair said that he was reluctant to file the lawsuit at first because Jinagas family still hasnt gotten justice: theres no resolution for this case, no resolution for her.. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/after-nearly-11-years-and-two-trials-killing-of-redmond-woman-remains-unsolved/, https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/woman-found-dead-in-redmond-was-slain-police-say/, https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/96468-8%20Petition%20for%20Review.pdf, https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/emanuel-fair-trial-lawsuit-dna-murder-charge-1330251/, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59393415bebafb202cc26aba/t/5f0237f32005f03d23c6d73a/1593980918922/Defense-Motion-to-Compel-Source-Code.pdf. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. A spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office said in an email, we look forward to addressing these allegations in a public courtroom, and we are confident in our case.. True. Fairs 23-page complaint, filed last month by his attorney, Ryan Dreveskracht, contends police and prosecutors botched the probe and wrongly targeted him because he was a Black man with a criminal record, despite evidence implicating Jinagas then-neighbor, who is white. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. And thats hard.. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Johnson was hanging out near Jinagas apartment when her friend arrived to check on her, and he helped the family friend identify the body, the lawsuit alleges. A third mans DNA was on a bootlace, also found in the trash, but he had an alibi. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. The neighbor initially neglected to tell detectives about phone calls he made to Jinaga at 3 a.m. Later on the morning of her slaying, he drove to the Canadian border and attempted to cross it without a passport but was denied entry. Around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, Jinaga left a gathering in a ground-floor apartment and returned to her apartment on the third floor. She volunteered at the. Nobody heard from her in the following days, and that Monday, her body was discovered on the floor of her apartment, doused in chemicals and showing signs of strangulation. Coats ran a background check on the Fair and found the rape charge. Suspect premieres Aug. 17 on Wondery+ and Aug. 31 wherever podcasts are streamed. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer from India, had attended Rutgers University, won an international software award and was a rising star at the Bellevue company where she worked. On Oct. 31, 2008, 24-year-old Arpana Jinaga dressed up in a Little Red Riding Hood costume and prepared for a Friday night to remember. They found her nude body on her bedroom floor, face-down on the carpet and partially covered with cloth. He used the bathroom on one occasion. After zeroing in on Fair because of his race and rap sheet, investigators relied on cherry-picked DNA evidence while disregarding other genetic findings and suspects as part of a gather facts that fit the theory strategy, the suit alleges. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. Her other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. Its got to be terrible for everybody it touched. Jinaga lived alone in an apartment at the Valley View Apartments. Detectives also found a trace of his DNA on the front of Jinagas neck that was so small that it had to be sent to a specialized lab for review. As a teenager, Jinaga won a top prize in an international computer programming competition. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. Its just another day. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. The following Monday, her body would be discovered inside of her apartment, the victim of an apparent homicide. On the night of Oct. 31, 2008, Arpana Jinaga and her neighbors at the Valley View Apartments, in Redmond, Wash., threw a party to celebrate Halloween. Ive never seen a worse case, Corinne Sebren, one of Fairs lawyers, who specializes in civil rights cases, told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. He was read his rights. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. I covered for Emanuel because at the time I thought he was my friend, not because I was trying to cover for him for something he may or may not have done. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. In it, Ehlert stood firmly by the prosecuting teams decisions. Emanuel has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout this case and he, his family, and friends are greatly relieved that justice was served by his acquittal, defense attorney Benjamin Goldsmith wrote in an email Friday. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. It contends Fair was asleep at his friends apartment when Jinaga likely was attacked, and that he didnt attempt to leave the area: He helped clean up outdoor areas after the party and stayed with his friend at her apartment for two more days. Ive never seen a worse case, Corinne Sebren, one of Fairs lawyers, who specializes in civil rights cases, told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. He slept with Potts in her bed and woke up the next morning before 10 a.m., after which he helped her and other neighbors clean up the complex, according to the complaint. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges that the department hired famous psychic medium Allison DuBois to help with the investigation around the time Fair was identified as the main suspect. In Suspect, journalists Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson (Over My Dead Body) return to the Valley View Apartments and interview party guests and authorities about the horrific series of events stemming from Halloween 2008. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. I lost a lot. They messed up, he said. He had bruises consistent with a sexual attack, tried to flee the country, and was researching pawn shops (which the police never really followed up onor seemingly got a real answer from him on why he was researchingpawn shops). The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. When residents of the Valley View Apartments in Redmond, Wash., decided to host a Halloween party nearly 13 years ago, nobody expected that it would end with murder. He slept with Potts in her bed and woke up the next morning before 10 a.m., after which he helped her and other neighbors clean up the complex, according to the complaint. Around 1am, Fair visited Jinaga's apartment to eat pizza. From the beginning, it was a complex case, complicated by the fact so many people had attended the party the night before she was killed, said Coats, the Redmond police lieutenant. Police attempted to identify the partygoers and interview them. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. Now working a security job and living with friends in Renton, he said hes often depressed, carries guilt for a younger brothers emotional troubles and avoids going out. But of course, I imagine it must have been loud disturbance to kick in a door, which was apparently never reported. Ehlert also defended an immunity deal with the suspected neighbor, and the decision to solely prosecute Fair for first-degree murder with sexual motivation a charge that hinged mostly on trace DNA collected from a crime scene teeming with genetic evidence linked to multiple people. I thought I was gonna die, Fair told Rolling Stone. DNA evidence was linked to three men and. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. Jinaga's neighbor Cameron Johnson showed up to the party in Jinaga's unit late. We were limited in the way we were able to argue the case and we have to live with that We try cases and we accept we have to prove everything beyond a reasonable doubt. An exclusive trailer for Suspect is below. There was evidence of rape. Police found that he had Googled pawn shops near the border. link. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Jinaga was sprawled on the floor in her bedroom, bloody, naked, and drenched in bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, and motor oil. The officers allegedly did not change gloves between evidence collections, or between rooms or locations. This is a person who is living her dream. 2008, in Marshall . He used the bathroom on one occasion. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. His DNA was on the roll of duct tape found on the couch, not the tape that covered her face and according to the podcast there's a photo of him using the duct tape to hang up decorations so yea he touched it they already know that. I fear and I worry that someone else may become a victim at some point in time, Ehlert said of Fairs acquittal during the 2020 interview. It was the combination of the various items that his DNA was on that pushed us to the point of saying we are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Emanuel Fair killed Arpana, Ehlert said in her podcast interview. She. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. Brian Bundridge was in a motorcycle club with Jinaga. After the party wound down, Jinaga was seen returning to her apartment about 3 a.m.; investigators believe she was killed at about 8 a.m. Nov. 1. In a 2020 interview, one of the prosecutors said Fair looked like the best suspect because his DNA was found on objects specifically related to the murder, not the aftermath. His first trial, in 2017, ended in a hung jury because one juror said Fair looked like a thug with tattoos on his hands. The jury in the second trial acquitted him. At one time, Emanuel Fair was the longest-serving inmate in the King County Jail, spending nine years behind bars without being convicted of a crime. The party lasted until the early hours. Arpana Jinaga Unresolved Arpana Jinaga In October of 2008, a 24-year-old computer programmer living in the Seattle area would attend a Halloween party in her apartment complex. I felt like I was kidnapped, Fair said in last months interview, when explaining his decision to pursue his claims of negligence, civil rights violations and malicious prosecution. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. According to court documents, a neighbor who did not attend the party reported seeing a man with olive complexion and light stubble standing in Jinagas doorway, talking to someone inside around 3 a.m. Fair went inside Potts apartment between 2:30 and 3 a.m. after listening to music with Jinagas immediate neighbor Cameron Johnson. He joined the publication in 2021 on the crime beat. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. In my opinion, and in my heart, I dont have any question about anything we did in regards to charging that Emanuel Fair killed Arpana Jinaga, she said. A man by the name of Emanuel Fair was arrested in connection with her murder, but he has since been found not guilty of the crime. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. They also waited days to search a dumpster in the complex where a partial bottle of motor oil, a boot lace used to strangle Jinaga and her bed sheet and a bath robe were found. Host Matthew Shaer and and reporter Eric Benson go to the scene of the crime in an effort to discover if police identified the right suspect. On Oct. 30, 2010, Fair was placed in a Seattle holding cell while detectives gathered more evidence against him for the 2008 sexual assault and murder of a 24-year-old software engineer and Indian immigrant named Arpana Jinaga. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. As a man who was incarcerated and released but not convicted, Fair left jail without the support and resources typically offered to exonerated people or parolees, such as job support and mental health services. According to reports, when lead Detective Brian Coats saw photos from the party, he narrowed in on Fair, who he referred to as theonly African-American male at the party on the podcast Suspect. Fair ultimately was charged based on trace DNA evidence found on Jinagas neck; a piece of duct tape used to gag her; paper found in the apartment; and mixed with Jinagas blood on a robe recovered from the apartment buildings dumpster. Photos. Detectives relied on her to help them find Jinagas missing phone and camera and consulted her about the potential of Fair as a suspect, the lawsuit says. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. He had been in her apartment once earlier in the night too. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. but Im not free.. All the while, Fair, whose family was unable to foot his seven-figure bail, said he had faith he would one day walk away free from a charge alleging he murdered Arpana Jinaga, 24, in her. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. It was the combination of the various items that his DNA was on that pushed us to the point of saying we are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Emanuel Fair killed Arpana, Ehlert said in her podcast interview. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. I always knew I was going to get out; I just didnt think it would take as a long as it took, Fair, 38, said last month. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. Around 3 am, Jinaga left a gathering in a ground-floor apartment and returned to her apartment on the third floor. The DNA on her neck was microscopic and wasn't necessarily a match, it just couldn't be excluded. The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. Source. 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT . However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. His phone records revealed that he had called Jinaga at 3am on the night of the murder, but he stated he did not remember making the calls. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. Jinaga and other tenants he hadnt met were co-hosting a large Halloween party in several units. Fair spent six of the nearly nine years in jail, held by a seven-figure bond, isolated for 23 hours a day awaiting trial. A spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office said in an email, we look forward to addressing these allegations in a public courtroom, and we are confident in our case.. Arpana Jinaga was murdered in her apartment in 2008 . In the intervening hours, neighbors who lived on either side of Jinagas apartment heard muffled moaning sounds but assumed she and a partner were having consensual sex. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. I lost a lot. She is suspected to have died from strangulation from a bootlace. Fair was staying with his friend Leslie Potts on Oct. 31, 2008, in Valley View Apartments when he attended the party that Potts and other neighbors organized. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. As a man who was incarcerated and released but not convicted, Fair left jail without the support and resources typically offered to exonerated people or parolees, such as job support and mental health services. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. Fairs lawsuit cites a comment Coats made during his interview for the Suspect podcast that Fair was the only African American at the party in the photos. Police believe she was killed around 8 a.m. Two days later, a friend of Jinagas father went to check up on her because she hadnt answered phone calls from her family in India. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Most people left Jinaga's apartment after 9pm to move to another apartment. Jinaga had been a prize-winner in a . Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. Most of Fairs jail term was spent away from the general population in administrative segregation essentially, solitary confinement. Then, due to inexcusable delays in Fairs trial and prolonged pretrial detention, he spent more than nine years in the King County Correctional Facility as an innocent man, in conditions of inhumane confinement that are well known to have a detrimental effect on mental health, the suit contends. He had a lighter covered in gook that looked like motor oil which they took a photo of but never bagged it nor did they check his shoes for a missing lace. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The prosecutors office also provided an uncut hourlong recording of an interview of former Chief Deputy Criminal Prosecuting Attorney Erin Ehlert in 2020 for a true crime podcast called Suspect, which examined the case. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. Cameron should have been the #1 suspect. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. .but he doesnt mention it? There are multiple apartments with parties and these two go to a car to listen to music?! Johnson also had injuries that detectives said were consistent with a sexual assault. Do we know he would have routinely passed her door going in and out of his apartment? He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. So its kind of messed up. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. Those are times when you should be around family. After the sound stopped, Rose then heard steps and the sound of running water for 1 hour. Then, due to inexcusable delays in Fairs trial and prolonged pretrial detention, he spent more than nine years in the King County Correctional Facility as an innocent man, in conditions of inhumane confinement that are well known to have a detrimental effect on mental health, the suit contends. And thats hard.. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. It is reported in Seattle Times that a third male's DNA was found on the bootlace, but it is not reported as such in the court documents. After a background check revealed Fairs criminal record, including a third-degree child rape conviction, Fair quickly became the new prime suspect despite leads about the neighbor and other viable suspects, the suit states. According to the complaint, Johnsons fingerprints were found inside a window in Jinagas apartment, and his DNA was found on the motor oil bottle and a portion of wet carpet at the crime scene. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. His legal team expanded the lawsuit in late March, adding ten more pages of allegations and the prosecutor on the case and other detectives that handled the case to the list of defendants. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. During the party, [Fair] was accidentally hit in the mouth and had a bloody lip, so he used a tissue in Ms. Jinagas apartment; he likely used her bathroom during the party where her robe hung; he may have touched the duct tape holding decorations during the party; and photographs show he touched Ms. Jinaga and others while posing during the party. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. They act on impulse, not ration. Bodicherla went to the apartment complex, where he encountered Cameron Johnson, who showed him the way to Jinaga's unit. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. The suit contends detectives aligned evidence to match their theory and disregarded half a dozen non-Black suspects in the case. The case turned into a classic whodunit, and Jinaga's costumed party guests were the prime suspects. There was potential there that was just taken away., Citing pending litigation, a city of Redmond spokesperson declined to comment about Fairs lawsuit on behalf of Coats and the citys Police Department. Nearly a year later. One juror said that when the jury began its deliberations on June 6, the 12-member panel was evenly split: Four thought Fair was not guilty, four thought he was guilty, and four were undecided. Only one man was charged with murder. Legal Expert Weighs In, Idaho Murder Victims' Families React to Suspect's Arrest: 'Such a Blessing and Relief', 'She Had No Idea': Sister of Idaho Victim Reacts to Claim that Suspect's Phone Pinged Near House 12 Times, Parents Charged with Murder After 4-Year-Old Son Dies from Alleged 'Exorcisms', Idaho Killings: Surviving Roommate Saw Alleged Killer Wearing Black Clothes and a Mask, Affidavit Says. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. The neighbors DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil, found in the same bag with the robe. Arpana Jinaga. 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Family of Missing Black Woman, Last Seen Living with Man She Met on Craigslist, Frustrated By Lack of Response to Case: Were Not Trying to Annoy Anybody, Happened As a Result of Jealousy: New York Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Stabbing Black 16-Year-Old Boy In the Heart for Walking a Girl Home, I Wanted to be a Trailblazer: Zandra Flemister, the First Black Woman Hired as a Secret Service Agent, Enduring Years of Blatant Racism, Dies at 71. At age 20, Jinaga moved from her native India to the United States and quickly found success. -, Press J to jump to the feed. A tech prodigy from an early age, Arpana seemed poised to achieve great things in life. Johnson was hanging out near Jinagas apartment when her friend arrived to check on her, and he helped the family friend identify the body, the lawsuit alleges. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. The area she was living is considered an upscale area with a very low crime rate, and is the home to technology companies such as Microsoft and Nintendo. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. All the while, Fair, whose family was unable to foot his seven-figure bail, said he had faith he would one day walk away free from a charge alleging he murdered Arpana Jinaga, 24, in her Redmond apartment after a Halloween party in 2008. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. It was a party, Fair was all over her apartment like EVERYONE ELSE. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India.