Faith Hedgepeth's mother welcomes closure after juror convicts Miguel Salguero Olivares

A Durham County jury returned four guilty verdicts against Miguel Salguero Olivares on Friday. The verdicts cover first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary in the 2012 death of University of North Carolina student Faith Hedgepeth.

The State Bureau of Investigation reported the case took nine years and nine days to solve. More than 25 special agents worked alongside the Chapel Hill Police Department on the case. Investigators followed thousands of leads and conducted hundreds of interviews. They collected and tested more than 400 DNA samples.

Judge Keith Gregory invited the Hedgepeth family to address the court immediately after the verdict. He noted that his own son is one year younger than Faith. "We're not supposed to watch our children leave this earth before we do," Gregory said. He appeared visibly emotional during his remarks.

Connie Hedgepeth, Faith's mother, said she felt peace after waiting more than 14 years for answers. "I'm just glad that we have the closure we need," she said. She added that she forgave Salguero Olivares and that the crime was a senseless and cruel act. She thanked the Durham County District Attorney's Office, the Chapel Hill Police Department, the SBI, and the jurors.

Faith's father, Roland Hedgepeth, became emotional while remembering his daughter. He said she never judged him and always loved him unconditionally. He told the convicted man he had no right to take her life. He said his faith requires him to forgive and that he would pray for Salguero Olivares' repentance.

Faith's niece, Alexis Evans, said the family would not carry uncertainty into the holidays. She stated that the loss is felt in every event and every moment. Another relative, Schylar Steverson, said she was a high school junior when Faith was killed at age 19. She described years of fear and anxiety after the death. "Today I take back that power," Steverson said.

SBI Director Chip Hawley called the case monumental in the agency's history. He praised the agencies involved for their hard work, determination, and dedication. The SBI stated it never treated the case as a cold case because investigators kept actively pursuing leads. The case is now used to train new agents at the SBI Academy.