Man Convicted of 2012 Killing Files Appeal
Miguel Salguero Olivares, sentenced to life in prison, formally notified the court of his intent to challenge his conviction.
By Marcus Reed ·
A 33-year-old man convicted of beating a university student to death in 2012 has formally begun the process of challenging his verdict. Miguel Salguero Olivares filed a notice of appeal on Friday, according to electronic court records.
The appeal follows a trial in which Olivares was found guilty of first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and burglary. He received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole on October 23. The conviction rests heavily on biological evidence collected from the crime scene in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Prosecutors argued that Olivares left his DNA across the apartment "like confetti." Several jurors told ABC11 this week that this specific evidence convinced them of his guilt. The defense team did not call any witnesses and Olivares did not take the stand. Jurors deliberated for six hours over two days before returning their verdict.
Olivares was identified nine years after the murder when he was pulled over for driving while impaired. He provided a DNA sample during the traffic stop that matched evidence from the 2012 incident. Faith Hedgepeth was a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when she was killed in her off-campus apartment in September 2012.
The prosecution relied on testimony from nearly two dozen witnesses, including crime scene technicians, law enforcement officers, and a DNA expert. Following the guilty verdict, officials held a news conference at the Durham County Courthouse. Speakers included District Attorney Satana Deberry, the Chapel Hill police chief, and members of Hedgepeth's family.
Source: ABC7 Los Angeles
