This was mainly on the basis of party photographs. Fair, a guest of another woman living in the building, met Jinaga and her neighbor that night. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. He and Jinagas next-door neighbor who became a suspect in her slaying discovered her locked door had been kicked in and found her nude body on her bedroom floor. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Fairs DNA was found on Jinagas robe and a roll of duct tape that was likely used to tape her underwear inside her mouth like a gag. Im out, Fair said. Nearly a year later. The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. Im out, Fair said. Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old computer programmer, who had moved to the Pacific Northwest in March of 2008. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. He was one of the three individual's whose DNA was found . 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. Ehlert, in the 2020 interview, noted prosecutors were barred from including some key evidence at trial: Fairs past convictions and the possibility that he and the neighbor acted together in Jinagas killing because there wasnt evidence to support that theory a decision upheld by the state Court of Appeals after Fairs first trial. Alyndra Pandjipoetra 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT! 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. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. Potts covered for Fair because he had a warrant out for not updating his address with his parole officer. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. 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. 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. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences in relation to this story, please email the reporter or, Fire on Lake City Way in Seattle raises smoke, flooding concerns, WA to end masking requirement in health care, correctional facilities, Tacoma woman refusing tuberculosis treatment continues to face arrest, Be bolder to get light rail done, expert panel tells Sound Transit, Driver makes U-turn, hits pedestrian near Pioneer Square, police say. In August 2009, a man named Emanuel Fair was interviewed by police. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. That decision was upheld by the state Court of Appeals following Fairs first trial. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. It was a party, Fair was all over her apartment like EVERYONE ELSE. 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. After hosting her event, software programmer, Arpana Jinaga, was found dead inside her home. 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. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. 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. The neighbor, who later hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating, subsequently scrubbed his phone of call and text data, the suit states. When questioned, Fair claimed he retired to Potts' apartment around 1:30am on the night of the party. 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. The evidence of Fairs involvement is compelling, Larson said this week. This is a person who is living her dream. More than a dozen people passed through Jinaga's apartment that night. Fair was initially arrested for not updating his address with his probation officer. Fairs DNA was found on Jinagas robe and a roll of duct tape that was likely used to tape her underwear inside her mouth like a gag. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. They messed up, he said. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. I lost a lot. So its kind of messed up. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. 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. As the fact that Fair was the only black African American at the party and involved in this case, some are also accusing racial discrimination. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. Around 3 am, Jinaga left a gathering in a ground-floor apartment and returned to her apartment on the third floor. DNA found at the crime scene was ultimately linked to three men, but only one was charged with murder. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. There are multiple apartments with parties and these two go to a car to listen to music?! A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. Emanuel Fair: He was not a resident, but he was staying in the apartment of Leslie Potts. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. . The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. 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. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. Were they old friends? There was evidence of rape. Jinagas hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil, her bed had been stripped, a blanket was partially burned and her soaked comforter was found in the bathtub. A third mans DNA was on a bootlace, also found in the trash, but he had an alibi. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. On Halloween 2008, Jinaga and several of her neighbors at the Valley View Apartments threw a large Halloween party, with guests moving between their units. Arpana Jinaga. -, Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. Those are times when you should be around family. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. Arpana Jinaga Memorial. There were also other men in Jinagas life that detectives suspected of the murder, and some of their DNA was found at the crime scene. Do we know how extensive the damage was? Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. Jinaga was sprawled on the floor in her bedroom, bloody, naked, and drenched in bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, and motor oil. Just hours after that party ended, in the early morning of Nov. 1, 2008, one of the hosts of the Halloween party a 24-year-old software engineer and Indian immigrant named Arpana Jinaga . The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. The initial investigation focused on Cameron Johnson, Jinaga's neighbor. The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. She was a brilliant person. By Bill Christianson January 8, 2009 5:35 pm. The DNA on her neck was microscopic and wasn't necessarily a match, it just couldn't be excluded. For three and a half decades, her disappearance was a mystery - a riddle neither authorities . The party was big enough that it spanned multiple apartments and drew many revelers. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. It was the second time Fair had been tried in connection with Jinagas killing: The first time, in 2017, the jury deadlocked and a mistrial was declared. 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. 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. To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. Also Leslie Potts covering for Fair is alarming, was that investigated. According to court records and Chief Criminal Deputy Mark Larson, prosecutors were barred from arguing that Fair and the neighbor were both involved in Jinagas killing because there wasnt evidence to support the states theory the men acted as accomplices. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. I dont think he killed Arpana. Its got to be terrible for everybody it touched. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. He matched the description of the man the other resident saw around 3 a.m. at the murdered womans door and had a wide window of suspicion around him, the lawsuit alleges. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. In 2008, a 24-year-old Redmond-based software engineer named Arpana Jinaga was found strangled in her apartment after a Halloween party in her building. 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.. 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. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. He waited in jail while authorities tested his DNA. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. The officers allegedly did not change gloves between evidence collections, or between rooms or locations. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. I lost a lot. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. But as they worked through the evidence, jurors came to believe the state had not met its burden of proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt, said the juror, a 35-year-old Bellevue software engineer who asked not to be named to protect his privacy, It was tough for us to vote not guilty because the family still doesnt know exactly who killed her, the juror said. 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. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. 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. 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 matched the description of the man the other resident saw around 3 a.m. at the murdered womans door and had a wide window of suspicion around him, the lawsuit alleges. 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. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. There were also other men in Jinagas life that detectives suspected of the murder, and some of their DNA was found at the crime scene. Jinaga lived alone in an apartment at the Valley View Apartments. He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. 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. He went on afterwards, he got his degree, hes never had a crime., Fair, who had only met the neighbor at the party that night, said prosecutors immunity deal was just another biased action taken to strengthen the case against him that backfired, because the neighbor didnt even implicate me, he implicated himself.. 14 years later, and unfortunately there are no updates in this case. 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. An exclusive trailer for Suspect is below. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. 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. My guess would be drugs. 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 was read his rights. 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. Its just another day. 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. 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. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. Fair spent six of the nearly nine years in jail, held by a seven-figure bond, isolated for 23 hours a day awaiting trial. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. He was drunk and brought bottles of liquor. He had been in her apartment once earlier in the night too. 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. 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. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. Indian immigrant and recent college graduate Arpana Jinaga was found brutally murdered in her Washington State apartment after co-hosting a Halloween costume party at her complex the evening of Oct. 31, 2008. To get in one of those cheap hollow core doors (if thats what the apartment had) by kicking, you dont need to kick a hole through, just knock it out of the lock. The party started like many others. Jinaga had been gagged, brutally beaten and most likely raped. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. And the other DNA found was found on a robe that was likely in hanging in her bathroom, maybe he dried his hands on it while using the bathroom. 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. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. 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. 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. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. He also successfully represented himself in a legal claim for an injury he sustained from handcuffs, receiving a $25,000 settlement from King County in 2017. She is suspected to have died from strangulation from a bootlace. DNA from the neighbor was found on a motor oil bottle, and from another man who wasnt at the party on a bootlace likely used to strangle Jinaga. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. 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. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. At some point, though, things turned tense. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. Redmond Police have found no "firm suspects" in the brutal murder of Arpana Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer who was . I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. Because of this, a judge limited the scope of questions the man could be asked during the trial. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/96468-8%20Answer%20to%20petition.pdf. Ben Goldsmith and Katharine Edwards advanced a straightforward theory about why Emanuel Fair should be acquitted in the murder of Arpana Jinaga, whose body was found in her Redmond apartment on Nov. 1, 2008. link. In the trial, the jury heard evidence that pointed to the neighbor as the possible killer. but Im not free., Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, Why 4 of Mizzou's seniors have a personal meaning for Dennis Gates, Iliman Ndiaye: Senegal midfielder an 'unbelievable' player. 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. 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. Johnson engaged in a number of suspicious activities after the murder. Perhaps the perpetrator(s) kicked in the door, then while leaving they shut it again. Do we know from the OP that it would have been obvious? It was like the movies, coming down slow.. 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. After-the-fact contentions about inadmissible evidence are a little disingenuous, said Dreveskracht, Fairs attorney, who noted police at one point consulted with a psychic medium who attempted to contact Jinaga beyond the grave. According to the Rolling Stone report, most of the people at the party that night didnt remember Fairs name. Police attempted to identify the partygoers and interview them. However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. 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. They interrogated Fair on the car ride to the station without reading his rights. Guests took silly photos, downed shots and smoked pot. Condition of the apartment: Jinaga's bed had been stripped, a fleece blanket was partially burned and her comforter was found in soaked the bathroom bathtub. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. At age 20, Jinaga moved from her native India to the United States and quickly found success. 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. 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. Potts had not known Fair for a long time. 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. On Halloween night, 2008, Jinaga and several other tenants hosted a Halloween party, attended by residents of the apartment complex and their relatives and friends from outside. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. The neighbor, who later hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating, subsequently scrubbed his phone of call and text data, the suit states. 0:00 / 18:51 Halloween Party Host Murder Leads to Excess Suspects | Arpana Jinaga & Emanuel Fair Dr. Todd Grande 1.24M subscribers 67K views 2 months ago This video answers the question: Can I. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. Death' Surgeon Killed or Maimed 33 of His Patients Now His Victims Are Speaking Out, Ex-Boyfriend of Missing Md. The Mysterious Death of a Young Mom Found Unresponsive in Her Bathtub, Inside the Case Against Bryan Kohberger: Legal Experts Weigh in on Idaho Murders, Will Bryan Kohberger Face Death Penalty if Convicted of Idaho Murders? After the sound stopped, Rose then heard steps and the sound of running water for 1 hour.

1970s Wrestlers: Where Are They Now, Why Did They Change Darren On Bewitched, Articles A