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. 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. 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. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. Fairs lawsuit contends the probable cause affidavit used to support the murder charge omitted multiple facts, including that several other mens DNA also was found on crime scene evidence and items found in the dumpster. And thats hard.. 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. He waited in jail while authorities tested his DNA. This was mainly on the basis of party photographs. 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. He joined the publication in 2021 on the crime beat. He was read his rights. Nearly a year later. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. 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. Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old computer programmer, who had moved to the Pacific Northwest in March of 2008. Im out, Fair said. 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. She had it all going on, Coats said. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. 2008, in Marshall . Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. I lost a lot. If her rape was that violent he'd have had SOME scratches or scars. 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. Kyler Alvord leads PEOPLE's politics coverage as a news editor for the brand. Emanuel Fair's 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 her bathrobe robe (left in the apartment complex trash bin). He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. 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. She and several other residents in the complex opened the doors to their apartments for what was to be a night of fun. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. Arpana Jinaga was murdered in her apartment in 2008 . but Im not free.. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. 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. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. 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. Perhaps the perpetrator(s) kicked in the door, then while leaving they shut it again. 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. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. 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. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. The suit contends detectives aligned evidence to match their theory and disregarded half a dozen non-Black suspects in the case. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. Suspect premieres Aug. 17 on Wondery+ and Aug. 31 wherever podcasts are streamed. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. 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. 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. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. The majority of criminals arent very bright. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. But I dont have a desire to do that. So what else can they do but to continue to point their finger at me?. 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. . Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. 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. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. 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. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. During trial the jury heard significant evidence that another person, Ms. Jinagas next door neighbor, may have murdered her on that tragic night.. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. link. 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. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. 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. He was drunk and brought bottles of liquor. 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. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinaga's death, and his. 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. To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. On Thanksgiving, when he hadnt shown up to his familys dinner, Fair said an aunt called him to ask whether he was planning to come. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. 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. 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. During the night, neighbors of Jinaga heard muffled moaning sounds, and assumed she and a partner were having consensual sex. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. Johnson's friends and family stated he said "what if I did the murder and I don't remember". Emanuel, his family, and friends ask for privacy, as he works to rebuild his life, wrote Goldsmith. Goldsmith said evidence found at Jinagas apartment and produced during the investigation pointed to one of her neighbors as the likely killer. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. Emanuel Fair stayed in the King County Correctional Facility for nearly nine years for a crime he did not commit based on a botched and bizarre murder investigation driven by racial discrimination, a recent lawsuit alleges. 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. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. So its kind of messed up. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? So what else can they do but to continue to point their finger at me?. 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. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. 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. 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. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. 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. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. Emanuel Fair: He was not a resident, but he was staying in the apartment of Leslie Potts. 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. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. . Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. She had been brutally beaten, raped, and strangled. He used the bathroom on one occasion. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. They messed up, he said. lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. In addition, several neighbors in the complex told investigators that he had a sexual attraction to Jinaga, and he exhibited jealous behavior when she talked to other men at the Halloween party that night. Arpana and neighbors within the Valley View Apartment complex threw a large Halloween party. She practiced martial arts and participated in a motorcycle club. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. 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. 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. It's obvious why Fair is the number one suspect. I thought I was gonna die, Fair told Rolling Stone. Her other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. It was just gruesome, he said. Coats is now a captain in the department. In addition, several neighbors in the complex told investigators that he had a sexual attraction to Jinaga, and he exhibited jealous behavior when she talked to other men at the Halloween party that night. Those are times when you should be around family. He was one of the three individual's whose DNA was found . 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. 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. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. 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. 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. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. 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. Redmond police Lt. Brian Coats vividly recalls all that he learned about Arpana Jinaga, a Redmond woman who was strangled in her apartment in 2008, her body doused with bleach, toilet-bowl cleaner and motor oil in an apparent attempt to destroy DNA evidence of rape. 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 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. Maybe they realized only at the last minute that they should get rid of the sheets and empty oil bottle and without anyone seeing them do it? So she was protecting him from interacting with cops and ending up going to jail for that. Redmond Police have found no "firm suspects" in the brutal murder of Arpana Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer who was . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. No one cleaning up reported seeing anything suspicious. According to the Rolling Stone report, most of the people at the party that night didnt remember Fairs name. 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. Cameron should have been the #1 suspect. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. Subsequently, Johnson attempted to scrub his phone. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. Cameron should have been the prime suspect and the one they took to trial. My guess would be drugs. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Police found that he had Googled pawn shops near the border. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. 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. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. Fair also used Jinaga's bathroom. The party started like many others. 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. 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. Jinagas naked body was discovered by a close friend and an immediate neighbor in her home on Nov. 1, 2008. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. 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. But I dont have a desire to do that. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. "It's a series about cutting-edge science and mislaid justice, race and policing, and the kinds of weighty choices that cops and prosecutors make every day," Wondery states in a release. She was a brilliant person. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. 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. DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil (same bag as robe). He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. 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. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. When the night came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, Jinaga said what would be her final goodbyes. 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. A third mans DNA was on a bootlace, also found in the trash, but he had an alibi. 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT . . 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. Coats ran a background check on the Fair and found the rape charge. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. That decision was upheld by the state Court of Appeals following Fairs first trial. The damage from that can be quite minimal and close to the floor with the door discreetly closed on departure, you might not notice unless you looked for it. On Tuesday, that man, Emanuel Fair, 35, was found not guilty of first-degree murder with sexual motivation by a King County jury. He heard "a horrible growling" for about twenty seconds until he heard a thud. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. 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. Most of Fairs jail term was spent away from the general population in administrative segregation essentially, solitary confinement. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. I just want to be myself., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. 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. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. Do we know he would have routinely passed her door going in and out of his apartment? His DNA was also found, he was sexually interested in her, called her around 3am and said oh crap when caught in the lie, also matched the description of the guy seen at her door at 3am. Photos. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. Fair was later seen leaving the apartment that night. An online memorial for Arpana has been created, for family and friends to share pictures and memories, at crypticgirl.com. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. I dont think he killed Arpana. Meanwhile they raided Emmanuels stuff and according to his best friend on the podcast took almost ALL of his things. Guests took silly photos, downed shots and smoked pot. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. 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. She. 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. However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. 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. He had been in her apartment once earlier in the night too. This is only a fraction of the evidence exonerating Emanuel which was wide-ranging and persuasive. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. Her apartment was decorated as a haunted forest, one of. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. -, Press J to jump to the feed. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. Coats is now a captain in the department. The evidence of Fairs involvement is compelling, Larson said this week. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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 . Were they old friends? Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Arpana was last seen in the early morning of Nov. 1 during a Halloween . And thats hard.. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. Somewhere they could establish an alibi?) 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. He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. 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. 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 also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. The DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. 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.