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. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. 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. Arpana Jinaga Memorial on Vimeo Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. In the investigation that followed, authorities scrambled to determine who would hurt the lovable young woman from India, a promising software programmer who volunteered at the local fire department and rode her motorcycle with friends in her free time. 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. Woman Found Dead After Hosting Halloween Costume Party At Her Apartment Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. The party lasted until the early hours. It's obvious why Fair is the number one suspect. 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. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Potts covered for Fair because he had a warrant out for not updating his address with his parole officer. The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. Emanuel Fair was arrested in 2010. Jinaga was sprawled on the floor in her bedroom, bloody, naked, and drenched in bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, and motor oil. Jinaga was. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Nearly a year later. A Review of the 2008 Murder Mystery of Indian immigrant, Arpana Jinaga Johnson also had injuries that detectives said were consistent with a sexual assault. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. 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. Theres very little justice left to salvage., In a 2020 interview, the lead detective said Fair stood out to him because he was the only African-American male at the party and looked like an outsider.. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. Photo: King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, 'Dr. 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. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. 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. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinaga's death, and his. Police believe she was killed around 8 am. Convicted sex offender charged in brutal 2008 Redmond homicide 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. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. 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? At approximately 8 am, Jinaga's next-door neighbor Kyle Rose, was awakened by sounds coming from her apartment. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. His case went on trial in 2017, the jury deadlocked and there was a mistrial. 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. More than a dozen people passed through Jinaga's apartment that night. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. 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. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. 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. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. 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.. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. As a teenager, Jinaga won a top prize in an international computer programming competition. The neighbor, who later hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating, subsequently scrubbed his phone of call and text data, the suit states. 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. 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. 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. In 2008, 24 year old software engineer, Arpana Jinaga was brutally murdered after hosting a party on Halloween night with fellow residents of the Valley View Apartments in Redmond Washington. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. She practiced martial arts and participated in a motorcycle club. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. 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. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. The DNA on her neck was microscopic and wasn't necessarily a match, it just couldn't be excluded. 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. 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. 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. 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. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. 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. 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. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. but Im not free.. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. Police found that he had Googled pawn shops near the border. 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. I am far from shady. So its kind of messed up. 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. Coats is now a captain in the department. An exclusive trailer for Suspect is below. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. The party was big enough that it spanned multiple apartments and drew many revelers. 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. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. 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. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. When questioned, Fair claimed he retired to Potts' apartment around 1:30am on the night of the party. 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT . Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. The neighbor, who later hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating, subsequently scrubbed his phone of call and text data, the suit states. Do we know how extensive the damage was? 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 that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. The Murder of Arpana Jinaga, The Stickiest Heist In History - WVXU Arpana Jinaga - Spreaker Only one man was charged with murder. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. A brutal murder and mountains of evidence. After 2 court - Reddit 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. 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. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. It was a brutal scene. 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. 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 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. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. 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. They messed up, he 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. He appeared drunk and brought liquor. https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/96468-8%20Answer%20to%20petition.pdf. 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. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. In the trial, the jury heard evidence that pointed to the neighbor as the possible killer. 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. He joined the publication in 2021 on the crime beat. They interrogated Fair on the car ride to the station without reading his rights. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. 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. 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. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. 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. Meanwhile they raided Emmanuels stuff and according to his best friend on the podcast took almost ALL of his things. Subsequently, Johnson attempted to scrub his phone. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. Cameron Johnson: a neighbour of Jinaga: he showed up to the party in Jinaga's apartment late. Cameron Johnson, who has never been charged, invoked his 5th Amendment right, and therefore only faced limited scope questioning during Fair's trial. Jailed for Nine Years, Man Acquitted of 2008 - The Daily Chronicle 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. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. Most people left Jinaga's apartment after 9pm to move to another apartment. 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. Also Leslie Potts covering for Fair is alarming, was that investigated. There was DNA from 2-3 males found at the crime scene. 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. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party.