Prior to that, she had attended Rutgers University on the east coast, but had grown up in the Indian city of Hyderabad as the oldest of two daughters. 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 like the movies, coming down slow.. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. 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. It's obvious why Fair is the number one suspect. 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. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. .but he doesnt mention it? Im out, Fair said. 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. 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. 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. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. In the apartment, there was a strong smell of bleach, and also bleach stains were found. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. They messed up, he said. Bodicherla went to the apartment complex, where he encountered Cameron Johnson, who showed him the way to Jinaga's unit. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. And thats hard.. 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. 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. Poor victim was surrounded by shady people it seems. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. 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. 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. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. Remembering Arpana Jinaga - this was the memorial DVD that was played at her funeral on October 6, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. The suit contends detectives aligned evidence to match their theory and disregarded half a dozen non-Black suspects in the case. 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. 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. Jinaga had been a prize-winner in a . On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. 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. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. She. Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old computer programmer, who had moved to the Pacific Northwest in March of 2008. But it seems Jinaga would quickly move on and return to enjoying the party. 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. In it, Ehlert stood firmly by the prosecuting teams decisions. 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. There was evidence of rape. Death' Surgeon Killed or Maimed 33 of His Patients Now His Victims Are Speaking Out, Ex-Boyfriend of Missing Md. 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 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. The second trial was in 2019, where he got a not-guilty verdict. 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. 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. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. Its got to be terrible for everybody it touched. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. On the night of Oct. 31, 2008, Arpana Jinaga and her neighbors at the Valley View Apartments, in Redmond, Wash., threw a party to celebrate Halloween. He heard "a horrible growling" for about twenty seconds until he heard a thud. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. Jinaga's neighbor Cameron Johnson showed up to the party in Jinaga's unit late. The majority of criminals arent very bright. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. Jinagas naked body was discovered by a close friend and an immediate neighbor in her home on Nov. 1, 2008. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. 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. . The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. They found her nude body on her bedroom floor, face-down on the carpet and partially covered with cloth. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. So what else can they do but to continue to point their finger at me?. 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). 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 . As a teenager, Jinaga won a top prize in an international computer programming competition. Ehlert also defended an immunity deal with the suspected neighbor, and the decision to solely prosecute Fair for first-degree murder with sexual motivation a charge that hinged mostly on trace DNA collected from a crime scene teeming with genetic evidence linked to multiple people. This is weird. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. At some point, though, things turned tense. She and several other residents in the complex opened the doors to their apartments for what was to be a night of fun. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. 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. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy, Police arrest man suspected of robbing downtown, South Hill banks, 82-year-old Mead man dies from injuries sustained in December crash near Whitworth , Family settles with Spokane County for $7.5 million in 2019 murder-suicide , Authorities in Oregon investigating incident that sent man with explosive device to Sacred Heart , Kohberger housed in small jail with mix of alleged criminals , Kohberger housed in small jail with mix of alleged criminals, Former Gonzaga guard Kyle Bankhead crafts game plan against alma mater, Family settles with Spokane County for $7.5 million in 2019 murder-suicide, McCarthy wins speakership on 15th vote after concessions to hard right. He said evidence about Jinagas neighbor raised significant questions for the jury. 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. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. Do we know how extensive the damage was? 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. I hope I never have to investigate a case like this again.. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. 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. 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? 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. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. That decision was upheld by the state Court of Appeals following Fairs first trial. She volunteered at the. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. 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. I just want to be myself.. Her apartment was decorated as a haunted forest, one of. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. In the trial, the jury heard evidence that pointed to the neighbor as the possible killer. 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. 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. 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. 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. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil (same bag as robe). Maybe he sneezed or coughed while using it. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. 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. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. 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. 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 result, it claims, was a biased probe that caused Fair to be arrested and charged without probable cause for a murder he did not commit.. https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/96468-8%20Answer%20to%20petition.pdf. The party lasted until the early hours. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. If her rape was that violent he'd have had SOME scratches or scars. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. 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 he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. More than a dozen people passed through Jinaga's apartment that night. Also Leslie Potts covering for Fair is alarming, was that investigated. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. According to residents of the apartment, Johnson appeared interested in Jinaga. Fair was initially arrested for not updating his address with his probation officer. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. 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. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. The following Monday, her body would be discovered inside of her apartment, the victim of an apparent homicide. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. There was DNA from 2-3 males found at the crime scene. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. 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. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. She was outgoing and friendly, joining a motorcycle club, practicing tae kwon do, and volunteering at an animal shelter and fire department, all within eight months of moving to Redmond, he said. 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 joined the publication in 2021 on the crime beat. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. 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 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.. So its kind of messed up. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. 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. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. No one cleaning up reported seeing anything suspicious. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. Around 1am, Fair visited Jinaga's apartment to eat pizza. Cameron should have been the #1 suspect. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. A man by the name of Emanuel Fair was arrested in connection with her murder, but he has since been found not guilty of the crime. Johnson engaged in a number of suspicious activities after the murder. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. 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. His DNA was on the roll of duct tape found on the couch, not the tape that covered her face and according to the podcast there's a photo of him using the duct tape to hang up decorations so yea he touched it they already know that. 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. He used the bathroom on one occasion. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. Preliminary reports said Arpana may have died on Friday evening. Photos. 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. Coats is now a captain in the department. 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. 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. He had been in her apartment once earlier in the night too. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. Coats ran a background check on the Fair and found the rape charge. Jinaga and other tenants he hadnt met were co-hosting a large Halloween party in several units. 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. They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. Ehlert also defended an immunity deal with the suspected neighbor, and the decision to solely prosecute Fair for first-degree murder with sexual motivation a charge that hinged mostly on trace DNA collected from a crime scene teeming with genetic evidence linked to multiple people. We found [Fair] not guilty because of reasonable doubt, not because we thought he was completely innocent., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. 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. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. 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. 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. Only one man was charged with murder. The man was the last person to call her the night she was killed, he tried to destroy evidence of the calls, and he attempted to go to Canada after the homicide but was turned away, he said. I lost a lot. 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. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. 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. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. This is the last known independent witness sighting of the pair. The DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. 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. 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. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion.