His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. 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. or felt they were? He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. He was read his rights. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. Two days later on Monday, Jinagas father in India was worried that her daughter was not answering her phone, so he asked family friend Jay Bodicherla in the US to check up on her. 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. A recent immigrant from India and a graduate of Rutgers University, Jinaga had worked at EMC in Bellevue. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. 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.. Arpana was last seen in the early morning of Nov. 1 during a Halloween . 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. She. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. I just want to be myself.. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. 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. The second trial was in 2019, where he got a not-guilty verdict. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. Emanuel, his family, and friends ask for privacy, as he works to rebuild his life, wrote Goldsmith. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. 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 helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. Jinaga lived alone in an apartment at the Valley View Apartments. I just want to be myself., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. He had bruises consistent with a sexual attack, tried to flee the country, and was researching pawn shops (which the police never really followed up onor seemingly got a real answer from him on why he was researchingpawn shops). Police let Johnson go after his questioning. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. Those are times when you should be around family. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. 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. 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT . Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. 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. Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old computer programmer, who had moved to the Pacific Northwest in March of 2008. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. Nearly a year later. Jinaga and other tenants he hadnt met were co-hosting a large Halloween party in several units. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. She died from ligature strangulation, a bootlace the suspected murder weapon. The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. 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). 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. 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. Bodicherla went to the apartment complex, where he encountered Cameron Johnson, who showed him the way to Jinaga's unit. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. Fair also used Jinaga's bathroom. 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. The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. Johnson also had injuries that detectives said were consistent with a sexual assault. 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. Jinaga was. Legal Expert Weighs In, Idaho Murder Victims' Families React to Suspect's Arrest: 'Such a Blessing and Relief', 'She Had No Idea': Sister of Idaho Victim Reacts to Claim that Suspect's Phone Pinged Near House 12 Times, Parents Charged with Murder After 4-Year-Old Son Dies from Alleged 'Exorcisms', Idaho Killings: Surviving Roommate Saw Alleged Killer Wearing Black Clothes and a Mask, Affidavit Says. Johnson engaged in a number of suspicious activities after the murder. 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. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. Jinaga's killer had clearly gone to great lengths to destroy any biological traces linking him to the crime scene. Then, due to inexcusable delays in Fairs trial and prolonged pretrial detention, he spent more than nine years in the King County Correctional Facility as an innocent man, in conditions of inhumane confinement that are well known to have a detrimental effect on mental health, the suit contends. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. Arpana Jinaga Memorial. Just to set the record straight. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. 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. Meanwhile they raided Emmanuels stuff and according to his best friend on the podcast took almost ALL of his things. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. 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. Its got to be terrible for everybody it touched. Kyler Alvord leads PEOPLE's politics coverage as a news editor for the brand. 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. 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 lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, Jinaga left a gathering in a ground-floor apartment and returned to her apartment on the third floor. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. When Johnson found out Fair liked hip hop and wrote beats, Johnson invited him to his car to listen to some electronic music he had made. 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. 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. Brian Bundridge was in a motorcycle club with Jinaga. Jinaga had been gagged, brutally beaten and most likely raped. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. Not sure if there would be any visible damages. She and several other residents in the complex opened the doors to their apartments for what was to be a night of fun. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. 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. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. There was DNA from 2-3 males found at the crime scene. Maybe they were running out of time (had to be somewhere? 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? 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. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. 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. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. 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. He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. I lost a lot. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. When Johnson was interviewed by police on Nov 3 and 5th, he was noticeably limping with elbow and knee issues, but claimed it was due to an arm wrestling incident. According to residents of the apartment, Johnson appeared interested in Jinaga. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. She had it all going on, Coats said. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. -, Press J to jump to the feed. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. 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 other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. Brian Bundridge was in a motorcycle club with Jinaga. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. I dont think he killed Arpana. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. My guess would be drugs. New episodes of the nine-part series will be released weekly on Tuesdays. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. He was drunk and brought bottles of liquor. Fair was initially arrested for not updating his address with his probation officer. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. 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. And thats hard.. Source. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. He used the bathroom on one occasion. He appeared drunk and brought liquor. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. When the night came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, Jinaga said what would be her final goodbyes. 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. 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. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. Subsequently, Johnson attempted to scrub his phone. 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. 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. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. 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. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. 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. A tech prodigy from an early age, Arpana seemed poised to achieve great things in life. 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. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. Her other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. Fair was initially arrested for not updating his address with his probation officer. 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. Suspect is an investigative series about mislaid justice and the kinds of weighty decisions that detectives, lawyers, and jurors make every day - decisions that, once made, are almost impossible to reverse.Season 2: Vanished in the Snow chronicles the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews. 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. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. Johnson's friends and family stated he said "what if I did the murder and I don't remember". 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 neighbor invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Larson said. 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. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. They found her nude body on her bedroom floor, face-down on the carpet and partially covered with cloth. 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 her pimp, or as the podcast preferred to describe it, the person who placed craiglist ads for her escort services. 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. DNA evidence was linked to three men and. More than a dozen people passed through Jinaga's apartment that night. "Choices that, once made, are difficult to reverse.". Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. If her rape was that violent he'd have had SOME scratches or scars. 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. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. 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. To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. Jinaga had been a prize-winner in a . To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. He was one of the three individual's whose DNA was found . Do we know he would have routinely passed her door going in and out of his apartment? Most people left Jinaga's apartment after 9pm to move to another apartment. At approximately 8 am, Jinaga's next-door neighbor Kyle Rose, was awakened by sounds coming from her apartment. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. During the night, neighbors of Jinaga heard muffled moaning sounds, and assumed she and a partner were having consensual sex. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. So what else can they do but to continue to point their finger at me?. 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. 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. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. Police attempted to identify the partygoers and interview them. Photos. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. At some point during the night, partygoers recall Jinaga getting into an argument with a male, who made a race-related comment. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. Fair, a guest of another woman living in the building, met Jinaga and her neighbor that night. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. 2008, in Marshall . 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. Death' Surgeon Killed or Maimed 33 of His Patients Now His Victims Are Speaking Out, Ex-Boyfriend of Missing Md. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. 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. Johnson also had injuries that detectives said were consistent with a sexual assault. 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. Fair filed a lawsuit against King County, Redmond, the Redmond Police Department and the lead detective on Dec. 29. 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. Redmond Police have found no "firm suspects" in the brutal murder of Arpana Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer who was . I am far from shady. So what else can they do but to continue to point their finger at me?. In it, Ehlert stood firmly by the prosecuting teams decisions. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. 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. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. 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. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. He heard "a horrible growling" for about twenty seconds until he heard a thud. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. Fair spent six of the nearly nine years in jail, held by a seven-figure bond, isolated for 23 hours a day awaiting trial. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Police went to Jinaga's apartment after they were contacted by her friend, Redmond police spokesman Jim Bove said, adding police are investigating the death as a homicide. 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 . And thats hard.. By Bill Christianson January 8, 2009 5:35 pm. beansbaxter. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. She volunteered at the. I lost a lot. After the sound stopped, Rose then heard steps and the sound of running water for 1 hour. 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. They act on impulse, not ration. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. 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. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. They interrogated Fair on the car ride to the station without reading his rights. 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. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. But it seems Jinaga would quickly move on and return to enjoying the party.