Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. He waited in jail while authorities tested his DNA. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. Jinaga's neighbor Cameron Johnson showed up to the party in Jinaga's unit late. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. 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. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. 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. An online memorial for Arpana has been created, for family and friends to share pictures and memories, at crypticgirl.com. The officers allegedly did not change gloves between evidence collections, or between rooms or locations. 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. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. 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. I dont think he killed Arpana. The neighbor invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Larson said. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. 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. 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. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. 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. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. 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? Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. 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? 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. 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. 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. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/petitions/96468-8%20Answer%20to%20petition.pdf. beansbaxter. 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. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. 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. 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. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. Remembering Arpana Jinaga - this was the memorial DVD that was played at her funeral on October 6, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. Her apartment was decorated as a haunted forest, one of. Guests took silly photos, downed shots and smoked pot. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. When questioned, Fair claimed he retired to Potts' apartment around 1:30am on the night of the party. Those are times when you should be around family. 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. After hosting her event, software programmer, Arpana Jinaga, was found dead inside her home. 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. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinaga's death, and his. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. 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 was her pimp, or as the podcast preferred to describe it, the person who placed craiglist ads for her escort services. 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. She volunteered at the. 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. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. 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. 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.. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. 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. 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. 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. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. When asked about the calls, Johnson reportedly said, oh crap, but he could not remember why he called Jinaga. It was just gruesome, he said. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. Theyre still crying about it 10 years later and they will be for the rest of their lives because it was such a horrible thing.. 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. 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. Arpana and neighbors within the Valley View Apartment complex threw a large Halloween party. 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 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. 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. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. DNA evidence was linked to three men and. Was Kyle Rose ever questioned as a suspect? As a teenager, Jinaga won a top prize in an international computer programming competition. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. 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. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. 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. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. He said evidence about Jinagas neighbor raised significant questions for the jury. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. Arpana Jinaga. 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. By Bill Christianson January 8, 2009 5:35 pm. . They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. 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. 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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 court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. Fair also used Jinaga's bathroom. Jinagas bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. 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. Fair filed a lawsuit against King County, Redmond, the Redmond Police Department and the lead detective on Dec. 29. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. 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. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. 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. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. Ive never seen a worse case, Corinne Sebren, one of Fairs lawyers, who specializes in civil rights cases, told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. 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. Source. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. 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. 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. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. 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. 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. 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. Johnson engaged in a number of suspicious activities after the murder. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. 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. 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. 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. I think that was the biggest reasonable doubt and no one could eliminate him [as the killer], the juror said of the neighbor. She was a brilliant person. 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. "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. Her other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. The Murder of Arpana Jinaga, The Stickiest Heist In History, abnd The Crappiest Place on Earth Published December 28, 2021 at 12:01 AM EST Listen 12:50 Jinaga was. The case turned into a classic whodunit, and Jinaga's costumed party guests were the prime suspects. 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. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. 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. Do we know he would have routinely passed her door going in and out of his apartment? Fair, the second-longest-serving inmate in the downtown Seattle facility after being booked into jail in November 2010, was released Tuesday afternoon, three hours after the jury delivered its not-guilty verdict, according to a jail spokeswoman. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment.