When contacted by police, Leslie Potts falsely claimed that she was alone, even though Emanuel Fair was staying with her. The neighbor, who later hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating, subsequently scrubbed his phone of call and text data, the suit states. 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. Arpana Jinaga. 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. 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. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. It was just gruesome, he said. So its kind of messed up. DNA found at the crime scene was ultimately linked to three men, but only one was charged with murder. 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. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. They messed up, he said. or felt they were? 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. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. No one cleaning up reported seeing anything suspicious. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. I may be misremembering but I seem to remember there being explanations for Fairs DNA on those items? A new true-crime podcast from Campside Media and Wondery delves into the brutal unsolved murder nearly 13 years and two trials later. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. 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. Those are times when you should be around family. When questioned, Fair claimed he retired to Potts' apartment around 1:30am on the night of the party. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. No one cleaning up reported seeing anything suspicious. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. It seems odd to me that the killer(s) would go to such extremes to cover up DNA on her body and in her apartment with the motor oil and toilet bowl cleaner and bleach etc. Why didnt he tell police that her door was kicked in? I hope I never have to investigate a case like this again.. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. 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). Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. Do we know from the OP that it would have been obvious? 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 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.. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. So its kind of messed up. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. 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. Potts had not known Fair for a long time. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. 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. Condition of the apartment: Jinaga's bed had been stripped, a fleece blanket was partially burned and her comforter was found in soaked the bathroom bathtub. He was her pimp, or as the podcast preferred to describe it, the person who placed craiglist ads for her escort services. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. 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.. Remembering Arpana Jinaga - this was the memorial DVD that was played at her funeral on October 6, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. 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. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. 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. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. I just want to be myself., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. 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. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. Subsequently, Johnson attempted to scrub his phone. Arpana and neighbors within the Valley View Apartment complex threw a large Halloween party. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. 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. 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. 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. She volunteered at the. 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. Im out, Fair said. So she was protecting him from interacting with cops and ending up going to jail for that. 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 bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. They act on impulse, not ration. 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. 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. and even burning of sheets, but then they would be so careless and stupid to just discard it all into the apartment dumpster. 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. 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 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. Jinaga's neighbor Cameron Johnson showed up to the party in Jinaga's unit late. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. . As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. Jinaga's killer had clearly gone to great lengths to destroy any biological traces linking him to the crime scene. Fair filed a lawsuit against King County, Redmond, the Redmond Police Department and the lead detective on Dec. 29. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. Poor victim was surrounded by shady people it seems. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. 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. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. I lost a lot. Those are times when you should be around family. There are multiple apartments with parties and these two go to a car to listen to music?! Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. 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. During the night, neighbors of Jinaga heard muffled moaning sounds, and assumed she and a partner were having consensual sex. Jinagas naked body was discovered by a close friend and an immediate neighbor in her home on Nov. 1, 2008. They interrogated Fair on the car ride to the station without reading his rights. I just want to be myself.. A bunch of residents of the apartment complex had decided to throw a big Halloween bash across something like four of the apartments, with each apartment decorated with a different theme. 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. It was a party, Fair was all over her apartment like EVERYONE ELSE. At some point during the night, partygoers recall Jinaga getting into an argument with a male, who made a race-related comment. 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 evidence of Fairs involvement is compelling, Larson said this week. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. Jinagas naked body was discovered by a close friend and an immediate neighbor in her home on Nov. 1, 2008. And thats hard.. He used the bathroom on one occasion. They messed up, he said. He scrubbed his phone after questioned about the call and could easily have hung around and taken time to clean her apartment/scrub the crime scene because their apartments shared a balcony and him taking out trash wouldn't strike anyone as weird or noticeable. The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. Arpana was last seen in the early morning of Nov. 1 during a Halloween . Jinagas bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. 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. Nobody heard from her in the following days, and that Monday, her body was discovered on the floor of her apartment, doused in chemicals and showing signs of strangulation. Another apartment complex resident committed suicide just days after Jinagas death, and his DNA was reportedly never compared to the crime scene. The neighbor invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, Larson said. 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. In it, Ehlert stood firmly by the prosecuting teams decisions. The suit contends detectives aligned evidence to match their theory and disregarded half a dozen non-Black suspects in the case. An online memorial for Arpana has been created, for family and friends to share pictures and memories, at crypticgirl.com. The DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. 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. Maybe they were running out of time (had to be somewhere? Arpana Jinaga Memorial. For three and a half decades, her disappearance was a mystery - a riddle neither authorities . Bodicherla went to the apartment complex, where he encountered Cameron Johnson, who showed him the way to Jinaga's unit. Alyndra Pandjipoetra 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT! Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. Arpana Jinaga. Fair also used Jinaga's bathroom. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. Goldsmith said evidence found at Jinagas apartment and produced during the investigation pointed to one of her neighbors as the likely killer. 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. 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. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. 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. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. 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. But I dont have a desire to do that. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it.