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. 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. In the apartment complex's trash bin, was a bag containing Jinaga's Halloween costume, a bloodied robe, a discarded bottle of motor oil, and the bootlace. 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. There was DNA from 2-3 males found at the crime scene. 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. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. Sunshine(2018) - Was Kyle Rose ever questioned as a suspect? 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. He was read his rights. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. Jinaga was sprawled on the floor in her bedroom, bloody, naked, and drenched in bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, and motor oil. Cameron Johnson: a neighbour of Jinaga: he showed up to the party in Jinaga's apartment late. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. The neighbors DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil, found in the same bag with the robe. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. 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. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. 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.. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. Fairs lawsuit includes many of the same facts that his public defender, Ben Goldsmith, used to poke holes in the prosecutions criminal case. Man Accused Of Killing Arpana Jinaga Freed After He's Held 9 Years With 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. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. 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. Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. This is the last known independent witness sighting of the pair. I am far from shady. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. 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. The Wondery true-crime podcast Suspect centers on the murder of Arpana Jinaga as well as the trials of the wrongly imprisoned Emanuel Fair, who spent years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. "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. The court documents detail negligence by detectives and the outsourcing of a famous psychic medium to opine on the case. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. Somewhere they could establish an alibi?) Johnson also had injuries that detectives said were consistent with a sexual assault. 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. 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. This is a person who is living her dream. Fairs lawsuit contends the probable cause affidavit used to support the murder charge omitted multiple facts, including that several other mens DNA also was found on crime scene evidence and items found in the dumpster. 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 His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. Fair, a guest of another woman living in the building, met Jinaga and her neighbor that night. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. 'I'm Out, But I'm Not Free': Man Sues After Spending More Than Eight Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. 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. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. Jinaga's killer had clearly gone to great lengths to destroy any biological traces linking him to the crime scene. He waited in jail while authorities tested his DNA. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. Jinagas bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. No one cleaning up reported seeing anything suspicious. 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. Im out, Fair said. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. 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 case turned into a classic whodunit, and Jinaga's costumed party guests were the prime suspects. 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. 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. 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. 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. Jinaga had been a prize-winner in a . Most of the partygoers reportedly referred to the chocolate-skinned man as the Black guy in his police file. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. Second trial in killing of Redmond woman ends with not-guilty verdict 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. 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. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. 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. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. .but he doesnt mention it? Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. Two days later, after Jinaga hadnt shown up to work or returned calls to her family in India, a family friend and Jinagas next-door neighbor found her door kicked in and her nude body on her bedroom floor. She practiced martial arts and participated in a motorcycle club. Do we know from the OP that it would have been obvious? He used the bathroom on one occasion. The DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. The lab technicians simply could not exclude Fair as a match, and his DNA was found alongside other DNA matches. 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. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. 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. 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. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. -, Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. 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. 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. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. A tech prodigy from an early age, Arpana seemed poised to achieve great things in life. Larson, the chief criminal deputy prosecutor, noted Fairs 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 a robe found in the apartment buildings trash bin. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. A spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office said in an email, we look forward to addressing these allegations in a public courtroom, and we are confident in our case.. Emanuel has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout this case and he, his family, and friends are greatly relieved that justice was served by his acquittal, defense attorney Benjamin Goldsmith wrote in an email Friday. Emanuel, his family, and friends ask for privacy, as he works to rebuild his life, wrote Goldsmith. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. During the night, neighbors of Jinaga heard muffled moaning sounds, and assumed she and a partner were having consensual sex. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. The following Monday, her body would be discovered inside of her apartment, the victim of an apparent homicide. Because of this, a judge limited the scope of questions the man could be asked during the trial. Guests took silly photos, downed shots and smoked pot. Cameron should have been the prime suspect and the one they took to trial. It was like the movies, coming down slow.. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. New episodes of the nine-part series will be released weekly on Tuesdays. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. 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. When the night came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, Jinaga said what would be her final goodbyes. 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. DNA found at the crime scene was ultimately linked to three men, but only one was charged with murder. There are multiple apartments with parties and these two go to a car to listen to music?! When questioned, Fair claimed he retired to Potts' apartment around 1:30am on the night of the party. Im out, Fair said. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. He had been in her apartment once earlier in the night too. In every community across Washington, families are facing the challenge of accessing and affording long-term care. 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 had been brutally beaten, raped, and strangled. He used the bathroom on one occasion. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. More than a dozen people passed through Jinaga's apartment that night. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. According to court records and Chief Criminal Deputy Mark Larson, prosecutors were barred from arguing that Fair and the neighbor were both involved in Jinagas killing because there wasnt evidence to support the states theory the men acted as accomplices. Coats ran a background check on the Fair and found the rape charge. 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. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. Fighting for justice: Two public defenders worked for years to get 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. But I dont have a desire to do that. But it seems Jinaga would quickly move on and return to enjoying the party. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. A spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office said in an email, we look forward to addressing these allegations in a public courtroom, and we are confident in our case.. However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. This is weird. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Jinagas bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. They messed up, he said. The defense also explained the innocuous opportunities Mr. Fair had to touch or indirectly transfer microscopic skin cells to these items during the party. According to residents of the apartment, Johnson appeared interested in Jinaga. 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. They messed up, he said. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. 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. According to the Rolling Stone report, most of the people at the party that night didnt remember Fairs name. Photos. 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. I dont think he killed Arpana. Police believe she was killed around 8 am. 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. 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.. He was convicted of third-degree rape in 2004. 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. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. 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. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. 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. "Choices that, once made, are difficult to reverse.". Suspect is a true crime podcast that examines the murder of Arpana Jinaga who was killed at a Halloween party hosted by her apartment complex. Its just another day. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. When residents of the Valley View Apartments in Redmond, Wash., decided to host a Halloween party nearly 13 years ago, nobody expected that it would end 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. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. A new true-crime podcast from Campside Media and Wondery delves into the brutal unsolved murder nearly 13 years and two trials later. 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. Jinaga had been gagged, brutally beaten and most likely raped. link. 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. Arpana Jinaga Memorial on Vimeo 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. 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. The second trial was in 2019, where he got a not-guilty verdict. Jinagas father had asked a family friend to check in on her after she missed scheduled calls with family from India. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. But of course, I imagine it must have been loud disturbance to kick in a door, which was apparently never reported. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. 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. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. Halloween Party Host Murder Leads to Excess Suspects | Arpana Jinaga Arpana Jinaga - Spreaker She was a brilliant person. but Im not free.. She volunteered at the. Arpana Jinaga was murdered in her apartment in 2008 . In the trial, the jury heard evidence that pointed to the neighbor as the possible killer. A Review of the 2008 Murder Mystery of Indian immigrant, Arpana Jinaga He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. Maybe he sneezed or coughed while using it. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. Indian immigrant and recent college graduate Arpana Jinaga was found brutally murdered in her Washington State apartment after co-hosting a Halloween costume party at her complex the evening of Oct. 31, 2008. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. So she was protecting him from interacting with cops and ending up going to jail for that. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. 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. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. She. So its kind of messed up. Arpana Jinaga Memorial. 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.. 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. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. A recent immigrant from India and a graduate of Rutgers University, Jinaga had worked at EMC in Bellevue. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. 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. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. The Seattle Times is not naming Jinagas neighbor because he has not been charged. 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. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. The party was big enough that it spanned multiple apartments and drew many revelers. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. The county, police department and Coats filed a response to Fairs initial complaint refuting the claims. Police attempted to identify the partygoers and interview them. Jinaga was. 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. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. 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. 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. If you have probable cause, you dont go to a psychic, he said. 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.