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.. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. I thought I was gonna die, Fair told Rolling Stone. 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. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. If her rape was that violent he'd have had SOME scratches or scars. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. 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. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Maybe he sneezed or coughed while using it. 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. The DNA on her neck was microscopic and wasn't necessarily a match, it just couldn't be excluded. 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 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. 14 years later, and unfortunately there are no updates in this case. 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. This is weird. He assumed Jinaga was either vomiting or having sex. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. Johnson also said that he had driven to Canada on the day after the Halloween party and that he had been denied entry. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. However, phone records show that he was making many phone calls between 2am and 5am, including to Potts. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. Police attempted to identify the partygoers and interview them. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. 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. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. 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. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. 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. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. 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. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. 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. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. 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. According to the Rolling Stone report, most of the people at the party that night didnt remember Fairs name. 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. 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. 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.. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. Coats is now a captain in the department. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. She was a brilliant person. Arpana Jinaga Unresolved Arpana Jinaga In October of 2008, a 24-year-old computer programmer living in the Seattle area would attend a Halloween party in her apartment complex. Ehlert, in the 2020 interview, noted prosecutors were barred from including some key evidence at trial: Fairs past convictions and the possibility that he and the neighbor acted together in Jinagas killing because there wasnt evidence to support that theory a decision upheld by the state Court of Appeals after Fairs first trial. 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. Also Leslie Potts covering for Fair is alarming, was that investigated. Fair filed a lawsuit against King County, Redmond, the Redmond Police Department and the lead detective on Dec. 29. I just want to be myself.. 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. 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. It's obvious why Fair is the number one suspect. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. Suspect premieres Aug. 17 on Wondery+ and Aug. 31 wherever podcasts are streamed. But I dont have a desire to do that. 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. A tech prodigy from an early age, Arpana seemed poised to achieve great things in life. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. 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. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. Im out, Fair said. 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 . Source. The case turned into a classic whodunit, and Jinaga's costumed party guests were the prime suspects. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. 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. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. Arpana Jinaga Memorial. I think he may have been involved; I think he may have lied to us, Ehlert said of the neighbor. He was drunk and brought bottles of liquor. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. In it, Ehlert stood firmly by the prosecuting teams decisions. 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. Several people were at the party before Jinagas murder, so the scene was full of various DNA samples. 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. 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. 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. 14 years ago. DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil (same bag as robe). To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. A third mans DNA was on a bootlace, also found in the trash, but he had an alibi. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. The suit contends detectives aligned evidence to match their theory and disregarded half a dozen non-Black suspects in the case. According to court documents, Johnson called Jinaga around 3 a.m. but did not mention that to the police during his interview. 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. Its just another day. Fairs attorneys contend that some of the DNA evidence was not an exact match. Her hands were covered in blue toilet-bowl cleaner, her body and other items were covered in motor oil. 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. Poor victim was surrounded by shady people it seems. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. Most of Fairs jail term was spent away from the general population in administrative segregation essentially, solitary confinement. Jinaga had been a prize-winner in a . I lost a lot. He also heard a thud on the floor but figured she was alright when he heard water running shortly after the noise. Her apartment was decorated as a haunted forest, one of. Arpana and neighbors within the Valley View Apartment complex threw a large Halloween party. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. 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. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. Potts covered for Fair because he had a warrant out for not updating his address with his parole officer. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. 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. Fair said the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, is the closest thing to justice I can get.. 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. The lawsuit alleges that a lighter was found in his apartment with a sticky substance on it, but investigators never collected it. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Maybe they were running out of time (had to be somewhere? I just dont want to be around nobody, he said. Cameron Johnson: a neighbour of Jinaga: he showed up to the party in Jinaga's apartment late. So its kind of messed up. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. The prosecutors office also provided an uncut hourlong recording of an interview of former Chief Deputy Criminal Prosecuting Attorney Erin Ehlert in 2020 for a true crime podcast called Suspect, which examined the case. He was one of the three individual's whose DNA was found . But of course, I imagine it must have been loud disturbance to kick in a door, which was apparently never reported. 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. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. He used the bathroom on one occasion. As her next-door neighbor this would have been obvious. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. He replied: If youve done it before, youll do it again.. Her other immediate neighbor, Kyle Rose, said he heard growling sounds around 8 a.m. The officers allegedly did not change gloves between evidence collections, or between rooms or locations. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? link. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Now, more than two years later, Fair is suing King County, the city of Redmond and Redmond Police Capt. Fair also used Jinaga's bathroom. This is only a fraction of the evidence exonerating Emanuel which was wide-ranging and persuasive. 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. Contribute to Atlanta Black Star today and help us share our narratives. 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. A recent immigrant from India and a graduate of Rutgers University, Jinaga had worked at EMC in Bellevue. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. 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. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. Johnson has denied any involvement in Jinagas death. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. 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. 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. I thought I was gonna die, Fair told Rolling Stone. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. 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. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. However, when Fair emerged as a suspect, his treatment can only be viewed as racial discrimination, his attorneys allege. Some guests were rowdy, but nothing out of the ordinary, it says. In every community across Washington, families are facing the challenge of accessing and affording long-term care. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Host Matthew Shaer and and reporter Eric Benson go to the scene of the crime in an effort to discover if police identified the right suspect. 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? 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. Police let Johnson go after his questioning. 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. The evidence of Fairs involvement is compelling, Larson said this week. 2008, in Marshall . Ehlert, in the 2020 interview, noted prosecutors were barred from including some key evidence at trial: Fairs past convictions and the possibility that he and the neighbor acted together in Jinagas killing because there wasnt evidence to support that theory a decision upheld by the state Court of Appeals after Fairs first trial. 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. She had it all going on, Coats said. The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. When the night came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, Jinaga said what would be her final goodbyes. 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. 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.. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. Just hours after that party ended, in the early morning of Nov. 1, 2008, one of the hosts of the Halloween party a 24-year-old software engineer and Indian immigrant named Arpana Jinaga . 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? 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. They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. The following Monday, her body would be discovered inside of her apartment, the victim of an apparent homicide. Redmond Police have found no "firm suspects" in the brutal murder of Arpana Jinaga, a 24-year-old software engineer who was . Jinaga and other tenants he hadnt met were co-hosting a large Halloween party in several units. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. 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. 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. 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. When contacted by police, Leslie Potts falsely claimed that she was alone, even though Emanuel Fair was staying with her. Its got to be terrible for everybody it touched. 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. Coats is now a captain in the department. 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. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. 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. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. 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. He attributed them to wrestling a stranger he met at another Halloween party the next day, the lawsuit alleges. And thats hard.. Her removed tampon alone had three separate unidentified male DNA profiles on it, according to Rolling Stones investigation. 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. .but he doesnt mention it? 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. She died from ligature strangulation, a bootlace the suspected murder weapon. She had opened her third-floor apartment to Fair and dozens of other partygoers, who traipsed in and out during the festivities. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. She practiced martial arts and participated in a motorcycle club. Most people left Jinaga's apartment after 9pm to move to another apartment. 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. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. 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. The party was big enough that it spanned multiple apartments and drew many revelers. 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. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. DNA found at the crime scene was ultimately linked to three men, but only one was charged with murder. Police found that he had Googled pawn shops near the border. 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. According to residents of the apartment, Johnson appeared interested in Jinaga. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. 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. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. So she was protecting him from interacting with cops and ending up going to jail for that. 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. And thats hard.. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. 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. 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. At age 20, Jinaga moved from her native India to the United States and quickly found success. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women.