The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. 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. 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. DNA evidence was linked to three men and. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. There was forced entry into Jinaga's second-story apartment, signs of trauma to Jinaga and the apartment was in disarray. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. 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. . Fair was later seen leaving the apartment that night. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Maybe they were running out of time (had to be somewhere? 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.. 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. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. 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. I just want to be myself., The Seattle Times closes comments on particularly sensitive stories. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. They interrogated Fair on the car ride to the station without reading his rights. DNA was found on a discarded bottle of motor oil (same bag as robe). Those are times when you should be around family. link. Police staked out the house where he was staying, slowly rolled up on Fair and reportedly pointed guns at his chest. The medical examiner estimated Jinagas time of death was 8 a.m. Some guests were rowdy, but nothing out of the ordinary, it says. He appeared drunk and brought liquor. 14 years ago. 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. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. True. 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 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. Since his release two-and-a-half years ago, Fair said hes struggled to adjust to life outside of jail or find steady work. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. And thats hard.. Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old computer programmer, who had moved to the Pacific Northwest in March of 2008. In her spare time, she practiced taekwondo, learned to build her own motorcycle, and volunteered with neighbourhood groups. 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. Remembering Arpana Jinaga - this was the memorial DVD that was played at her funeral on October 6, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The officers allegedly did not change gloves between evidence collections, or between rooms or locations. A new true-crime podcast from Campside Media and Wondery delves into the brutal unsolved murder nearly 13 years and two trials later. For three and a half decades, her disappearance was a mystery - a riddle neither authorities . Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. 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. 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. 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. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. She is suspected to have died from strangulation from a bootlace. 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. Jailed for Nine Years, Man Acquitted of 2008 - The Daily Chronicle When youre in jail, you dont have a holiday. His phone records revealed that he had called Jinaga at 3am on the night of the murder, but he stated he did not remember making the calls. The Seattle Times is not naming Jinagas neighbor because he has not been charged. Her fingers and nails were cleaned and then covered in toilet bowl cleaner, and there was a heavy scent of bleach throughout the house. Also Leslie Potts covering for Fair is alarming, was that investigated. Jinagas neighbor, Johnson, was the prime suspect at first, as described in Fairs lawsuit documents. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. She had it all going on, Coats said. 'I'm Out, But I'm Not Free': Man Sues After Spending More Than Eight lt also points out that Jinagas neighbor quickly emerged as the lead suspect in the case as inconsistencies in his story began to surface.. 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 party lasted until the early hours. A Review of the 2008 Murder Mystery of Indian immigrant, Arpana Jinaga The majority of criminals arent very bright. 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. . 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. Jinagas bruised body was discovered covered with a cloth on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. He waited in jail while authorities tested his DNA. Brian Bundridge was in a motorcycle club with Jinaga. Someone else murdered the young software engineer. She had a keen interest in engineering and won several innovation competitions. 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. 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. Fair was initially arrested for not updating his address with his probation officer. Johnson said he heard moaning sounds coming from Jinagas apartment around 3 a.m., and he assumed she was having sex. He also drove to Canada the day of the murder and attempted to cross the border without a passport. Residents said Fair appeared relaxed when he hung out at Potts apartment for three days over the weekend. They messed up, he said. or felt they were? 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 . A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. Everyone seemed to have a good time, the lawsuit alleges. Witnesses said Neil Marshall, a partygoer, was sexually aggressive toward Jinaga on Halloween. 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. His attorneys allege Fair was isolated as the main suspect for her murder because of his race and his past criminal record. I hope I never have to investigate a case like this again.. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. Shed been gagged, beaten and strangled during an apparent sexual attack. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. The DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. Jinaga was. This is a person who is living her dream. Fair spent six of the nearly nine years in jail, held by a seven-figure bond, isolated for 23 hours a day awaiting trial. Some of the potential suspects were not interviewed.