'Who Killed the Co-ed: An ID Murder Mystery': Release date, plot and all you need to know about the true-crime show

Faith Hedgepeth, 19, was brutally murdered in her off-campus apartment on September 7, 2012
Faith Hedgepeth (ID/YouTube)
Faith Hedgepeth (ID/YouTube)

The unsolved murder of college student and Chapel Hill resident Faith Hedgepeth will be the subject of Investigation Discovery's new show. 'Who killed the co-ed?: An ID Murder Mystery' will take a look at the 2012 case and extensive investigation conducted over the last eight years as the police are still on the hunt for the killer. Hoping that it may shine new light on the case and prompt anyone with information surrounding Hedgepeth's death to come forward, the show recounts the details of her untimely death and its aftermath. 

Release date

'Who killed the co-ed? : An ID Murder Mystery' airs on May 28 at 9 pm on Investigation Discovery. This special is a part of 'ID Presents: Nine at 9', with new premieres running nightly at 9 pm on Investigation Discovery,

Plot

Faith Hedgepeth and Euna Chavis, Image Courtesy of Euna Chavis (Investigation Discovery)

Faith Hedgepeth, 19, was brutally murdered in her off-campus apartment after spending a night out with her roommate. She had been bludgeoned to death and laid in a pool of her own blood when her roommate and a fellow acquaintance arrived at the apartment and found her unresponsive. The pieces of evidence collected from the apartment pointed at her being sexually assaulted before her murder, but also led police to believe that Hedgepeth was familiar with her killer. 

The murderer left behind a cryptic note, the murder weapon (a Bacardi rum bottle) and DNA. Yet despite six years of investigation, the case remains unsolved. The mystery behind her murder is palpable, however, evidence like a voicemail and results from advanced forensic technology incite a level of confidence in the investigators and Hedgepeth's family. The hope to finally find out who killed her and bring her to justice. 

Victim

Faith Hedgepeth

Faith Hedgepeth, Image Courtesy of Ronald Hedgepeth (Investigation Discovery)

Faith Hedgepeth, 19, was junior, studying at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill at the time of her death in 2012. She was an exemplary student, who earned the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship to study at UNC and was also on the honor roll in high school. She was passionate about helping children and yearned to be a pediatrician, something she could take back with her to her Native American tribe, the Haliwa Saponi in Hollister, North Carolina. Hedgepeth would have been the first in her family to graduate from college. Only weeks before she was to turn 20, Hedgepeth was beaten to death in her apartment, in the early hours of September 7, 2012. Her bloodied and battered body was found wrapped in a quilt, half-naked with signs of sexual assault.

Others Associated

Karena Rosario

Faith Hedgepeth and Karena Rosario, Image Courtesy of Ronald Hedgepeth (Investigation Discovery)

Karena Rosario was Hedgepeth's roommate, who she was with the night before she was murdered. They were close friends and spent the previous evening at the library and a club together before returning to their apartment. On the day that Hedgepeth was murdered, Karena slipped out of the apartment with a man that she was dating leaving behind her sleeping roommate in an unlocked apartment. She came back later that morning to find Hedgepeth's body and immediately called 911. In the audio transcripts released by the police, she is heard saying “I don’t know. I don’t think so. There’s blood everywhere," when the operator asked her if her friend was breathing.

Eriq Takoy Jones

Eriq Jones (Investigation Discovery, YouTube)

Eriq Takoy Jones is Rosario's former boyfriend who reportedly made his hatred for Hedgepeth obvious because he didn't like the influence she had on his ex-girlfriend. He initially lived with the two girls in the apartment, but his relationship with Rosario was marred by domestic violence and she eventually ended things after which he moved out. However, in early June of 2012, he had twice attempted to break into the apartment, despite Rosario changing the locks, prompting Hedgepeth to drive her friend to the local court and file a protective order against Jones. He once allegedly even threatened Hedgepeth to kill her during a phone conversation if Rosario didn't get back together with him. 

Jones became a person of interest when the police learned of his history with Hedgepeth and Rosario. They also found that the night before Hedgepeth's murder he had texted an acquaintance asking for forgiveness "for what I am about to do" and tweeted the same message on his social media. Three days later he changed his Facebook status to read: "Dear Lord, Forgive me for all of my sins and the sins I may commit today. Protect me from the girls who don't deserve me and the ones who wish me dead today." However, Jones' DNA samples didn't match those that were recovered from the scene of the crime and he was effectively ruled out as a suspect.

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