Family seeks clarity in college student's unsolved 2012 murder

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Nearly four years after a college student was found beaten to death inside her Chapel Hill apartment, Faith Hedgepeth's cousin is trying to find clarity in her unsolved murder.

Alyssa Mozingo recently published online a detailed timeline of events leading up to when Hedgepeth's roommate discovered her body the morning of Sept. 7, 2012.

SEE THE COMPLETE TIMELINE HERE

Mozingo said she wanted to use only the facts from search warrants and other court documents made public two years after the murder to avoid any speculation.

"There's a lot of holes in there," she said of her timeline that redacts the name of every person cited in the documents. "And I've left it that way on purpose because I don't want there to be any assumptions."

Police said 19-year-old Hedgepeth was found bloodied and beaten in her bedroom the morning after a night out at a bar with her roommate.

A sexual assault kit was collected that showed the presence of semen. Investigators have said that DNA belongs to Hedgepeth's killer, but after collecting and comparing hundreds of samples from persons of interest, none has been a match.

"It frustrates us and saddens us because I know from talking to our investigators who have really been immersed in the case from the beginning, just how hurtful it is to go home at the end of the day and know you haven't brought closure to Faith's family," said Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue.

Blue said Thursday that Hedgepeth's case has not gone cold; his detectives are continuing to conduct interviews, process evidence and pursue new evidence in the case.

"We're very confident in this case," he said. "It's not a question of if it'll be solved. It's when."

"I'm surprised that someone has not been tempted to tell," said Mozingo, citing the $40,000 reward still available for information in the case.

She said her timeline was just as much for her to gain clarity in the investigation, as it was for any person who may not realize they're holding onto information that could make all the difference.

"I hope it triggers someone's memory," she said.

Chief Blue echoed that even the most seemingly insignificant detail could help investigators solve the case.

If you have any information, please call Crimestoppers at (919) 942-7515.