The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. A third mans DNA was on a bootlace, also found in the trash, but he had an alibi. 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. -, Press J to jump to the feed. The complaint alleges that police failed to properly secure and gather evidence. 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. But I dont have a desire to do that. He helped set up and clean up, and had no wounds, no scratches or injuries. According to the complaint, Johnsons fingerprints were found inside a window in Jinagas apartment, and his DNA was found on the motor oil bottle and a portion of wet carpet at the crime scene. Coats is now a captain in the department. Those are times when you should be around family. After hosting her event, software programmer, Arpana Jinaga, was found dead inside her home. Jinagas phone and digital camera were missing from the scene and never recovered. To just dismiss it as racism is ridiculous. 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. After nine years of fighting, Emanuel Fair has the freedom he deserves. 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. A few guests got rowdy, arguments broke out and a couple of people were asked to leave. Detectives interviewed Fair three times in jail before the district attorney recommended a first-degree murder against him. On Oct. 31, 2008, Fair took a bus to Redmond to stay the weekend with a friend at the Valley View Apartments. . 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. Court records show prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence to charge Jinagas neighbor, who met Fair the night of the homicide. 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. His lawyers said he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Fair met Jinaga hours before she was killed at a Halloween party in her apartment complex. 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. 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. 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. Arpana dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and her apartment was one of four areas in the complex. 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. Investigators said the lower half of the womans body was covered in motor oil. They also failed to look for evidence of a missing bootlace. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. He and Jinagas next-door neighbor who became a suspect in her slaying discovered her locked door had been kicked in and found her nude body on her bedroom floor. 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. Nearly a year later. but Im not free., Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, Why 4 of Mizzou's seniors have a personal meaning for Dennis Gates, Iliman Ndiaye: Senegal midfielder an 'unbelievable' player. 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. 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 . 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. He told detectives he had a desire to explore. Canadian officials said Johnson tried to blow through the gates. She and several other residents in the complex opened the doors to their apartments for what was to be a night of fun. It was a party, Fair was all over her apartment like EVERYONE ELSE. The result, it claims, was a biased probe that caused Fair to be arrested and charged without probable cause for a murder he did not commit.. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. In 2008, a 24-year-old Redmond-based software engineer named Arpana Jinaga was found strangled in her apartment after a Halloween party in her building. In August 2009, a man named Emanuel Fair was interviewed by police. Fair is seeking damages for the emotional stress he faced from when police investigated him until he was released. The result, it claims, was a biased probe that caused Fair to be arrested and charged without probable cause for a murder he did not commit.. Emanuel Fair was arrested in 2010. He was drunk and brought bottles of liquor. He had a prior history of violent sexual crimes. 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. For three and a half decades, her disappearance was a mystery - a riddle neither authorities . At age 20, Jinaga moved from her native India to the United States and quickly found success. The lawsuit also says Fair threw garbage in the dumpster where the robe and other items were found while helping with party clean up. Her father, a head professor of engineering in India, encouraged he to move to the US to attend Rutgers University. 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. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. They also want him to be reimbursed for the attorney fees he incurred while fighting the charges. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. 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. I dont think he killed Arpana. To pass time, he said he read books, wrote letters and drew pictures. Johnson's friends and family stated he said "what if I did the murder and I don't remember". 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 DNA on the motor oil and fleeing to Canada seems highly suspicious to me. 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. Goldsmith said evidence found at Jinagas apartment and produced during the investigation pointed to one of her neighbors as the likely killer. Some guests were rowdy, but nothing out of the ordinary, it says. Jinaga showed Fair and other partygoers something on her computer on another occasion. Fair and Johnson had actually just met that night. During the trials, the neighbor, whom prosecutors at one point granted immunity for information, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. 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. He slept with Potts in her bed and woke up the next morning before 10 a.m., after which he helped her and other neighbors clean up the complex, according to the complaint. He had a list of nearby pawnshops in his car printed the day Jinaga was killed, the lawsuit says. Only one man was charged with murder. 2018Dion Wiyoko,Rianti Cartwright,Laura Basuki,Jill Gladys,Sheila Dara Aisha,Junior Liem,Alyndra PandjipoetraSunshine ,SunshineSunshinemp4SunshineBT . Fair was tried for Jinagas sexual assault twice and was acquitted after his second trial in June 2019. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. Meanwhile they raided Emmanuels stuff and according to his best friend on the podcast took almost ALL of his things. Subsequently, Johnson attempted to scrub his phone. He was staying with Potts in the mostly white neighborhood that weekend, and his attendance at the party was impromptu. Court files said there were also burn marks from an attempt to set the body or apartment on fire. As the fact that Fair was the only black African American at the party and involved in this case, some are also accusing racial discrimination. A recent immigrant from India and a graduate of Rutgers University, Jinaga had worked at EMC in Bellevue. They messed up, he said. Remembering Arpana Jinaga - this was the memorial DVD that was played at her funeral on October 6, 2008 in Bellevue, Washington. Most people left Jinaga's apartment after 9pm to move to another apartment. Arpana Jinaga, a 24 year old woman from India. He was read his rights. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It's obvious why Fair is the number one suspect. Around 1am, Fair visited Jinaga's apartment to eat pizza. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. Her arm and a blanket also were partially burned and her comforter was soaking in a bathtub. 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. Coats and another Redmond detective confronted the neighbor about his calls to Jinaga, but then released him and returned his phone without examining it. Fair was released in 2019, serving a total of 9 years without conviction, and is now suing the county authorities. She was a brilliant person. After her graduation, she got a job as a software engineer at EMC, in a suburb of Seattle. I am far from shady. To contaminate evidence, Jinagas hands had been doused in blue toilet-bowl cleaner and her body covered in motor oil. He made calls to a few friends, including apparently pocket-dialing Potts. 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.. I may be misremembering but I seem to remember there being explanations for Fairs DNA on those items? After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. According to reports, Fair accepted a plea agreement in 2004 while still maintaining his innocence. This was mainly on the basis of party photographs. It is reported in Seattle Times that a third male's DNA was found on the bootlace, but it is not reported as such in the court documents. Burn marks on her body and apartment suggest somebody tried to burn her. 14 years ago. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. A suspect is identified, arrested, and convicted, but this morphed into a greater mystery when journalists began investigating the case years later. Legal Expert Weighs In, Idaho Murder Victims' Families React to Suspect's Arrest: 'Such a Blessing and Relief', 'She Had No Idea': Sister of Idaho Victim Reacts to Claim that Suspect's Phone Pinged Near House 12 Times, Parents Charged with Murder After 4-Year-Old Son Dies from Alleged 'Exorcisms', Idaho Killings: Surviving Roommate Saw Alleged Killer Wearing Black Clothes and a Mask, Affidavit Says. The lawsuit says that Johnson also had a past of strange or violent behavior with women. He scrubbed his phone right after the interrogation, the lawsuit says. Such remarks since his exoneration only demonstrate authorities defensiveness about mishandling the case, Fair said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Her finger and fingernails were cleaned. His lawyers said the ordeal has permanently damaged Fairs reputation, his emotional well-being, livelihood and relationships. 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. The two discovered her locked door had been kicked in. At his second trial, a jury found him not guilty. Brian Coats, who led the investigation into Jinagas murder as a detective 13 years ago. Jinaga, an outgoing Rutgers University grad, had moved to Redmond six months earlier to work as a software engineer at a Bellevue firm. He appeared drunk and brought liquor. Hes now struggling to reconstruct his life, Fair and his attorneys said. Jinaga had been gagged with her underpants and duct tape, brutally beaten around the head. He was her pimp, or as the podcast preferred to describe it, the person who placed craiglist ads for her escort services. 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. Investigators focused on Fair after seeing him in photos of the party. Maybe he sneezed or coughed while using it. An online memorial for Arpana has been created, for family and friends to share pictures and memories, at crypticgirl.com. 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. 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. After the jury in his first trial deadlocked in 2017, King County prosecutors tried Fair again in 2019. 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. After a background check revealed Fairs criminal record, including a third-degree child rape conviction, Fair quickly became the new prime suspect despite leads about the neighbor and other viable suspects, the suit states. Jinagas naked body was discovered by a close friend and an immediate neighbor in her home on Nov. 1, 2008. 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. Most of Fairs jail term was spent away from the general population in administrative segregation essentially, solitary confinement. Fair said he went inside Jinagas apartment various times throughout the party. Suspect: With Matthew Shaer, Eric Benson, Matt Baglio, Ashley Fantz. One juror said that when the jury began its deliberations on June 6, the 12-member panel was evenly split: Four thought Fair was not guilty, four thought he was guilty, and four were undecided. 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. She had been brutally beaten, raped, and strangled. The party ended between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., around the same time witnesses saw Jinaga going back to her apartment. 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. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Unidentified male DNA was also found on a bruise on Jinagas wrist. Around 2:30 am, Fair and Johnson went to Johnson's apartment and then down to Johnson's car to listen to music. When the night came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, Jinaga said what would be her final goodbyes. I didnt know how to answer, so I just told her the truth: Im depressed. Jinaga had moved to the Pacific Northwest about six months ago. The lawsuit alleges there was heavy drinking at the party of 40 to 50 people. 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. Potts, Jinaga and two others neighbors decorated and opened up their units to allow partygoers to go in and out freely. 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? 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 was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. Ive been away for so long, I dont believe in holidays no more, he said. Coats was asked during the podcast if the prior conviction was significant to his investigation. They messed up, he said. After zeroing in on Fair because of his race and rap sheet, investigators relied on cherry-picked DNA evidence while disregarding other genetic findings and suspects as part of a gather facts that fit the theory strategy, the suit alleges. He used the bathroom on one occasion. 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. Potts had not known Fair for a long time. 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. 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. This is only a fraction of the evidence exonerating Emanuel which was wide-ranging and persuasive.