Justice for faith

 After more than 14 years, the day we prayed for, hoped for, and believed would come has finally arrived. On October 23, 2026, a Durham County jury returned a guilty verdict in the murder of our beloved Faith Danielle Hedgepeth.

No verdict can bring Faith back or restore the years we have lost with her. However, this moment brings a measure of justice and accountability that our family has waited more than 14 years to see.

Throughout this journey, countless individuals, organizations, and communities have stood beside us. Some have been with us since September 7, 2012, while others joined us along the way. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported our family and helped keep Faith's memory alive.

To the Investigators and Prosecution Team

We extend our deepest appreciation to the Durham County District Attorney's Office, the Chapel Hill Police Department, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their dedication to seeking justice for Faith. Thank you to the North Carolina Crime Lab.  We especially thank District Attorney Satana Deberry and prosecutors, Assistant District Attorney Angela Garcia-Lamar, Assistant District Attorney Brooks Stone, and Special District Attorney Lisa Coltrain, from the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys; Chapel Hill Police Chief Celisa Lehew and former now retired Chief Chris Blue,  Captain Johnnie Britt, Detective Troy Smith, former and now retired Sergeant Rodney Matthews, and Sergeant Wesley House; SBI Assistant Director Phillip Stevens and SBI Investigator Justin Heinrich; and Investigator Charles Sole, Jr. for all of your tireless work.  

We are particularly grateful to Justin Heinrich for his tireless efforts investigating and reinvestigating Faith's case, as well as the many investigators and professionals whose contributions over the years helped bring us to this long-awaited day. We also thank the victim advocates and staff of the District Attorney's Office for their compassion, guidance, and support throughout this difficult journey, especially Leonarda Castillo-Jiminez and Jamaica Campbell. 

To the Jurors and Everyone Who Supported the Trial

To the twelve jurors who listened carefully, considered the evidence, and ultimately reached a unanimous verdict, thank you for your service and the tremendous responsibility you accepted.  We thank the four alternate jurors who showed as much dedication to their duties as the twelve jurors, knowing they may or not be called to deliberate.

We also extend our appreciation to the forensic experts, the Durham County Clerk of Superior Court's Office and its court personnel, Durham County Sheriff's Office, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this trial possible. Your contributions were an important part of reaching this day.

To Our Haliwa-Saponi Tribe and Native American Communities

We are deeply grateful to the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, our tribal leaders, and the members of our community who have stood beside us throughout these years. To our family, friends, and neighbors in Hollister and the surrounding communities, thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support. We are especially grateful to those who traveled to Durham to stand with us during the trial.

We also thank the many other Native American tribes and Indigenous communities who have supported our family and helped keep Faith's story alive.

As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize the many families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls who continue to wait for answers. We stand with you, just as so many of you have stood with us. Your loved ones matter, their stories deserve to be heard, and your families deserve justice.

To Our Churches and Faith Communities

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the churches, pastors, congregations, and faith communities who have surrounded our family with love and prayer throughout these 14 years. During some of our darkest moments, your prayers, encouragement, and kindness helped sustain us. Whether you prayed with us, reached out with words of comfort, or simply remembered Faith and our family in your prayers, we are grateful.

Above all, we thank God for the strength, grace, and faith that have carried us through this journey.

To the Organizations Who Supported Our Family

We sincerely thank the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network, the MMIWG Memorial Grove, and the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham for their compassion, advocacy, and support. We also recognize the many other organizations, community groups, and individuals who provided assistance and encouragement throughout the years. Your willingness to stand beside our family has meant more than words can express.

To the Media and Those Who Kept Faith's Story Alive

Over the past 14 years, Faith's story has reached people across North Carolina, throughout the United States, and around the world. We extend our sincere appreciation to the journalists, reporters, bloggers, podcasters, documentary producers, independent content creators, and social media communities who helped keep Faith's name and story in the public eye.

We are especially grateful to those who approached her story with compassion, accuracy, and respect for Faith and our family.

Even during the years when there were few public developments in the investigation, you helped ensure that Faith was not forgotten. To everyone who shared her story, followed the investigation, attended a vigil, or simply took the time to learn about the young woman behind the headlines, thank you.

To Our Family, Friends, Supporters, Neighbors, and Communities

There are simply too many people to name individually. Some of you have stood beside us since the very beginning. Others learned about Faith only recently. Many of you never had the opportunity to meet her, yet you have carried her story in your hearts. You prayed for us, sent messages of encouragement, attended vigils and court proceedings, offered financial assistance, and supported us in ways both large and small.

We are especially grateful to those who traveled to Durham during the trial, helped with expenses, purchased fundraising items, or contributed to the Faith’s Smile Memorial Scholarship. We also want to acknowledge the many people who began this journey as strangers but have since become dear friends and extended family. Through Faith, we have formed relationships and connections that we will always treasure.

To our extended family, friends, neighbors, and everyone who has walked beside us through the uncertainty, heartbreak, and long wait for justice, thank you. We know there are many individuals whose names we have not mentioned. Please know that your contributions, kindness, and support have not gone unnoticed or been forgotten.

Above All, We Remember Faith

Throughout these 14 years, our hope has always been that people would remember Faith not simply for how her life ended, but for how she lived. Faith was a beautiful, kind, loving, and vibrant young woman who touched so many lives. She had dreams, aspirations, and a future filled with possibilities. She brought people together during her lifetime, and even after her death, she continues to bring people together. Through her memory, friendships have formed, communities have united, and countless lives have been touched.

October 23, 2026, will forever hold a special place in our hearts. It marks a long-awaited moment of accountability, but it does not mark the end of our love for Faith or our commitment to preserving her memory.

To everyone who has been part of this journey, thank you for standing with our family, for never giving up hope, and most importantly, for never forgetting Faith Danielle Hedgepeth.

With love and heartfelt gratitude,

The Family of Faith Danielle Hedgepeth

Forever remembering Faith Danielle Hedgepeth
September 26, 1992 – September 7, 2012

#JusticeForFaith

 Our Faith had a heart of gold and an infectious smile that illumined a room.  Although her time on earth was short, Faith had an enormous impact on many.  Our lives were forever changed when Faith was taken from us on September 7, 2012. 

We are relieved to know that someone has been arrested in Faith’s case.  We thank the members of the Chapel Hill Police Department, NC State Bureau of Investigation, and other agencies that had a hand in the investigation.   We are grateful for all the support that we have received across the country over the past nine years.  As we move into this next phase, we ask for your continued support, patience, and understanding as we limit commenting on the investigation.  

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. 

The Hedgepeth Family