Suspect in UNC student Faith Hedgepeth

The trial of a man accused of killing a North Carolina college student 14 years ago began Wednesday with the prosecution alleging she was killed in a fit of rage by a stranger who left his DNA all over the crime scene. The defense said the evidence doesn't add up.

In her opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Angela Garcia-Lamarca said the defendant left his DNA on the murder weapon – a bottle of rum found covered in blood – inside Hedgepeth's body and on a note written on a fast-food bag found at the scene.

She described Hedgepeth as a caring friend who was beloved by everyone who knew her and was on track to become the first person in her family to graduate from college.

"You will see from the evidence in this case that the defendant committed these acts against Faith in a fit of rage, not because he knew her," she said. "He didn't do this to her because of who she was, he did it because of who he is."

"This case is not complicated. It's devastating, it's horrifying, it's a family's worst nightmare. ... but it's also simple," the prosecutor said. "The evidence is loud and clear."

In his opening statement, defense attorney James Rainsford said prosecutors left out key details and urged jurors to ask themselves, "Where's the rest of the evidence?"

"Is this just noise or are you starting to hear things that don't add up?" he said. "Maybe that's noise to some people; that sounds like forensic evidence to others."

"Finding something doesn't mean a crime occurred. You have to connect them," Rainsford said of the DNA evidence. "It doesn't mean what you think."

"Men, some men, are terrified women will laugh at them," she said. "Women are terrified of being killed or raped."

As one of their first witnesses, prosecutors called Karena Rosario, who found her roommate's lifeless, battered body.

Rosario sobbed as she described the 911 dispatcher asking her to touch Hedgepeth to see if she was warm.

The prosecutor asked Rosario how it felt to not know what happened to her roommate and friend, WNCN reported.