Digital Forensics Dispatch

USB Device Analysis Aids in Murder Sentence

August 6, 2019

Digital evidence is at the forefront of the Grant Amato Murder Trial, as reported by FOX 35 Orlando. Defendant Grant Amato is accused of killing three family members in January of this year. The cause of the murders stemmed from a dispute involving a large sum of money Mr. Amato paid to an online webcam model. During trial, the prosecution alleged that after the three murders, Amato copied files from his computer to a USB flash drive in an attempt to hide evidence.

The USB drive contains pictures of a Bulgarian webcam model identified as Silvie. Amato is said to have spent around $200,000 on the relationship that he had with the model. Mr. Amato’s mother, father, and brother confronted him about the online relationship. Initially, Amato agreed to cut ties with the model in order to continue living at the family residence. When contact with the model continued, it is alleged that Amato killed the family members after they tried again to end the relationship.

Digital forensic investigator Geraldine Blay, employed with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, testified that the USB drive was plugged into Mr. Amato’s computer around 11:30PM on January 24^th, the same evening of the murders. Additionally, it was determined one of the victim’s phone was plugged into the computer belonging to Mr. Amato and later put into recovery mode. Ms. Blay believed this was an attempt to factory reset the device.

On July 31^st, 2019, the jury reached a verdict of guilty on all three counts of murder, after deliberating for more than eight hours. The sentencing phase begins on August 12^th, with Amato facing the death penalty or life in prison.

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