Digital Forensics Dispatch

Trail of Evidence Left by Vehicle Helps Bring Guilty Verdict

March 5, 2020

A man has been found guilty of murder after information transmitted from his partner’s vehicle linked him to the scene of the crime, as reported by the BBC.

The 74 year old victim, Gerald Corrigan, was struck by a crossbow and later died as a result of the injuries. Initial inquiries led investigators to suspect Terry Whall. However, the police did not have enough evidence to pursue any charges at that time. After looking into the vehicles accessible to Whall, they discovered a Land Rover Discovery owned by his partner. The vehicle was equipped with technology that relays data to Land Rover such as car location, movements, and the opening and closing of vehicle doors.

Armed with this information, police requested the data from Land Rover and received a full report of the vehicle’s history. The newly acquired information showed the vehicle parked a short walk away from the victim’s home the night of the attack. The trunk was also shown to have been opened shortly before the crossbow attack occurred. In addition, the data showed the vehicle visiting the scene the night before. Additional research by police showed traffic cameras photographing the vehicle on its way home. With the new evidence, Mr. Whall was found guilty of committing the crime.

The data provided by vehicles, GPS navigation systems, and mobile devices can often provide a hotbed of information, which is why police are increasingly relying upon electronic evidence to assist in their investigations.

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