How cell phone helped nab key suspect.

[JellyBean]

*snip*
No one saw the fiend who dumped Imette St. Guillen's body by the muddy shoulder of a dead-end Brooklyn road.


But a tall, blue electronic sentinel stands just around the bend — and sources say it puts prime suspect Darryl Littlejohn at the scene about 2 1/2 hours before St. Guillen's corpse was found.

The NYPD traced Littlejohn to that lonely corner of East New York, off the Belt Parkway, by tracing the invisible "pings" that his T-Mobile cell phone sent to the antenna-studded tower, sources said.

The big, blue tower apparently took notice that Littlejohn's cell phone was nearby, even though he wasn't making a call — and it stored that information, which was later retrieved from T-Mobile by cops.

"It's a way to track people that is stronger than relying on witnesses," a police source said. The Daily News found the tower, about four blocks from where St. Guillen was discovered, and at least a dozen more along the 5.7-mile stretch between the site and Littlejohn's Queens home.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/399849p-338804c.html

[dragonfly]

Interesting article! Jelly Bean

Two interesting snippets...

"It's a way to track people that is stronger than relying on witnesses," a police source said.

"Most people don't realize this. And criminals don't think to turn their phone off when they're about to commit a crime."

Won't be long and all criminals will be making a mental note to TURN THEIR CELL PHONES OFF while in the act of committing a crime!

[MrsMush99]

I still would like to know where Imette was all those hours before he dumped her.

[JellyBean]

Dragonfly- I was thinking the exact same thing!

MrsMush- Maybe they can track his movements for the evening. Hopefully it would be able to answer some questions.

JellyBean

[willowhorse]

I still would like to know where Imette was all those hours before he dumped her.Imette's friends went to the Falls the next morning hunting for her. Danny Dorian lied to her friends about Imette being at the bar. If he had told the truth, Imette could have been rescued. This guy is slime and should be prosecuted because his actions contributed to Imette's death.

[hollyjokers]

Even if he had no reason to suspect anything, why wouldn't he immediately get on the phone & call DL to find out if he knew where the girl was headed. I guess that's what a decent citizen would do in that situation. Maybe DL & Imette "hooked up" & she was with him willingly. Dorian could have been the hero relaying this news to her friends & end their worries. I think Dorian's part in this tragedy is almost more disturbing that DL's part in it. I think he is just as much a menace to society.

I'm so glad that article made a point to remind criminals to turn their cell phones off if they don't want to get caught. :doh:

[hollyjokers]

I still would like to know where Imette was all those hours before he dumped her.

She was in the basement of that house with a sock down her throat being tortured while his aunt probably sat upstairs thinking what a nice, meticulous boy that Darryl is.

[indigomood]

She was in the basement of that house with a sock down her throat being tortured while his aunt probably sat upstairs thinking what a nice, meticulous boy that Darryl is.
I agree hollyjokers, I think Imette was in DL's house as well, but my guess is the Aunt wasn't there. Has the Aunt's whereabouts been corroborated? Does DL's mother or his Aunt own the home? I thought the mom owned it but since she is institutionalized, the Aunt managed it? I'm probably confused. If the Aunt owns/manages the property does she necessarily live there too? Does the Aunt have a boyfriend that maybe she stays with? Just my thoughts.

I posted this in the media thread, so while she may have been attacked in his van, I surmise most of the torture and killing took place at his home.

According to one law enforcement official, investigators are now theorizing that outside the Falls bar, Imette Saint Guillen may have accepted a ride home from the suspect and was instead attacked and bound in the back of Littlejohn's van and murdered perhaps in his home in South Jamaica.


Also from JellyBean's post


*snip*
No one saw the fiend who dumped Imette St. Guillen's body by the muddy shoulder of a dead-end Brooklyn road.

But a tall, blue electronic sentinel stands just around the bend — and sources say it puts prime suspect Darryl Littlejohn at the scene about 2 1/2 hours before St. Guillen's corpse was found.

The NYPD traced Littlejohn to that lonely corner of East New York, off the Belt Parkway, by tracing the invisible "pings" that his T-Mobile cell phone sent to the antenna-studded tower, sources said.

Cops say they have traced at least part of Littlejohn's route that day through studying his cell phone "pings" — leaving his home about 5 p.m., for example, and reaching the body-dumping site an hour later.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/399849p-338804c.html

[panthera]

I agree hollyjokers, I think Imette was in DL's house as well, but my guess is the Aunt wasn't there. Has the Aunt's whereabouts been corroborated? Does DL's mother or his Aunt own the home? I thought the mom owned it but since she is institutionalized, the Aunt managed it? I'm probably confused. If the Aunt owns/manages the property does she necessarily live there too? Does the Aunt have a boyfriend that maybe she stays with? Just my thoughts.

I posted this in the media thread, so while she may have been attacked in his van, I surmise most of the torture and killing took place at his home.



Also from JellyBean's post
The house belongs to DL's mother who is currently out of state with relatives after having a stroke/heart attack last year...she isn't in an institution. The aunt said she isn't over at the house often. NYPD believes the house is the crime scene. Back to the cell phone, if DL's phone was tracked, wonder why Imette's wouldn't be traceable at least until, we assume, DL disposed of it?

(ps love the 'signature picture' ;) )

[cammy-g]

Interesting article! Jelly Bean




Won't be long and all criminals will be making a mental note to TURN THEIR CELL PHONES OFF while in the act of committing a crime!
Or not bring their cell phones all together, I have read that a cell phone turned off still will omit signals to the cell tower, this was reported as recently as ayer.

[indigomood]

The house belongs to DL's mother who is currently out of state with relatives after having a stroke/heart attack last year...she isn't in an institution. The aunt said she isn't over at the house often. NYPD believes the house is the crime scene. Back to the cell phone, if DL's phone was tracked, wonder why Imette's wouldn't be traceable at least until, we assume, DL disposed of it?

(ps love the 'signature picture' ;) )
Thank you panthera, I appreciate the clarification. Has LE recovered Imette's phone? Also, must the cell phone be powered on to ping the towers? I've heard conflicting reports. I think her cell phone could provide valuable clues...

( :D I love the Thorn Birds!)

[panthera]

Thank you panthera, I appreciate the clarification. Has LE recovered Imette's phone? Also, must the cell phone be powered on to ping the towers? I've heard conflicting reports. I think her cell phone could provide valuable clues...

( :D I love the Thorn Birds!)Her clothing, phone and purse have not been recovered. As for the phone, I believe it must be powered 'on'. If it was in her purse and the perp just tossed her stuff, let's say, in a dumpster it would still make a signal...at least as long as the phone was intact (undamaged).

[cammy-g]

Also, must the cell phone be powered on to ping the towers?

It was on Catherine Crier yesterday and she had on a previous guest that has been on lately that is a former detective with the NYPD and he stated clearly that cell phones even turned off still ping towers and omit signals. He said it is truly amazing what fingerprints are left by cell phones nowadays.

[newtv]

Or not bring their cell phones all together, I have read that a cell phone turned off still will omit signals to the cell tower, this was reported as recently as ayer.
If they had any brains they would take a disposable phone with them..if I was going to do a crime thats what I would do. Noone can trace who bought the minutes.

[Mygirlsadie]

Shhhhhhh.. :silenced:



If they had any brains they would take a disposable phone with them..if I was going to do a crime thats what I would do. Noone can trace who bought the minutes.

[newtv]

Shhhhhhh.. :silenced:
lololololol

[strach304]

Imette's friend went to the Falls the next morning hunting for her. Danny Dorian lied to her friends about Imette being at the bar. If he had told the truth, Imette could have been rescued. This guy is slime and should be prosecuted because his actions contributed to Imette's death.

From all accounts so far I believe she was in his basement as well but I never even thought of the possibility of her rescue and you are so right. There have been a number of stories reported about the Aunt but I believe that she wasn't there during the crucial timeline or they wouldn't be saying he has no alibi. Another story I saw today mentions the aunt saying he jammed the locks for a week and she wasn't able to get in, I have no idea where that came from.

I don't see why they haven't located Imette's cell phone or maybe they have and aren't releasing that info but if he threw her stuff in the bay they wouldn't get a signal to locate it.

[packerdog]

I have a bone to pick with Verizon then. I lost my phone and I called them and asked if they could locate it if I called my cell # and they said NO. Maybe just a way to make money on their end.

[annemc2]

If they had any brains they would take a disposable phone with them..if I was going to do a crime thats what I would do. Noone can trace who bought the minutes.

or do like this creepy guy did: take your cell phone (purchased with fake info) and the victim's cell phone, leave them out in the city where some homeless people can pick them up and carry them around for awhile, and watch LE go nuts trying to figure out what's going on!

(from this case - http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36863)

[newtv]

or do like this creepy guy did: take your cell phone (purchased with fake info) and the victim's cell phone, leave them out in the city where some homeless people can pick them up and carry them around for awhile, and watch LE go nuts trying to figure out what's going on!

(from this case - http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36863)
totally creepy
thx for link

[LovelyPigeon]

If phone records show where Littlejohn's phone was 3 1/2 hours before her body was found, do they not show where the phone was for the hours before that?