I think what is really sad about the LB story is that SL obviously still held a torch for her...no doubt he would have taken her back...
OTOH I think it is because of SL that LE probably cracked that case open: the iPad.
In 2011 the tech community was abuzz with the info that Apple devices track wherever they go and then report back to Apple with all the gps info every 12 hours, for marketing purposes. Apple wants to see where their devices are used so they can better service them.
e.g.,
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/0...tion-without-your-consent-and-why-it-matters/
All LE has to know is that Apple does collect this data, and then go and request it...
I wonder if SL could have requested his personal iPad data from Apple directly, if he explained the situation. Companies are willing to report to LE but I am unsure if they are willing to honour requests from private individuals.
The iPad could have tracked LB to DM's door.
I think there is a lot more digital info in that case as peculiarly, the charge is first degree and the evidence so certain a direct indictment has been requested.
How else could LE know what went down and be so certain of it, than if there was a digital record of it?
ETA: in ABro's latest article, in a letter to a groupie. DM wrote that he had had an iPhone since they came out - and iPhones are also similarly tracked by Apple.
Just because these kids were young and well-to-do, they owned the premium brand, Apple, and in using that they gave up their location histories for years' worth.
Being in this demographic also would lead them to be heavy users of texting - another kind of data that is collected by independent companies and saved for years, and which can accessed by LE long after the fact.
LE demand is actually leading various companies to retain data for longer. Also, as time goes by, the cost of storage for data gets ever cheaper while the value of data increases...
It's interesting how much data in North America is collected and contributed to LE by companies and individuals. LE had over 10,000 videos to view in the TB case. No doubt telecommunications companies (mobile, internet, telephone) had a lot to offer LE in this case.
In the UK they have street cameras that are operated by LE in direct contrast to the plethora of video taken by companies and individuals but not the state, here.
You wonder if the government will get in the business of mandating how long data must be held by telecoms in order to satisfy the needs of LE.