A Connecticut man accused in his wife's murder might have gotten away with it — if not for the victim's Fitbit fitness tracker and other electronic devices, authorities allege.
Richard Dabate, 40, was charged this month with felony murder, tampering with physical evidence and making false statements following his wife Connie's December 2015 death at their home in Ellington, Tolland County.
Dabate called 911 reporting that his wife was the victim of a home invasion, alleging that she was shot dead by a "tall, obese man" with a deep voice like actor Vin Diesel's, sporting "camouflage and a mask," according to an arrest warrant.
Data logging is just a tool and as such, can be used for both good and evil.
When various US cities started demanding that police wear body cameras many police were upset at the loss of personal privacy. What actually started happening is they have been used to exonerate police more often than used against them.
While i'm no fan of invasions of privacy against the will of the observed, that doesn't mean that doing surveillance on yourself is the worst thing in the world, especially if you are at risk of being a victim of violence.
Dabate alleged her death took place more than an hour before her Fitbit-tracked movements revealed. CCTV footage also showed her visiting a local gym the morning she died.
State police used an analysis of the home's "alarm system, computers, cellphones, social media postings and Connie Dabate's Fitbit to create a timeline that contradicted Richard Dabate's statements to police," the warrant cited.
