Categories: NewsTechnology

Amazon Echo a Potential Witness in a Murder Case

As our homes become smarter and smarter with IOT devices, new avenues open up to investigators when a crime occurs in a household. Webcams, cellphones, and power meters are all common devices which can collect important data that can be used by investigators when solving a crime.

In an unprecedented case, Arkansas police obtained a warrant to examine any voice recordings that the Amazon Echo device could have stored during the night of the crime.

James Andrew Bates, an Arkansas man, is charged with first degree murder after a body was found dead in Bates’ bathtub last year. According to The Information, Amazon refused to release any audio data that could possibly be stored on their servers, they did however allow access to the suspect’s account. Police were able to extract a few audio clips using the account’s credentials but it is unclear if the evidence is relevant.

The Amazon Echo is activated by saying the word “Alexa”, however the device could have been activated by accident if a commotion ensued when the murder happened. It is unlikely that Bates activated the Echo during the crime but even if the device was awake even for a split second it might have useful recordings.



Related Post

Even if the Echo doesn’t contain any useful data for investigators, another smart device in Bates’ home is likely to seal his fate. According to The Information:

[the smart water meter] showed that someone used 140 gallons of water between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. at Mr. Bates’ house, a much heavier than usual amount. Prosecutors allege that was a result of Mr. Bates using a garden hose to spray down the back patio area from the blood.

An issue with using data on IOT devices during a trial is the fact that the defendant can claim the evidence inadmissible either due to hearsay, or because it was recorded illegally without his consent.

As unfortunate as it is, Amazon did the right thing by refusing to provide every piece of data that was stored on their cloud by Bates’ device. If companies succumb to the governments’ broad request for data, they are effectively enabling mass surveillance of American citizens.

If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and technology news.

Mark Arguinbaev

I'm a 29 year old cryptocurrency entrepreneur. I was introduced to Bitcoin in 2013 and have been involved with it ever since. Fun Fact: I mined cryptocurrency using my college dorm room's free electricity.

Share
Published by
Mark Arguinbaev

Recent Posts

Retail Traders Panic Sell During ‘Fake Dip’; Whales Hold Tight to SOL, DTX, and SHIB for a Millionaire-Maker Bull Run

Solana (SOL): A Strong Ecosystem Despite Volatility Solana (SOL) has been all over the place…

11 mins ago

Llama 3.2 Predicts Price For Dogecoin: $2 Peak By 2025 And $5 Rally For DTX Exchange This Winter

Cryptocurrency trends are keen on the forecast that was recently released by Llama 3.2 model…

51 mins ago

Crypto Whale Sparks 8x Surge In $OPK Price with Massive Buy-in

A mysterious crypto whale, who previously invested 9,600 SOL into tokens $Pnut and $FRED, has…

3 hours ago

Early ENS Investor Transfers $2.47M To Binance Amid Upcoming Token Unlocks

An early investor linked to the $ENS token recently transferred 154,000 ENS tokens, valued at…

3 hours ago

Wintermute’s Memecoin Strategy: BABYDOGE Ranks Among Top 3 Holdings

In a surprising turn, $BABYDOGE has climbed to the top three in Wintermute’s memecoin holdings…

3 hours ago

$Pnut’s Meteoric Rise: How A Tragic Squirrel Inspired A Memecoin Sensation

The $Pnut memecoin recently soared past a $120 million market cap, creating unexpected wealth for…

3 hours ago