
Police Use Fitbit Data to Charge 90-Year-Old Man in Stepdaughter’s Killing - danso
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/03/us/fitbit-murder-arrest.html
======
danso
It’s worth noting that there may have been enough traditional evidence (bloody
clothes found at the suspect’s residence) to charge and convict, and the
suspect was alresdy known to be in contact with the victim. But the story’s
recounting of the events seems to insinuate that the Fitbit data made it much
easier to focus on the suspect. I mention this because the Fitbit angle sounds
like the kind of detail that might get slightly oversold because it makes law
enforcement look especially clever (and it’s obviously media catnip).

As these wearables become more reliable — e.g. a report of a sudden stopped
heartbeat is unlikely to be a hardware failure — I wonder if society will
expect companies to be more proactive in contacting the user and emergency
authorities. I mean, more than what the new Apple Watch offers as (I assume)
opt-in, like how credit card companies call you quickly after suspicious
activity.

~~~
stickfigure
We can call it... DocWagon.

~~~
baud147258
Would they send an extraction team to get you out of trouble, too?

~~~
madeuptempacct
I really think that's going to be a thing in the future. We can make it a
thing now if anyone wants to fund me =)

Straight to cryogenic storage from there.

------
ikfmpwdsoz
I was expecting something much more sinister (that this man had a Fitbit and
they used it to track his location). This is a much more positive use of the
technology, but as a layman, my first concern is that this data can be easily
forged.

~~~
Chilinot
While I can certainly see its benefits in cases like this. It also worries me
that falsely accusing someone of murder becomes ever so easier when courts
start to trust these devices more and more in the future.

For example, a murdurer wanting to stick the charges on some other person
could steal that persons devices (phone, fitbit, etc). Wear them while
commiting the murder. Then return them, without notice if done at night or
something.

The other person would then have a very hard time proving that he/she did not
in fact commit to the murder, simply because courts have started to rely on
these devices too much.

~~~
saagarjha
> For example, a murdurer wanting to stick the charges on some other person
> could steal that persons devices (phone, fitbit, etc). Wear them while
> commiting the murder. Then return them, without notice if done at night or
> something.

A good theft-prevention measure, such as locking the device whenever it’s
taken off, should prevent such a scenario.

~~~
wastedhours
People still use "password" as their password, and IoT devices are still left
open to botnets. As silly as it might be with these security lapses, we can't
have a legal structure that defaultly assumes a device's data is reliable for
more than opening a line of questioning.

------
dlivingston
Really interesting. I'm curious as to how they knew precisely the timeframe
Aeillo was with his stepdaughter.

"...it recorded her heart rate slowing rapidly, and stopping at 3:28 p.m.,
about five minutes before Mr. Aiello left the house, the report said."

~~~
thoughtpalette
Seems like some camera footage corroborated the fitbit data.

"the police said their investigation used a combination of video surveillance
and data from Ms. Navarra’s Fitbit, an Alta HR device"

------
goldenkey
As morbid as it might sound, I am curious what the heart rate wavefunction
looks like for a murder victim. The investigators must have had some pause
while seeing the plot of someones final struggle visualized as a function of 1
variable.. How does someone who is 90 have the tenacity to kill someone?
Really mortifying case...

On a different note, a new product stands to be created based on this kind of
morbid data + ML. We should have an open database of cardiac events and all
wear devices that immediately send for help via E911/Location when an event
with a morbidity p-value > C is detected. Seems like a no brainer if we care
about protecting everyone optimally.

Does anyone know if a database of cardiac events exists from which to train a
NN?

~~~
gojomo
_> How does someone who is 90 have the tenacity to kill someone?_

Barring a new mental health issue which turned this guy murderous, he was
probably not-a-nice-person earlier in life, thus already capable of (and
perhaps never held responsible for) many earlier misdeeds.

So, wild guess: step-daughter declared intent to reveal his prior crimes, to
mom and/or authorities. Then, step-father kills to keep his secrets.

~~~
jacquesm
There's a black mirror episode that closely parallels that story.

('Crocodile').

------
gammateam
> After they finished their questions, detectives left Mr. Aiello alone in the
> interview room. He began talking to himself, the report said, saying
> repeatedly, “I’m done.”

annnnnnnnd I'm never speaking to police again

~~~
Tuna-Fish
For a better reason, watch this great presentation on the subject, by an
experienced defense lawyer and a police officer who had a lot of experience on
interrogations.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE)

That really should be required viewing in every civics class.

~~~
ransom1538
Second. To this video. Further. Immediately declare you want to see an
attorney. Nothing else ever. When you are placed into a room by the police:

0) You are video recorded. Hide your face. If possible sit under the camera.
(They usually mount it on the ceiling).

1) A trick: Letting your friends/family visit you. Always refuse.

2) Giving you many servings of soft drinks and water without bathroom breaks.
Refuse liquids.

3) A trick: Telling you they have more evidence than they do. "Your friend
said you did this...", "We have you on film..." "Your wife said..." "It will
be easier if you just..."

~~~
dmichulke
Do you have more information as to why?

0\. They know you're in there, don't they?

1\. OK, so don't talk to family in that room, right?

2\. Seriously? Why is that? Couldn't you just pee below the camera (if they
repeatedly refuse to let you go, and you previously announce it, ...)?

3\. OK, that's common sense to me.

~~~
ransom1538
0\. They know you're in there, don't they?

Heh. Yes. But, after 4 hours alone in a small room, many people roll their
eyes, do exercises, scream, yell, talk to themselves.

1\. OK, so don't talk to family in that room, right?

Yes. BUT. Your family sure will within seconds start talking.

2\. Seriously? Why is that? Couldn't you just pee below the camera (if they
repeatedly refuse to let you go, and you previously announce it, ...)?

Yeah. People just become agitated. Start agreeing to things, start rocking,
start looking nervous, sweating, pacing around, or peeing on the floor -- it
isn't a great look on camera.

------
th0ma5
Good. If the alleged killer is convicted then hopefully this evidence was a
part of what led to justice.

