Baby cut from mother's womb

Oxford · 12-20-2004, 05:25 PM

The following story is a follow-up to the murder case which occured just a short ways north of Kansas City. Probably many g&g members have already read of the case. Now more details of how the crime was solved are coming out.
Ox
--------------

Pregnant-Slay Probe Followed Cyber
Trail

1 hour, 11 minutes ago

U.S. National - AP

By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In the end, it wasn't a fingerprint or a blood
spatter that led authorities to the woman suspected of strangling a
mother-to-be and cutting the baby from her womb. It was an 11-digit
computer code.

Police zeroed in on Lisa Montgomery in the
most 21st century of ways, by trolling
computer records, examining online message
boards and — most important — tracing an IP
address, 65.150.168.223, to a computer at
her Melvern, Kan., home.

"That in and of itself led us to the home," Jeff
Lanza, an FBI (news - web sites) spokesman
here said of the IP, or Internet protocol,
address, the unique number given to every
Internet-connected computer.

Investigators say that just before the slaying,
Montgomery had corresponded over the
Internet with the victim, Bobbie Jo Stinnett,
about buying a dog from Stinnett. The same
technology that makes instantaneous
communication possible enabled authorities
to crack the case in a matter of hours and
rescue the premature baby.

Montgomery, 36, awaited her first court
appearance Monday at the federal courthouse
in Kansas City. She is charged with
kidnapping resulting in death. Authorities said
she confessed to the crime. The 4-day-old girl
was reported in "remarkably good" condition Monday.

Within hours of Stinnett's killing Thursday at her Skidmore, Mo., home,
investigators realized the potential information her computer could hold in
finding her killer.

Stinnett, 23, raised rat terrier dogs at home and had been expecting a
potential customer the afternoon she was killed. In fact, she had to get
off the phone with her mother because the customer was at the door,
according to investigators.

When Stinnett's body was discovered, detectives collected not just
physical evidence; they also took her computer.

In addition to trying to find the killer, investigators were racing against
time to find the baby, who was one month premature when she was cut
from her mother's belly and, it was feared, may have suffered oxygen
loss or other trauma when her mother was strangled.

At the lab, clues seemed to pour out of the computer within minutes —
who Stinnett had been e-mailing, what sites she had been visiting.
Important tips from the public came in, too. Among them: a North
Carolina dog breeder pointed to communications on a rat terrier
message board.

"My adrenaline just started rushing," said the breeder, Dyanne Siktar. "I
knew they could track the IP."

It turned out that at 4:22 p.m. on Wednesday, the day before Stinnett's
slaying, someone identifying herself as Darlene Fischer posted a
message to the victim on a rat terrier message board. "Please get in
touch with me soon as we are considering the purchase of one of your
puppies," it said.

About an hour later, Stinnett communicated with Fischer for about 20
minutes, investigators said. Then, at 7:44 p.m., Stinnett posted a
message to Fischer: "I've e-mailed you with the directions so we can
meet. I do so hope that the e-mail reaches you. Great chatting with you
on messenger. And do look forward to chatting with you tomorrow a.m."

Investigators traced Fischer's IP address back to a dial-up connection
from the Melvern home of Montgomery and her husband. He has not
been charged with any wrongdoing.

On Friday, less than 24 hours after the slaying, investigators pulled up to
the couple's home in Kansas, found the baby and arrested Montgomery.

As for how the killer knew Stinnett was about to become a mother,
Stinnett had a Web site about her dogs that investigators said may have
included a picture of Stinnett pregnant. The FBI would not comment on
whether the pair had ever met before last week, or how the killer knew
Stinnett was still pregnant.

Authorities most often use computers to catch sexual predators,
hackers and other white-collar criminals. But they are increasingly being
used to solve violent crimes, too.

Experts say IP addresses are not foolproof; they can be made up,
like nearly anything else in the Internet age. But they often are part of
a package of evidence that can lead to a conviction.

"Quite often, in the past, detectives would walk past the computers at
the crime scene and look at the hairs and fibers and fingerprints," said
FBI agent Tom Maiorana, director of the bureau's Regional
Computer Forensic Laboratory here. "Now we're seizing the
computers and finding out a tremendous amount of information about
the lives of the people involved."

Oxford · 12-20-2004, 05:34 PM

Taken from the quote above:

Quote:

"Quite often, in the past, detectives would walk past the computers at
the crime scene and look at the hairs and fibers and fingerprints," said
FBI agent Tom Maiorana, director of the bureau's Regional
Computer Forensic Laboratory here. "Now we're seizing the
computers and finding out a tremendous amount of information about
the lives of the people involved."

-----------
This technique will be used more and more by LEO's. That's both good and bad. Good if it helps solve crimes...and bad if you don't want anyone snooping on your computer for items you want kept private. :nod:

Apollyon67 · 12-20-2004, 05:56 PM

sort of big brotherish. If you are a perfect citizen, you have nothing to fear.

Troy · 12-20-2004, 06:05 PM

they solved the crime and that is a great thing. where does the line get drawn, and who draws it in regards to privacy? it could really get embarrasing for people who falsely get accused or are investigated and later cleared.

Rufus Rhastus J · 12-21-2004, 02:34 AM

Good point Troy. It's sad many others don't see what you are talking about.

dhermesc · 12-21-2004, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apollyon67

sort of big brotherish. If you are a perfect citizen, you have nothing to fear.

If I where laying in a pool of blood I'd hope the police would take the time to examine the crime scene. I wouldn't be to worried about my privacy after having my inners hacked out.

Chris · 12-21-2004, 08:57 AM

but....if the information on the computer was kept private and not let out through general public. SSN's and other things left on the computer could get to the public and you would be screwed...well unless you are dead.

12-20-2004, 05:25 PM	#1
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 12,981 Trader Rating: (0)	Baby cut from mother's womb The following story is a follow-up to the murder case which occured just a short ways north of Kansas City. Probably many g&g members have already read of the case. Now more details of how the crime was solved are coming out. Ox -------------- Pregnant-Slay Probe Followed Cyber Trail 1 hour, 11 minutes ago U.S. National - AP By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In the end, it wasn't a fingerprint or a blood spatter that led authorities to the woman suspected of strangling a mother-to-be and cutting the baby from her womb. It was an 11-digit computer code. Police zeroed in on Lisa Montgomery in the most 21st century of ways, by trolling computer records, examining online message boards and — most important — tracing an IP address, 65.150.168.223, to a computer at her Melvern, Kan., home. "That in and of itself led us to the home," Jeff Lanza, an FBI (news - web sites) spokesman here said of the IP, or Internet protocol, address, the unique number given to every Internet-connected computer. Investigators say that just before the slaying, Montgomery had corresponded over the Internet with the victim, Bobbie Jo Stinnett, about buying a dog from Stinnett. The same technology that makes instantaneous communication possible enabled authorities to crack the case in a matter of hours and rescue the premature baby. Montgomery, 36, awaited her first court appearance Monday at the federal courthouse in Kansas City. She is charged with kidnapping resulting in death. Authorities said she confessed to the crime. The 4-day-old girl was reported in "remarkably good" condition Monday. Within hours of Stinnett's killing Thursday at her Skidmore, Mo., home, investigators realized the potential information her computer could hold in finding her killer. Stinnett, 23, raised rat terrier dogs at home and had been expecting a potential customer the afternoon she was killed. In fact, she had to get off the phone with her mother because the customer was at the door, according to investigators. When Stinnett's body was discovered, detectives collected not just physical evidence; they also took her computer. In addition to trying to find the killer, investigators were racing against time to find the baby, who was one month premature when she was cut from her mother's belly and, it was feared, may have suffered oxygen loss or other trauma when her mother was strangled. At the lab, clues seemed to pour out of the computer within minutes — who Stinnett had been e-mailing, what sites she had been visiting. Important tips from the public came in, too. Among them: a North Carolina dog breeder pointed to communications on a rat terrier message board. "My adrenaline just started rushing," said the breeder, Dyanne Siktar. "I knew they could track the IP." It turned out that at 4:22 p.m. on Wednesday, the day before Stinnett's slaying, someone identifying herself as Darlene Fischer posted a message to the victim on a rat terrier message board. "Please get in touch with me soon as we are considering the purchase of one of your puppies," it said. About an hour later, Stinnett communicated with Fischer for about 20 minutes, investigators said. Then, at 7:44 p.m., Stinnett posted a message to Fischer: "I've e-mailed you with the directions so we can meet. I do so hope that the e-mail reaches you. Great chatting with you on messenger. And do look forward to chatting with you tomorrow a.m." Investigators traced Fischer's IP address back to a dial-up connection from the Melvern home of Montgomery and her husband. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing. On Friday, less than 24 hours after the slaying, investigators pulled up to the couple's home in Kansas, found the baby and arrested Montgomery. As for how the killer knew Stinnett was about to become a mother, Stinnett had a Web site about her dogs that investigators said may have included a picture of Stinnett pregnant. The FBI would not comment on whether the pair had ever met before last week, or how the killer knew Stinnett was still pregnant. Authorities most often use computers to catch sexual predators, hackers and other white-collar criminals. But they are increasingly being used to solve violent crimes, too. Experts say IP addresses are not foolproof; they can be made up, like nearly anything else in the Internet age. But they often are part of a package of evidence that can lead to a conviction. "Quite often, in the past, detectives would walk past the computers at the crime scene and look at the hairs and fibers and fingerprints," said FBI agent Tom Maiorana, director of the bureau's Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory here. "Now we're seizing the computers and finding out a tremendous amount of information about the lives of the people involved." __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

12-20-2004, 05:56 PM	#3
Apollyon67 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 2,228 Trader Rating: (0)	sort of big brotherish. If you are a perfect citizen, you have nothing to fear. __________________ "To err is human, to repent divine; to persist devilish." Ben Franklin

12-21-2004, 02:34 AM	#5
Rufus Rhastus J Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West, Central Florida, Third World America Posts: 6,339 Trader Rating: (0)	Good point Troy. It's sad many others don't see what you are talking about. __________________ "They cannot be trusted.....The Romulans (our politicos) are without honor." Worf

12-21-2004, 08:57 AM	#7
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,127 Trader Rating: (0)	but....if the information on the computer was kept private and not let out through general public. SSN's and other things left on the computer could get to the public and you would be screwed...well unless you are dead. __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it. --Thomas Jefferson No one has the right to deny my personal safety Need a reminder, why this site is so great?

12-20-2004, 06:05 PM	#4
Troy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manitoba Canada Posts: 2,502 Trader Rating: (0)	they solved the crime and that is a great thing. where does the line get drawn, and who draws it in regards to privacy? it could really get embarrasing for people who falsely get accused or are investigated and later cleared.