How Snapchat Led Detectives To Colorado Murder Suspects

COLORADO -- The image messaging app Snapchat reportedly helped detectives find the suspects charged with murdering a Colorado man in 2016. The Verge said authorities filed a warrant with the company, which led them to suspects Joshua Baker, Michael Gresham and Lawrence Greggs

The three men are charged in the murder of Devon Smeltz, a Fort Collins man who allegedly sold cocaine.

"Police weren’t able to find any calls or texts between Smeltz and the suspects, but in an audio recording taken from one of the suspect’s phones, a voice makes reference to a 'snap,' leading investigators to believe the deal was arranged over Snapchat," The Verge reported.

Snapchat is publicized as only holding messages for a short period, but the company actually retains the information for a month, The Verge said.

"This court order was filed on November 8th, 2016 — more than two months after Smeltz’s body was discovered by police. Court records make no indication of a preservation order filed before that time. A later filing indicates that Snap complied with the warrant, but the relevant chats and access logs may have already been destroyed if Smeltz didn’t actively save them before his death," The Verge reported.

Baker, Gresham and Greggs are "each charged with first-degree murder after deliberation, felony murder, aggravated robbery, attempted burglary, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse," according to Coloradoan.com.

--Photo via Pixabay