Ausharee Mcleod says her 5 year old son’s Ring camera was hacked after he heard a voice whisper “hey” in the middle of the night.
Did eagle-eyed internet sleuths solve a murder?
Over the years, the internet has become a meeting place for would-be crime solvers. They gather on forums, Facebook and Reddit combing through clues and motives. And they’re often right in their hypothesis, helping law enforcement with convictions.
You probably remember the name Bryan Kohberger — the 28-year-old man arrested for murdering four Idaho college students in November 2022. He was taken into custody on Dec. 30, 2022, at his parent’s home in Pennsylvania.
A crime-solving group on Facebook believes Kohberger has possible ties to Dana Smithers, a 45-year-old woman who went missing in May 2022. A few weeks ago, Dana’s remains were found about 30 miles from Kohberger’s parent’s home.
Internet crime solvers
Smithers’ sister, Stacey Anne, runs a Facebook page called “Finding Dana.” Back in January, people in the group told her that Kohberger was in the immediate area around the time Dana went missing.
Stacey Anne gathered the Facebook posts and gave them to local law enforcement. This week, Bryan Kohberger’s parents, who own the home in question, were subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury investigating Dana’s murder.
Was Kohlberger there?
On the day Dana went missing, she, her 7-year-old daughter and her daughter’s father attended a nearby festival. That night, she went to a friend’s house. Dana was last seen on the friend’s Ring camera around 11 p.m. and reported missing days later. Her cellphone, wallet and medication were left home.
Was Bryan Kohberger involved? Investigations are ongoing.
Not the first time the internet chimed in
Dana’s story is getting national attention because internet sleuths have already helped law enforcement in the Idaho college student’s murders.
Before Kohberger’s arrest, a person calling themselves “Pappa Rodgers” posted about a knife sheath at the murder scene long before the evidence became public. The user also argued with other posters and said, “really creepy stuff,” according to an administrator of the murder discussion group.
Crooks are jamming security cameras — Protect yours now!
Security cameras work in two ways. First, they act as a deterrent to thieves. If that doesn’t work, it captures them in the act of stealing your things or breaking into your home.
Your surveillance system is only as good as what your cameras can see. Placement is critical — you don’t want a tree blocking the view of your backyard. You also don’t want cameras to send a notification whenever a squirrel runs across the lawn. Tap or click here for four mistakes you’re making with your home security system.
For the birds
Don’t you just love watching and listening to your neighborhood birds? Here are a few tools to help you get closer to nature, whatever that looks like for you.
- Bird feeder that sticks to your window with suction cups — love this.
- An affordable trail camera for keeping an eye on your backyard visitors.
- Smart bird feeders with cameras can run for $300! If you already have a Ring camera, combine it with this case to make your own.
- The Audubon Society’s pick for starter binoculars for birding newbies.
- Speak bird with this classic red Audubon bird call.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
👶 Nature had other plans: A pregnant California woman’s water broke on her front porch, forcing her to give birth right then and there. Her Ring doorbell cam captured everything, from her squatting down to finally pushing out her baby girl. Luckily, her husband was by her side. Mom and baby are both doing great.
This handy product solves the Ring doorbell's biggest problem
Did you know that a video doorbell can deter up to 50% of crime on your property? Wireless Ring doorbells are one of the market’s most popular, easy-to-install security items. But these battery-powered models need to be charged to do their jobs.