WOODSTOCK, Ill., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Information retrieved from the LandAirSea GPS Tracking Key provided the Chenango County Prosecutor evidence necessary to secure a second-degree murder conviction of George Ford Jr. Ford initially contended he accidentally ran over his 12 year-old babysitter Shyanne Somers in the early hours of July 8, 2007, when Shyanne asked to see Ford's horses on Will Warner Road in the town of Otselic. However, the defendant's wife had placed a GPS tracking device within the vehicle after suspecting infidelity. The information from the Tracking Key conflicted with the events provided by Ford.
Prosecutors, using the GPS data, showed that Ford never went to the pasture, but instead spent more than three hours behind an abandoned farmhouse a half-mile from where the girl was killed. Investigators testified that Somers got away from Ford, who chased her and deliberately ran her down shortly after 3 a.m.
The conviction in the Chenango County Courthouse on Thursday, February 19th, represents a significant legal precedent. In the past, GPS tracking devices have only provided a supporting role in the courtroom. However, the LandAirSea Tracking Key was the centerpiece of this trial. "The GPS was the latest technology and proved beyond any doubt that this man intentionally killed that poor young girl that day," said Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride. He added, "This will always be a landmark case because the GPS unit not only told us where he went but proved he wasn't telling the truth when he was talking to the police."
Steven Moehling, Vice President of Sales for LandAirSea, was the prosecution's expert witness during the trial. "Law enforcement agencies have benefited from our products for many years and it's only a matter of time until GPS tracking technology plays a larger role within the legal system." He added, "This legal precedent further validates LandAirSea's engineering quality and market leadership."
About the Tracking Key:
The GPS Tracking Key is currently the most affordable, convenient and widely used product manufactured by LandAirSea Systems, Inc. It is a compact, battery operated unit that use GPS (Global Positioning System) signals to track the location, time of departure, route traveled, speed, and duration of stops. Recorded data can then be downloaded and displayed with animated digital street maps, Google Earth(R) satellite street maps, or a daily text report.
About LandAirSea Systems:
Established in 1994, LandAirSea has been a leading provider of the world's most powerfully engineered GPS tracking systems, devices and software. Once used strictly for military operations, Global Positioning System technology has been redesigned to meet the needs of average individuals, small businesses and law enforcement agencies, with LandAirSea at the helm of many of these advancements. Located in their new corporate facility in Woodstock, Illinois, they plan on launching three additional devices in 2009. For more information about the Tracking Key and other LandAirSea products, please visit www.landairsea.com.
Contact: Steve Moehling, Vice President, LandAirSea Systems, +1-847-462-8100, sales@landairsea.com
SOURCE LandAirSea Systems
