New York Man Gets 25 Years to Life in Babysitter Killing
Vehicle Tracking Device was Key to Conviction
CHENANGO COUNTY, N.Y. – A New York man was sentenced June 11 to 25 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder of his former babysitter, who he ran over with his truck.
George Ford Jr., a contractor from Piscataway, N.J. who has a seasonal residence in South Otselic, had insisted that he accidentally killed 12-year-old Shyanne Somers on July 8, 2007, while returning her home from a babysitting job. But evidence uncovered from a Global Positioning System vehicle tracking device inside the truck contradicted his telling of events.
Ford was convicted of the crime Feb. 19, 2009 by a Chenango County Court judge.
“This might be the first murder trial in the nation where charges hinged so heavily on GPS evidence,” said Steven Moehling, Vice President of Sales at LandAirSea Systems in Woodstock, IL. A LandAirSea GPS Tracking Key® vehicle tracking device was operating in Ford’s truck and documenting the vehicle’s location as the murder occurred. The vehicle tracking device was placed there by Ford’s wife, Cindy, because she suspected that her husband was having an affair. Moehling testified at the trial about the company’s GPS Tracking Key®, interpreting the data collected on the device the night of the murder, and speaking on the accuracy of its readings.
GPS tracking systems record the time, speed and geographic position of a receiver at regular intervals. Location is determined by the capture of radio signals from Department of the Defense satellites orbiting the earth. In passive systems such as the GPS Tracking Key®, the user later retrieves the vehicle tracking receiver and downloads the data stored on it for viewing on a personal computer.
As vehicle tracking systems become more popular, evidence from them will be seen more frequently, and be weighed more heavily in court cases, Moehling predicted. LandAirSea’s GPS Tracking Key®, for example, records location every second and is accurate within 2.5 meters.
“The role that the GPS Tracking Key® played in Ford’s conviction is precedent-setting,” Moehling said. “And it is a statement to LandAirSea’s quality engineering and leadership in the GPS tracking market.”
On the night of her death, Shyanne was a passenger in Ford’s truck and was to be returning to her home around midnight. Ford told police he took the girl by a pasture to see some horses, driving east on the rural road Will Warner Road, and that he accidentally hit her with the vehicle while turning around. Ford did not drive the girl to the hospital until nearly three hours later. He told police that he was shocked and confused.
The data collected that night by the GPS Tracking Key® vehicle tracking device contradicted much of Ford’s testimony. Judge, attorneys and the crowd gathered for the trial watched the truck’s travels depicted on an animated map of Chenango County’s back roads. The log from the vehicle tracking device showed the truck stopped at an empty house from midnight to 3 a.m. It also showed the truck driving westbound on Warner Road near a spot where blood was found and the crime occurred, not in an eastern direction as Ford had reported.
About the Tracking Key
The GPS Tracking Key® tracking receiver manufactured by LandAirSea Systems of Woodstock runs on two AAA batteries. It is LandAirSea’s most popular passive GPS tracking device, valued for its compact size and portability. The GPS Tracking Key® is about the size of a large pack of gum. The data recorded on it is downloaded on computer with three viewing options: A text report, a trip summary depicted over an animated street map, or over satellite images through Google Earth.
About LandAirSea Systems
LandAirSea Systems was established in 1994 by Robert Wagner, Steven Moehling and Lin Xu. It is a leading provider of Global Positioning System tracking devices, systems and software. Its powerfully engineered GPS tracking systems are purchased by average individuals, law enforcement agencies and businesses of all sizes. It is located in a new corporate facility in Woodstock, IL. In April, LandAirSea launched its newest passive vehicle tracking product, the GPS TracKing®. The company plans to introduce two new vehicle tracking devices by the end of 2009. For information, please visit www.landairsea.com
Tags: Babysitter, Chenango murder, Court, GPS Tracking, Murder, New York murder
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