The Verus System Leads to Arrests in Young Man’s Murder
Vincent Webster Cole, 20, was found shot and pronounced dead at the scene on April 4, 2018, in Bessemer. LEO Technologies investigators, using Verus, flagged an incriminating inmate phone call with admissible information related to the killing.
Verus Detects Activity
LEO Technologies investigators used the Verus System to review telephone calls from an inmate well known for previous crimes and knowledge on prior homicides. In a call between the male inmate and an unidentified male caller, the inmate identified the shooter in a homicide that had occurred the day before.
During the conversation, the caller asked, “You see the news?” The inmate replied, “I seen the news talkin’ about what ‘Lil Burt’ did on Berkley.” Not only did the conversation mention “Berkley,” the street where the murder had taken place, but the call also detailed information on the vehicle used. The male caller described the shooting and details of his involvement.
Conversation Leads to Suspects
The LEO Technologies investigator sent the phone conversation to an investigator interviewing witnesses regarding the homicide. Through the information in the phone call and the capabilities of the departmental database, all suspects were identified, and capital murder arrest warrants were issued for both the male caller and the shooter the call had identified.
Providing Proactive Solutions for Law Enforcement
The suspects, Ladarius Burts and Willie Jenkins III, were arrested and taken into custody the day following the murder. Additional phone calls the suspects placed from the booking area to their relatives were recorded and monitored. These phone calls provided further information that will continue to assist law enforcement.