Amazon Must Hand Over Echo Recordings In New Hampshire Double Murder

New Hampshire authorities forced Amazon to give up Echo recordings Friday after Timothy Verrill, 34, was charged with a double murder of two women in February 2017. 

The recordings in question were taken by an Echo device in Farmington, New Hampshire, inside the home where Christine Sullivan lived with her boyfriend, Dean Smoronk. 

Sullivan and her friend, Jenna Pellegrini, were found murdered in the backyard of the home covered by a tarp. Police confirmed a knife was buried nearby. 

Pellegrini, 32, was stabbed 43 times, and Sullivan, 48, was stabbed eight times and suffered from a skull fracture.

Verrill pleaded not guilty in February 2017.

Police testified at a bail hearing in August 2017 that Verrill befriended Sullivan’s boyfriend, Smoronk, giving him access to the home’s security code. Reports say Verrill was also seen on home surveillance video with both women prior to their deaths. 

The order was given by Superior Court Justice Steven M. Houran. 

“The court directs Amazon.com to produce forthwith to the court any recordings made by an Echo smart speaker with Alexa voice command capability, FCC ID number ZWJ-0823, from the period of January 27, 2017 to January 29, 2017, as well as any information identifying cellular devices that were paired to that smart speaker during that time period,” determined Strafford County. Court documents say the Amazon Echo device was seized by police. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Though no conclusive evidence proves the suspect committed the crimes, the court needs to investigate “evidence of crimes committed against Ms. Sullivan, including the attack and possible removal of the body from the kitchen.”

Prior to the order, Amazon maintained they would not release any private records “without a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us.”