Fitbit health data used to arrest man accused of killing stepdaughter

A woman’s Fitbit health data was used to arrest her 90-year-old stepfather accused of killing her and staging her death to look like a suicide, according to a report by USA Today.

Anthony Aiello, 90, was arrested on Sept. 25 on the charge of homicide by the San Jose Police Department in California. According to the department, police responded to a report of an adult female who had visible injuries and was unresponsive on Sept. 13. The victim, Karen Navarra, 67, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Navarra was found slouched in a chair with a kitchen knife in her hand, as if she killed herself, according to the report. While speaking with police, the suspect said he only visited the victim for about 15 minutes before leaving.

“But police say video evidence later showed Aiello's car was at Navarra's house for a longer period of time, and data from her Fitbit approximates when she might have died,” the report said.

Heart-monitoring data from the device showed a “significant spike in Navarra’s heart, followed by a rapid slow down.” 

To read the full report, click the link below.

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Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls. 

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