A second smartphone forensics expert testified on Wednesday regarding Jennifer McCabe’s Google search following the discovery of John O’Keefe’s body.
Jessica Hyde stated that McCabe searched for the phrase “long to die in the cold” at 6:24 AM, and she asserted her findings were scientifically sound.
The defense argues the search occurred earlier, at 2:27 AM, well before investigators were aware of the situation. Hyde mentioned McCabe and Kelly Roberts were mistaken in identifying O’Keefe’s body, which was found in the snow at 34 Fairview Road.
The earlier timestamp is unrelated to the search itself; it merely reflects when McCabe opened her browser tab.
This statement reinforced previous remarks by Ian Whiffin, a digital forensic expert at Cellebrite, who explained that this company develops software and hardware for mobile data analysis.
Hyde’s testimony included technical jargon like “hex editor,” “hash values,” and database files, explaining how mobile data is extracted and processed.
She noted that even less experienced analysts might struggle with this information.
David Gelman, a lawyer from Philadelphia who is following the case, criticized the prosecution’s decision to have expert witnesses present such complicated testimonies right before a court break. He mentioned it was a dull subject that likely caused jurors to lose focus.
After the break, defense attorney Robert Alessi cross-examined Hyde, questioning her earlier statements from Reed’s initial trial.
The previous trial ended in a hung jury, prompting the state to retry the case with special prosecutor Hank Brennan.
During cross-examination, Hyde admitted that O’Keefe’s phone calls weren’t secured following police recovery at the scene.
She frequently used technical terms, which attorney Germain suggested might confuse the jury, emphasizing their desire for straightforward information.
Reed has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene.
If found guilty, she could face life imprisonment.
Prosecutors allege that, after a night of drinking in Canton, a Boston suburb, she hit O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV while driving away. Reed has denied any wrongdoing.
Earlier on Wednesday, Massachusetts trooper Connor Keefe discussed evidence collection, including cell phones from McCabe and Roberts, as well as vehicle fragments found at the scene.
During his testimony, Keefe showed an evidence bag containing three broken pieces of taillights instead of the two that were anticipated.
When asked about the other pieces, he admitted he couldn’t confirm their status.
Despite objections, the court ordered Keefe to place the third piece in a separate evidence bag.
Nonetheless, his testimony helped create a timeline for when and where the taillight fragments were discovered, connecting them to the incident involving O’Keefe on the snowy street outside 34 Fairview Road.
Testimony is set to continue Thursday morning at 9 AM.
