Data from a Fitbit device belonging to 67-year-old Karen Navarra has led police to the arrest of her 90-year-old stepfather, Anthony Aiello, who is now charged with her death.
According to Yahoo! News , Anthony Aiello was detained on September 25 “on a first-degree murder charge.” In reports obtained by People , it is alleged that Aiello “slashed and stabbed” his stepdaughter on September 8. Karen’s body was found in her San Jose home on September 13 after concerned family members called the police and requested a welfare check on her.
Police entered the premises to discover Karen’s body. The murder weapon was seen to be protruding from her hand. It is unclear yet as to what caused the frenzied attack.
In the report, Aiello alleges that the last time he saw his stepdaughter was on September 8 when he delivered food to her. He claims he was inside her home for no more than 15 minutes before leaving. However, camera footage confirms that Anthony Aiello’s car was parked in Karen Navarra’s driveway for at least 20 minutes.
Along with the video surveillance footage, data from Karen’s Fitbit saw a spike in her heart rate activity at 3:20 p.m., which was the same time Aiello’s car was also parked in her driveway. Her heart rate was then seen to slow on her Fitbit device and cease altogether at 3:28 p.m., according to the police report.
When questioned about the timing of Aiello’s visit to his stepdaughter’s house and the time of her death, Aiello denied any involvement and suggested that someone else must have been present at that time. He further insisted that he was not present at her home at the time of her death.
“During the interview, Aiello was confronted about the information from Fitbit and the corresponding surveillance video indicating that his car was in the driveway,” reads the police report, according to People .
“After explaining the abilities of the Fitbit to record time, physical movement and heart rate data,” investigators explained that Navarra had died prior to him leaving her residence.
It was then that Anthony Aiello “denied that he was present when she was killed and suggested that someone else might have been in the house.”
Anthony Aiello is currently being held without bail and it is possible he will “enter a plea during his arraignment Thursday,” according to Yahoo! News .
At the time of printing, it is unclear whether or not Anthony Aiello has a lawyer who can comment to the press on his behalf in relation to this matter.
