A Connecticut man was convicted on Tuesday for murdering his wife in 2015 in a case that was partially built on evidence gathered from the woman’s Fitbit exercise activity tracker.
Richard Dabate, 45, was found guilty of all three charges against him – murder, tampering with evidence and making a false statement to authorities.
Days before Christmas in 2015, Dabate, from Ellington in Tolland County, alleged that a man broke into their home, tied him up, and then shot and killed his wife Connie Dabate. He said that the man who shot his wife was masked, had a voice like actor Vin Diesel and was dressed in camouflage.
But police said that data from the dead woman’s Fitbit contradicted her husband’s story and showed that she was moving around an hour after he said she was killed.
Following the verdict, Wayne Rioux, a spokesperson for the woman’s family, said justice had prevailed with the conviction of Dabate.
“The trial was not about Fitbit,” Mr Rioux said. “The trial was about the cold-blooded, planned murder of Connie Margotta Dabate. There will be no closure for the Margotta family, but there is finally justice for Connie.”
Prosecutor Matthew Gedansky said in his closing arguments that Dabate had hatched a plan to kill his wife and stage a home invasion as his life was about to unravel with the birth of a child he was having with another woman.
Dabate’s lawyer Trent LaLima said the verdict was a disappointment and added that they planned to challenge it.
“I think we put on a very strong case for why Rick did not commit this offense,” he said outside the courthouse.
He also raised questions about relying on data from the Fitbit tracker, noting that the devices were not designed with the accuracy needed for court testimony.
He also pointed to unknown DNA that was found in the Dabates’ home, including on the gun that killed Connie, and testimony from a house cleaner.
During the 22 days of the trial, jurors heard more than 100 witnesses and saw 600 pieces of evidence.
Dabate admitted he was having an affair with another woman at the time of his wife’s death and had lied about it to police, reported Fox61.
Judge Corinne Klatt increased his bond to $5m and ordered GPS monitoring for Dabate until the next court date on 16 September when he would be sentenced.
Court marshals handcuffed Dabate and led him out of the courtroom after the verdict. He had been out of jail after posting a $1m bail following his arrest in 2017.
Additional reporting by agencies
