“Ways to get money:
– Sell drugs / not happening.
– Rob people / maybe.
– Contract killer / considering.
– Just stick to basketball.”
Unfortunately, Joel Alonte Travis did not just stick to basketball. He chose to rob. Thankfully, he was arrested for that before he became the killer he considered being.
We know these were vocations Travis contemplated because this was written on a notepad in a folder bearing his name, found during the same search that lead to the firearm in the picture.
I debated whether to write this post, in part because the info comes from a criminal complaint, not a conviction. That means, in the eyes of the law, Travis is still presumed innocent.
It’s the same reason I used a picture of the gun, instead of the photo from Travis’ Instagram account, showing him posing with a large amount of cash shortly after the robbery.
(BTW, next week The Federalist Society is hosting a webinar on “The Ethics and Impact of True Crime Podcasting.” While this is not that, they’ll discuss how to”talk about crime in a way that informs the public while respecting the legal process and the rights of everyone involved.” That’s something I think about. https://lnkd.in/gAg9NzFf)
But I decided to write it for at least 9 reasons.
1. Travis has now been indicted, meaning a grand jury found probable cause to charge him. He has also been held on pretrial detention.
2. To praise the great investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its partners. After an innocent ATM technician was robbed – a gun placed to his head – they analyzed a large amount of evidence to identify Travis.
3. To highlight the toll of violent crime on victims. Video of the robbery shows the look on the tech’s face as a gun is stuck in it. The criminal justice system must not forget him. Yes, it was a “˜bank’ that was robbed, but that guy is the real victim.
4. To showcase the investigative value of License Plate Readers (LPRs). Here, investigators used LPR images to track the getaway vehicle (which didn’t actually have a license plate, but was instead identified by peculiarities like its mismatched hubcaps.)
5. To show the power of layering evidence, like time-stamped LPR images with other GPS data.
6. To note the investigative value of social media exploitation. For the life of me, I don’t understand why criminals post about their exploits.
7. As an example of how visuals are being embedded in affidavits. This one has images of the suspects running from the car to ambush the tech; of the robbery itself; pictures of the two-toned pistol being brandished; maps depicting LPR and GPS data; the gun and notebook from the search; and the Instagram post.
8. To wonder aloud at the tragedy of this young man thinking these were his best options for getting money.
9. To tag Seamus Hughes (how I learned about the case). His “CourtWatch.News“ reporting is on my must-read list.
Here is the affidavit. It’s long, but worth skimming for the pictures.