News

Police use ATM to retrieve image of murder suspect

March 19, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – When police investigators managed to use an ATM camera to retrieve a clear image of a man suspected of murdering the University of North Carolina's student body president, they broke into applause, says a North Carolina detective.

Lt. Robert Carden, head of criminal investigation for the Chapel Hill Police Dept., said investigators usually don't expect much from the cameras, which are often mounted on ATM machines for security purposes.

"Quite honestly, we always think in worst-case scenarios," he said. "Sometimes you see a victim up in front of the camera and [the suspect] is standing off to the side with a handgun and you can't see anything but the victim. Or they've got their faces covered up – or a disguise on.

This is believed to be an image of Lawrence Alvin Lovett Jr., a man charged with the murder of 22-year-old Eve Carson. This image was taken by an ATM security camera as Lovett allegedly tried to use Carson's ATM card.

"But this guy – one of them anyway – tried to keep his face covered and I don't know if he just got lazy or what, but he uncovered his face and that's how we found him."

The man Carden was referring to is believed to be 17-year-old Lawrence Alvin Lovett Jr., a man who can allegedly be seen in the video using the ATM card of 22-year-old Eve Carson. Carson had been found shot to death in the middle of an intersection on March 5. Both Lovett and 21-year-old James Atwater have been arrested and charged with her murder.

Carden says the ATM image is "the best evidence" he has in the case. And he says it's not the first time an ATM security camera has been a valuable tool for solving crimes, particularly robberies and bank frauds.

"I've even used an ATM before on a sexual assault that took place," he said. "You could see the guys going by the ATM chasing the girl. They're always filming, so it's a good thing to have for law enforcement."

For now, Carden said the investigators at the Chapel Hill Police Dept., as well as the surrounding community, are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that the alleged suspects are behind bars – all because of an image retrieved from a little ATM camera.

"We were extremely happy when we saw that," he said. "I mean, these guys up here – the investigators here – worked long, long hours on this case, so everybody just cheered when they saw that face pop up."