Social Internet sites offer small glimpses into posters’ psyches

Alicia Rimel / News Virginian
Published: March 28, 2008

Current technology offers a new dimension to nearly every aspect of daily life — including criminal investigations.

Law enforcement officials released a name Friday in connection with Thursday morning's Interstate 64 shootings. In an emerging knee-jerk reaction, many flocked to social Web sites, such as MySpace, to gain some insight into the alleged shooter's mindset and motivations.

Slade Woodson, like most 19-year-olds, has had a cyber personality for some time. In fact, he last logged into his account on March 26, the day before the attacks occurred.
In this tech-savvy age, what role does MySpace, and sites like it, play in a criminal investigation-

"If something in an investigation leads you to believe that information is being shared online, investigators would surely look into it," said Sgt. Arthur Betts, of the Maryland State Police. "We have not had a case that has been closed due to a MySpace page, but it is definitely a contributing factor to closing a case. It is a good investigative tool."

On his pages, Woodson views himself as a "poor country boy trying to survive," feels he works too much, boasts of mud bogging as a favorite pastime and says he has had his heart broken too many times for his liking. A friend's comment posted on the page even suggests that he has served jail time in the past.

Not exactly a detailed criminal profile, but pages on MySpace, and other social-networking Web sites, can prove helpful in establishing motivation, possible accomplices and even favorite hang outs of criminal suspects.

"In some cases, certain types of cases, [social Web sites] are very helpful simply because people would post things on there you wouldn't normally find in a background investigation," said Bill Robbins, private investigator and owner of Reliable Security & Investigations LLC in Ruckersville. "You find out who the friends are, good and bad, likes, dislikes and where they go. They let their guard down, but really they are talking to the world."

Put in a criminal's shoes for an uncomfortable moment, many people would likely find the highest, most sparsely populated mountain and an abandoned cabin to hunker down in - instead of broadcasting themselves online. According to criminal profiler, Pat Brown, that thought most likely never occurs to criminals who have social Web pages.

"They don't think they're going to be caught," said Brown, author of "Killing for Sport: Inside the Minds of Serial Killers."
"What's very important, and where [criminals] get in trouble," brown said, "is that they are not planning to do something bad when they start the page. Their mind is not taking action yet."
One thing is certain: In today's age of mass communication and social-networking sites, the public is free to become acquainted with a criminal suspect - and not just through a mug shot of untamed hair and vacant eyes.

Woodson seems normal enough when encountered online — there certainly is no indication of an aversion to I-64 travelers. Investigators hope to dig a little deeper to find some reasons why he might have opened fire.