A World of Warcraft confession as well as myriad other pieces of digital evidence allowed the Vancouver Island Major Crime Unit and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to solve the murder of Kim Proctor, a Canadian high schooler whose burnt remains were found under a bridge.

For cases involving teens, the online world is “more valuable than ever,” says Corporal Darren Lagan, spokesperson for the British Columbia Island District R.C.M.P. “People tend to be freer online, especially young people—they don’t feel any repercussions or anyone watching.”

Kim’s supposed friends, Kruse Wellwood and Cameron Moffat, lured her to Kruse’s house where they bound, beat, and raped her before dumping the body. A text message sent from the site they disposed of the body served as crucial evidence.

Investigators monitored Facebook, including a public memorial page her family and friends set up in her honor, culling potential witnesses there as well as on other publicly available Facebook pages—none of which necessitated a warrant.

Soon, police had enough evidence to secure the necessary judicial authorization to monitor and analyze Kruse’s and Cam’s online activities. Keeping Kruse and Cam under close surveillance, the police bugged their homes, their cell phones, and even the gazebo where they hung out in the park. Through forensic analysis of the boys’ computers and cell phones, they dug up their Google and Wikipedia searches, as well as old transcripts of texts and instant messages. In total, the Tech Crimes Unit amassed the equivalent of 1.4 billion sheets of paper on the two.

When the boys were finally arrested, the two pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and indignity to human remains and were sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 10 years.

Source: Vanity Fair