NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A former Newport News police detective presented the jury a timeline of digital evidence in the trial of Carlos Johnson, who is accused of killing a missing mother and her baby.
Former Detective Trevor Buchanan analyzed phone and internet records in the case, with evidence presented dating back to early 2016 — when Johnson first learned Keir was pregnant. Johnson is shown messaging Keir's sister on Facebook saying she should have an abortion.
Johnson is on trial for two counts of first-degree murder and is accused of killing Keir and Chloe Johnson. Their bodies have never been recovered.
Buchanan's presentation continued into August 2016, when Chloe was born. After that, Buchanan showed numerous internet searches he says Johnson made — including how to terminate his parental rights and how not to be obligated to pay child support.
In early 2017, Buchanan says Johnson searched "can rat poison kill you?" and for accidental baby deaths. At another date, Buchanan says Johnson searched "what is a poison that kills?"
Buchanan also showed the jury cell phone location data. On April 23, 2017 — a week before Keir and Chloe's disappearance — Johnson is shown being on Arch Street, which is where Keir's car was later found after she disappeared.
On the day of the disappearance, April 30, 2017, Buchanan showed the jury how Keir was texting and calling Johnson numerous times. By the afternoon, her location is shown to be at Johnson's house in downtown Newport News.
At 4:38 p.m., her phone shared its location for the last time as being at Johnson's house. After that, her device never transmitted any data again.
Later that night, Buchanan says phone records show Johnson and Kaheem Delk were in the same area. Both of their phones then stopped transmitting data for over an hour.
On Monday, Delk testified he drove Johnson over the James River Bridge and that he had turned off his phone. Once in Isle of Wight County, Delk testified Johnson removed something from the trunk of the car, but he was too afraid to ask what it was.
Buchanan says Johnson's phone started transmitting data again at about 11 p.m., and Johnson visited two businesses with dumpsters over several hours. Police later visited the locations, but too much time had passed to find anything.
The Commonwealth then rested its case on Thursday afternoon. The defense attempted to have the case thrown out in a motion to strike, but the judge ruled it can continue. The defense will now have a chance to present a case if they choose.
Court will not be in session Friday, as a juror has a conflict. The trial is set to resume Monday.
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