Pings from Towers Locate Missing South Carolina Woman Held Hostage

In emergency situations, cell phone technology can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Such was the case recently when local authorities used cell tower pings to locate a missing South Carolina woman; she was found held captive on a 95-acre property in northwest South Carolina, reports GreenvilleOnline.com.

Local police investigators obtained cell phone records from the woman’s service provider—AT&T—which enabled them to “triangulate” the cell phone’s location based on the strength of the pings between nearby towers the woman’s phone had connected to up to the moment it died.   

The missing woman’s cell phone pinged on the property up to two days after friends last saw her on August 31. Working with AT&T, local authorities obtained the phone records and the necessary warrant needed to access the property. Continue Reading