Life360 data becomes central evidence in Cooper Ouellette's manslaughter trial
Defense experts argue the location tracking app lacks certified accuracy standards, while prosecutors rely on it to reconstruct the night of Sophie Ringquist's death.
By Leah Thompson ·
The central dispute in the trial of Cooper Ouellette has shifted to the accuracy of the Life360 app, which prosecutors used to map the movements of the defendant and the 17-year-old victim on the night she died. Jurors in New Britain, Connecticut, are entering a sixth day of testimony where the reliability of this digital data is the primary point of contention.
Prosecutors presented an animation created by Mark Sanders of the New England State Police Information Network. The visual reconstruction, based on Life360 data from the iPhones of Ouellette and Sophie Ringquist, depicts their paths leading up to the incident on May 20, 2023. The prosecution alleges that Ouellette, 21, ran over Ringquist after she separated from his vehicle at a party in Terryville and then dragged her back into the truck.
Ouellette, a resident of Harwinton, faces charges of manslaughter and delivery of alcohol to a minor. His legal team objected to the inclusion of the app data before the trial began. During cross-examination, defense attorney Jonathan Raad pressed Sanders on whether the software met standard calibration requirements. Raad asked if the app publishes error rates, and Sanders confirmed that it does not.
The defense called Jeffery Martin, a digital forensics expert from Evidence Solutions, to challenge the data's precision. Martin testified that he uses the same app to track his children. He cited an instance where the application placed his son on Lake Superior, a location that was later proven incorrect. Martin described the error as an inaccurate location determined by the Life360 application.
Tensions rose during the previous day's proceedings when defense attorney Martin Minnella questioned Ryan Slaiby, the lead investigator for the Connecticut State Police. Minnella asked why state police did not seek a search warrant or request an immediate intoxication test. Slaiby explained that a significant amount of time had already passed, creating uncertainty about whether Ouellette had consumed alcoholic beverages.
The exchange became contentious, with a prosecutor interjecting to say that Slaiby was attempting to answer. Judge Chris Pelosi admonished the attorneys for bantering. The trial resumed Thursday afternoon, with the court schedule indicating a start time of approximately 1:15 p.m. after a midday delay that was not immediately explained.
