How Google, cell phone records helped police nail Austin maniac

The suspected serial bomber who killed two people and terrorized Austin, Texas for three harrowing weeks was killed in a dramatic confrontation with police overnight Wednesday, authorities said.

The operation was aided by different uses of technology, including surveillance cameras and cell phone triangulation.

The suspect, who has been identified as 24-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt, was killed near the motel he was traced to thanks to surveillance footage from a Federal Express drop-off store, The Austin American-Stateman reported.

The authorities were able to gather information after police noticed the subject shipped an explosive device from a Sunset Valley FedEx store, a suburb approximately 25 minutes away from Austin. The evidence included the security footage from the store, as well as store receipts obtained showing suspicious transactions.

AUSTIN SERIAL BOMBING SUSPECT KILLED IN DRAMATIC CONFRONTATION; ID'D AS 24-YEAR-OLD MAN

Google search history

The authorities were also able to look at the individual's Google search history, the Statesman noted, which gave them further insight into his dealings.

Google accepts subpoenas for search data and "reviews the request to make sure it satisfies legal requirements and Google's policies," the company notes in its transparency report.

In order for Google to produce any data, the request has to be made in writing, signed by an official of the requesting agency and issued under an appropriate law. Google can also look to narrow the request if it believes it is "overly broad."

Cell phone triangulation

The authorities were also able to use cell phone triangulation technology, which provides a cell phone's location data via information collected from nearby cell towers.

According to a primer from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, cell phone triangulation uses multiple cell phone towers to track the phone with greater precision than say a single cell tower.

The phone's GPS capabilities can track the phone within 5 to 10 feet and can also provide "historical" or "prospective" location information. It can also "ping" the phone, forcing it to reveal its exact location.

Thanks to the prevalence of 4G connectivity, cell phone triangulation is more effective than it was before, Fox News has previously reported.

As cell phone companies store this type of data, law enforcement authorities must request it via the appropriate court processes.

Authorities in Austin were able to use this technology to trace the suspect to a hotel in Williamson County.