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Private digital forensic investigator shares how he pin-pointed missing Katy teen’s locations before she was found

On Monday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office announced a 15-year-old Katy girl was found nearly two weeks after she disappeared.

During the search, Amber Alerts were issued.

OUR REPORT: Katy teen found safe after nearly two weeks missing

KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with Colman Ryan, who is a private digital forensic investigator who helped the girl’s family during the search. He said the tricky part about the search was the fact that the girl had a cell phone, but didn’t have cell service.

“Until that phone got on Wi-Fi, I wasn’t going to get anything,” Ryan explained.

Ryan discovered the girl had a second Gmail account through an app.

“I was able to access that account, turn on the location sharing, and then it was a waiting game,” said Ryan.

After a couple of days, Ryan’s search found the girl logged onto Wi-Fi at 5 different locations near the Hockley area, including restaurants and a house. He immediately turned his findings over to HCSO detectives.

The next day, he called the teen’s mother.

“I said ‘Hey, I’ve got a question.’ She said, ‘They found her. I’m headed out the door to go there right now!’ I said, ‘Can you tell me where they found her?’ She said, ‘In Hockley, like you told us yesterday.’ My objective was for her to be home for Christmas, and the mother was really emotional,” said Ryan.

Corley spoke with the girl’s mother, who said she is relieved her daughter has finally been found.

At this time, HCSO has not released details about how or where she was found. This is an ongoing investigation.


About the Author
Corley Peel headshot

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.

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