A dead woman's phone keeps transmitting from the Nevada desert, even though it should be silent. The raw data from a truck's electronic logging device (ELD) holds the key.

The raw ELD packet undid his perfect alibi

This episode explores the disappearance of Jean Carlson and the unexpected role her cell phone played in the investigation. We delve into how a seemingly perfect alibi was dismantled by a hidden detail within a digital record.

Person: Jean Carlson
Location: Nevada desert
Date: August eighth
Age: Twenty-two years old
Device: Electronic logging device (ELD)

- Jean Carlson's cracked cell phone was found in a culvert two hundred yards off Route ninety-three.
- Her body was discovered six miles east, at Alkali Creek, while her phone continued to transmit from a fuel stop.
- Chad Gallagher, a thirty-four-year-old roadside recovery owner, was a regular at Milepost Nine Fuel and Food.
- Gallagher's truck's ELD generated a printed summary that initially provided him with an alibi.
- The ELD's firmware averaged out short ignition events from the printed summary, but the raw packet file retained all data.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.