Todd Shepard is accused of gunning down University City Police Sgt. Mike King.
By Sharon Stevens
St. Louis, MO (KSDK) - A cell phone was the key to finding an accused cop killer.
That piece of evidence was revealed Tuesday, during day two of the trial of 43-year-old Todd Shepard, charged with gunning down University City Police Sgt. Mike King on Halloween night 2008.
A few hours after King was killed, Officer Christopher Starks and three others searched near the scene of the crime for Shepard's cell phone.
Shepard's fiancée, Melody Newsome, had told them earlier that the phone had a very distinctive ringtone and a photo. They found the phone near an abandoned building not from Leland and Delmar, where King, a decorated veteran officer, was shot in his car.
Witnesses said a man reached inside of the car and shot King five times. Starks said he heard what he thought was an alarm clock.
Authorities recognized the ring tone - Black Sheep's "You Can Get With This." Newsome's photo was the screen saver.
Shepard was arrested a few days later near Kansas City. He was driving his Newsome's car.
Prosecutors showed a DVD of Shepard's arrest in court Tuesday. It was captured on two cameras mounted on a highway patrol car. Both sides believe testimony will be completed no later than Friday.
KSDK
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