Case Study: Aurora Police Department achieves rapid digital evidence recovery and conviction support with Exterro (FTK)

Aurora Police Department Relies on FTK® to Collect Key Digital in Tragic Colorado Movie Theater Mass Shooting

Exterro’s case study describes how the Aurora Police Department confronted the urgent challenge of extracting and analyzing digital evidence after the July 20, 2012 movie theater mass shooting that left multiple people dead and many injured. Investigators needed to quickly preserve and interpret data from an iPhone, an iPad and several computers to determine motive and link the suspect to planning and intent.

Using AccessData’s FTK suite (with FTK Imager and PRTK), Detective Mike Leiker created forensically sound images, indexed and searched chat logs, browser history, IP data and file artifacts, and recovered backup data, photos and purchase records. The digital evidence—validated and presented in court—helped prove intent and contributed to the suspect’s conviction on all charges; Leiker credited FTK with significantly speeding the investigation and preserving court‑admissible proof.

Aurora Police Department

Mike Leiker

Lead Forensic Investigator