Canadian cops who drew inspiration from the podcast Serial have arrested and charged a man in relation to a 2012 murder after sharing clues to the case on Twitter.
Last year, on the third anniversary of Pimentel's death, Toronto police started sharing clues online in an attempt to revive the cold case.
Detective Tam Bui and several others Serial fans on the Toronto police force decided sharing weekly clues to the case on Twitter would be a good way to gather new information and get people engaged in solving the crime.
Do you know this woman? She might hold the key to Mike Pimentel's murder newyear 2012 @ilibertyvillage #moretofollow
The information came pouring in.
#mikepimentelmurder Clue 2, the shoe.
“It was actually quite remarkable to see the amount of information that flowed back to us about those items," Homicide Staff Inspector Greg McLane said at a press conference announcing the arrest.
Police say the case was solved directly as a result of online feedback.
Final clue in #mikepimentelmurder! MT @DetBuiHomicide: Who are these 2 ppl?Contact @TPSHomicide or anon @1800222TIPS.
“All of the investigators believed it was a solvable case because of the evidence collected,” Bui, the lead investigator on the case, said at a press conference in Toronto. “We just needed the help of the public to point us in the right direction and the public stepped up.”
Poirier was arrested in Calgary on a Canada-wide warrant for second-degree murder and returned to Toronto on Dec. 8 to face charges.
Pimentel's family thanked police for their work and said they were still learning to cope with their loss.
