Recap: On March 2, 2015, 18-year-old Anjelica "AJ" Hadsell mysteriously disappeared from her Norfolk, Virginia home never to return again. Nine days later, detectives discovered her body partially buried in a ditch 50 miles outside the city.
They were led to the impromptu grave site by a GPS system they had found in stepfather Wesley Hadsell's van. Also found in the vehicle were a dirty shovel, gloves, and duct tape. The evidence was circumstantial but was enough to obtain a warrant to search Hadsell's hotel room.
He had been staying at the America's Best Value Inn at the time because his wife, AJ's mother, had kicked him out of the house for his continued cocaine use. Officers executing the warrant seized several items including a portable PlayStation Vita gaming system, which AJ's mother identified as belonging "exclusively" to Wesley. The belongings were processed into evidence and locked up.
Meanwhile, Wesley Hadsell was arrested and changed on an unrelated offense. As a felon, he was not allowed to possess a firearm or even ammunition in the state of Virginia. He was found with ammo on him and was convicted and sentenced to 20 years for the offense.
Local NBC affiliate WAVY-TV 10, obtained court documents showing that Norfolk police have recently filed for another search warrant in the case. This time officials want to take a look at what may be hiding in the memory of that PS Vita.
"It has been my experience that individuals often communicate with their victims via e-mail and through other computer-based programs," an NPD official wrote in the search warrant request. "In addition, a suspect's electronic equipment often has digital evidence of crimes committed by the suspect."
Police officials declined to comment on the investigation, but so far Wesley Hadsell has not been charged in connection to the death of his stepdaughter.
As for his 20-year sentence for ammo possession --- an appeals court vacated that sentence in June 2017. Hadsell is scheduled for resentencing this November.