Alec Baldwin has failed to hand over his cell phone to the authorities, following the tragic shooting on the set of Rust, which ended the life of Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins and injured Director Joel Souza.
For this reason, the retrieval of the actor’s Apple iPhone, has now become the main focus of a joint effort by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department in New York and the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
According to information provided to Fox News Digital, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department in New York received a request to to help with the retrieval of Alec Baldwin’s cell phone from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department.
“The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has received a request from the Santa Fe, NM authorities requesting assistance in obtaining Alec Baldwin’s phone,” Sergeant Paul Spinella, from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department’s Public Relations Office, told Fox News Digital.
Spinella continues, “This request has been forwarded to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to work out the differences in laws between NM and NY,” adding that “As this is an ongoing investigation, that is all the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office can report at this time.”
Reuters reports that the statement issued by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office came three weeks after the office received the first search warrant to seize the actor’s cellular device in order to get any information that could help the investigation.
According to the news organisation, the search warrant gave authorities permission to “examine texts messages, email correspondence, social network communications, browser activity and other information stored on the device.”
Reuters does clarify, however, that “neither the warrant nor the seven-page affidavit cited any particular material that investigators were looking for on Baldwin’s phone.”
According to the aforementioned affidavit, issued by detective Alexandria Hancock, the main reason behind this particular procedure stems from the fact that suspects, victims, and witnesses “often make and/or receive telephone calls and/or messages before, during and/or after the commission of crime(s).”
It continues, “Such information, if it exists, may be material and relevant to this investigation. There were several emails and text messages sent and received regarding the movie production ‘Rust’ in the course of (police) interviews.”
Reuters also reveals that both Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney’s Office are “actively working” with the authorities at Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department in New York, as well as Alec Baldwin’s own legal team.
“Affiant is requesting a warrant for the seizure and search of Alec Baldwins’ [sic] cell phone to search for any evidence relating to the death investigation of Halyna Hutchins” reads information found in the affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
The outlet also points out that Alec Aaron Dyer, Baldwin’s civil attorney, claimed that the actor had “proactively requested’ that police obtain a search warrant in order to retrieve the cell phone from him as a safety measure to “protect” both himself and his family.
What do you make of the retrieval of Alec Baldwin’s cell phone becoming the main focus of the authorities in New York and Santa Fe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below or on social media.