A laptop recovered from the 32nd story hotel suite where Stephen Paddock launched his deadly assault in Las Vegas had its hard drive intentionally removed prior to the shooting; further clouding the gunman’s motives and raising new questions over why he intentionally covered his tracks.
According to ABC News, Paddock intentionally removed the hard disk before SWAT officers stormed his hotel room, but the drive’s location remains a mystery and has not yet been recovered.
The disk may provide insight into why Paddock launched his rampage and how he avoided detection.
Federal investigators also believe Paddock purchased forensic software that allows individuals to permanently delete records and files from a personal computer, again signaling the gunman intended to conceal his motives from investigators.
The Las Vegas Police Department and the FBI are struggling to come to grips with the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Mass shooters commonly leave behind manifestos, writings, or digital footprints that shed light on their atrocities.
So far, little is known over why Stephen Paddock, a former accountant from Mesquite, Nevada, went on his murderous rampage that left 58 people dead and over 500 injured.