April Jace’s iPhone 5S Hacked: Adultery Claims From Killer, Husband, And ‘The Shield’ Actor Michael Jace
April Jace was born on May 6, 1974. If she would have lived, April would have been 42-years-old. As such, Jace is being showered with birthday wishes by those that knew her and those that didn’t across social media. April was killed by her husband, Michael Jace, and April’s photo is being posted on social media with hearts surrounding her face, honored as a domestic violence victim.
Jace and his lawyers don’t deny that Michael shot his wife several times. However, the Los Angeles Times notes that Michael’s lawyers might be attempting to use a “crime of passion” argument to uncover Jace’s state of mind when the actor murdered April in their Los Angeles home on May 21, 2014.
Family of April Jace, allegedly killed by husband, actor Michael Jace: 'Hearts ripped out.' http://t.co/XxPtIeVA2L pic.twitter.com/bEq1BIqA7W
— Amanda Covarrubias (@amcovarrubias) June 19, 2014
Michael was mainly known for his role as a police officer on The Shield, a hit TV series. Jace, who once played a cop on TV, found himself on the other side of the law when the Los Angeles Police Department continued their investigation into the murder case of Jace.
The LAPD tapped a forensic cellphone expert to uncover the text messages on April’s iPhone 5S, which could expose and confirm Michael’s beliefs that April was having an affair, as reported by Newsweek.
Michael faces 50 years to life in prison for the murder of April and claims that he discovered his wife was having an affair prior to her death. Theories that the text messages Michael read on his wife’s iPhone, which could have sent Jace into a murderous rage, are being bandied about.
The “heat of the moment” or “crime of passion” defense is one that has been displayed in many movies and TV shows, and it could find Jace’s lawyers arguing that Michael was so blind with anger at discovering April’s alleged affair exposed via text messages that Michael should deserve a lesser sentence than if April’s death was part of a pre-meditated murder plan.
Whether that’s the defense strategy that will be adopted remains to be seen. In the meantime, Jace’s lawyers claim that April’s iPhone could provide valuable information to learn what Michael read on the iPhone 5S in the moments prior to April’s murder.
April was a college financial aid counselor who was involved in a text message argument with Michael that involved their relationship prior to her death. What is striking a chord on social media and online is the fact that the police used an expert to hack past the security features April’s iPhone and how newer iPhone models aren’t as easily hacked.
Apple previously helped police, as long as the authorities had a valid search warrant, hack into older models of iPhones as needed to help solve crimes. With newer models of iPhones featuring stronger security systems, the FBI found itself demanding Apple help hack into the phone of the San Bernardino mass shooting terrorist.
The text from April’s phone should help both legal teams paint a fuller picture of Michael. Both legal teams want to ensure that they have all of the information and text messages from April’s iPhone. Meanwhile, on the April Jace Facebook account, one of the last links she liked on October 18, 2013, praised the writings of a friend — and displayed her faith.
“This is an amazing article by an even more amazing woman that I’m honored to call my friend.”
Other posts on April’s Facebook account collect a few condolences.
Fifty-three-year-old Jace had his trial delayed so that all of the contents from April’s hacked iPhone could be examined.
[Photo by Nick Ut, Pool/AP Images]
