Captain Carl Coxe has called Livingston Parish, Louisiana home all his life. He began his career in the computer world, but coming from a family filled with law enforcement, he knew that was the path he ultimately wanted to take. 

Captain Coxe worked both on patrol and as a detective, but said those details were never the right fit for him. “I was too nice,” he said with a smile. “A guy would be telling me all this stuff, and I would believe it – every word he’s saying, because I’m that guy.” 

Building the Team 

In 2000, he jumped at the chance to join the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and was responsible for building its Digital Forensics Unit. What started out as a one-man operation has now grown to a team of six, led by Captain Coxe.  

Captain Coxe began examining mobile devices in the mid 2010s, and as the volume of phones coming in for processing increased, the department invested in Cellebrite solutions. Physical Analyzer and Premium, now part of Inseyets, allowed Captain Coxe to manage the workload solo. “We were ahead of the game for at least five years,” he said. 

By 2019, Captain Coxe was examining about 300 phones a year, and that’s when the digital forensics unit was officially expanded. Detective John Knapp, who’s worked everything from narcotics to violent offenders, put in his application right away. “I’ve always had the desire to find people that don’t want to be found,” he said. “And this is a great way to do it. It was just right up my alley.” 

Staying a Step Ahead 

Public safety agencies across the board are dealing with more data and devices, Livingston Parish is no exception. But advanced solutions like Inseyets help reduce backlogs and manage the growing volume.  

The department recently adopted Cellebrite Guardian, and they’re excited about its ability to help them collaborate with other agencies, especially as a case moves through the legal process. “Now, I can upload it, send them the permission and they can do it from their computer and it’s night day. I love it,” Detective Knapp said. 

He also pointed out its ability to save the department time and supplies. “You’d have to get in there and make sure you’ve got 50 thumb drives coming in, because, you know, all these phones are coming in. We were running out of thumb drives.” 

An Ironclad Case 

In 2017, a 61-year-old man was found shot to death inside his home. A forensic search of his computer revealed a detailed inventory list of between 40 and 50 guns – some of which were taken – as well as ammunition. There was also money taken from inside his safe.   

After the shooting, the suspects took off from the area, yet investigators were able to identify them through more traditional investigative methods and made the arrests when they returned. Once in custody, the pictures and videos on their phones told the whole story.  

After the shooting, the data inside the two teenage suspects’ phones showed they left Louisiana and drove to California. Along the way, they stopped to take pictures and videos of themselves with the victim’s guns. One video showed one of the teens shooting a road sign. Captain Coxe used geolocation from the videos to direct local police to the shell casings, which matched those from the victim’s home. “Carl told them exactly where to go, they [the shell casings] were still there, on the side of the shoulder,” Detective Knapp said. 

In another video, Captain Coxe was able to make out the gun’s serial number, which belonged to the victim. “So, this is not only the guy who shot him, this is the gun he shot him with,” he said. 

Ultimately, one of the teens was tried and found guilty of second-degree murder. 

Investing for the Future 

Cellebrite’s 2025 Industry Trends Survey shows public safety agencies are becoming more interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-based solutions like Guardian. In Livingston Parish and beyond, advanced digital forensics solutions are making an impact on how agencies can manage the growing volume of data. 

Putting these solutions to work not only helps agencies make the most of their resources, but they also allow lifelong residents, like Captain Coxe, protect the community he calls home. “I just wanted to build this department to catch the bad people,” he said.