According to this transcript the link was the cell phone and it's data.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWr7o7BgOpc
Female Anchor: A big developing story tonight, the murder of IU senior, Hannah Wilson. The man accused of killing her has faced a Judge today as we hear evidence against him for the first time. Now Police commenting about similarities between this case and the disappearance of Lauren Spire. Let's start with that chilling evidence.
Male Anchor: RTV6 reporter, Jack Reinhardt is live outside the Brown County Courthouse with today's latest developments. Jack?
Jack: Daniel Messel actually led Indiana State Police investigators to his very doorstep, that's because he apparently accidentally dropped his cell phone at the crime scene and during the forensic examination State Police investigators learned that Messel had used that same cell phone in 2012 to place a call to State Police.
Male Voice Over: Daniel Messel had little to say during his brief fifteen minute initial hearing but the evidence gathered by State Police speaks volumes about the case, including his cell phone discovered Friday morning at the victim's feet at the Lake Lemon crime scene. Witnesses say that Messel failed to return to his Bloomington home late Thursday night and failed to go to work on Friday morning. State Police picked up a report of a missing IU co ed, obtained a photo of the missing Hanna Wilson. The coroner's office made a positive identification, saying the victim had suffered at least four blows to the head that crushed her skull.
Ted: I'll make a quick, brief comment out of respect for the victim and the victim's family. We will remain out of respect for the judicial process, the investigation is ongoing and I will stand on our press release which is available at my office. We are back here on May 15th for a bond hearing and we'll continue our investigation. Thank you.
Jack: Messel said that he was broke so the Judge appointed a public defender. He appears in court next month for a bail hearing. He has a July jury trial. Ironically, Messel's initial hearing was conducted by video conference in a room that also serves as a chapel in the Brown County Jail. Messel, during that initial hearing sat in front of a wall with a cross painted on it with the words, "God forgives." Reporting live in Brown County, Jack Reinhardt, RTV6.
I should, at least. It's marked as a yellow house.
