Area codes don’t mean much anymore.
But where the phone is, still means something — isn’t triangulation of cellphone location from towers SOP for emergency calls? With both number and geography showing at the receiving office? Wouldn’t there be a question like “How do you, in California, know there’s trouble going down in Wichita?”
People carry smart phones now. They move and don’t change their phone numbers...because there is no reason to.
I can guarantee you that guy who did this didn’t run down to the corner gas station to make a pay phone call. He used his smart phone. I’m sure that’s how they caught him.