In Arapahoe County, Colorado, a man has been found guilty of second-degree murder after fatally shooting a woman who was throwing rocks at his semi-truck. The tragic incident unfolded in the early hours of October 28, 2022, at a Boot Barn parking lot located on South Parker Road.
According to reports from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, John David Thoren III, aged 44, was asleep in his semi-truck when he was abruptly awakened at 2:30 a.m. by the sound of rocks hitting the driver’s side of his vehicle. In a desperate attempt to make the woman cease her actions, Thoren displayed a firearm and warned her to desist. Subsequently, he opened his door and issued a final ultimatum, stating that if the rock-throwing persisted, he would resort to using his weapon.
Tragically, the situation escalated, and the woman, later identified as 46-year-old Rachel Holmes, was fatally shot with a 9mm gun and pronounced dead at the scene. Following the shooting, Thoren did contact emergency services to report the incident but failed to provide any form of aid to the victim.
During the subsequent investigation, Thoren admitted to firing the fatal shot, citing fear for his safety as the primary motivator behind his actions. However, law enforcement officers discovered only minimal damage to Thoren’s semi-truck, casting doubt on the necessity of his use of lethal force.
Senior Deputy DA Michael Mauro expressed his disapproval of Thoren’s actions, stating, “Instead of driving to a safe location or calling 9-1-1 to report someone throwing rocks at his truck, the defendant decided to take matters into his own hands by confronting the woman with a gun and pulling the trigger.” The jury’s decision after a four-day trial was unanimous, finding Thoren guilty of second-degree murder and a violent crime/use of a weapon sentence enhancer.
District Attorney John Kellner emphasized that while individuals have the right to defend themselves from immediate danger, the evidence in this case did not support Thoren’s claims of being under threat. Thoren is set to face sentencing on July 22, as the community grapples with the tragic consequences of a confrontation that went fatally awry..
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