AURORA, Colo. (TCD) — A jury recently found a 44-year-old man guilty of killing a 46-year-old woman after a rock-throwing incident in a parking lot in 2022.
According to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, on April 12, John Thoren III was found guilty of second-degree murder and an enhancement of violent crime/use of a weapon in connection with the shooting death of Rachel Holmes. Thoren is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on July 22.
On Oct. 28, 2022, Thoren was sleeping in his semitruck in a parking lot when he reportedly woke up to Holmes throwing rocks at his vehicle at approximately 2:30 a.m. According to prosecutors, Thoren said he “told the woman to stop and then showed a gun.”
After threatening to shoot the woman if she didn’t stop throwing rocks, Thoren eventually pulled the trigger of his 9 mm gun, and Holmes was pronounced dead at the scene, the district attorney’s office said. Thoren called 911 following the incident but failed to render aid to Holmes.
According to the district attorney’s office, Thoren told investigators he was “scared for his safety and admitted to shooting the victim.” Officers observed “minimal” evidence of wreckage on Thoren’s truck.
Thoren reportedly claimed he killed Holmes in self-defense.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Michael Mauro said, “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.”
District Attorney John Kellner added, “While citizens have the right to bear arms and protect themselves from imminent danger, the evidence doesn’t support this defendant’s claims that his life was in danger.”
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Tyler Mitchell 
Samantha Parker
It’s a tragic situation, but resorting to lethal force over rocks being thrown seems excessive. There were better ways to handle the situation than taking someone’s life.