Ewing didn't speak during his sentencing hearing. He is accused of opening fire in a movie theater July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 70. Dressed in tactical clothing, 24-year-old James Holmes set off tear gas grenades and shot into the audience with multiple firearms. They entered the home to find Kaden Casteneda, 18, Marisol Espindola, 18, and Estancia Martinez, 41, stabbed and shot to death. Denver7 News brings you breaking and developing news from Aurora, Colorado on KMGH-TV and TheDenverChannel.com. [90], On May 26, details of Holmes' notebook, reportedly found in a university mail room addressed to his psychiatrist Lynne Fenton, were entered into evidence at the trial for the first time. Earlier, he had rigged his apartment with homemade explosives and incendiary devices. 11. [150] As of 2020, Cinemark Theatres has not released any photographs or video evidence. The Denver7 Team 4:22 PM, Jan . ", "Aurora heroes: Three who gave their lives", "Colorado shooting survivor tells how Crystal Lake boyfriend John Larimer shielded her before he died", "A look at the Lives of Colorado shooting victims", "People of the State of Colorado v. James Eagan Holmes", "Why Jessica Ghawi Wrote Under The Name Redfield: Moving Stories From The Shooting Victim's Colleagues", "Remembering aspiring sports journalist a year after Aurora shooting", "Jessica Ghawi: Victim of Colorado theatre shooting was also at Eaton Centre shooting", "Theater Shooting Victims Are 4 Months Old To Adults", "Hospital bills forgiven for Colorado shooting victims", "Woman who lost everything caps prosecution in Holmes trial", "Comedy helps pull Caleb Medley through tragedy of Aurora shootings", "Caleb Medley Recovery: Last Aurora Shooting Victim Leaves Colo. Hospital", "James Holmes guilty of murder in Colorado theater massacre; jury to weigh death penalty", "Shooting Victims Gain Veto Power in Donation Distribution", "Aurora movie theater shooting victims to respond to surveys", "Theater shooting: Payments from Aurora victim fund set, families of the dead get $220,000", James Holmes Mugshot: Aurora Shooting Suspect's Booking Picture Released" (PHOTO), Alex Brandon (AP), "Again appearing dazed in court, Holmes charged| Prosecutors and defense attorneys spar over whether a notebook that he reportedly sent to a psychiatrist is privileged information", "Colo. [66], Caleb Medley, the last victim discharged, left University Hospital on September 12. [163][164] On January 24, 2013, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hegarty issued a recommendation that most of the claims be thrown out, as they were not allowable under Colorado law. According to press reports, he seemed dazed and largely unaware of his surroundings. 2000, when police were called to the Red Coach Inn at 9201 E. Colfax in Aurora, Colorado on a report of a stabbing. [169], On January 14, 2013, Chantel Blunk, estranged wife and widow of victim Jonathan Blunk, filed a lawsuit against the University of Colorado in federal court. [147] The song was sold for donations that went to a fund for the victims. Director Christopher Nolan's reaction to the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Booking photos for (from left) Emily Strunk, Dontavious Hetzel and Kevin Wertin. Aurora, Colorado Nathan Dunlap visits his former place of employment, shoots 5 former co-workers killing 4, and robs the store of $1,500. Dunlap had recently been fired from Chuck E Cheese. January 16, 1984: Bennett family is attacked in their Aurora, Colorado home with 3 out of the 4 family members murdered by an intruder wielding a hammer. On March 3, 1967, Charles Brett Lange was found legally insane & sent to the Colorado State Hospital instead of prison. Police said that Holmes bought a ticket, entered the theater, and sat in the front row. Both parents were bludgeoned with a hammer, and the attacker also used a knife. She was hospitalized in a coma with serious facial injuries that left her paralyzed on her left side, Connie said. She alleged that a school psychiatrist could have prevented the slaughter by having Holmes detained after he admitted he "fantasized about killing a lot of people". Some believed he was playing a prank,[15] while others thought he was part of a special effects setup for the film's premiere, or a publicity stunt by the studio or theater management. Ewing carried out four violent attacks in Denver over the course of a 12-day period in January 1984, three of which occurred in Aurora - assaults on survivors Donna Holm, Jim and Kim Haubenschild, and the Bennetts. Face of the man accused of 1984 Hammer Attack Triple Murder in Aurora & Lakewood Murder. The passenger sees something in the ditch and makes the driver go back. [106] The appeal for clemency was rejected on August 3 under the basis that mitigating factors such as mental illness did not outweigh aggravating factors such as the number of casualties in the massacre. He could have been eligible for parole this year, if DNA had not connected him to the Colorado killings. Thirty-seven-and-a-half years ago, Connie, now 87, said Wednesday. Note: This case is now SOLVED! On August 26, Holmes was given 12 life sentences, one for every person he killed; he also received 3,318 years for the attempted murders of those he wounded and for rigging his apartment with explosives. The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. Furthermore, the loving grandmother had been sexually assaulted. In September 2016, Cinemark dropped all claims for reimbursement of legal fees. [89] Holmes was represented by the Colorado State Public Defender. The series is told from . AURORA | Police are trying to determine what led to an apparent murder-suicide shooting in the driveway of a south Aurora home Friday afternoon. AURORA, Colo. ( KDVR) A 21-year-old suspect is accused of killing his mother and siblings after they were found dead in their . Defense counsel sought and was granted a mental competence examination, which led to the first prosecution attempt ending in a mistrial. Two "very young" children and a woman who . Closing statements were made on July 14, with formal deliberations beginning the following morning. Officers were called to a home on the 3500 block of South Pitkin Circle at about 3 p.m. after reports of domestic violence and a shooting there. [44], Neighbors reported loud music from the apartment around midnight on the night of the massacre, and one went to his door to tell him she was calling the police; she said the door seemed to be unlocked, but she chose not to open it. Vanessa was found in bed, clinging to life beside a blood-soaked teddy bear. As it turns out, Ewing was imprisoned just months after the killings, after he beat a couple nearly to death with an ax handle in Nevada in August 1984 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for attempted murder. [91][92] On May 27, Dr. William Reid, a court-appointed psychiatrist, testified that Holmes was mentally ill but legally sane. I just want to get it done and get a resolution on this, Connie said. . He displayed photos of camping trips and family vacations with Holmes to the jury. Christopher Martinez is facing three counts of first-degree murder after he was arrested by Aurora police in the early morning hours of Dec. 11. It is the deadliest shooting by a lone perpetrator in the history of Colorado and the deadliest mass shooting since the Columbine High School massacre in April 1999. Thirteen of the birds, with translucent wings, are on a center column and represent the twelve dead and the unborn child. [25], The first phone calls to emergency services via 9-1-1 were made at 12:39a.m. Police arrived within 90seconds[26] and found three .40-caliber handgun magazines, a shotgun, and a large drum magazine on the floor of the theater. By the time the Bennetts were killed days later, authorities believed one attacker was responsible for the spree, and they went to great lengths to secure evidence in the killings. (STORY: BREAKING: 2/2 Alex Christopher Ewing faces multiple charges in the January 1984 murders of Patricia Louise Smith in Lakewood and Bruce, Debra and Melissa Bennett in Aurora. [174] Gun sales in Washington, Florida, California, and Georgia also increased. [115][116] On July 22, President Obama met with victims and local and state officials and gave a nationally televised speech from Aurora. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. On July 16 of that year, Holmes was convicted of 24 counts of first-degree murder, 140 counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of possessing explosives. -- Authorities with the federal prison system revealed overnight that convicted mass murderer James Holmes, serving multiple life sentences for a 2012 massacre at an Aurora, Colorado movie . The investigation began at approximately 12:45 p.m. Sunday, when the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call at a residence of 502 Carnahan Street in Marquette. Holmes was arrested minutes later in his car outside the cinema. People who live in Aurora generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest for this type of crime. But it doesnt seem like that long ago, because its so vivid in my mind.. About 20 minutes into the film, he left theater 9 through an emergency exit door beside the movie screen, with direct access to the lightly used parking area at the back of the complex, while propping the door slightly open with a plastic tablecloth holder. [14] Initially, few in the audience considered Holmes to be a threat. Murder-suicide in upscale home. To me, it just means that there is a God.. 1 weather alerts 1 closings . But after Connie left that night, someone armed with a hammer entered the familys Aurora home and killed Melissa, her mother Debra Bennett, 26, and her father Bruce Bennett, 27. [165], Judge R. Brooke Jackson stated that for theaters today, "One might reasonably believe that a mass shooting incident in a theater was likely enough (that is, not just a possibility) to be a foreseeable next step in the history of such acts by deranged individuals". He denied telling his grandma that and asked for an attorney. Hammer Killer suspect to stand trial 37 years, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Hammer Killer suspect to stand trial 37 years after slaying of Aurora family, Colorado Hammer Killer suspect wont face death penalty in 1984 slayings, Murder suspect known as the Hammer Killer arrives in Colorado decades after cold case killings shook metro region, Ruthless hammer killer put Denver residents on edge in early 1984, 1984 Colorado hammer killer was no criminal mastermind, just an average burglar who evolved into a predator, FBI profiler says, Missing indigenous person alert issued out of Thornton for endangered teen, Man wanted in Adams County on 13 counts of child sex assault is arrested in Denver, After teens death, Denver East High students walk out to advocate for gun legislation, spree of attacks by the so-called Hammer Killer duringa 12-day span, Ewing was imprisoned just months after the killings, After School Satan Club launching first Colorado chapter, but organizer promises "we are not devil worshippers", PHOTOS: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band play Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado landlords say eviction-protection proposal could make dropping problem renters too hard, No more greasy pizza boxes, paper towels or takeout containers in Front Range compost bins come April 1, After teen's death, Denver East High students walk out to advocate for gun legislation, 5 can't-miss menus for Denver Restaurant Week, Metro Denver housing market crosses firmly into negative territory in February, Denver Botanic Gardens announces 2023 Summer Concert Series lineup, Kiszla: With Brendan Rodgers down and out, Kris Bryant could become $182 million face of worst team in Rockies history, Boulder house where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. [149] Cinemark closed the entire Century Aurora 16 multiplex in the wake of the shooting but reopened January 17, 2013, with a 40-minute ceremony led by Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, followed by a showing of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. [38] The police interviewed more than 200 witnesses of the shooting. When officers responded to the call and went by the home in the 1500 block of South Evanston Street, they saw the garage door partially open and lights on in the home, according to the affidavit. Walker is a former FBI profiler who worked on the case of a hammer killer responsible for four Aurora and Lakewood murders in 1984. [40] Holmes' apartment complex is limited to University of Colorado Medical Center students, patients, and employees. COLORADO SPRINGS He remembers the hum of the vacuum cleaner, the sound of closing time at the Aurora Chuck E. Cheese restaurant where he worked in 1993.. The trial began on April 27, 2015. After a 11-day hiatus, he attacked Roy Williams at his home in Kingman, Arizona, using a rock. After the shooting on the 9700 block of East Mexico Avenue in Aurora early . . Triple-homicide suspect accused of killing mother, siblings. The Bennetts were dressed for bed when they were attacked. Four people, including one woman and three men, were fatally shot in an Aurora, Colorado home early Sunday morning in a domestic . But investigators didnt find a match until 2018, when Ewings DNA was uploaded into a national database, five years after Nevada enacted a state law that required mandatory DNA collection for people convicted of certain crimes. Gun sales increased in Colorado, and political debates were generated about gun control in the United States. The 27-year-old - also convicted on . Officers responded just after 8 a.m . Aurora's highly critical review did not . Michael Roberts March 30, 2022 8:13AM. Now investigators are working to determine whether a Nevada convict named Alex Christopher Ewing is that man. Xin cho cc bn, ti l Aurora Z. Bn c th gi ti l Aura v cho mng n vi knh ca ti ( Speaking Vietnam ) My Fav Fandom: Murder Drone ( My Super Fav . Updated 3/3/2023 1:35 PM. The discovery was made once Nevada prison authorities began collecting convicts' DNA (Ewing was already incarcerated at the time) and uploading it to the CODIS national database of the FBI. Martinezs uncle remained at the scene with Martinezs grandmother who was later questioned by police. [87], On May 7, an FBI agent displayed pieces of evidence at the trial, including Holmes' body armor, an arsenal of weapons, unfired ammunition, and a helmet with strands of his dyed orange hair. Alex Ewing, 61 . [178], In 2015, a campaign titled "No Notoriety" was started by the parents of Alexander Teves, who died in the shooting. [167], In a separate lawsuit in state court, Cinemark was sued by families of the victims, who alleged the theater should have taken greater measures to prevent such a shooting. A psychiatrist who spent hours talking with mass murderer James Holmes says that what led Holmes to open fire in a crowded Colorado movie theater was a one-of-a-kind vortex of his mental illness . [71], On November 16, 2012, the Aurora Victim Relief Fund announced that each family of the dead would receive $220,000. In 2021, Alex Ewing, aka the Hammer Killer, was found guilty of all charges involving the horrific 1984 killings of a couple from Aurora and their 7-year-old daughter. "Once on scene, officers found a 42-year-old man . All I want in my older years is some peace and quiet and some tranquility of some kind.. [36] Holmes was found carrying a first aid kit and spike strips, which he later admitted in an interview he had planned to use if police either shot at or chased him. Dan Oates, Aurora's interim police chief, said three men and one woman were killed in the attack just after 2 a.m. Sunday. About 20 minutes into the film, he left theater 9 through an emergency exit door beside the movie screen, with direct . From 84, all those years, it was very difficult not knowing who it was, she said. ChristopherMartinez, the suspect,is Estancias son andthe other two victims are his siblings, the affidavit said. She was more outgoing than her husband, Bruce, a Navy veteran who was quieter and easygoing. Booking photos for (from left) Dakota Chinnock, Demajhea Tuggle and Treyvion Simpson. [24], Holmes fired 76 shots in the theater: six from the shotgun, 65 from the semi-automatic rifle, and five from the .40-caliber handgun. [63], The injured were treated at Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver Health Medical Center, The Medical Center of Aurora, Parker Adventist Hospital, Rose Medical Center, Swedish Hospital, and University Hospital. DNA evidence has recently linked the cold case to Alexander . In 2001, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation was able to establish a DNA profile from semen collected from the carpet and comforter in the Bennett sisters bedroom. [148], Cinemark agreed to pay any funeral expenses incurred by the deceased victims' families not covered by the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. [155][156] AMC Theatres announced it would "not allow any guests into our theatres in costumes that make other guests feel uncomfortable and we will not permit face-covering masks or fake weapons inside our buildings". The disclosure was made at a court hearing in Centennial, Colorado, where news media organizations asked a judge to unseal court documents in the case. This made it inadmissible as evidence unless Holmes' mental health became an issue in the case. Authorities are searching for a suspect in an overnight shooting that left four people dead at a home in Aurora. [77], On August 9, Holmes' attorneys said he is mentally ill and they needed more time to assess the nature of his illness. [154], The National Association of Theatre Owners distributed checklists from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to its members and said in a July 21 statement that members were "working closely with local law enforcement agencies and reviewing security procedures". Martinezs grandmother said he called her around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 10 to tell her he had a bad dream that his mom and siblings were all dead. [13] He was listening to techno music through a set of headphones so that he could not hear anything from people in the theater. Police arrived and took Martinez, his grandfather and the family friend to the station to interview them. Violent crimes in Aurora, including homicides, non-fatal shootings, aggravated assault, sex assaults and robberies, increased by nearly 16 percent from 2021, based on police data. [79], A judge ruled on August 30 that a notebook written by Holmes, in which he allegedly described a violent attack, was covered by physicianpatient privilege because it was addressed to his psychiatrist. [51][52] Seventy were hit by bullets, and were reported by mainstream news as the most victims of any mass shooting in United States history. Only 3-year-old Vanessa, at right, survived. A Colorado man who brutality murdered a couple and their 7-year-old daughter in 1984, beating them to death with a hammer, was handed down three consecutive life sentences Tuesday. A Kane County jury Thursday convicted an Aurora man of murdering a man he suspected belonged to a rival gang. Ewing's violent spree continued 11 days later in Arizona when he attacked Roy Williams with a rock as he lay sleeping in his Kingman home. [3] The massacre was the deadliest shooting in Colorado since the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. [146], Hans Zimmer, who composed the soundtrack for The Dark Knight Rises, recorded a choral song entitled "Aurora" in honor of the victims. Seven suspects wanted for Colorado Mills mall shooting. Sept. 15, 2021. [109][110] Formal sentencing began on August 24 and was expected to last for three days. Alex Ewing, 60, was found guilty by a jury, The Denver Post reported, after a trial in which prosecutors argued DNA evidence . His DNA almost immediately matched with the evidence in the Colorado killings. [67][68][69], The Community First Foundation collected more than $5 million for a fund for victims and their families. Approximately seven months after the Aurora killings, a Nevada couple was beaten with an ax handle. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy, Family of Aurora man in police video speaks out, Potholes return to Evergreen road known for problems, Makar cleared to return from 2nd concussion protocol, Mercer has goal, 3 assists as Devils beat Avalanche, Racism case against Broncos, NFL going to court, Rockies among 17 teams MLB may take over broadcasts, Jokic has 100th triple-double as Nuggets down Rockets, Sean Payton tried to lure Vic Fangio back to Denver, found dead in their Aurora home Saturday night, Arrest made after 3 people found shot to death in Aurora home, Man shoots bowler who bumped into him, receives 23 years, 17-year-old charged as adult for attempted murder of police officer, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? [100] The two murder convictions for each death were first-degree murder or attempted murder after deliberation, and first-degree murder or attempted murder with extreme indifference. In addition to the fatal attack on the Bennetts and Smith, a 28-year-old woman was bludgeoned nearly to death and sexually assaulted after she pulled into her Aurora garage on Jan. 9, 1984. [41][42] One day after the shooting, officials disarmed an explosive device that was wired to the apartment's front door, allowing a remote-controlled robot to enter and disable other explosives. [78] Prosecutors alleged on August 24, 2012, that Holmes told a classmate he wanted to kill people four months before the shooting. [70] In September, victims and their families received surveys asking about their preferences for how collected funds should be distributed, either by dividing it equally among victims or through a needs-assessment process. [80] Due to suicide attempts made by Holmes, Judge Sylvester agreed to postpone proceedings until December 2012. The perpetrator's first trial for Smith's case took place in October 2021. Colorado residents are once again shocked and heartbroken and struggling to understand why mass shootings keep happening in their state. [45][46][47], A police official said a Batman mask was found in the apartment. Its affected her in so many ways, not only physically but emotionally, Connie said. Bundy, Williams Chapter 16: 13. [16] A bullet passed through the wall and hit three people in adjacent theater 8, which was screening the same film. Join the Westword community and help support On July 16, 2015, James Holmes was found guilty on all 165 counts against . Holmes was dressed in black and wore a gas mask, a load-bearing vest, a ballistic helmet, bullet-resistant leggings, a bullet-resistant throat protector, a groin protector, and tactical gloves.