In the early morning hours of October 28, 2022, a fatal encounter in an Aurora, Colorado parking lot left 46-year-old Rachel Holmes dead from a gunshot wound. The incident unfolded around 2:30 a.m. in the parking area of a strip mall at 6360 South Parker Road. First responders found Holmes on the ground near a semi-truck and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man who shot her, an Iowa-based truck driver named John Thoren, 42, called 911 moments after the shooting and claimed he had acted in self-defense. Thoren, who was sleeping in his truck's cab after making a delivery, told police he was awakened by Holmes throwing rocks at his vehicle. He stated that he warned her to stop and showed his firearm, but she continued and then charged at him, causing him to fire his weapon out of fear for his safety. Thoren was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
An investigation into the incident revealed that Holmes had a history of arrests for charges including disorderly conduct and assault, though these charges were often dropped following mental health evaluations. Just four days before her death, she had been released from jail on a personal recognizance bond after an arrest for disturbing the peace. Investigators noted that while Thoren cooperated with their inquiry, there was no significant damage found on his truck. Thoren denied knowing Holmes prior to the incident.
