Aaron Thompson,Child Abuse/Murder of daug. Aarone 11/10/09
Father Indicted In Aarone Thompson Case: 60 Counts 6-Year-Old Reported Missing In 2005 POSTED: 4:20 am MDT May 17, 2007 UPDATED: 11:13 am MDT May 17, 2007 AURORA, Colo. -- Aaron Thompson, the father of a 6-year-old girl who was reported as a runaway in November 2005, was in court Thursday to hear he had been indicted on 60 counts relating to her death. The exact charges against Thompson were not immediately known, but 7NEWS Reporter Dayle Cedars said he was advised he was under investigation on 60 separate counts relating to his daughter's death and disappearance. The most serious charge is child abuse resulting in death, a Class II felony. If convicted of that charge, Thompson could get a maximum sentence of 48 years in prison. Not all of the charges against Thompson involve Aarone, Cedars said. The actual charges against Thompson are in an indictment which was unsealed. The information used to form the indictment wasremoved from the indictment before it was made public. Thompson was in shackles when he appeared in an orange jumpsuit. A public defender was appointed to represent him after attorney David Lane withdrew from the case. "All you need to indict someone is probable cause," Lane said outside the courtroom. "Probable cause is the lowest stardard of proof in the law. To convict someone, you need proof beyond any reasonable doubt whatsoever, to the satisfaction of 12 jurors. That's a whole different deal than indicting someone." On Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Dan Oates held a one-minute news conference confirming that Thompson was arrested at his Aurora home just after noon. He did not disclose what charges Thompson likely faces but 7NEWS was told that Thompson will be charged with one count of cruelty to a child causing death. However, there is no such legal charge as cruelty to a child resulting in death. Thompson is being held on $500,000 bond and his next court appearance was set for May 29. Thompson's daughter, Aarone, is presumed dead. Her body has never been found. Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, were always considered persons of interest in the case. In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS in December 2005, Thompson said that he did not kill his daughter. Lowe said she had nothing to do with Aarone's disappearance, and she maintained her innocence up to her death in May 2006. A grand jury was convened to investigate the complicated case. Thompson had called police on Nov. 15, 2005, saying that his 6-year-old daughter ran away after a family fight. A massive search involving hundreds of volunteers and police officers ensued. Three days later, police called off the search and said that the girl was not missing, but had been dead for up to 18 months. Police said that no credible witness had seen Aarone for at least a year and the family couldn't provide a recent picture of her. She wasn't enrolled in any school and a search of the Thompson home revealed the mattress on her bed was missing. It has never been found. After the case changed from a missing persons case to a homicide investigation, seven children were removed from the couple's home and placed in the care of social services. On May 4, 2006, police announced that the case would go to a grand jury. Eight days later, Lowe died of heart problems. A tape recording that police have appears to show Lowe saying that Aarone was dead and buried. A civil court found Thompson responsible for "serious bodily injury or the death" of his daughter in a dependency and neglect case brought against Thompson by social services. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/13336391/detail.html?rss=den&psp=news

Missing Aurora girl's father appears in court posted by: Sara Gandy , Web Producer reported by: Paula Woodward , 9Wants to Know Investigative Reporter created: 5/29/2007 10:24:11 AM Last updated: 5/29/2007 2:27:25 PM CENTENNIAL - A judge will rule on June 22nd whether to release the details from the written reports of the Arapahoe County Grand Jury on why they indicted Aaron Thompson on 60 counts. The judge made this ruling in court Tuesday morning. He's the father of Aarone Thompson, the girl reported missing from her Aurora home more than a-year-and-a-half ago. Her father is now accused of child abuse resulting in death, plus 59 other criminal counts. The details of the case remain sealed. Prosecutors previously asked for facts backing up the allegations to be blacked out from a grand jury indictment, but Thompson's lawyers now want the whole case to be sealed. The Denver Post has filed a motion to release the information to the public, but a decision on that won't be made until at least June 22nd. Police have said nearly since the beginning that they believe the girl is already dead, and may have been dead for some 18 months before her father reported her missing in November 2005. District Attorney Carol Chambers has said that not all of the 60 counts relate to Aarone. Both Thompson and his late girlfriend Shely Lowe have denied any involvement in Aarone's disappearance or death. Lowe died of an apparent heart attack last year. http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=70979

Aaroné's dad to stand trial in child's presumed death By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News October 27, 2007 CENTENNIAL - Enough evidence exists to try Aaron Thompson in the presumed death of his daughter, Aaroné, a judge ruled Friday. Arapahoe County District Judge J. Mark Hannen based his ruling on a reading of Thompson's 60-count grand jury indictment, which includes charges of child abuse resulting in death and false reporting. Thompson's attorney, James O'Connor, said he plans to challenge the charges against his client before the next court hearing Dec. 19. Thompson will enter a plea at a later date. In the past, he has said he is innocent. Aurora police arrested Thompson in May. He had reported his 6-year-old daughter missing Nov. 14, 2005, but Aurora police soon called off the search, saying they believed that Aaroné had been killed up to 18 months earlier. Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, who died last year, were named persons of interest. Aaroné's body has not been found. The abuse resulting in Aaroné's death allegedly occurred between May 2002 and August 2004, according to the indictment, which Hannen said includes 146 exhibits, hours of video and audio recordings and 51 volumes of transcripts. Thompson is accused of working with Lowe to cover up the alleged abuse and give authorities false information over the next three years. The charges from the grand -jury indictment were released in May, but most of the details of what led to the 60 counts remain sealed. Hannen is expected to rule Monday whether to unseal the court file. morenoi@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2895 http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5732981,00.html

Oct 29, 2007 1:46 pm US/Mountain Details To Remain Sealed In Aarone Thompson Case Rick Sallinger Reporting (AP) CENTENNIAL, Colo. Details of the indictment against a man suspected in the disappearance of his 6-year-old daughter will remain sealed, but other records on file can be unsealed, a judge ruled Monday. A grand jury in May indicted Aaron Thompson of Aurora on charges including fatal child abuse, conspiracy to commit fatal child abuse, false reporting, concealing a death, conspiracy to conceal a death, abuse of a corpse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and child abuse resulting in injury. Arapahoe County District Judge Mark Hannen ruled that names of alleged victims and the factual charges should remain under seal, said attorney Steven Zansberg, who represented The Denver Post in seeking to unseal records. Zansberg said Hannen ruled that other parts of the case file could be unsealed but gave parties in the case 10 days to ask that any of that material remain closed. Thompson, 40, reported his daughter Aarone ran away in November 2005 after an argument over a cookie. The indictment said Aarone probably died sometime between May 2002 and August 2004. Police have said there were no credible reports of Aarone being seen for at least 18 months before her father reported her missing. They named Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, as persons of interest in the case. She died in May 2006 of heart problems, shortly before the grand jury was convened to hear the case. Aaron Thompson's former attorney, David Lane, has said Thompson does not know how Aarone disappeared. Lane said Monday that Thompson is now represented by public defender James O'Connor. O'Connor did not immediately return a phone call. District Attorney Carol Chambers has said not all the counts in the indictment relate to Aarone, whose body has not been found. Seven other children had lived with Thompson and Lowe. Those children were taken into state custody after Aarone's disappearance was reported. In deciding to keep alleged victims' names under seal, Hannen wrote, "This conclusion is based on the ages of the alleged victims, their phsyical and psychological well-being, and their interest, and that of their caregivers, in being free from harassment and intimidation." He did not indicate how many alleged victims there were. Thompson's next court date was a status hearing set for Dec. 19. http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_302154855.html

Long witness list for Aarone grand jury The Denver Post Article Last Updated: 11/29/2007 12:57:54 AM MST AURORA — The witness list for the grand jury that indicted Aaron Thompson in the death of his daughter includes a geologist, a group that specializes in searches for clandestine gravesites and a self-storage facility. Those were among the dozens of potential witness names released by Arapahoe County District Court on Wednesday in the case of Thompson, who is in jail and awaiting trial in connection with the death of his daughter, 6-year-old Aarone. Thompson, 40, reported his daughter missing Nov. 14, 2005. He and his common-law wife, Shelley Lowe, were considered "persons of interest" in the case. Lowe died last year of a heart attack. Aarone's body has never been found. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7585466

Apr 7, 2008 3:17 pm US/Mountain Supreme Court: Unseal Aaron Thompson Indictment DENVER (CBS4) ― The Colorado Supreme Court has ordered the indictment in the case of Aaron Thompson to be unsealed. Thompson is the father of Aarone' Thompson, who was reported missing in November 2005. Aaron Thompson was indicted last year on 60 counts, but the factual basis for the charges was never released. The state Supreme Court ruled Monday that a decision by the trial court to keep the indictment sealed was unconstitutional. The high court rejected the argument that the information in the indictment was covered by grand jury secrecy. Aarone' Thompson was reported missing by her father and his girlfriend from their Aurora home. A massive search failed to find the then 6-year-old girl. A few days later, police claimed they believed the girl had been dead up to a year and a half. No body has been found. Aaron Thompson is scheduled to go on trial this summer. Among the charges he faces are abuse of a corpse and child abuse resulting in death. http://cbs4denver.com/local/aaron.thompson.aarone.2.694150.html

For now, Aarone case indictment stays sealed By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Thursday, April 10, 2008 Details of what has been called a shocking indictment in the Aarone Thompson case will not be made public for 15 days at the earliest, a state courts official said Wednesday. The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday ordered the full release of the 60-count indictment against the young girl's father, Aaron Thompson, of Aurora, except for "identifying information of any alleged sexual assault victims." The charges against him include child abuse resulting in death. The courts must wait 15 calendar days as either side considers whether to request a rehearing, said Jon Sarche, state judicial branch spokesman. The counting starts the day after the decision was issued, Sarche said. If neither side requests a rehearing, the indictment could be released at the end of business April 22. No decision had been made on the exact timing of the release, Sarche said. A fight over the indictment's release pitted The Denver Post and The Associated Press against Arapahoe County District Judge Mark Hannen, who is presiding over the Thompson case. After a request by Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers, the court sealed the indictment. Thompson's attorneys also wanted it sealed. But last year, Judge William Sylvester allowed the charges to be revealed. The state attorney general, representing Hannen, since has argued that revealing the details "if true, would shock the conscience of reasonable people." A decision on whether to request a rehearing has not been made, attorney general spokesman Nate Strauch said Wednesday. "We are still in discussions with our client, which is the judge, as to the best course to pursue," he said. Thompson reported his daughter missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. But within days, Aurora police said she had been killed. Thompson has said he is innocent. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/10/for-now-aarone-case-indictment-stays-sealed/?partner=yahoo_headlines

Grand Jury: Missing 6-Year-Old Suffered Cruel Punishment Indictment details released in Aarone Thompson's death Last Edited: Wednesday, 30 Apr 2008, 9:51 AM MDT Created: Wednesday, 30 Apr 2008, 9:31 AM MDT DENVER (MyFOXColorado.com) - A grand jury indictment says a missing 6-year-old girl died because she was undernourished, suffered cruel punishment and was denied medical care. Details of an indictment accusing Aaron Thompson of fatal child abuse were made public on Wednesday. The case involves the disappearance and presumed death of Aaron Thompson's daughter, Aarone. Thompson reported her missing from her home in Aurora November 14, 2005. He told police she ran away after an argument over a cookie. Some investigators have said they believe she was gone long before that time. Her body has never been found. The indictment says the child abuse took place between May 12, 2002 and August 31, 2004. In the indictment Police say the other kids in the house told them the little girl had been gone for two years. Investigators say they noticed there was no mattress on Aarone's bed. They also say she was not enrolled in school. Investigators could not find any of Aarone's DNA in the house or on the clothing that her father said belonged to her. Police believe she may have been dead since as early as 2002. Aaron Thompson faces 60 charges in the indictment. Here are some of them: Child Abuse Resulting in Death Conspiracy to Commit Child Abuse Accessory to the Crime False Reporting Conspiracy to Commit False Reporting Concealing a Death Abuse of a Corpse Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Child Abuse Resulting in Injury Assault in the 2nd Degree The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday refused a request to reconsider its earlier order that the 60-count indictment against Aaron Thompson be released. Thompson is scheduled for trial June 16 in the disappearance and presumed death of his 6-year-old daughter Aarone. The indictment also accuses Thompson's girlfriend, Shely Lowe, in the death of the little girl. Lowe died in May 2006 of heart problems. The Grand Jury Indictment was handed up in May 2007, but it wasn't made public until the Denver Post and the Associated Press filed suit after a district judge sealed the indictment. The Supreme Court ordered the entire document released except for the names of alleged victims of child abuse and sexual assault. Attorney General John Suthers had asked the court to reconsider, saying the indictment should remain sealed to "preserve the defendant's right to a fair trial." http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=6429395&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Mother of Aarone Thompson in a 'rage' over indictment posted by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer created: 5/1/2008 8:30:01 PM Last updated: 5/1/2008 8:31:54 PM KUSA – Aarone Thompson's mother says if Aaron Thompson is convicted in the girl's death, whatever the sentence is, it won't be enough. Lynette Thompson spoke with 9NEWS on Thursday and reacted to the 60-count indictment made public this week against her ex-husband, Aaron, who is in the Arapahoe County Jail awaiting trial. The court documents list details about how Aaron Thompson and Aarone's stepmother, Shely Lowe, allegedly abused all eight children in their Aurora home. Investigators believe that abuse led to Aarone's death. "It was like a horror show," said Lynette Thompson. "What kind of sick stuff was going on? I don't understand none of it." Aarone's body has never been found and Lynette Thompson says she has doubts the body will ever be found. "This man has sold his soul to the devil. He is not going to tell where that girl is buried at, unless I hypnotize him," she said. "I am very upset. Can't no words right now explain the rage that I feel." She says she had left Aarone and her other children with Aaron Thompson to take care of a sick relative in Michigan. All but one of the children that were living with Aaron Thompson are in Colorado, but have been adopted to other families or are in foster care. http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=91025

Thompson plea delayed to June 25 By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) Originally published 02:03 p.m., May 21, 2008 Updated 11:53 p.m., May 21, 2008 Aaron Thompson was in court Wednesday and did not enter a plea as expected in the death of his young daughter, Aarone, to give lawyers more time to prepare their cases. His appearance at a hearing in Arapahoe District Court came almost one year to the day after a grand jury indicted Thompson on 60 criminal counts involving various children in his care. Had Thompson entered a plea, he would be tried within six months under the speedy trial deadline. Thompson's new arraignment date is June 25 and a trial was set for Nov. 3. The new date gives the court and lawyers a cushion if they can't meet the trial date. Thompson reported Aarone missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. But within days, police said she had been killed up to 18 months earlier. The grand jury indictment alleges that Aarone was abused to death, but her body has never been found. Thompson, 40, has long maintained his innocence. He remains in jail on $500,000 bond. Eight children, including Aarone, were in the Aurora home with Thompson and his live-in girlfriend, Shely Lowe, who has since died. Last month, after much legal wrangling, the courts released details behind the charges. Beatings were a daily occurrence in the Thompson-Lowe household, according to the indictment that relied on the accounts of the children. Sometimes the children would get hit so hard they could not sit down because of cuts and sores, the indictment said. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/21/thompson-plea-delayed-unitl-June-25/?partner=yahoo_headlines

Dad pleads not guilty to fatal child abuse CENTENNIAL (AP) - The father of a young girl who is missing and feared dead has pleaded not guilty to fatal child abuse and other charges. Aaron Thompson of the Denver suburb of Aurora entered his plea Wednesday. Thompson reported his daughter Aarone missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. Police say she may have died as early as 2003. Her body has never been found. Prosecutors say Aarone was undernourished and was beaten and locked in a closet for hours as punishment for wetting herself. An indictment alleges Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, concealed her death for two years. Lowe died in 2006 from heart problems. Thompson is being held in lieu of $500,000 bond. He faces up to 54 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Thompson's trial is set for November 3, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for October 24. http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=94487

Sep 5, 2008 9:29 am US/Mountain New Trial Date Set In Aarone Thompson Case CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) ― The trial of a man accused in the disappearance of his young daughter, who police presume is dead, is now set for June 15. Aaron Thompson originally was set to go on trial Nov. 3 on charges including fatal child abuse of his daughter Aarone, but on Thursday he waived his right to a speedy trial. The Arapahoe County Department of Human Services indicated during a court hearing Wednesday that it could take two months for it to copy 4,000 to 6,000 pages of documents that need to be given to the judge in the case for review. Thompson reported Aarone missing in 2005, when she would have been age 6. Aurora police say she may have been killed up to 18 months earlier. Her body hasn't been found. http://cbs4denver.com/local/thompson.aaron.trial.2.810856.html

Cops have informant in Aaroné Thompson case By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News Published October 16, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. Updated October 16, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. A prosecutor said Thursday that authorities have a confidential informant in the Aaroné Thompson case. Arapahoe County deputy district attorney Amy Richards mentioned conversations when a figure in the case talks of "an attempt to conceal the death of Aaroné Thompson" and "asking the other person not to report what she knows." The conversations were apparently recorded and District Court Judge Mark Hannen said he is reviewing them now. Aaroné's father, Aaron Thompson, reported her missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. Within days, police declared that she had been killed up to 18 months earlier, although her body has not been found. Thompson has since been charged with 60 criminal counts, including child abuse resulting in death. His trial is scheduled to begin in June 2009. Thompson, 40, has pleaded not guilty. The figure in question on the tapes is Shely Lowe, Thompson's live-in girlfriend, who has since died. Richards indicated that she expected "broad disagreement" with defense attorneys over what parts of the conversations, if any, should be allowed in court. After briefly discussing the informant issue, attorneys spent almost two hours questioning a police officer who was at the Thompson-Lowe household the day after Aaroné was reported missing. Aurora police detective Chuck Mehl said Thompson was extremely cooperative and signed a form consenting to a search of his home. Mehl said he wanted to interview the other children in the home individually – which is standard procedure - in his unmarked car, but Thompson suggested it be done in the Aurora home. Mehl started with the oldest child but said the boy was reluctant and very evasive. Lowe then objected to having the children interviewed without her present. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/16/cops-have-informant-aaron-thompson-case/?partner=yahoo_headlines

Father of missing girl in court before trial CENTENNIAL— A father accused in the disappearance of his daughter four years ago will appear in court for hearings before his trial in the case. Aaron Thompson will be in court this week starting Tuesday for a series of hearings in Arapahoe County District Court. Authorities say Thompson is responsible for the disappearance of his daughter, who would have been 6 when Thompson reported her missing in 2005. The girl, Aarone, has not been found and police say she may have been killed up to 18 months before Thompson reported her missing. Thompson is expected to go to trial Aug. 3 on charges that include child abuse. http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090616/NEWS/906169987/-1/rss03

'Person of interest': Missing girl died in sleep Associated Press - August 20, 2009 3:44 PM ET CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) - The live-in girlfriend of an Aurora man charged in the presumed death of his daughter says in a secretly recorded conversation that she asked God for forgiveness after the girl died in her sleep. The recording of Shelley Lowe was played Thursday for jurors in the trial of Aaron Thompson. Thompson is charged with fatal child abuse and other crimes against his daughter Aarone (AIR'-uh-nay). Lowe was considered a "person of interest," but she died of heart failure in 2006 and was never charged. Thompson reported Aarone missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. She was never found. Authorities say she may have been dead for two years. The conversation played in court was recorded in March 2006 with the help of a friend of Lowe's. Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com http://www.kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10964741