CENTENNIAL — Prosecutors in the Aaron Thompson trial announced today that authorities have located a third vehicle from the Thompson home — a development that could delay the trial for weeks.
Prosecutors this morning produced more than 100 pages of discovery related to the finding of a white Ford Mustang that belonged to Thompson, who is on trial in the death of his daughter, Aaroné.
Authorities found the vehicle on Aug. 31. It was not clear why prosecutors waited until after the defense rested its case Wednesday to present the findings.
The revelation could have a big impact on the trial.
Police believe Thompson and Shelley Lowe, Thompson’s late live-in girlfriend, buried the girl’s body in a field.
During testimony in the five-week trial in Arapahoe County District Court, it was revealed that two of the vehicles at the Thompson home did not have any DNA or blood that belonged to Aaroné.
There is a gag order in the case, so neither side can talk about the trial.
The district attorney’s office likely had the Mustang tested and that information would be in the discovery. District Court Judge Valeria Spencer gave the defense the day to review the findings.
Rob McCallum, spokesman for the State Court Administrator’s Office, said that if the defense decides to do its own forensic testing, it could delay the trial — scheduled to go to closing arguments Friday — for weeks.
However, if nothing was found in the Mustang, the defense could decide against doing that, and closing arguments could happen Monday at the earliest.
Thompson faces 60 criminal counts, including child abuse resulting in death, related to the death of Aaroné and abuse charges for the seven children who lived in the Aurora home. Lowe died of heart failure in 2006, before Thompson was indicted.
Aaroné would have been 6 years old when her father reported her missing in November 2005. Authorities, however, believe she died two years earlier. Thompson said she ran away over a cookie.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
