AURORA — Aaron Thompson’s trial ended with 31 guilty verdicts, but for those who investigated the disappearance of his daughter, the case won’t be finished until the little girl’s body is found.
“For all of us, it will not be closed until we can give her a proper burial,” Police Chief Daniel J. Oates said.
If Thompson has “any shred of decency, this is his moment to step up” and lead police to the body, Oates said at a news conference Monday evening, after Thompson was convicted on most of the 55 counts, including a charge of child abuse resulting in the death of his daughter Aaroné.
Thompson was initially charged with 60 counts of child abuse, assault, conspiracy and other crimes. Several of the charges were combined, and some were dropped.
“This was the most difficult and complex case that I have witnessed in my entire career,” Oates said.
The guilty findings aroused deep emotions in investigators, he said.
Thompson told police that Aaroné ran away in November 2005 because he would not give her more cookies. A massive police search for the child, who would have been 6 at the time, ensued, and authorities questioned hundreds of people, said Sgt. Joe Young, who works in the Crimes Against Children unit.
Their first break came in interviews with the children living with Thompson and his then-girlfriend, Shelley Lowe, Young said. The kids told of “whoopin’s” they had received, and one said the last time she saw Aaroné was when the little girl had been beaten by Thompson.
Though they eventually provided crucial information, Young said, it was difficult to draw some of the children out. “Some of the children had animosity toward police at the start, but I think that was coaxed.”
Authorities knew the case would be difficult to prove without presenting a body and cause of death to a jury. But investigators never considered dropping the case, Oates said.
They followed many tips from people who said they knew where the body was buried, Young said. “I have been in so many fields and looked in so many holes.”
Thompson’s refusal to reveal the location of the body may have been a ruse he used in order to escape being found guilty, Oates said.
He suggested that Thompson might decide to reveal where the body is before he is sentenced Nov. 10, hoping it will result in leniency.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
