On July 20, 2012, a mass shooting occurred inside a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, United States, during a midnight screening of the film The Dark Knight Rises. [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. The trial began on April 27, 2015. His DNA also was found in the Lakewood home of Patricia Smith, 50, who was killed six days earlier. She was more outgoing than her husband, Bruce, a Navy veteran who was quieter and easygoing. [38] The police interviewed more than 200 witnesses of the shooting. [66], Caleb Medley, the last victim discharged, left University Hospital on September 12. Though it was difficult to see the kaleidoscopic colours with the naked eye due to light pollution . recess on the first day of his Aurora Hammer Murder trial July 27 at the Arapahoe County Courthouse . [5], The shooting occurred in Theater 9 at the Century 16 multiplex (operated by Cinemark Theatres), located in the Town Center at Aurora shopping mall[6] at 14300 E. Alameda Avenue. Police are searching for a suspect accused of shooting and killing four adults in the early hours of Sunday morning at a home in Aurora, Colorado . Most egregious was the 2019 police murder of 23-year-old Elijah McClain, a black man who died after . [132] Some television advertisements for the film were also canceled. Alonzo Powell, age 41, was found dead in the room according to the April 30, 2000, Metro Digest section of the Denver Post. [143], In the wake of the shooting, DC Comics delayed the release of Batman Incorporated #3,[144] which includes a scene in which a female Leviathan agent brandishes a handgun in a classroom full of children while disguised as a schoolteacher. James Holmes, one of the Colorado Serial Killers. "Hammer Killer" suspect stands trial 37 years after slaying of Colorado 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. [148], Cinemark agreed to pay any funeral expenses incurred by the deceased victims' families not covered by the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. Aurora Police detectives say they were both murdered in Hutt's apartment on Christmas Eve on Boston Street and 16th Avenue. 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. Bennett family murders: Prosecution rests case in hammer murders Two Aurora, Colorado police officers charged after brutally beating 29-year-old Kyle Vinson. [99], On July 16, after jury deliberations, Holmes was found guilty of 24 counts of first-degree murder, 140 counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of possessing illegal explosives, and a sentence enhancement of a crime of violence. Be the first one to comment on this story. [31][33][34] Later, the Colorado district attorney who prosecuted Holmes said he never called himself The Joker, and blamed the federal officials for the rumor. independent local journalism in Denver. [29] Two federal officials said that Holmes had dyed his hair red and called himself "The Joker", although authorities later declined to confirm this. 9:00AM. [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. He was also tried for the murder of Patricia Smith, an interior designer who was sexually assaulted and hammered to death six days before the Bennett murders. Please see update. The jury consisted of 19 women and five men, two of whom had connections to the Columbine High School massacre. What Led James Holmes Into The Aurora Theater - Colorado Public Radio Alex Christopher Ewing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know [151], Soon after the shooting, police departments and cinemas across the United States and around the world increased security for fear of copycat incidents. . - YouTube Police in Aurora, Colo., Engaged in Racially Biased Policing, Inquiry Ex-Nevada inmate convicted in 1984 Colorado hammer killings [134] Warner Bros. reportedly made a "substantial" donation to Colorado's Community First Foundation to benefit victims. The Bennetts were dressed for bed when they were attacked. Martinezs uncle remained at the scene with Martinezs grandmother who was later questioned by police. Female Domestic Violence Killings In Colorado 1996-2000 [117][118][119][120][121] Many world leaders sent their condolences, including Queen Elizabeth II,[122] French President Franois Hollande,[123] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,[124] Russian President Vladimir Putin,[125] and Pope Benedict XVI.[126]. Alex Ewing Ordered To Serve 3 Life Sentences For 1984 Murder Of Aurora . [107][108], Holmes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on August 7 after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision over sentencing him to death. Police arrived and took Martinez, his grandfather and the family friend to the station to interview them. (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. 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. Statistic Count Raw Aurora / 100k People Colorado / 100k People National / 100k People; Total Crimes Per 100K: 16,552: Violent Crime: 3,473: 900.4: 423.1: 387.8: Murder January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. [16] A bullet passed through the wall and hit three people in adjacent theater 8, which was screening the same film. [95] In the following week, two additional jurors were dismissed; the first due to emotional problems following the shooting of a family member, the second for recognizing a survivor who was wounded in the massacre. Bennett Family Murders: three life sentences - Defrosting Cold Cases [93] On June 8, a second psychiatrist, Jeffrey Metzner, testified that Holmes was mentally ill but legally sane during the shooting, and suffers from schizoaffective disorder. Uncovered: Unsolved Colorado Murders 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. CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - A judge sentenced Alex Ewing to three life sentences on Tuesday after he was found guilty in the 1984 murders of three people in Aurora. Those pieces of evidence would turn out to hold the key to an arrest but not until years later, when DNA technology improved. The Aurora Police Department . Joseph Castorena, 21, went on the run after he allegedly fatally shot four people in an Aurora home on Oct. 30, with his brother and cousin now facing charges of accessory to murder after the fact . [10][11] About 30 minutes into the movie, police say, around 12:30a.m.,[12] he reentered the theater through the exit door. Suspect Charges: Murder, Attempted Murder", "Colorado movie massacre suspect to be formally charged", "Lawyers: Colo. For Connie, who expects to testify about discovering her sons body, the trial offers a chance to find some peace after a lifetime of struggling with the fallout from the killings. [83] On April 1, the prosecution announced it had declined the offer. Link Copied! [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. He remembers the dishes and the clatter they made when he dropped them to the floor after being shot in the face. Note: This case is now SOLVED! [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. [111] At the end of the hearing on August 26, Samour formally sentenced Holmes to 12 life imprisonment sentences without parole and a maximum of 3,318 additional years on attempted murder and explosives possession convictions. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [citation needed], On January 2, 2013, prosecutors and defense attorneys in the case returned to court in advance of the preliminary hearing, the public's first officially sanctioned look at the evidence, due to the gag order. He . Please logout and login again. Aurora Crime and Safety | NewsBreak Aurora, CO 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. Gun sales increased in Colorado, and political debates were generated about gun control in the United States. On July 28, Holmes' father pleaded for his son's life, stating that he is severely mentally ill. They called the Aurora Police Department around 5 p.m. on Dec. 11 and requested a welfare check after they had not heard from their other daughter and granddaughter all day, the document said. [113] President Barack Obama ordered flags at government buildings flown at half-staff, in tribute to the victims, until July 25. [147] The song was sold for donations that went to a fund for the victims. Stephen Redfearn, one of the first police officers to arrive on the scene, sent victims to area hospitals in squad cars. [9], Holmes went to his car (which he had parked near the exit door), changed into protective clothing, and retrieved his guns. Its affected her in so many ways, not only physically but emotionally, Connie said. [96][97], On July 9, Judge Carlos Samour asked Holmes if he would testify in court, and advised him of his rights to do so. [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". Fortunately, they survived the attack. The rate of murder in Aurora is 0.02 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. Media organizations challenged the sealing of the court file. Colo. Man Sentenced for Killing Family in 1984 with Hammer - Peoplemag [184], Bottom left: Map of Colorado with Aurora marked, James Holmes (mass murderer) Detention and pretrial court appearances, James Holmes (mass murderer) Verdict and sentencing, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, List of rampage killers in the United States, "Aurora, Colo theater shooting timeline, facts", "James Holmes appears in court being accused of killing 12 people in Aurora cinema shooting", "Officials release complete list of injured victims in Aurora massacre", "Colo. shooting DA says two evaluations found Holmes sane", "Theater shooter Holmes gets 12 life sentences, plus 3,318 years", "12 shot dead, 58 wounded in Aurora movie theater during Batman premier", "Family identifies 27-year-old victim of Aurora theater shooting", "James Holmes: Read timeline of his actions before and after Aurora theater shooting", "Long awaited trial begins for Aurora movie theater shooting defendant", "Gunman turns 'Batman' screening into real-life 'horror film', "Aurora shooting suspect left apartment "booby trapped," music blaring", "Aurora theater shooting trial adjourns for day", "Questions, but few answers, in Colorado shooting; 12 dead, dozens hurt", "Colorado theater shooting: 12 shot dead during The Dark Knight Rises screening", "Colo. theater trial adjourns for day after emotional 911 call", "Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates on Movie Shooting", "Rifle failure that stopped yet more batman carnage", "Colorado shooting spree could have been worse; shooter's gun jammed, official says", "Police: Suspect wore body armor, used assault rifle, shotgun, Glock handgun in theater attack", "Batman premiere gunman looked like 'assassin ready for war', "Aurora witnesses describe shooter's entrance, chaos", Aurora police testify in James Holmes' trial: 240 ballistic impacts found after theater shooting, "Police say Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes had 2 pistols, assault rifle, shotgun", "Sources: Shooter Took Prescription Drug Before Attack", "Aurora police sergeant describes lifesaving theater-shooting decision", "Colorado police officer says movie theater gunman was 'very calm', "New details emerge in hearing for Colorado theater shooting suspect", "Shooting suspect in court with orange-red hair", "Aurora 'Dark Knight' Suspect James Holmes Says He 'Was the Joker': Cops", "James Holmes claimed to be the Joker, NYPD Commish says", "James Holmes makes court appearance in Colorado theater shooting", "The Joker Didn't Inspire the Aurora Shooter, but the Rumor Won't Go Away", "Gun's magazine shaped the pace of Colorado theater massacre", "On video, theater gunman says killings got him 'value units', "Aurora shooting suspect James Holmes jailed in solitary: 'All the inmates were talking about killing him', "Aurora shooting: 12 dead as gunman opens fire at movie theater: as it happened", "Colo. shooting suspect James Holmes' apartment booby trapped, police say", "Slideshow: Aurora theater shooting scene, suspect's booby-trapped apartment", "Colorado Movie Theater Shooting: Suspect Bought 4 Guns, 6,000 Rounds of Ammunition in Past 60 Days", "Police at Home of Colorado Suspect Disarm Major Threats", "Official: Trap in Colorado suspect's home had 30 homemade grenades, gasoline", "Detonation and fire possible at Colo. apartment", "Massacre suspect's neighbor: 'I'm counting my lucky stars', "Loud Music Used To Lure People to Booby-Trapped Apt", "Theater massacre suspect appears in Colorado courtroom", "Movie massacre suspect mum; Batman mask found", "Photos: Residents allowed back into building where alleged shooter lived", "Colorado Movie Theater Shooting: 70 Victims the Largest Mass Shooting", "Colorado Massacre Could Have Been Worse", "Obama offers condolences, community grieves in vigil for DKR shooting victims", "50 dead, Islamic terrorism tie eyed in Orlando gay bar shooting", "Should the Colorado Theater Shooting Spur More Gun Control? In May 2016, after years of legal debate, a jury took three hours to deliver a unanimous verdict that the theater chain was not liable to any degree for the tragedy that transpired. 4147. Shooting Suspect is Mentally ill", "Prosecutors: Colo. suspect James Holmes made threat in March", "Aurora prosecutors drop fight for James Holmes' notebook", "Colorado Theater Shooting Lawyers Head Back to Court", "Aurora theater shooting: Cops took pill bottles from Holmes' apartment", "Aurora cinema massacre suspect James Holmes offers to plead guilty", "James Holmes prosecutors seek death penalty against Aurora suspect", "Judge considering another James Holmes trial delay", "Details emerge about jury picked for Colorado theater shooting trial", Colorado movie gunman not faking psychosis, defense witness says, "Facts, emotions take turn at Colorado theater shooting trial", "Aurora theater trial jurors see James Holmes' evidence", "Aurora movie theater shooting: Attorneys who'll be trying to prove James Holmes' guilt or innocence", "Aurora theater shooting notebook details aired for first time", "James Holmes' notebook read to jury in Colorado movie massacre trial", "Psychiatrist: Colorado shooter knew what he was doing", "Second psychiatrist concludes Colorado cinema gunman was sane", "Judge in Colorado theater shooting trial dismisses 3rd juror", "Theater shooter's ex asked him to see therapist", "Judge dismisses fifth juror in Colorado movie theater shooting trial", "Movie theater gunman says he will not testify", "Defense in Colorado theater shooting trial rests its case", "James Holmes Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Colorado Theater Mass Shooting, Shows No Reaction", "James Holmes guilty of murder in Aurora theater shooting", "Colorado death penalty in focus as massacre trial enters new phase", "James Holmes jury find aggravating factors exist, moves on to second phase", "Father of Colorado movie gunman pleads with jury for his life", "James Holmes Defense Make Final Appeal For Mercy", "James Holmes moves closer to death penalty verdict", "Why James Holmes Is a Step Closer to Facing the Death Penalty", "Theater shooting verdict: James Holmes sentenced to life in prison", "James Holmes sentenced to life in prison in the Aurora theater shooting", "Aurora movie theater shooter James Holmes to be sentenced to life in prison", "WATCH LIVE: Day 2 in the sentencing of Aurora theater shooting gunman", "Tearful Vigils Remember Victims of Aurora Massacre", "Obama Colorado Shooting Proclamation: Flags To Be Flown at Half Staff for Victims", "Obama, Romney pull Colorado ads off air in wake of Aurora shooting", "Obama, Romney express condolences for Colorado shooting victims", "Aurora shooting: Obama says all US stands with victim", "Obama Consoles Aurora as City Begins Healing", "After Aurora shootings, Obama Again Takes on Role as Healer in Chief in Colorado", "President Barack Obama Visits Aurora Victims' Families and Survivors", "Message of condolence following recent tragic events in the USA, 20 July 2012", "Communiqu Fusillade dans un cinma amricain", "PM Netanyahu Sends Condolence Letter to US President Barack Obama Following the Massacre in Aurora, Colorado", "Condolences to US President Barack Obama", "Pope Promises Prayers for Denver Victims", "Dark Knight Rises Director Christopher Nolan Breaks Silence on 'Unbearably Savage' Colorado Shooting", "Warner Bros. Cancels 'Dark Knight Rises' Premieres in Mexico and Japan", "Batman film Marketing Campaign Scaled Down in Finland", "Batman-elokuvan nettikampanja keskeytettiin Suomessa", "In Wake of Shooting, 'The Dark Knight Rises' Won't Report Early Box Office Figures", "Warner Bros. Said to Pull Some TV Ads for 'Dark Knight', "Box office Update: Studios Not Releasing Numbers Today", "Warner Bros. To Make 'Substantial' Donation to Colorado Shooting Victims", "Christopher Nolan on Theater Shooting: 'I Would Like to Express Our Profound Sorrow', "Dark Knight Rises Shooting: Christian Bale Visits Victims in Hospital", "Colorado Rockies pay visit to Aurora shooting survivors and hospital staff", "Gangster Squad Trailer Yanked from Internet, Dark Knight Rises Following Colorado Shooting", "Warner Bros Pulls Trailer of Gangster Shooting Up Movie Theater", "Out of respect for grieving families, "Gangster Squad" scene refilmed after Aurora theater shootings", "BATMAN INC No. Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney John Kellner declined to comment on the upcoming trial. [27] Some people reported the shooting via Twitter or text messaging rather than calling the police; officers were already at the theater by the time that the tweets were sent. Reid and another doctor evaluated Holmes in December 2013 and determined that he understood what he was doing. The center offers therapy for people who experienced traumatic stress from the theater shooting, and also people who were victims of other crimes and refugees who experienced a traumatic event in their country of origin before coming to the U.S.[172][173], Colorado gun sales spiked after the shooting, with the number of background checks for people seeking to purchase a firearm in the state increasing to 2,887, up 43% from the previous week. On March 3, 1967, Charles Brett Lange was found legally insane & sent to the Colorado State Hospital instead of prison. [20] Ambulances were hindered by chaos and congestion in the parking lot, and they were unable to reach the back of the complex where police had pulled the injured out through the emergency exit doors of Theatre 9. Martinezs grandmother then told detectives about the conversation she had with him at 1:30 a.m. On the call, he allegedly said he went to the Aurora house and was doing shots of tequila with Estancia, Marisol and Kaden. She was pushed or fell to the bedroom floor, and died there. About 20 minutes into the film, he left theater 9 through an emergency exit door beside the movie screen, with direct . 5 things to know about Colorado "Hammer Killer" Alex Ewing - Sportskeeda Four people, including one woman and three men, were fatally shot in an Aurora, Colorado home early Sunday morning in a domestic . 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. Updated 3/3/2023 1:35 PM. And you cant bring them back.. [73][74][75], On July 30, Colorado prosecutors filed formal charges against Holmes, including 24 counts of first-degree murder, 116 counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of illegal possession of explosives. He is accused of opening fire in a movie theater July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 70. THOSE with their eyes to the skies on Sunday night (February 26) may have caught a very rare sighting of the northern lights. [136] Christian Bale, who plays Batman in the film series, privately visited victims on July 24. . "[160], In response, Cinemark's representation filed a motion to dismiss on September 27, 2012, on the grounds that there was no liability under Colorado law for failure to prevent an unforeseeable criminal act. It makes you feel afraid all the time.. At the conclusion, Judge Sylvester decided there was enough relevant, admissible evidence to proceed to a trial. The accused was then charged with first-degree murder of the Bennetts - Bruce, Debra, and Melissa - and Patricia Smith in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Intent on revenge, he visited the restaurant at approximately 9:00pm. In 1993, a 19-year-old gunman shot and killed three teenagers and their manager at a . [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. CNN . The perpetrator's first trial for Smith's case took place in October 2021. "Two Killed in Northwest Aurora". 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. She still struggles to speak about the details of the attack, and chokes up when she thinks of the assault and murder of Melissa, whom she said was a sweet little girl. Debra was a family-focused woman who enjoyed spending time with her aunts in Lakewood, Connie said. Ewings trial in the Bennett killings will begin Friday in Douglas County with jury selection; opening statements are expected Tuesday. He told her that he went upstairs and told Estancia and Marisol what he had done and they didnt believe him. In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue, and in 2020 she was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for an investigation into child sexual abuse among Amish and Mennonite communities. [28], At about 12:45a.m., police officer Jason Oviatt apprehended Holmes[11][29] behind the cinema, next to his car, without resistance. September 29, 2021 He could have been eligible for parole this year, if DNA had not connected him to the Colorado killings. [157] Security Director News raised the possibility in a July 23 article that "the massacre could be a Virginia Tech for movie theaters, causing security to become a bigger part of the conversation and more stringent security procedures to be adopted at theaters across the country. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. . Murders and Violent Crimes in Aurora Explode 2021 Update - Westword Debra was attacked in bed. It began on January 7. Events Shooting The shooting occurred in Theater 9 at the Century 16 multiplex (operated by Cinemark Theatres), located in the Town Center at Aurora shopping mall at 14300 E. Alameda Avenue. Ewing was convicted of killing 27-year-old Bruce and 26 year-old Debra Bennett, as well as their 7-year-old . 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. [146], Hans Zimmer, who composed the soundtrack for The Dark Knight Rises, recorded a choral song entitled "Aurora" in honor of the victims. 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. When Ewing was pinpointed as the perpetrator of the Bennett family and Smith attacks, he was already serving a 110-year sentence for the attempted murder of a Henderson-based couple. He was ultimately detained for attacking Nancy and Chris Barry in Henderson on August 9 of the same year in Nevada using an ax handle. Arapahoe County district attorney George Brauchler said: "It's my determination and my intention that in this case for James Eagan Holmes justice is death. NEW: Police release photos from the 1980s of Alex Christopher Ewing, suspect in 1984 hammer killings of Patricia Louise Smith and Bruce, Debra and Melissa Bennett. A wave of gun violence in Denver and Aurora troubles community members iwondergallery. [40] Holmes' apartment complex is limited to University of Colorado Medical Center students, patients, and employees. Gun nuts run amok | Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice Alex Ewing is currently behind bars, serving four lifetimes in prison for crimes he committed nearly four decades ago. James Holmes, convicted on 24 counts of murder for shooting 12 people dead at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, was considered a quiet young man before the attack. [78] Prosecutors alleged on August 24, 2012, that Holmes told a classmate he wanted to kill people four months before the shooting. 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. Because theyre gone. Five men Jonathan Blunk, John Larimer, Matt McQuinn, Jesse Childress, and Alexander C. Teves died protecting their girlfriends or friends. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. -- 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 . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. It consists of a park-like dell with 83 abstract birds, one for each victim. Constance Bennett, the mother of murder victim Bruce Bennett, is questioned defense attorney Katherine Powers Spengler during Alex Ewing's murder trial, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in an Arapahoe County Court in Centennial, Colo. Ewing is accused of killing Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora in January 1984. He also said claims alleging violations of the Colorado Premises Liability Act could proceed. December 11, 2022 / 9:35 AM / CBS Colorado. Asked one of her surviving sons to move in with her. The Ghosts of Third Bridge - Colorado Urban Legends Although it took authorities nearly four decades to . By Logan Smith. Homicide victims killed this week in Aurora identified by coroner Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Approximately seven months after the Aurora killings, a Nevada couple was beaten with an ax handle. 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. [13] He was listening to techno music through a set of headphones so that he could not hear anything from people in the theater.