Aurora theater shooting hearing, day two: Youngest victim's story, death of a military man
Update January 8, 3:14 p.m.: After lunch, answers were provided to questions about a boombox and a remote-control car that were allegedly part of a system to trigger a blast in James Holmes's apartment.
FBI bomb technician Garrett Gumbinner had testified about a secondary system to set off an explosion in Holmes's residence, involving a boombox left near a dumpster outside the apartment building. The device was set to begin playing music intended to lure someone to the area, where a remote-control car was also present. Playing with the car using the remote would have caused the apartment to go up in flames, Gumbinner said.
Holmes defense attorney Daniel King subsequently asked Gumbinner if the boombox had been recovered, and he said he wasn't sure. But later testimony revealed that the boombox had been found by a resident of the neighborhood (not Holmes's building). After he provided it to police, investigators found Holmes's fingerprints on it.
James Holmes's first mug shot shows the dyed hair noted by investigators.
In contrast, the car and the remote control were never recovered.
More testimony was offered by Aurora detective Craig Appel, who spoke about a police-station interview with Holmes on the morning of July 20. Appel said Holmes's hair was dyed red and he wore a torn T-shirt and boxer shorts.
King followed up with questions that focused on odd behavior. Appel said law enforcement had put paper bags on Holmes's hands to preserve gunshot residue, and an officer watching him in the room said he began moving the bags in talking-puppet motions. After being given some water, he also played with the Styrofoam cup, as well as pulling a staple from a table and trying to stick it into an electrical outlet.
Despite these actions, Holmes was not tested for drugs or alcohol. When King asked why not, Appel replied, "I saw no indication that he was under the influence of anything."
Continue for more about day two of the Aurora theater shooting preliminary hearing.
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