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Woman shot and killed in Aurora shopping center parking lot; man arrested

aurora south parker road fatal shooting
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DENVER — An Iowa man shot and killed a woman in a shopping center parking lot on S. Parker Road early Friday morning in southeast Aurora, according to police.

The shooting happened just before 2:30 a.m. in a parking lot behind a Boot Barn store on S. Parker Road just north of Arapahoe Road. The area contains several big box stores and a grocery store.

According to Aurora police spokesperson Matthew Longshore, the woman had gotten into an altercation with the suspect in the shooting, John Thoren, 42, of Iowa.

Longshore said the two did not know one another and he did not say what transpired during the altercation. But Thoren allegedly shot and killed the woman, who died at the scene. She was identified by the Arapahoe County Coroner as 46-year-old Rachel Holmes.

He then called 911 and cooperated with the officers who arrived, Longshore said. He was interviewed by detectives, then arrested and booked into jail.

He was arrested for investigation of second-degree murder, Longshore said.

Police are asking anyone with more information about the incident who has not already spoken with investigators to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.