Boxes of material on Aurora homicide cases recovered from home of retired detective

The Aurora Police Department announced Thursday that numerous boxes of material from old homicide cases were discovered at the home of a former detective.

Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said the department is undergoing an organizational transformation, allowing detectives to revisit cold cases. Chamberlain explained the discovery was made as detectives were reviewing a case from 1997 when they were unable to locate materials that were part of the investigation.

When they were unable to find the hard copy files or anything in the digital evidence system, they reached out to the original Major Crimes Homicide Unit detective who worked on the case. The detective worked in the unit from 1996 until 2011, said Chamberlain, and retired from the department in 2022. After the department contacted him, the former detective brought a plastic bag to police headquarters containing numerous documents, VHS tapes, photos and other material from the investigation.

The department questioned the former detective and learned that he had material from multiple homicide cases he worked on during his time with the unit. He consented to a search of his home, where officers found boxes of old case files.

"In the floorboards of the retired detective's home, we located 30 boxes that were recovered that contained binders, reports, photographs, VHS tapes, handwritten notes, and other documents related to investigations and cases that he had worked," said Chamberlain.

Chamberlain asserted that none of the boxes contained physical evidence such as blood, fingerprints or tangible objects connected to these cases. They primarily contained notes, documents, videotapes of interviews and similar material, he added.

"As we immediately discovered what was occurring, we got together with parties of the city, with legal counsel, with internal operations, both all of our chiefs, our detective personnel," said Chamberlain. "We looked at the depth and breadth of what we were contending with, and we set about a very specific and very strategic plan of action to make sure that, one, we have accountability for everything that occurred, and then also, we made sure that nothing in the future like this ever happens again."

He said the department placed all of the material in a secure area and contacted the District Attorney's Office to ensure the 17th and 18th districts could access and research all of it. Both offices are conducting independent investigations into the materials.

Attorney and former prosecutor Raj Chohan, a legal analyst, said, "If there are notes, if there are thoughts about alternate suspects, for instance, or evidentiary pathways that weren't completely explored, defense attorneys are going to want to know that. If there were some materials that were in these files that should have been turned over to the defense that may have had a material impact on the case, then of course that defendant is going to want that case reopened and have another look at it."

Eric Ross, spokesman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney, said they have identified about 80 cases linked to the detective. The 17th Judicial District said it was reviewing 11 cases.

Ross said, "Based on limited review, there is no indication of a failure to disclose evidence."

In a statement from the 17th Judicial District Attorney, Director of Communications Chris Hopper wrote: "Our office is cross-referencing each file to confirm that all evidence has been properly preserved and disclosed during the prosecution of each case. That detailed review is ongoing, and when it is complete, we will determine next steps."

The retired detective consented to another search of his home, and authorities said they did not find any further case materials located there.

Chamberlain said that, over the course of several months, they checked every item recovered to determine any issues that may arise from the materials that were taken.

"We have also worked with our detective personnel, specifically cross-referencing every item that has been impacted, any open investigations, any previous investigations, anything that is ongoing to make sure that none of the information that was gathered in the retired detective's home was pertinent, was impactful, or involved any type of conflict whatsoever," Chamberlain said.

He asserted that the recovered materials did not compromise any court cases and that many of the recovered files were redundant, or copies that the retired detective kept. There was also no indication of any wrongdoing, he said.

"At this time, our detectives have found that there is no indication that the recovered case material compromised any prosecutions," he stated. "And, again, I want to reiterate that there is no indication at this point that there is anybody that was tried, anybody that was held accountable, any case or any victim, any suspects that were impacted in any way by any of the material that was located in that retired detective's home."

He said the department takes responsibility for the poor recordkeeping, stating that "It is without question, unacceptable," and that he will ensure the department does better.

Chamberlain said the department has completely updated its case management system to digitize the materials in binders to better maintain and control case data.

Neither the 17th nor the 18th Judicial District has a criminal investigation of the retired detective underway. Since he is retired, he cannot be disciplined by the department.

Editor's note: Later statements from the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts regarding the discovery have been added to the story.