TIMELINE: Investigation in Killing of Cold Spring Officer
Updated: 01/04/2013 2:41 PM KSTP.com
By: Cassie Hart
Thursday, November 29th:
-
9:00 p.m.-Call to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office from Ryan Larson’s family he was suicidal
-
Cold Spring Officer Greg Reiter responds a short time later to Larson’s apartment above Winner’s Bar and found nothing
-
10:35 p.m.- Officer Greg Reiter returns after seeing Larson's car at the bar.Tom Decker arrived at 10:45 and gets out of his cruiser and was confronted by an armed individual and was shot twice and died
-
Officer Reiter claims he observed an individual with a hoodie after he heard two loud "bangs". Saw him with a "handgun" and backed his cruiser out of the parking lot
-
Two calls were made to 911 around 10:47 p.m.
-
Officer Tom Decker was found with a gunshot wound to the head by back up officers
-
Around 12:15 a.m. a Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) entered Larson's apartment found him laying on his bed next to a gun. He was arrested without incident.
-
The BCA processes the crime scene, conducts interviews
-
Search of river for the murder weapon
Friday, November 30th:
-
3 p.m. The crime scene was cleared and the streets around the crime scene reopen, still no weapons or witnesses
Saturday, December 1st:
-
Stearns County Sheriff’s Office asks public to be on the look out for the murder weapon (20 gauge shotgun)
Monday, December 3rd:
-
12 p.m. The deadline to file charges against Larson
-
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office asked for extension to hold Larson and it was granted
Tuesday, December 4th:
-
11:50 a.m. Larson was released from the Stearns County jail without charges filed against him, the investigation continues
-
There are still no witnesses and a weapon was still not found
-
BCA ramps up its staff on the investigation
-
4:00 p.m. Visitation held for Decker in Cold Spring
Friday, December 9th:
-
Court document released showing Officer Decker's partner froze up and did not pursue the suspect
Monday, December 17th:
-
Spotlight on Crime Group is offering a $100,000 reward, billboards go up with reward
-
BCA asks for public's help to look for a black van with loud exhaust that was seen leaving the scene
-
Dive Teams are back in the Sauk River looking for the 20-gauge shotgun
Tuesday, December 18th:
-
The Stearns County Attorney releases transcripts of two calls made to 911
Wednesday January 2nd:
-
2:00 p.m. Investigators went to interview 31-year-old Eric Joseph Thomes after receiving a tip. Thomas, who was considered a person ran from police into a shed and refused to come out.
-
7:00 p.m. Police found he hanged himself inside the shed at his rural Cold Spring home.
-
The likely murder weapon was found on a separate property
Friday January 4th:
-
2:00 p.m. BCA and Sheriff hold news conference on latest developments
(Check back for updates as more details are released in the investigation)