James Holmes ordered 6 packages from ammo firm, documents show

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Less than a month before last summer’s Aurora movie theater massacre, suspect James E. Holmes ordered six packages from an online ammunition supplier, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday.

According to the newly released warrants and affidavits, FedEx records indicate that the six packages were ordered by Holmes on June 28 from BulkAmmo.com. It was not disclosed what was in the packages.

Holmes, 25, is accused of unleashing a rampage on July 20 in a packed movie theater. Twelve people died and at least 70 were injured in a case that has drawn worldwide attention. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

At a preliminary hearing in January, prosecutors described Holmes as calculating and methodical in his march toward July 20. The former neuroscience student is believed to have gone on a buying spree that began in May, amassing an arsenal of weapons, ammunition, military-style combat gear and explosives.

Police have said Holmes bought a ticket to the 12:05 a.m. showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” but left his seat before the movie started. About 20 minutes after it began, a man in full combat gear burst through an emergency exit, threw a canister of tear gas into the crowd and opened fire. Holmes surrendered to police minutes after the shooting. Weapons, spent shells, unfired ammunition and combat gear were found on him, outside the exit door, inside the theater and in his car.

The previously sealed search warrants and affidavits showed that FedEx made 10 deliveries to Holmes’ apartment in Aurora between February and July 2012, which apparently included the shipments from the ammunition supplier. Two additional shipments of unknown goods were made to the address where his parents live in San Diego, the documents show.

In addition, Aurora police reported in an affidavit that other packages were delivered to Holmes’ apartment by UPS “on almost a daily basis.”

Along with shipping records, court documents also show that police seized Holmes’ Platinum MasterCard statements and an iPod 8G Touch to track email, voice messages and data on the device to determine “any evidence relating to the planning of the crime, the purchase of weapons and ammunition, communications indicating the state of mind of James Holmes and his culpable mental state.”

A document dated July 22 also sought to determine “communication between the suspect in this case and other potential suspects.” Police have testified that Holmes told them he acted alone.

Holmes is expected in court Thursday as his lawyers continue to determine if an insanity plea would jeopardize his constitutional rights. Previously the defense indicated Holmes would change his plea from a standard not-guilty plea — entered on his behalf by a judge in March — to not guilty by reason of insanity.

The defense has contended that if Holmes refuses to cooperate with court-ordered psychiatric evaluations it could be used against him in trial or during sentencing.

The case continues to grind slowly and generate massive amounts of evidence. So far, there are more than 40,000 pages of discovery and the prosecution has said it has 3,200 potential witnesses. A trial date has been set for February 2014.

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