Tom Clements, DOC Executive Director, Killed at his home in Monument
Authorities
appealed to the public for help in their investigation into the death
of Tom Clements, the executive director of the Colorado Department of
Corrections, who was shot and killed as he opened the door to his
Monument home Tuesday night.
More than 15 hours after Clements was shot, authorities have not confirmed if the shooting was random, or if Clements, 58, was a target because of his two-year stint as head of the corrections department. Investigators said robbery does not appear to be a motive, and they have not identified a suspect.
Federal agents have joined state and local authorities scouring the area for clues.
"We know of his position and realize that it is a possible motive for a crime such as this,"
said Lt. Jeff Kramer, spokesman for the El Paso County
Sheriff's office. "It's a quick, rapidly evolving investigation. We've
been on scene through the night."Kramer said he did not know whether there had been specific threats against Clements.
In response to Clements' killing, state officials have increased security at the governor's mansion, state buildings and the governor's personal security detail, according to a source at the state Capitol.
All of the state's prisons were placed on modified lock-down after the shooting, said Alison Morgan, assistant director of finance and administration for the DOC.
Clements' family released a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
"We are thankful for the overwhelming support and concern that we have received in the wake of Tom's death. Our family has lost a devoted husband and a beloved father," the statement read. "There are no words at this time to describe our grief and loss. We thank our friends and those praying for us here and across the nation. Your well-wishes and prayers bring us strength. We appreciate your continued respect for our privacy during this terrible loss."
At 8:42 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies received a 911 call from Clements' home.
Clements'
distraught wife, Lisa, told a 911 dispatcher that the gunman rang the
doorbell and then shot her husband in the chest, according to a
dispatcher's recording. Authorities arrived at the home minutes later. They found Clements and his wife inside the home on a set of stairs.
Medical crews started performing CPR on Clements while deputies worked to secure the area and search for a suspect. Clements died at the home.
On Wednesday afternoon, deputies said they want to speak with a woman who may have been speed-walking through Clements' neighborhood on Tuesday night. The woman is not a suspect in the case, but authorities say she may have useful information.
The woman was wearing light pants, a dark wind breaker
and a hat. She was described as being 30 to 50 years old. Authorities urged that woman to call 719-390-5555 to speak with an investigator. Authorities also released the description of a car spotted in Clements' neighborhood about 15 minutes before the shooting.
A neighbor told authorities they saw a "boxy," two-door, late model car sitting outside Clements' home. The car was running with no one sitting inside, the witness told deputies.
Minutes later the car was gone.
The car may be a dark colored or black Lincoln or Cadillac, Kramer said. A witness reported seeing a light green glow coming from the dashboard.
The car was last seen Tuesday night, traveling west on Higby Road, before turning south onto Jackson Creek Parkway. The witness told officers that the only person in the car was the driver, but they could not provide a description.
Anyone who may have seen a car matching this description is asked to call authorities at 719-390-5555.
Kramer said authorities have heard from three or four residents who also saw the car. He also said investigators are checking with nearby shops that might have had surveillance cameras. Kramer said he did not know whether Clements' home was equipped with such gear.
Clements' home is in the 17400 block of Colonial Park Drive, in an upscale, wooded neighborhood east of Interstate 25. The two-story home, like others in the Bent Tree Subdivision, is nestled into the woods, well off Colonial Park
Drive. Clements and his wife have lived in the home for only a couple of years, neighbors said.Several
neighbors told the Post they knew Clements lived in the subdivision,
but said they did not know the couple well. They also said they didn't
see or hear anything unusual Tuesday night.
The FBI, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Palmer Lake Police Department and the monument Police Department are also helping with the investigation.
Clements was appointed to his role as executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections by Gov. John Hickenlooper in January 2011. He came to Colorado from Missouri.
Clements supervised a staff of 6,022 employees at 20 public prisons. There were 20,379 Colorado inmates as of the end of 2012.
He was instituting dramatic change throughout Colorado's corrections system, said Christie Donner, executive director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for alternatives to incarceration.
"The reverberations from his death are multi-layered because it's so much broader than just his family and the Colorado Department of Corrections family," she said.
One of his top initiatives, she said, included an overhaul of how the state handled solitary confinement of prisoners — a push that also resulted in the closure of Colorado State Penitentiary II, also known as Centennial South, and its 948 solitary-confinement cells.
Clements' death occurred a week after he denied a request by a Saudi national, Homaidan al-Turki, to serve out the remainder of a Colorado prison sentence in Saudi Arabia, the Associated Press reported. He cited al-Turki's refusal to undergo sex offender treatment in his denial.
Al-Turki, a well-known member of Denver's Muslim community, was convicted in state court in 2006 of unlawful sexual contact by use of force, theft and extortion and sentenced to 28 years to life in prison. Prosecutors said al-Turki kept a housekeeper a virtual slave for four years in his home and sexually assaulted her. A judge reduced the sentence to eight years to life. Al-Turki insisted the case was politically motivated.
Al-Turki's conviction angered Saudi officials and prompted the U.S. State Department to send Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to Saudi Arabia to meet with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and al-Turki's family.
Dave Joly, Denver spokesman for the FBI, said agents are looking at all angles. He did not say if federal agents joined the investigation as a result of the al-Turki case.
"Nothing is off the table," Joly said in an e-mail. "If a lead comes up in another state or out of the area, the FBI is here to assist in any way we can."
Mike Knight, chief investigator for the Arapahoe County District Attorney's office, said the prosecutors who worked on the al-Turki case and other high-profile prosecutions at the DA's office are taking increased security measures as a result of the slaying.
Knight would not specify what those measures are, but he said they were initiated by the DA's office and not on the advisement of law enforcement.
"Out of an abundance of caution for the attorneys who worked on those cases, we wanted to make sure that they take precautions," Knight said.
Hickenlooper fought back tears as he addressed questions during a news conference on Wednesday morning. He was notified about the shooting around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and two daughters," Hickenlooper said. "Tom Clements dedicated his life to public service."
Clements is survived by his wife and their two adult daughters.
Tony Carochi, DOC interim executive director, wrote to all corrections employees on Wednesday.
"It is with deep sadness that I reach out to each of you this morning," Carochi wrote. "Even as the hours have passed since we first learned about the death of Mr. Clements, the shock and grief still feels unreal."
Hickenlooper also reached out to corrections employees early Wednesday, and he ordered all flags lower to half-staff until the day after Clements' funeral.
"I can hardly believe it, let alone write words to describe it," Hickenlooper said in the statement sent to employees.
"As your Executive Director, he helped change and improve DOC in two years more than most people could do in eight years," he said in the statement. "He was unfailingly kind and thoughtful, and sought the 'good' in any situation. As you all know, in corrections that is not easy."
In a statement issued Wednesday about Clements' death, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said: "This is a heartbreaking tragedy for Tom Clements' family and everyone who was fortunate enough to have known him, including his many friends at the Missouri Department of Corrections."
Adrienne Jacobson, a DOC spokeswoman, said the first roll call for corrections employees was at 5 a.m.
"It is heartbreaking," Jacobson said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, denverpost.com/coldcases or twitter.com/kmitchelldp
More than 15 hours after Clements was shot, authorities have not confirmed if the shooting was random, or if Clements, 58, was a target because of his two-year stint as head of the corrections department. Investigators said robbery does not appear to be a motive, and they have not identified a suspect.
Federal agents have joined state and local authorities scouring the area for clues.
"We know of his position and realize that it is a possible motive for a crime such as this,"
In response to Clements' killing, state officials have increased security at the governor's mansion, state buildings and the governor's personal security detail, according to a source at the state Capitol.
All of the state's prisons were placed on modified lock-down after the shooting, said Alison Morgan, assistant director of finance and administration for the DOC.
Clements' family released a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
"We are thankful for the overwhelming support and concern that we have received in the wake of Tom's death. Our family has lost a devoted husband and a beloved father," the statement read. "There are no words at this time to describe our grief and loss. We thank our friends and those praying for us here and across the nation. Your well-wishes and prayers bring us strength. We appreciate your continued respect for our privacy during this terrible loss."
At 8:42 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies received a 911 call from Clements' home.
Investigators
search the wooded area surrounding the home of Tom Clements, executive
director of the Colorado Dept. of Corrections, on Colonial Park Drive
east of Monument Wednesday morning. (Steve Nehf, The Denver Post)
Medical crews started performing CPR on Clements while deputies worked to secure the area and search for a suspect. Clements died at the home.
On Wednesday afternoon, deputies said they want to speak with a woman who may have been speed-walking through Clements' neighborhood on Tuesday night. The woman is not a suspect in the case, but authorities say she may have useful information.
The woman was wearing light pants, a dark wind breaker
and a hat. She was described as being 30 to 50 years old. Authorities urged that woman to call 719-390-5555 to speak with an investigator. Authorities also released the description of a car spotted in Clements' neighborhood about 15 minutes before the shooting.
A neighbor told authorities they saw a "boxy," two-door, late model car sitting outside Clements' home. The car was running with no one sitting inside, the witness told deputies.
Minutes later the car was gone.
The car may be a dark colored or black Lincoln or Cadillac, Kramer said. A witness reported seeing a light green glow coming from the dashboard.
The car was last seen Tuesday night, traveling west on Higby Road, before turning south onto Jackson Creek Parkway. The witness told officers that the only person in the car was the driver, but they could not provide a description.
Anyone who may have seen a car matching this description is asked to call authorities at 719-390-5555.
Kramer said authorities have heard from three or four residents who also saw the car. He also said investigators are checking with nearby shops that might have had surveillance cameras. Kramer said he did not know whether Clements' home was equipped with such gear.
Clements' home is in the 17400 block of Colonial Park Drive, in an upscale, wooded neighborhood east of Interstate 25. The two-story home, like others in the Bent Tree Subdivision, is nestled into the woods, well off Colonial Park
The FBI, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Palmer Lake Police Department and the monument Police Department are also helping with the investigation.
Clements was appointed to his role as executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections by Gov. John Hickenlooper in January 2011. He came to Colorado from Missouri.
Clements supervised a staff of 6,022 employees at 20 public prisons. There were 20,379 Colorado inmates as of the end of 2012.
He was instituting dramatic change throughout Colorado's corrections system, said Christie Donner, executive director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for alternatives to incarceration.
"The reverberations from his death are multi-layered because it's so much broader than just his family and the Colorado Department of Corrections family," she said.
One of his top initiatives, she said, included an overhaul of how the state handled solitary confinement of prisoners — a push that also resulted in the closure of Colorado State Penitentiary II, also known as Centennial South, and its 948 solitary-confinement cells.
Clements' death occurred a week after he denied a request by a Saudi national, Homaidan al-Turki, to serve out the remainder of a Colorado prison sentence in Saudi Arabia, the Associated Press reported. He cited al-Turki's refusal to undergo sex offender treatment in his denial.
Al-Turki, a well-known member of Denver's Muslim community, was convicted in state court in 2006 of unlawful sexual contact by use of force, theft and extortion and sentenced to 28 years to life in prison. Prosecutors said al-Turki kept a housekeeper a virtual slave for four years in his home and sexually assaulted her. A judge reduced the sentence to eight years to life. Al-Turki insisted the case was politically motivated.
Al-Turki's conviction angered Saudi officials and prompted the U.S. State Department to send Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to Saudi Arabia to meet with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and al-Turki's family.
Dave Joly, Denver spokesman for the FBI, said agents are looking at all angles. He did not say if federal agents joined the investigation as a result of the al-Turki case.
"Nothing is off the table," Joly said in an e-mail. "If a lead comes up in another state or out of the area, the FBI is here to assist in any way we can."
Mike Knight, chief investigator for the Arapahoe County District Attorney's office, said the prosecutors who worked on the al-Turki case and other high-profile prosecutions at the DA's office are taking increased security measures as a result of the slaying.
Knight would not specify what those measures are, but he said they were initiated by the DA's office and not on the advisement of law enforcement.
"Out of an abundance of caution for the attorneys who worked on those cases, we wanted to make sure that they take precautions," Knight said.
Hickenlooper fought back tears as he addressed questions during a news conference on Wednesday morning. He was notified about the shooting around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and two daughters," Hickenlooper said. "Tom Clements dedicated his life to public service."
Clements is survived by his wife and their two adult daughters.
Tony Carochi, DOC interim executive director, wrote to all corrections employees on Wednesday.
"It is with deep sadness that I reach out to each of you this morning," Carochi wrote. "Even as the hours have passed since we first learned about the death of Mr. Clements, the shock and grief still feels unreal."
Hickenlooper also reached out to corrections employees early Wednesday, and he ordered all flags lower to half-staff until the day after Clements' funeral.
"I can hardly believe it, let alone write words to describe it," Hickenlooper said in the statement sent to employees.
"As your Executive Director, he helped change and improve DOC in two years more than most people could do in eight years," he said in the statement. "He was unfailingly kind and thoughtful, and sought the 'good' in any situation. As you all know, in corrections that is not easy."
In a statement issued Wednesday about Clements' death, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said: "This is a heartbreaking tragedy for Tom Clements' family and everyone who was fortunate enough to have known him, including his many friends at the Missouri Department of Corrections."
Adrienne Jacobson, a DOC spokeswoman, said the first roll call for corrections employees was at 5 a.m.
"It is heartbreaking," Jacobson said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, denverpost.com/coldcases or twitter.com/kmitchelldp
1 comment:
Tom gave us a glimmer of hope that at least one of the arms of the octopus of this state's corrupt judicial system might be changed for the better. He saw people and not organizational charts, unlike his retired Denver Police Chiefs predecessors. Ari Zavaras pushed to build inhumane "administrative segregation" supermax prisons and he shut them down. The Gov was right on in his assessment of Tom's service. He will be missed.
Post a Comment