David Reese, who has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of DEP employee Aron Thomas, admitted to the act after the crime, a DEP police officer told a Kingston court judge on Monday.
At a preliminary hearing in Kingston city court on Monday, Feb. 10, Lieutenant Justin Kight of the DEP Police gave testimony about the events that unfolded on the morning of Monday, Feb. 3 at the DEP's Kingston office.
Reporter James Nani of the Times Herald-Record has an account of Kight's testimony, in which Kight told the courtroom that immediately after the shooting, Reese knocked on his door and allowed him to take a Glock pistol from Reese's jacket pocket.
Kight testified that as he was escorting Reese out of the building, Reese admitted to shooting Thomas, and alluded to some ongoing workplace dispute:
Kight said Reese told him "you know Aron's been stalking me," that "I shot Aron twice" and "you know they've been breaking into my office."
Kight also alluded to an internal incident report from Nov. 26, 2013 that involved both Reese and Thomas, but did not say what it contained.
According to several news reports, members of Reese's family -- including his wife, Elsa Reese -- have been mystified as to what could have led Reese to shoot a co-worker.
Reese pleaded "not guilty" to the charge of second-degree murder at a brief arraignment at Kingston city court on Monday, Feb. 3.
Aron Thomas leaves behind a wife, Susan Thomas (nee Ruff), and two young children, ages two and six weeks. An online fundraising drive for the family, started by Aron's sister Kylene Thomas, has raised over $46,000 so far.
