He put on his gloves, pulled down his mask, and readied his gun.
![Kaden Thomson](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=150%2C181 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=200%2C242 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=225%2C272 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=300%2C362 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=400%2C483 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=540%2C652 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=640%2C773 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/magicvalley.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/6a/06af1142-8801-11ee-81f5-3bb26b3f16d5/655bf36ebc7fb.image.jpg?resize=659%2C796 750w)
Thomson
Court records show that Kaden Thomson prepared himself just before 2 a.m. Nov. 16 before attempting to steal the Dodge Caravan that belonged to Freddy Rodriguez of Twin Falls.
Friend Mi’Quavis Taylor, who was in a stolen Ford pickup with Thomson, told Thomson, “Good luck,” because “some people don’t make it out,” Taylor told law enforcement officers.
Thomson said that Rodriguez, who had been alerted that someone was near the car, entered the minivan just as he was putting the keys into the ignition. Court records don’t say whether words were exchanged between the two, but Thomson admitted to firing a half-dozen shots from his .22 pistol that was armed with hollow point bullets, records say.
Rodriguez was struck by five bullets, an autopsy revealed, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
People are also reading…
Thomson and Taylor, both 18, stole the keys out of the Caravan a day before when they were “car-hopping” on the street, looking for items to steal, court records say. They later returned to steal the minivan.
Taylor said he intended to keep the white Ford pickup that they had stolen and, presumably, the minivan would be for Thomson.
The two had already stolen a half-dozen vehicles, starting with one taken Nov. 9 or the early morning of Nov. 10.
At one time, Taylor and Thomson crashed two of the vehicles, a Chevy Silverado pickup and a Mazda, into each other on Washington Street South and left the scene, records say. Video of the wrecked vehicles was found on one of their phones, say police.
Coincidentally, a law enforcement officer went to a house to notify the owner of the Mazda about the incident and made contact with Taylor and Thomson, who said they were visiting a friend. The officer’s body camera caught a glimpse of the stolen pickup they were driving, but the pickup wasn’t reported stolen until the next day.
Twin Falls Police Lt. Craig Stotts declined to say how the pair allegedly stole so many cars and other belongings, including guns and a ballistics vest, but Taylor said he did research, including watching videos, on how to steal cars.
Both Thomson and Taylor are charged with first-degree murder.
In addition, they are charged with numerous counts of grand theft and burglary. Taylor faces other charges related to the Nov. 15 shooting in a Twin Falls parking lot.
Taylor told law officers that he was surprised that Thomson shot so many times, records, although “I understand you at least have to shoot him in the leg,” court records say.