Robert Paul Thiret, born on June 29, 1962, is an American convicted of abducting and sexually assaulting three-year-old Lori Poland in August 1983. Thiret pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child and attempted first-degree murder in 1984, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. He served only six years before being released on December 7, 1990. Thiret's case drew significant attention due to the severity of his crime and his subsequent early release.
The abduction of Lori Poland occurred in Sheridan, Colorado, when Thiret lured her into his car with the promise of candies. He then sexually assaulted her, drove her into the mountains, and left her approximately fifteen feet below ground in the pit of an outhouse. Lori was found alive on August 25, 1983, at the bottom of a ten-foot-deep waste pit beneath a deserted outhouse in the Colorado foothills. She was rushed to the hospital, where she received treatment for severe injuries.
Thiret became a suspect after police investigators identified an orange Datsun with the license plate ADV-627, which matched hair samples found in the car with Lori's hair. Lori identified Thiret in a police video line-up and photo line-up. He was charged with multiple counts, including kidnapping, sexual assault on a child, child abuse, and attempted murder. Before the trial, Thiret married his girlfriend, who provided an alibi for him on the day of the abduction.
Thiret's plea deal and prison term were influenced by prosecutors' concerns about convicting him on all charges. He pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child and attempting first-degree murder, receiving a ten-year sentence. However, due to Colorado's laws at the time, Thiret was eligible for release in 1989. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in May 1990 that he had to be released rather than paroled.
After his release, Thiret relocated to California, where he remains listed as a registered sex offender in the Los Angeles area. Arrest records from Los Angeles County show that Thiret was booked on a charge of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age. His current status as a registered sex offender continues to raise concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of sentencing and parole laws.
Lori Poland, now an advocate for survivors of abuse, has channeled her trauma into purposeful work. She co-founded EndCAN and published her memoir "I Live Here" in 2022. Poland's efforts aim to support others who have experienced similar traumas and to push for changes in laws and policies that affect survivors of abuse.
Thiret's case remains a significant example of the challenges in protecting the public from repeat offenders. His current status as a registered sex offender in California, with a history of further charges involving children, continues to raise concerns about public safety and the need for effective laws and policies to prevent similar crimes.
Key points
- Robert Paul Thiret is currently a registered sex offender in California.
- Thiret served only six years of his ten-year prison sentence.
- Lori Poland has become an advocate for survivors of abuse, publishing a memoir and co-founding EndCAN.
