This was in the days before HIPPA. Wanted for: Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - First Degree Murder Wanted by: FBI Hair: Black: Height . The FBI is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Smika's arrest and conviction. I have no doubt in my mind that that shotgun was responsible for Sids death, Neitzel said. A. Greg
July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM The 22-year-old University of Colorado student had been dating Robert Redford's daughter Shauna Redford for three years at the time of his death, and she was so devastated by the loss that she dropped out of college. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, Calif. Wells'. And though Robert and his remaining family members say they still continue to feel Sids loss and it is sometimes a challenge to find hope, he says hes optimistic that Smika will be found at brought to justice. For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. Police ask anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact them. After years of consulting with the manufacturer of the shotgun shells used in Sids murder and the ones found in Smikas closet in Akron, investigators were eventually able to learn that the three shells were uniquely old when they were used, had all been loaded into Smikas shotgun, and all had the same chemical makeup. Multiple experts confirmed it was highly likely that the shell used to kill Sid was a match to the other two shells investigators found, something Netizel says is the most damning evidence in the case. Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. Thayne Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. Stories worth watching 16 videos. upperclassman or graduate student. 2 0 obj But he had plenty of other friends and acquaintances. When David Hayes left for work on the morning of December 30 last year, he had no idea that he would not have a home to return to that night. She said Redford initially decided not to attend the funeral, worried it would become a media circus. In his freshman year, hed fallen head-over-heels for a girl in his dorm named Shauna. To that end, investigators requested and received a court order earlier this year to obtain records related to the phones belonging to six of Smikas family members including the phone numbers of calls dialed and received, as well as physical addresses, longitude and latitude, and GPS coordinates of cell towers used in those calls. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. The case, however, was never solved. His home of 32 years, where he raised two daughters, was a half mile from the police station, but Hayess attention was on a joint operation with area sheriff, police and fire departments. Wind gusts were clocked at 70 to 100 mph. But Sid and a friend confronted him about the missing drugs, andSmika blamed their disappearance on another man. In 2010, the Boulder County district attorney's office agreed to review the case and approved an arrest affidavit for Smika. 06:57 GMT 09 Aug 2014 According to court documents, Smika, who was 24 in 1983, was a jobless drifter who was trying to skirt paying bills and getting caught by authorities after failing to pay a mortgage on a house hed bought with a friend a couple years earlier. DENVER In August 1983, Sid Wells was 22 years old and about to enter his senior year at CU Boulder with dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist. Furnished living room. It would be unusual for someone to absent themselves from contact with any and all known family members for such an extended period of time, Detective Traci Cravitz wrote in an affidavit supporting the departments request for phone records, which was made public Wednesday. Pic Credit: U.S. Smika, who was often late with rent, was supposed to pay Wells the day he was killed, investigators said. Investigators are still looking for Thayne Smika and are asking anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact . I've read to stay away from the Red Light Dist at night due to all of the drunken tourists (of . Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. Hayes home was one that was turned to ash. With the Marshall Fire, he experienced being a victim, something he says has given him an increased sense of empathy in working with others. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. In 2010, armed with more sophisticated forensic and ballistic evidence, he says he was once again able to pinpoint Thayne Smika as the likely killer. Smika charged, but DA's deal throws case into disarray. Smika stayed up until around 6:30 a.m. before he was seen by a neighbor moving a trash can outside and back inside, locking the apartment door and falling asleep. Thayne Smika, a 24-year old college dropout, answered the ad. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. FBI investigators also said they connected three shotgun shells found in Smikas mothers home in eastern Colorado with the one that killed Wells test results that have since been questioned. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. A short time later, his roommate, 24-year-old Thayne Smika, was arrested in connection with Wells' murder, but the Boulder District Attorney declined to file charges and Smika was let go. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. District Attorney Susan L. Opper. An advocate of mental health co-responders working alongside police officers, Hayes said, We want to be the people that people in the community call when they have a problem., Dave is just a natural, said Hayes long-time mentor, Burkhalter. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. papa's burgeria hacked; superhero universe codes; wicked tuna paul died; why was matt houston cancelled; petey jones remember the titans character analysis Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. The case attracted worldwide media attention when Redford halted production of The Natural, being filmed on location in Buffalo, N.Y., and came to Boulder for Wells' funeral. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smika surname lived. This process is automatic. Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. /Lang (en) Finding Smika is especially urgent because June Menger is now battling stage four cancer and would like closure and justice for her son in her lifetime. Discovery Company. It is his decision to solve this problem his way, and I have honored it.. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. $300 monthly. He worked through college at the Boulderado Hotel. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of freedom while the Wells family has been grieving for three decades . of 1 But he was perhaps best-known around town in 1983 for being the guy who was dating Robert Redfords daughter, Shauna, who was also a student at CU at the time. He speaks Spanish and has been known to use the alias, "Thaymes Micah." The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture and conviction. First published on July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM. endobj The district attorney's office in Boulder County . Wells' mother June Menger says Redford is like a daughter-in-law to her, even though she never saw her son married. He has not been seen since. 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For the past three years, Wells had been dating Shauna Redford, daughter of actor Robert Redford, and she had seen him just a few hours before he was killed. People had to be evacuated from the fires path. All Rights Reserved. Their elections are non-partisan. Directory of District Attorney Offices. But in 2009, Stan Garnett took over as district attorney, with a newfound interest in the case. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, Calif. Robert Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. Police in 2011 issued a first-degree-murder arrest warrant for Thayne Smika, 54, . Wells had been shot in the back of the head at close range. Although he says he doesnt know what went into Hunters decision or why the former DA decided to reach the agreement with Smika, he says hes still left with questions. The suspect in this case is a man named Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' in 1983. But as long as theyre not giving up, we have hope.. Police suspected his roommate, Thayne Smika, and arrested him. Shauna showed up a few minutes later. This will be a great fit for Estes Park for a lot of reasons.. New DA furthers investigation, obtains new arrest warrant. Marshals in connection with a 2005 stabbing and Thayne Smika is wanted by the FBI for murder. <> Oklahoma had the highest population of Smika families in 1920. He went on to work in law enforcement and as a special agent, and has since founded the Families of Colorado Murder Victims and Missing Persons (FOHVAMP), which helps families of victims in unsolved murder and missing persons crimes seek help in closing their cases. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. In 1997, a police officer posing as a journalism student talked to Smika's mother, who said her son had changed his name because he was afraid for his life because he knew who the real killer was. Sid Wells, a 22-year old journalism student at the University of Colorado, was looking for someone to rent a room to. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. Sids mom could not believe it. However, then-district attorney Alex Hunter -- well. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika - or called him by that name, at least - since 1986. One of the most high-profile murders in Colorados history remains unsolved after nearly 34 years, but police and prosecutors know who their suspect is and have an active warrant for his arrest. "Smika's relatives have not provided any helpful information to the Boulder Police Department," police spokesperson Kim Kobel said in a statement. Im 100 percent. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. You will be redirected once the validation is complete. LinnyT. Then they learned that prosecutors had declined to charge Smika with the killing, saying there wasnt enough evidence. Police and the family believe he changed his name and disappeared. MDAA is an independent state agency whose mission is to support the eleven elected Massachusetts District Attorneys and their staff, including approximately 785 prosecutors and 260 victim-witness advocates. % Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. Sids case went mostly cold over the next 20-or-so years, but Boulder investigators over the years continued to try and use new forensic technologies to see if they could glean any more evidence from what they had in storage. Wells was entering his senior year at the University of Colorado, and his death drew international attention because he was dating actor Robert Redfords daughter, Shauna Redford, at the time. Save. 6: 6 "Trafficking in . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. <> Were revictimized on a daily basis because our loved one is not there to share that moment with us. You all made up your own stories.. For interview, call Sid, 443-****, evenings.Si. Smika, who was also once an AMW web-exclusive, will be the first ever fugitive from 'The Hunt' to get an In Pursuit profile as well. It didnt make sense to me when I first heard about it, Garnett said. ", Additional Information From Boulder Police. Boulder police are still looking for Thayne Smika after a murder warrant was issued for his arrest in 2010. A. Greg
A Boulder County grand jury was convened to investigate the homicide but failed to issue an indictment in 1985 after Hunter made a secret agreement with Smika's public . Subscribe He also had a fondness for cocaine, according to police interviews with friends, a habit he could not afford. In 2022 Hayes was a Democratic primary candidate for Sheriff in Boulder County running against Curtis Johnson, a division chief with the Boulder County Sheriffs Office. In 2011, the. A nearby chair had been overturned, and the coffee table was moved aside. Smika's bail was set at $5million after the warrant was issued. Re: Walking at night . <> Associated Press
Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. The fire, which began at about 11 a.m., quickly spread to some 6,000 acres across a populated suburban area just south of Boulder. Detective Tom Dowd may be reached at 303-441-3385. Allegedly Arrested For Murder, Debra Jeter Death And Daughter Kiersten Jeter Netflix Documentary Case Dateline, Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? Following the murder, Shauna went on to marry university professor Eric Schlosser, the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation. 2023 Cable News Network. 7 Thayne Smika Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 7 Thayne Smika Premium High Res Photos Browse 7 thayne smika stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. But authorities could not find him. The police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . The trail has been frozen, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. Tonight, In Pursuit with John Walsh takes a look at both men and the allegations against them. Sydney Sid Wells was a promising student at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he studied journalism and was a member of the Navy ROTC program. Also Read: Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? According to the affidavit, Boulder police received the requested information from the phone companies on Feb. 24. , updated How in the world could this possibly happen? District attorneys are assigned to Arkansas's 23 judicial circuits. His longtime girlfriend, Shauna, was the daughter of actor Robert Redford, which was a major reason the story attracted so much attention when Wells was murdered. To view more information on a district, click on a county within that region. I have not been in touch with him, and I have no intentions of trying to do so. appreciated. endobj The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. Police arrested Wells' roommate Thayne Smika but the Boulder County District Attorney at the time did not think there was sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial. A Warner Bros. Its something she and her family have never gotten over. 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