Thayne Smika disappeared in 1986, and the police didn't issue an arrest order for him until 2011. Those who have information but wish to remain anonymous may contact the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. 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. Boulder police believe he may have a new identity and he may be working as a bookkeeper or accountant. Smika was arrested Oct. 6, 1983 about two months after the slaying but then-District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to charge him, saying there wasnt enough evidence. There was blood spatter underneath the note, which would mean the note was written after the death, Neitzel said. Colo. police seek help with high-profile cold case. He loved the way her hair fell over her eyes. Shauna, the daughter of Robert Redford and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, whom he divorced in 1985, dated Sid Wells for three years, and in his obituary she was listed among his survivors. A. Greg in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. of 1 Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. Investigators wasted no time paying a visit to Smika in Akron. Thayne Smika, now 54, is being sought in 1983 murder of 22-year-old Sid Wells; . The guy who you believe has done it has never been brought to justice, Robert said. Prosecutors at the time of the killing lacked the evidence techniques that have since allowed detectives to link shotgun pellets recovered from Wells' body to shells found at the Smika family residence in Akron, Menger said. Their elections are non-partisan. 348 Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. Thayne Alan Smika, photo taken in 1983, courtesy of fbi.gov Smika was known around town as a college dropout and drifter. Fred Neitzel, now retired, was one of the Boulder Police Department detectives on the case at the time, and says that a host of evidence played into the decision to arrest Smika, but his note saying he was leaving town may have been the biggest factor. Smikas friends and acquaintances thought Smika to be messy, unkempt and temperamental, according to the court documents. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. At some point, Sid went up to Shaunas apartment to stay with her. A grand jury failed to indict him, and two previous Boulder County district. Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. /MarkInfo <> - DNA Not from a Single Intruder: In 2016 Boulder's Daily Camera and Denver's 9News obtained the crime scene DNA report and their undisputed analysis found that in two of the three DNA specimens, the "a 3rd person's . Sid Wells in 1983 (credit: Boulder Police Department). Theyll find nothing, he said. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Deputy District Attorney Lesli S. Boese Ted S. Szczupakiewicz Michael D. Thurston. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. 2. Boulder detectives suspect that Smikas parents and siblings upon learning of the new warrant, which was signed by a judge Dec. 2 and placed under seal might have alerted him to the fact that police were ready to arrest him, according to court documents. The grand jury was the biggest shock for my family and the most difficult thing to deal with, said Robert Wells, Sids older brother. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. Thayne Smika was arrested in 1983 for the murder of his roommate Sid Wells, but the Boulder County Jail freed him after his mother put up a bond. Photo from the Boulder Daily Camera Spring 2011 Campus News Judicial Circuit County(ies) Prosecuting Attorney 1st Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis, Woodruff: Todd Murray Smika was arrested on Oct. 6, 1983 for first-degree murder. Smika was arrested on Oct. 6, 1983, two months after the slaying, but then-district attorney Alex Hunter (A&S'59, Law'63) declined to charge him, saying there wasn't enough evidence. I dont know that Ill live long enough to see a resolution in this case, but I would hope that I can, and Ive never given up hope, she said. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. Smika, who was 24 years old in 1983, was a drifter without a job who was attempting to avoid paying his bills and being arrested by the police after failing to make a mortgage payment on a home he had purchased with a friend. A broken hearted Shauna later left the university. Directory of District Attorney Offices. He was in debt, ducking out on bills and hiding from authorities, and was said to be sloppy, usually unemployed, moody, and easily set off by those who knew him. She wants to find Thayne Smika and she wants to ask him, Why?. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. <> Thayne Smika Missing Thayne Smika Follow Thayne's Case Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. She said she isn't bitter about the delays in getting a murder warrant. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. We couldn't understand why they let him go.". . Thayne Smika Warrant. A nearby chair had been overturned, and the coffee table was moved aside. The day before a long-sought arrest warrant in the high-profile 1983 slaying of Sid Wells was unsealed, Boulder police simultaneously called six relatives of prime suspect Thayne Smika to ask whether they had any information on the 52-year-olds whereabouts, according to newly released court records. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. For interview, call Sid, 443-****, evenings.Si. 'I don't know that I'll live long enough to see a resolution in this case, but I would hope that I can, and I've never given up hope,' she told CNN. Im still hopeful. <> Smika concocted an elaborate plan in which he said he planned to stake out their apartment and wait for the alleged thief to come in and steal the rest of the drugs. Wells' mother June Menger says Redford is like a daughter-in-law to her, even though she never saw her son married. TRAITS & CHARACTERISTICS: Height: 5 feet 11 inches Weight: 140 pounds at the time of the incident Sex: Male Race: White Eyes: Hazel Place of Birth: North Dakota Hair: Brown, could be sun-bleached 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. Honorary U.S. Sam Carlson Port Protection Singer Son Kelly Carlson Makes An Appearance On The Show, Jason Segel Siblings Are Sister Alison Segel and Brother Adam Segel, DB Woodside And Golden Brooks Daughter Dakota Tao Brooks-Woodside, Deena Nicole Cortese Sister Joanie Maiorella Works As A Science Teacher, Khary Payton Parents Victor Payton And Gwendolyn Middleton Payton Raised Him With His Other Siblings, Ritchie Coster Wife Jan Conklin Is Operations Consultant With A Lot Of Experience, Stefania Spampinato Wished Her Sister Daniela Spampinato On Her New Journey, Was Thayne Smika Found? 2023 Cable News Network. Prefer C.U. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. Shauna woke up that morning and left for work just before 11 a.m. She woke up Sid, reminding him that he was to have lunch with his mother at noon. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika since 1986 or even called him by that name. What Happened To Nia From Real World Portland? It kind of rips you to the core, Robert said. His sister, Tava Smika, currently lives in Vaughn, MT. /StructTreeRoot 5 0 R Currently Reading. Sids mom could not believe it. 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. On August 1, 1983, just before Sid began his senior year, he died from a single 20-gauge shotgun wound to the back of the head. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. After a cold case investigation in December 2010 an arrest warrant for the murder was issued. Comments 2 0 obj This goes back a long way to when I was 9 or 10 years old, and I am still in touch with Jim today, 56 years later.. But when he walked inside, he found Sid dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. Thayne Smika, a 24-year old college dropout, answered the ad. She grieved in ways that I cant even imagine, Menger said. He asked her to be his date to the Navy ROTC ball, and from that point on, the two were inseparable. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. We are continually working to identify anyone who may be in contact with Thayne Smika, police spokeswoman Kim Kobel said. . Over the years, Hayes has worked as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant, commander, and deputy chief. This will be a great fit for Estes Park for a lot of reasons.. Thayne Smika for decades has been considered the main suspect in the death of Wells, 22, who was living with his brother and Smika in Boulder's Spanish Towers when his body was found Aug. 1,. Im angry that the system let me down. /Lang (en) It's an unsolved mystery involving a beautiful college town, a picture-perfect young couple and even a movie star. but it can also be stressful. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. The FBI is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Smika's arrest and conviction. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Authorities said Smika may be working in the real estate or financial industry. He is passionate about what he calls constitutional policing. Most of what we do is not police work, it is community safety. papa's burgeria hacked; superhero universe codes; wicked tuna paul died; why was matt houston cancelled; petey jones remember the titans character analysis 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. Darlene Smika the mother of the missing suspect, who vanished in 1986 refused to speak with detectives, police reported. During his boyhood, Hayes thought about becoming a priest, but an interaction with a Denver police officer, R. James Burkhalter, helped him decide what he wanted to be. Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. Police said a possible motive was that Smika owed Wells $300 for rent that day. 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. Earlier this month, Arias's present attorneys, Peg Green and Corey Engle, filed a 324-page appeal on behalf of the imprisoned murderer, asking that her conviction be overturned. The Smika family name was found in the USA in 1920. District Attorneys Council Home Page / District Attorneys To view each county's name, district number, and district attorney, place your mouse pointer over each county and hold it still. How in the world could this possibly happen? For nearly five decades as a police officer, Hayes has been on the helping side in situations of crisis and tragedy. By Vicky Collins, Dateline NBCIt's an unsolved mystery involving a beautiful college town, a picture-perfect young couple and even a movie star.It all started with this classified ad in the Boulder Daily Camera, January, 1983.SPANISH Towers Luxury Condominiums. The case was presented to a grand jury but the District Attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, did not believe he had enough evidence to try Smika and released him from custody. 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. xZms6_*! upperclassman or graduate student. District attorneys are assigned to Arkansas's 23 judicial circuits. Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. COLORADO investigators are asking for help finding a man suspected of killing Sid Wells, a 22-year-old college student who was dating actor-director Robert Redford's daughter when he was shot to . 06:57 GMT 09 Aug 2014 An aspiring journalist, Wells also was part of the universitys Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. THAYNE ALAN SMIKA . Recent information indicates he may be living near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Marshal Walsh shines a light on the current search for Jihad Ramadan, who is . After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. . A Denver district attorney has called parts of Colorado, "the Wild West of weed." Sales across state lines have pitted one legal jurisdiction against another, as marijuana laws differ widely around the country. "It's past time for justice for Sid Wells and his family," Deputy Chief Dave Hayes said. There was blood spattered on a magazine on the coffee table close to a note Sam himself had left saying he was going camping, as well as another note from Smika: Sid/Sam Ive gone home to visit my folks for a couple of days and Ill be back Tuesday or Wednesday. For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. I hope its solved, he said. Sam and Sid Wells needed a third roommate to help with rent, so they posted an ad which was answered by 24-year-old Thayne Smika, a Colorado State University graduate from Akron in eastern Colorado. Hayes home was one that was turned to ash. Smika was chosen by Sid and his brother as a roommate even though they weren't particularly close. Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. $300 monthly. She said Robert Redford and her son were friends, and they went jogging and skiing together. According to the affidavit, Boulder police received the requested information from the phone companies on Feb. 24. The service requires full JavaScript support in order to view this website. Allegedly Arrested For Murder, Debra Jeter Death And Daughter Kiersten Jeter Netflix Documentary Case Dateline, Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? Sids mother, June Menger, describes her youngest son as a good-looking, vivacious, young man who was interning at a local television station and wanted to fly jets for the U.S. Navy. And it was questions from Sid and friends regarding several grams of missing coke, a few hundred dollars, and Smika's behavior that police believe eventually led to Sids murder just before noon on Aug. 1, 1983. Thayne Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . Hayes worked on many cocaine cases in the 1970s and 1980s and was an investigator in the 1983 homicide of Sid Wells a University of Colorado student who was dating Robert Redfords daughter Shauna. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. Furnished living room. The DA's office "did not think there was enough evidence to file charges"., prompting criticism of Hunter from the victim's grieving mother. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. BOULDER, Colorado (AP) Investigators are asking for help finding a man suspected of killing Sid Wells, a 22-year-old college student who was dating actor-director Robert Redford's daughter when he was shot to death three decades ago. (Information retrieved from NamUs.g. 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