endobj stream 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. xQO0+>kqkBH&Bl*.t07;=F.B!`S@;0`.E:#ffl@mlSYVbY,b-I-WB"kJQ(pC,_Wz(z^=zl- B2=y-]B7mH785~Yk9._4]WH_B1J5} q mr7F0A{cGcN'hRfg\aX+3ce +U*G~ = Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. I hope its solved, he said. 4 helpful votes. With the Marshall Fire, he experienced being a victim, something he says has given him an increased sense of empathy in working with others. A Warner Bros. Thayne, WY Attorney (307) 883-9972 Duke University School of Law University of Wyoming California, Wyoming and U.S. Supreme Court Wyoming State Bar and Member, State Bar of California 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 would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. The grand jury was the biggest shock for my family and the most difficult thing to deal with, said Robert Wells, Sids older brother. 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. One friend said shed never known him to have had a job. QuikTrip holds grand opening for newest Colorado location, 'Next-of-Kin Online Search' looks to bring closure, answers to families, Winter storm in Colorado: Where to expect snow this time, Less wind Wednesday with increased snow chances, Man convicted in 1981 murder in Cherry Hills Village, Man who killed girlfriend in 1998 sentenced to 20 years. Comments . The Moving can be an exciting experience. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. Detectives couldnt be reached Wednesday to comment on whether they obtained any leads from the family members phones. Sids murder happened a mile from where he lived in 1983, and the grand jury incident happened just as he was getting out of law school at CU. 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. With the FBIs help, they established new forensic and ballistic evidence linking Smika to the murder. %PDF-1.7 endstream 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. Wells had been shot in the back of the head at close range. 15:04 GMT 09 Aug 2014. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smika surname lived. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. 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 The case was presented to a grand jury but the District Attorney at. 'The Hunt': Thayne Smika . This will be a great fit for Estes Park for a lot of reasons.. The police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . but it can also be stressful. endobj But he came anyway because of his close friendship with Wells. He may also be living in California, the FBI said. 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. There was blood spatter underneath the note, which would mean the note was written after the death, Neitzel said. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. 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. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an arrest affidavit for Smika, but they still haven't been able to find him. And in addition to paying the rent (he) was also going to give Sid some additional money and some cocaine. Wells friend told police that Wells had been selling small amounts of cocaine in recent months, according to Hayes. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. A Boulder Daily Camera piece on this development notes that Smika was suspect number one in the execution-style slaying from the jump. Thayne Smika, now 54, is being sought in 1983 murder of 22-year-old Sid Wells Wells was found dead from 20-gauge shotgun blast to the back of the head in his home Well had been dating Robert. Marshals photo. Call 1-866-THE-HUNT (In Mexico: 0188000990546) or click here. upperclassman or graduate student. % He loved the way her hair fell over her eyes. 01:37 - Source: CNN. It's time for justice, said Hayes, who has remained in touch with Wells' family over the last three decades. To view more information on a district, click on a county within that region. I wasnt ready to retire, and this opportunity came available, said Hayes who turned 66 this year. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. Oklahoma had the highest population of Smika families in 1920. Wells friend told police that the morning of Wells death, Smika was supposed to return some money to Sid, according to former Boulder County deputy chief Dave Hayes. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . (Information retrieved from NamUs.g. The FBI said Smika's abandoned car was found in California in 1986, but other than that, there's been no sign of him since he was released from custody. 5:59 PM EDT, Fri July 10, 2015. I believe its possible that he still is out there.. Smika's bail was set at $5million after the warrant was issued. But that day fire roared through unincorporated Boulder County, and the communities of Superior and Louisville, Colo., destroying more than 1,000 homes and seven commercial structures. 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. Updated Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, Calif. Wells'. Theyll find nothing, he said. Feb 24, 2023, 3:22 PM. Wells was found shot to death in his Boulder apartment on Aug. 3, 1983. [But Im] optimistic that something is going to happen.. ;}v;LZ%^(R(;_/"-Rqnv};!;.cs|CGA6. I dont know why anyone would ever agree ahead of time not to respect the decision that a grand jury is going to return.. The documents detail several personal timelines from people interviewed by detectives that investigators say show Smika was his killer. According to Trujillo, if Thayne Smika is still alive, he will eventually be caught, charged, and the case will be closed. Middle Name: Alan. They said it's possible he lived in Yelapa, Mexico for many years after he was released from custody. Things were going as planned for Smika, according to the documents, late on July 31. District attorneys are assigned to Arkansas's 23 judicial circuits. 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. /Outlines 4 0 R Sid really seemed like he was a victim that should never have been. a state arrest warrant was issued for Smika by the County District Court, Boulder County, Colorado, for first degree . 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 . The rent was due that day. In his freshman year, hed fallen head-over-heels for a girl in his dorm named Shauna. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 348 Did you encounter any technical issues? In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. He immediately called police, his shock apparent in the 911 recording. When asked by the Camera on Wednesday whether she knows where her son is, she said, Would I tell you?. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Last Name: Smika. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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The comments below have not been moderated, By My view is the warrant couldve been approved long ago, and had it been, its possible that Mr. Smika mightve been found more quickly, Garnett said. Robert Redford stopped production of his film The Natural so he and his family could attend Sids funeral. Allegedly Arrested For Murder, Debra Jeter Death And Daughter Kiersten Jeter Netflix Documentary Case Dateline, Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? Stories worth watching 16 videos. Hayes is the 2022-2023 President of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Thursday will mark 30 years since a murder on the University of Colorado Boulder campus and police are still asking for help to track the killer down. But part of his story didnt add up from the beginning: His mother was away on a trip to Fort Collins all week. Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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. Assistant District Attorney Kevin M. Osborne Mary C. Brejcha Jayne Davis Dewire Andrea M. Will Lindsey H. Hirt Abbey L. Nickolie Melissa J. Zilavy Shawn N. Woller Kristina J. Gordon Jack A. Pitzo Molly M. Schmidt Zachary A. Wittchow Prefer C.U. Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. Police and the family believe he changed his name and disappeared. Smika charged, but DA's deal throws case into disarray. Investigators wasted no time paying a visit to Smika in Akron. But he had plenty of other friends and acquaintances. 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. Last updated: July 17, 2020 Denver, CO A maid corroborated hearing a similar noise around the same time. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. Link Copied! He has not been seen since. 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. In Sids obituary, Shauna was listed as survivor, girlfriend and best friend. and They felt like he was a good candidate for a roommate, the brothers mother June Menger recalled. Discovery Company. You all made up your own stories.. Im still hopeful, Robert said. My dad helped review medical charts to screen for possible suspects, said Hayes. Detectives found a .20-gauge shotgun and several cartridges in his closet in Akron, and took those into evidence. The case, however, was never solved. "It's past time for justice for Sid Wells and his family," Deputy Chief Dave Hayes said. Momentarily the information will appear next to your cursor. According to the court filings, Smika's friends and acquaintances described him as dirty, messy, and volatile. But more tips started rolling in. For nearly five decades as a police officer, Hayes has been on the helping side in situations of crisis and tragedy. Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. A warrant for his arrest on forgery charges was issued out of Denver in early 1986, but he was never arrested and the warrant was eventually dropped. Its something she and her family have never gotten over. Smika's mother) Thayne Alan Smika, a white male, DOB February 27, 1959, and then described as being 5-11, 140 pounds with Brown Hair and Brown Eyes, was at the residence and the detectives notified him of the murder. Police in 2011 issued a first-degree-murder arrest warrant for Thayne Smika, 54, . papa's burgeria hacked; superhero universe codes; wicked tuna paul died; why was matt houston cancelled; petey jones remember the titans character analysis It carries first-degree murder charges, a $5 million bond and the conditions that Smika have no contact with the Wells family should he ever be caught. Smika, who was often late with rent, was supposed to pay Wells the day he was killed, investigators said. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in a case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. 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. 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. Sid was killed by a single gunshot wound to the back of the head from a .20-gauge shotgun shell shot at a near-horizontal, but slightly downward trajectory, the coroners office found, deeming Sids death a homicide. Thayne Smika Missing Thayne Smika Follow Thayne's Case Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. 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. As a Catholic kid from a large family in South Denver, Hayes fell in love with Estes Park during summers at Camp St. Malo. , updated 16 0 obj It kind of rips you to the core, Robert said. Neitzel, who has seldom spoken publicly about the case after his 1990 retirement, says he believes Smika is Sids killer, saying theres not a doubt in his mind that is the case, and that he hopes to see Smika arrested. 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. 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. Police ask anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact them. $300 monthly. But as long as theyre not giving up, we have hope.. Thayne Smika disappeared in 1986, and the police didn't issue an arrest order for him until 2011. 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. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. According to the affidavit, Boulder police received the requested information from the phone companies on Feb. 24. The guy who you believe has done it has never been brought to justice, Robert said. Wanted for: Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - First Degree Murder Wanted by: FBI Hair: Black: Height . 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. His sister, Tava Smika, currently lives in Vaughn, MT. <> But Sid and a friend confronted him about the missing drugs, andSmika blamed their disappearance on another man. 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. Wells' mother, June Menger, said that Boulder investigators have been dogged in their work to solve the case. Smika was eventually let out of custody, and stayed around the area for a couple years. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. Police and prosecutors know their suspect and have a warrant out for his arrest. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. That summer, Sid was living with one of his brothers, Sam, and Smika in the Spanish Towers condos on 29th Street just east of campus. and A photo that accompanied a 1983 Associated Press article about Wells funeral showed the weeping young woman being comforted by her father on their way to the service. Sid, Shauna and a friend eventually ended up back at Sid and Smikas apartment, and they drank and used cocaine, according to the documents. Smika's abandoned car was discovered in California in 1986. <> Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. This past February, when Estes Parks Police Chief Wes Kufeld announced that he would be stepping down in May after 34 years with department, 14 as chief, David Hayes threw his hat in the ring for the job. It all started with this classified ad in the Boulder Daily Camera, January, 1983. A nearby chair had been overturned, and the coffee table was moved aside. Boulder police are asking for help finding Smika, suspected of killing Sid Wells, a 22-year-old. Smikas friends and acquaintances thought Smika to be messy, unkempt and temperamental, according to the court documents. However, then-district attorney Alex Hunter -- well. In December 2010, the Boulder County district attorney signed off on an arrest warrant accusing Thayne Smika of first degree murder, but he has yet to be located. Now it comes down to finding a man who hasnt been seen or identified in 31 years. 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. Hayes graduated from a joint Boulder Police Department-Boulder Sheriffs Office Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology and political science from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Then-District Attorney Alex Hunter made a deal with Smika's. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. We are about being the guardians of the community and constitutional policing which is protecting the rights of everyone no matter what their race, immigration status or sexual orientation is, said Hayes. Dave Hayes was a rookie detective in the Boulder Police Department when Sid Wells was killed. An aspiring journalist, Wells also was part of the universitys Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. . stream Its disturbing on so many levels.. Police believe Thayne Smika could be hiding in Mexico or California under an assumed identity. Missing. THAYNE ALAN SMIKA . UNDATED: Thayne Smika is seen in a photo provided by the Boulder, Colo., Police Department. Deputy District Attorney Lesli S. Boese Ted S. Szczupakiewicz Michael D. Thurston. Boulder police believe he may have a new identity and he may be working as a bookkeeper or accountant. Im angry that the system let me down. Watch Liz Gelardi and James Dougherty's video story in the player below or by clicking here. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Frozen Dead Guy Days live music and entertainment lineup announced, Estes Womens Monument given prestigious history award, Perspectives: Watched by Howard P. 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