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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 'The Hunt': Thayne Smika . What happened over the next several hours remains unclear, but by noon, Sid was dead. He immediately called police, his shock apparent in the 911 recording. . 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. Tonight, In Pursuit with John Walsh takes a look at both men and the allegations against them. Now, a retired detective who worked the case back in the early 80s is speaking up for the first time in years in hopes of bringing closure to a Colorado family and an end to a complex murder mystery that has puzzled Boulder for decades. 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 Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. 11 reviews. but it can also be stressful. For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. endstream Circumstances: Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. 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. 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. ;}v;LZ%^(R(;_/"-Rqnv};!;.cs|CGA6. 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. 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. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. If Thayne was innocent, she says, he would want to clear his name and live a normal life rather than hide out., For June, Sids death is as fresh as if it just happened. However, then-district attorney Alex Hunter -- well. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Missing. Sid Wells, a 22-year old journalism student at the University of Colorado, was looking for someone to rent a room to. 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. 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. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. Colo. police seek help with high-profile cold case. $300 monthly. Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. Smika's abandoned car was discovered in California in 1986. Dave Hayes was a rookie detective in the Boulder Police Department when Sid Wells was killed. Sidney Wells Murder And Case Update. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. 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. Burkhalter, who had become a homicide detective, thought that the suspect might be a former patient at the clinic. 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. The FBI speculated that Thyane Smika might also reside in California. Directory of District Attorney Offices. On August 1, 1983, Sam Wells returned from a camping trip to find his brother lying face down on the floor inside the apartment. Theyll find nothing, he said. 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. 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.. According to the court filings, Smika's friends and acquaintances described him as dirty, messy, and volatile. His roommate Thayne Smika, who was reportedly due to pay rent that day, was soon named as the number one suspect for the shocking murder. Marshals photo. 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. Last seen alive: October 01, 1986. We heard Thayne Smika had been arrested, we were elated, and I thought, Oh, you know, got the family settled down and law enforcement did their job. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. - 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 . A grand jury failed to indict him, and two previous Boulder County district. Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. Things were going as planned for Smika, according to the documents, late on July 31. Following an investigation, authorities discovered Sid had been killed by a single shot fired at a slight downward angle from a.20-gauge shotgun. She believes Smika has had some very good cover for 30 years and has also had help staying off the grid. 2023 Cable News Network. Call 1-866-THE-HUNT (In Mexico: 0188000990546) or click here. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. "It's past time for justice for Sid Wells and his family," Deputy Chief Dave Hayes said. Thayne Smika is wanted for the 1983 slaying of his roommate, who was dating Robert Redford's daughter at the time. She grieved in ways that I cant even imagine, Menger said. Under Garnett, an arrest warrant was issued for Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' and a longtime suspect in the case. 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 . 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. Thayne'scloset included a.20-gauge shotgun, cartridges, a box of shells, three shells of which were missing. % 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. Another connection with Burkhalter came in 1977. Shauna showed up a few minutes later. We couldn't understand why they let him go.". But when he walked inside, he found Sid dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . How can a district attorney actually handle his grand jury in such a manner? Sam called police, who arrived shortly afterward. Watch Liz Gelardi and James Dougherty's video story in the player below or by clicking here. and
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. But during a grand jury process to determine if and what charges Smika might face, Neitzel discovered in District Attorney Alexander Hunters case file that the office had reached an agreement with Smika that the grand jury would not be able to come back with a true bill charging Smika with any criminal conduct effectively meaning he wouldnt face any charges no matter what the grand jury found. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. The former DA, Hunter, served as the Boulder County District Attorney from 1973 to 2001, when Mary Lacy became head of the office. July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. "The police department felt that way, his friends and roommates felt that way. The door was unlocked, as it typically was. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, Calif. Wells'. I dont know why anybody would enter into an agreement like that. Thayne Smika Warrant. "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 . I dont know why anyone would ever agree ahead of time not to respect the decision that a grand jury is going to return.. 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. According to court documents, he told his family members to get passports in order to be able to visit him, implying that he would be leaving the country, but his family claims they havent heard from him since either. Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. Lakewood, Ohio. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. John Walsh is looking for a man suspected of killing his roommate and has been on the run since 1986. xZms6_*! Its disturbing on so many levels.. Sid Wells in 1983 (credit: Boulder Police Department). Detectives found a .20-gauge shotgun and several cartridges in his closet in Akron, and took those into evidence. Shauna quit college. Investigators pay a visit to Smika's mother's home. 348 <> 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. According to the FBI, Thayne Smika hasn't been seen since he was freed from detention. The case was presented to a grand jury but the District Attorney at. But Smika was still off the radar, and nobody had looked at any of the new evidence hard enough to pursue new charges. Thayne Smika disappeared in 1986, and the police didn't issue an arrest order for him until 2011. A year later he joined the Boulder Police Department where he worked for 36 years before returning to the Louisville Police Department in 2014 to serve as their Chief of Police. Were revictimized on a daily basis because our loved one is not there to share that moment with us. * DNA Update -- History Repeats Itself: Twice now Boulder District Attorneys have misled the public in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. The trail has been icy, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. Smika was never seen again. 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 Smika says he told Sid about the trip the night before. 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. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. 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. Smika was a leading suspect when the coroner declared the death to be a homicide. How in the world could this possibly happen? Wells' brother found his body August 1, 1983, in Wells' Spanish Towers condominium. 100 posts. Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. 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. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Feb 24, 2023, 3:22 PM. The Boulder Police Department is asking for tips, and has released a time progression of what Smika might look like 30 years after the murder. "Smika's relatives have not provided any helpful information to the Boulder Police Department," police spokesperson Kim Kobel said in a statement. Police suspected his roommate, Thayne Smika, and arrested him. 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. People had to be evacuated from the fires path. A Boulder Daily Camera piece on this development notes that Smika was suspect number one in the execution-style slaying from the jump. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in the case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. Smika was also profiled in the January 23, 2019 episode of the Investigation Discovery series In Pursuit with John Walsh. The police said that new evidence and advances in forensic technology had convinced them to refocus on the only suspect ever named, Thayne Alan Smika , now . 06:57 GMT 09 Aug 2014 In 2010, the Boulder County district attorney's office agreed to review the case and approved an arrest affidavit for Smika. Associated Press
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. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Several other rounds of DNA testing at labs across the country, including the FBI Laboratory, turned up scant evidence directly linking Smika to Sids murder, though they did find some circumstantial blood evidence. A grand jury convened to investigate the homicide, but failed issue an indictment in 1985 after Hunter made a clandestine deal with Smikas public defender. Thayne Smika, 55 Suspect in the killing of his roommate On the run since 1986 Could be in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico On August 1, 1983, Sam Wells returned from a camping trip to find his brother. Wells was dating the daughter of Robert Redford, Shauna Redford, at the time of the shooting. The victim, CU student Sid Wells, was dating the daughter of actor Robert Redford, a major reason the story attracted so much attention when he was murdered. Prefer C.U. 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. When asked by the Camera on Wednesday whether she knows where her son is, she said, Would I tell you?. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. Police suspected Smika, Wells' roommate, and arrested him a few months after investigators said they linked him to the murder. Reply. '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. Report inappropriate content . Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. But he got home early, around 11:45 a.m. 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 . He also had some small-time involvement in the use and sale of cocaine, according to police documents. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. Im still hopeful. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Last Name: Smika. Hayes never gave up on getting justice for the Wells family and, in 1997, Boulder police reopened the case. 4 helpful votes. Its something I would like to see before Im gone, Neitzel said. Darryl Smika said he has theories on where his son is hiding, but theyre mine. He said he absolutely believes his son is innocent in the infamous homicide, and he hopes police never find him. Robert was enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard at the time of his brothers death, but has long maintained an active role in the investigation. Boulder police have given The ENQUIRER sketches of Smika's possible age-enhanced appearance. One man who lived across the street from Spanish Towers told detectives he was certain hed seen Smika walking quickly and strangely across the parking lot with something long and stiff shoved up his sleeve. 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. . But Sid and a friend confronted him about the missing drugs, andSmika blamed their disappearance on another man. The following week, Smika's mother posts a $100,000 bond, and. He is a people person and very supportive of his officers. 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. 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. 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. When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. However, then-Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to file charges, and Smika moved away in 1986. . She was devastated, June Menger recalled. Darryl Smika said he thinks authorities are wasting their time and money looking for his son. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. appreciated. 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 comments below have not been moderated, By
While Smika was arrested on Oct. 6, 1983, about two months after the slaying, then-District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to charge him, saying there wasn't enough evidence. In December 2012, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Smika after Boulder police developed more evidence in the case. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. And his younger sister told investigators that the first thing Smika did when he got home that day was wash a bag full of clothes some of which may have been bloody, a friend later relayed to investigators. 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. But part of his story didnt add up from the beginning: His mother was away on a trip to Fort Collins all week. An arrest warrant for murder was issued but Smika was nowhere to be found. For nearly five decades as a police officer, Hayes has been on the helping side in situations of crisis and tragedy. I have no doubt in my mind that that shotgun was responsible for Sids death, Neitzel said. A maid corroborated hearing a similar noise around the same time. . upperclassman or graduate student. 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. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. Another man who lived next door to the Wells brothers told investigators that hed heard a loud bang, similar to a gunshot, at the time the coroner determined Sid had died. His sister, Tava Smika, currently lives in Vaughn, MT. 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. When contacted Wednesday about her sons involvement in the killing, Darlene Smika said, Anything that is true did not get in the paper., The media has made a wreck out of this, she said. Police ask anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact them. Marshal Walsh shines a light on the current search for Jihad Ramadan, who is . It was January nearly 18 years after a brown-eyed 5-year-old girl named Aleszandra "Alie" Berrelez vanished from the courtyard outside her Englewood apartment, sparking a four-day hunt that ended. And though Robert Wells remains cautious because of the cases handling over the years, he says hes hopeful that the renewed warrant will turn Smika up somewhere. 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