An autopsy showed Wells was shot execution-style at point-blank range in the back of the head with a 20-gauge shotgun. Report inappropriate content . A nearby chair had been overturned, and the coffee table was moved aside. Hunter said he agreed not to pursue an indictment of Smika in October 1983, before the grand jury began its investigation, in exchange for keeping Smikas expiring $100,000 bond in force for two more weeks. It kind of rips you to the core, Robert said. Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. 4 helpful votes. Under Garnett, an arrest warrant was issued for Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' and a longtime suspect in the case. 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. Save. Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. . 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. Thanyne Smika (CBS/KCNC) CBS/KCNC Smika was arrested in the killing two months later but wasn't charged. Thayne Smika is accused of fatally shooting his roommate in the back of the head on August 1, 1983, in their Spanish Towers apartment after Sid Wells demanded Smika pay back his rent. Shauna showed up a few minutes later. $300 monthly. Darryl Smika said he thinks authorities are wasting their time and money looking for his son. According to Trujillo, if Thayne Smika is still alive, he will eventually be caught, charged, and the case will be closed. 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. But when he walked inside, he found Sid dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. I hope its solved, he said. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. Investigators are still looking for Thayne Smika and are asking anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact . Judicial Circuit County(ies) Prosecuting Attorney 1st Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis, Woodruff: Todd Murray /Metadata 6 0 R>> 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. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. I've read to stay away from the Red Light Dist at night due to all of the drunken tourists (of . Things were going as planned for Smika, according to the documents, late on July 31. /StructTreeRoot 5 0 R Prefer C.U. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. He is a people person and very supportive of his officers. Re: Walking at night . stream Im still hopeful, Robert said. Thayne Smika, now 54, is being sought in 1983 murder of 22-year-old Sid Wells; . In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. , updated papa's burgeria hacked; superhero universe codes; wicked tuna paul died; why was matt houston cancelled; petey jones remember the titans character analysis 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. Middle Name: Alan. Theyll find nothing, he said. Smika was arrested on Oct. 6, 1983 for first-degree murder. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Boulder police believe he may have a new identity and he may be working as a bookkeeper or accountant. Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much upperclassman or graduate student. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. 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. After testing the crime scene, interviewing Smika at his mothers home, and finding a 20-gauge shotgun there the same weapon Wells had been killed with police arrested Smika on October 6, 1983, for first-degree murder. Smika was eventually let out of custody, and stayed around the area for a couple years. Sid, Shauna and a friend eventually ended up back at Sid and Smikas apartment, and they drank and used cocaine, according to the documents. Wells was found shot to death in his Boulder apartment on Aug. 3, 1983. But he came anyway because of his close friendship with Wells. 348 Detective Tom Dowd may be reached at 303-441-3385. "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. There was just no sign of life whatsoever, Wells said. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. This will be a great fit for Estes Park for a lot of reasons.. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers. 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. Before arriving in Boulder, Smika had lived in North Platte, Nebraska, and Akron, Colorado, throughout his formative years. Published on September 2019 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 6 | Comments: 0 | Views: 288 of 46 Sid and his brother needed a roommate and settled on Smika, but they werent close friends. Sid Wells in 1983 (credit: Boulder Police Department). To date, the trail has been cold, but Boulder police said they have not given up. She was devastated, June Menger recalled. Thayne Smika is wanted for the 1983 slaying of his roommate, who was dating Robert Redford's daughter at the time. Furnished living room. 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 dont know why the grand jury was handled the way it was. She said she isn't bitter about the delays in getting a murder warrant. A grand jury was derailed by Hunter two years later, according to the Camera. He is passionate about what he calls constitutional policing. Most of what we do is not police work, it is community safety. 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. 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. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. Wells was dating Shauna Jean Redford, the daughter of actor Robert Redford, and this brought attention to the case on a global scale. 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. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. They also found a box of shells with three missing. [KGOV updated this report on Oct. 28, 2019.] The state or Arizona has until January 4, 2019, to respond. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. 11 reviews. A Warner Bros. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. . I believe the motive was the money and the cocaine, and that Thayne got found out from Sid that he was not being up and up, Neitzel added. The guy who you believe has done it has never been brought to justice, Robert said. They said it's possible he lived in Yelapa, Mexico for many years after he was released from custody. According to the FBI, Thayne Smika hasn't been seen since he was freed from detention. 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. News. Smika, who was often late with rent, was supposed to pay Wells the day he was killed, investigators 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. 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. "Smika's relatives have not provided any helpful information to the Boulder Police Department," police spokesperson Kim Kobel said in a statement. 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. The district attorney's office in Boulder County . 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. We couldn't understand why they let him go.". He also reviewed the grand jury decision by Hunter. and But he got home early, around 11:45 a.m. You will be redirected once the validation is complete. The case went cold and remained closed for years until Boulder police Deputy Chief David Hayes and Detective Melissa Kampf reopened it in 1997 when a new witness offered information about Smikas actions around the time of the homicide. 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. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. This process is automatic. 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 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. 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. Investigators wasted no time paying a visit to Smika in Akron. The trail has been icy, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. He started reviewing the case, its evidence and how it had progressed through the new analyses. Level Contributor . Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers. 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. The whole thing was extremely frustrating.. The grand jury was the biggest shock for my family and the most difficult thing to deal with, said Robert Wells, Sids older brother. 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 Detective Hayes, This is not a whodunit, but rather a 'where is he?'. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in the case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. For nearly five decades as a police officer, Hayes has been on the helping side in situations of crisis and tragedy. 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. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. Darlene Smika the mother of the missing suspect, who vanished in 1986 refused to speak with detectives, police reported. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika - or called him by that name, at least - since 1986. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 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. The rent was due that day. 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. Sid really seemed like he was a victim that should never have been. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. Sids mom could not believe it. Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. To view more information on a district, click on a county within that region. Sid Wells, who was 22 at the time, was found shot to death in his condo in August of 1983. Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. Honorary U.S. Thayne Alan Smika, photo taken in 1983, courtesy of fbi.gov Smika was known around town as a college dropout and drifter. 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. Smika would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. My dad helped review medical charts to screen for possible suspects, said Hayes. Smika allegedly stole around 7 grams of cocaine from Sid on two different occasions, according to the court documents. But he wouldnt know that until later that evening. endobj Circumstances: Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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