He also reviewed the grand jury decision by Hunter. 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. 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. A maid corroborated hearing a similar noise around the same time. 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. With the Marshall Fire, he experienced being a victim, something he says has given him an increased sense of empathy in working with others. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. His vehicle was recovered in Hollywood, CA in 1986. Currently Reading. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. Wells and Redford's daughter Shauna, then 22 years old, were both students at the University of Colorado and lived in the same building. 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. 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. Marshals in connection with a 2005 stabbing and Thayne Smika is wanted by the FBI for murder. 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. Smika charged, but DA's deal throws case into disarray. "The police department felt that way, his friends and roommates felt that way. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. Looking out the windows at the Louisville Police Station, Hayes saw flames consuming nearby bushes. A nearby chair had been overturned, and the coffee table was moved aside. Following his release from detention, they claimed it's conceivable Thayne spent a significant amount of time living in Yelapa, Mexico. Smika's abandoned car was discovered in California in 1986. <> /StructTreeRoot 5 0 R Thayne Smika Missing Thayne Smika Follow Thayne's Case Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. 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. But, after Smika moved in, they realized he wasnt very sociable and, Menger said, I think he was having trouble coming up with the rent money.. I hope its solved, he said. He also had a fondness for cocaine, according to police interviews with friends, a habit he could not afford. It's time for justice, said Hayes, who has remained in touch with Wells' family over the last three decades. We are continually working to identify anyone who may be in contact with Thayne Smika, police spokeswoman Kim Kobel said. Level Contributor . Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. /Outlines 4 0 R Stories worth watching 16 videos. /MarkInfo <> Boom, were going to get the rest of the story now and really find out what happened to Sid, his brother Rob Wells said. How in the world could this possibly happen? He has not been seen since. Wells was dating the daughter of Robert Redford, Shauna Redford, at the time of the shooting. 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 Wells was found dead from 20-gauge shotgun blast to the back of the head in his home Well had been dating Robert. Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. But when he walked inside, he found Sid dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. Boulder police believe he may have a new identity and he may be working as a bookkeeper or accountant. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 11 reviews. 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. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. New DA furthers investigation, obtains new arrest warrant. Boulder police release new sketches of Smika. The suspect, roommate Thayne Smika, has been on the run since 1986 over theft charges. <> First Name: Thayne Alan. She said she isn't bitter about the delays in getting a murder warrant. 15:04 GMT 09 Aug 2014. Associated Press, June Menger, the mother of murdered 22-year-old college student Sid Wells, hasn't given up hope police will find his killer, 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 Redford's daughter, Shauna, for three years, Police believe Smika, Well's ex-roommate, has been living under alias, 'Did the HPV vaccine kill my daughter': Mother demands answers after healthy and active daughter, 12, collapses and dies after getting vaccine, Murder charges could be brought against gunman who tried to assassinate Reagan after coroner rules death this week of press secretary paralyzed in attack is homicide, Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Shocking video shows machete fight playing out in broad daylight, Cops smashes window and rescue two kids from a parked car, Moment pastor FOILS armed robbery after praying for gunmen, TikTok video shows Unity Academy Blackpool pupils protesting, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Dramatic moment police cars chase driver moments before smash. I have no doubt in my mind that that shotgun was responsible for Sids death, Neitzel said. 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. Re: Walking at night . Its something I would like to see before Im gone, Neitzel said. 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. In 2017, Hayes bought a home in Estes Park with the thought that he would eventually retire in the community. For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. 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. 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 police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . In December 2012, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Smika after Boulder police developed more evidence in the case. 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. Thayne Alan Smika, photo taken in 1983, courtesy of fbi.gov Smika was known around town as a college dropout and drifter. District Attorney Susan L. Opper. Detective Tom Dowd may be reached at 303-441-3385. Pic Credit: U.S. A grand jury failed to indict him, and two previous Boulder County district. The evidence pointed to Thayne," June said. In Sids obituary, Shauna was listed as survivor, girlfriend and best friend. Police released his 1983 mugshot and an age-progressed image of what he might look like today. 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. Im still hopeful. According to Trujillo, if Thayne Smika is still alive, he will eventually be caught, charged, and the case will be closed. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. 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. . 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. Investigators are still looking for Thayne Smika and are asking anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact . 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. Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. 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. Smika would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. endobj The Moving can be an exciting experience. 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. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. 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~ = The comments below have not been moderated, By The documents detail several personal timelines from people interviewed by detectives that investigators say show Smika was his killer. I have not been in touch with him, and I have no intentions of trying to do so. 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. 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. 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An abandoned car registered to his father, who said he gave the car to Smika before he left town, was found in Beverly Hills, California in 1986, but there was no sign of Smika. Hayes is the 2022-2023 President of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. An arrest warrant for murder was issued but Smika was nowhere to be found. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is his decision to solve this problem his way, and I have honored it.. 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 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. Police believe Thayne Smika could be hiding in Mexico or California under an assumed identity. Subscribe [Smika] gets a get-out-of-jail-free card a letter from the DA saying, nope, we got a grand jury going on but were not going to indict you. Judicial Circuit County(ies) Prosecuting Attorney 1st Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis, Woodruff: Todd Murray Police suspected his roommate, Thayne Smika, and arrested him. 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. 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. According to the documents, he told some of his friends, as well as Sid, that he was able to figure out who the culprit was, and that he went and got the man drunk, then stole back the drugs and money, which he was supposed to deliver to Sid on the morning of Aug. 1, along with his rent. Smika told investigators he slept for a couple of hours that morning before he left to Akron at either 10 or 11 a.m. to visit his mother and sister, do laundry and get his hair cut and permed. Another connection with Burkhalter came in 1977. Smika was arrested on Oct. 6, 1983 for first-degree murder. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. To date, the trail has been cold, but Boulder police said they have not given up. 7 0 obj Stories worth watching (13 Videos) Roommate missing after killing I wasnt ready to retire, and this opportunity came available, said Hayes who turned 66 this year. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. 06:57 GMT 09 Aug 2014 "Maybe somebody will see something, maybe they'll remember something and they'll call us up and give us some information," Boulder Police Detective Commander Thomas Trujillo said. Smika told the detectives that a possible suspect was Craig Evans, a man Smika said had been stealing cocaine from the victim. Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. Wells' brother found his body August 1, 1983, in Wells' Spanish Towers condominium. Under Garnett, an arrest warrant was issued for Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' and a longtime suspect in the case. but it can also be stressful. The district attorney's office in Boulder County . 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. 2. . Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Sids mom could not believe it. upperclassman or graduate student. First published on July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. 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 Police suspected Smika, Wells' roommate, and arrested him a few months after investigators said they linked him to the murder. Smika was chosen by Sid and his brother as a roommate even though they weren't particularly close. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . John Walsh is looking for a man suspected of killing his roommate and has been on the run since 1986. 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. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. 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 . Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. 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