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. , updated One of the most high-profile murders in Colorado's history remains unsolved after nearly 34 years, but police and prosecutors know who their suspect is and have an active warrant for his arrest. 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. Smika's bail was set at $5million after the warrant was issued. - 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 . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. Under Garnett, an arrest warrant was issued for Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' and a longtime suspect in the case. Smikas family members were informed at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 that authorities had obtained a warrant to arrest Smika on suspicion of first-degree murder, and all of them except his mother denied knowing anything about where Smika might be hiding, according to police. Thayne Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. Sid Wells' shot-to-death body was found in his Boulder apartment on August 3, 1983. Watch Liz Gelardi and James Dougherty's video story in the player below or by clicking here. . He worked through college at the Boulderado Hotel. After years of consulting with the manufacturer of the shotgun shells used in Sids murder and the ones found in Smikas closet in Akron, investigators were eventually able to learn that the three shells were uniquely old when they were used, had all been loaded into Smikas shotgun, and all had the same chemical makeup. Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. For interview, call Sid, 443-****, evenings. Link Copied! 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. Wells' mother, June Menger, said that Boulder investigators have been dogged in their work to solve the case. %PDF-1.7 The rent was due that day. 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. Sid told his mom his new roommate was kind of weird and unsocial but, since he came from a small, neighboring town near the Wells family, Sid thoughthe must be OK. Smika rented the room. Marshals in connection with a 2005 stabbing and Thayne Smika is wanted by the FBI for murder. Wells was found shot to death in his Boulder apartment on Aug. 3, 1983. /Outlines 4 0 R Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. Wells was dating the daughter of Robert Redford, Shauna Redford, at the time of the shooting. Wells was dating Shauna Jean Redford, the daughter of actor Robert Redford, and this brought attention to the case on a global scale. This was about 33% of all the recorded Smika's in USA. The FBI is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Smika's arrest and conviction. ", Additional Information From Boulder Police. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. By 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. He also reviewed the grand jury decision by Hunter. In December 2012, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Smika after Boulder police developed more evidence in the case. The evidence pointed to Thayne," June said. He asked her to be his date to the Navy ROTC ball, and from that point on, the two were inseparable. 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. 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. 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 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. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. 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. endstream However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. 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. Following the murder, Shauna went on to marry university professor Eric Schlosser, the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - 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' Its something I would like to see before Im gone, Neitzel said. In 2011, the. * DNA Update -- History Repeats Itself: Twice now Boulder District Attorneys have misled the public in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. When asked by the Camera on Wednesday whether she knows where her son is, she said, Would I tell you?. The DA's office "did not think there was enough evidence to file charges"., prompting criticism of Hunter from the victim's grieving mother. Its something she and her family have never gotten over. DENVER In August 1983, Sid Wells was 22 years old and about to enter his senior year at CU Boulder with dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist. 6: 6 "Trafficking in . Before arriving in Boulder, Smika had lived in North Platte, Nebraska, and Akron, Colorado, throughout his formative years. That same year Hayes joined the Louisville Police Department at the age of 20. 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 . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Police suspected Smika, Wells' roommate, and arrested him a few months after investigators said they linked him to the murder. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika since 1986 or even called him by that name. 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. Recent information indicates he may be living near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The comments below have not been moderated, By All Rights Reserved. Authorities said Smika may be working in the real estate or financial industry. His sister, Tava Smika, currently lives in Vaughn, MT. Smika was arrested for the homicide in 1983, however the DA at the time declined prosecution and Smika disappeared in 1986. a state arrest warrant was issued for Smika by the County District Court, Boulder County, Colorado, for first degree . It's an unsolved mystery involving a beautiful college town, a picture-perfect young couple and even a movie star. Prefer C.U. 2. Detectives couldnt be reached Wednesday to comment on whether they obtained any leads from the family members phones. 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. 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. 11 reviews. "The police department felt that way, his friends and roommates felt that way. Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Furnished living room. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. 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 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. But he wouldnt know that until later that evening. The guy who you believe has done it has never been brought to justice, Robert said. In 2017, Hayes bought a home in Estes Park with the thought that he would eventually retire in the community. 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. 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. $300 monthly. endobj Robert Redford stopped production of his film The Natural so he and his family could attend Sids funeral. 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. Boulder police have given The ENQUIRER sketches of Smika's possible age-enhanced appearance. appreciated. In 2010, the Boulder County district attorney's office agreed to review the case and approved an arrest affidavit for Smika. 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. 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. 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. Subscribe 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. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. 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. 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. Report inappropriate content . 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. Smika was never seen again. % "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . He loved the way her hair fell over her eyes. I believe its possible that he still is out there.. 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