/ CBS Colorado. 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. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 5:59 PM EDT, Fri July 10, 2015. and It's been 31 years since Sid Wells was shot execution-style in his own home in Boulder, Colorado and his terminally ill mother has yet to see his killer locked up. The former DA, Hunter, served as the Boulder County District Attorney from 1973 to 2001, when Mary Lacy became head of the office. He also had some small-time involvement in the use and sale of cocaine, according to police documents. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Things were going as planned for Smika, according to the documents, late on July 31. But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. 'The Hunt': Thayne Smika . 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. 7 0 obj The police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . Hayes home was one that was turned to ash. John Walsh is looking for a man suspected of killing his roommate and has been on the run since 1986. 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. Police released his 1983 mugshot and an age-progressed image of what he might look like today. In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. 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~ = Last Name: Smika. But more tips started rolling in. As the chief of police in Louisville, Hayes focused on the complexities of the day and the tasks at hand with public safety being his number one priority. 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. /Metadata 6 0 R>> The district attorney's office in Boulder County . The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. Colo. police seek help with high-profile cold case. She wants to find Thayne Smika and she wants to ask him, Why?. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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 Wells was dating the daughter of Robert Redford, Shauna Redford, at the time of the shooting. District Attorney Susan L. Opper. Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines. Investigators pay a visit to Smika's mother's home. At some point, Sid went up to Shaunas apartment to stay with her. He didnt deserve being murdered.. A grand jury failed to indict him, and two previous Boulder County district. Boulder police are still looking for Thayne Smika after a murder warrant was issued for his arrest in 2010. 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. They said it's possible he lived in Yelapa, Mexico for many years after he was released from custody. 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 The following week, Smika's mother posts a $100,000 bond, and. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. How in the world could this possibly happen? Smika, who was often late with rent, was supposed to pay Wells the day he was killed, investigators said. Following his release from detention, they claimed it's conceivable Thayne spent a significant amount of time living in Yelapa, Mexico. 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. Then-District Attorney Alex Hunter made a deal with Smika's. She said she isn't bitter about the delays in getting a murder warrant. A. Greg He spent a little over half an hour airing out his sleeping bag and cleaning out his car before going upstairs to his apartment. Subscribe Detective Tom Dowd may be reached at 303-441-3385. This story was originally reported August 10, 2014. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. In 2011, the. Thayne Smika for decades has been considered the main suspect in the death of Wells, 22, who was living with his brother and Smika in Boulders Spanish Towers when his body was found Aug. 1, 1983, shot to death execution-style. 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. In 2011, the Boulder County District Attorneys office approved an arrest warrant for Smika on first-degree murder but his whereabouts are unknown. Jihad Ramadan is wanted by U.S. 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. "The police department felt that way, his friends and roommates felt that way. Prefer C.U. What happened over the next several hours remains unclear, but by noon, Sid was dead. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Investigators wasted no time paying a visit to Smika in Akron. He should be considered armed and dangerous. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Its disturbing on so many levels.. When Wells was assassinated, he had just started his final year at the University of Colorado and was 22 years old. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Last updated: July 17, 2020 Denver, CO But part of his story didnt add up from the beginning: His mother was away on a trip to Fort Collins all week. Wells had been shot in the back of the head at close range. Oklahoma had the highest population of Smika families in 1920. His vehicle was recovered in Hollywood, CA in 1986. You all made up your own stories.. Thayne Smika for decades has been considered the main suspect in the death of Wells, 22, who was living with his brother and Smika in Boulder's Spanish Towers when his body was found Aug. 1,. 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. %PDF-1.7 My brother is dead, and Im angry that the system didnt work better then. What Happened To Nia From Real World Portland? Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. 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. A grand jury was derailed by Hunter two years later, according to the Camera. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 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. According to Detective Hayes, This is not a whodunit, but rather a 'where is he?'. 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. Another connection with Burkhalter came in 1977. June Menger, who is suffering from a terminal illness, is hoping to see Smika brought to justice for the murder charges against her son. So thats when we started thinking maybe Thayne isnt so innocent.. 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. UNDATED: Thayne Smika is seen in a photo provided by the Boulder, Colo., Police Department. The trail has been frozen, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. She grieved in ways that I cant even imagine, Menger said. Smika told the detectives that a possible suspect was Craig Evans, a man Smika said had been stealing cocaine from the victim. Smika was arrested for the homicide in 1983, however the DA at the time declined prosecution and Smika disappeared in 1986. Sam Carlson Port Protection Singer Son Kelly Carlson Makes An Appearance On The Show, Jason Segel Siblings Are Sister Alison Segel and Brother Adam Segel, DB Woodside And Golden Brooks Daughter Dakota Tao Brooks-Woodside, Deena Nicole Cortese Sister Joanie Maiorella Works As A Science Teacher, Khary Payton Parents Victor Payton And Gwendolyn Middleton Payton Raised Him With His Other Siblings, Ritchie Coster Wife Jan Conklin Is Operations Consultant With A Lot Of Experience, Stefania Spampinato Wished Her Sister Daniela Spampinato On Her New Journey, Was Thayne Smika Found? Following the murder, Shauna went on to marry university professor Eric Schlosser, the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation. Shortly after, his roommate, Thayne Smika, 24, was arrested in connection with the murder of Wells; however, the Boulder District Attorney decided not to file charges, and Smika was released. 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. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika - or called him by that name, at least - since 1986. It all started with this classified ad in the Boulder Daily Camera, January, 1983. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. Thayne Smika, now 54, is being sought in 1983 murder of 22-year-old Sid Wells; . Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Darlene Smika the mother of the missing suspect, who vanished in 1986 refused to speak with detectives, police reported. In Sids obituary, Shauna was listed as survivor, girlfriend and best friend. . The comments below have not been moderated, By Thayne Smika, a 24-year old college dropout, answered the ad. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. LinnyT. Im still hopeful, Robert said. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 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. Police and the family believe he changed his name and disappeared. Authorities said Smika may be working in the real estate or financial industry. Honorary U.S. Allegedly Arrested For Murder, Danny Pudi And Wife Bridget Showalter Pudi Relationship With Two Children. Smika was eventually let out of custody, and stayed around the area for a couple years. 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. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. We are continually working to identify anyone who may be in contact with Thayne Smika, police spokeswoman Kim Kobel said. Boulder police have given The ENQUIRER sketches of Smika's possible age-enhanced appearance. It didnt make sense to me when I first heard about it, Garnett said. Boulder police release new sketches of Smika. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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