thayne smika district attorney
He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. 15 0 obj 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. His vehicle was recovered in Hollywood, CA in 1986. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. . at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. I believe its possible that he still is out there.. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The trail has been icy, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. Some of us have expressed not criticism but surprise Smika is getting another airing considering he's a cold case the previous most recent John Walsh show already did (as opposed to a new cold case and/or unused . endobj 4 helpful votes. She said Redford initially decided not to attend the funeral, worried it would become a media circus. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, Calif. Wells'. 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. Re: Walking at night . For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. The trail has been frozen, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. * DNA Update -- History Repeats Itself: Twice now Boulder District Attorneys have misled the public in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. FBI investigators also said they connected three shotgun shells found in Smikas mothers home in eastern Colorado with the one that killed Wells test results that have since been questioned. Another connection with Burkhalter came in 1977. 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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. "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. He may also be living in California, the FBI said. upperclassman or graduate student. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika since 1986 or even called him by that name. 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. 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 Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. papa's burgeria hacked; superhero universe codes; wicked tuna paul died; why was matt houston cancelled; petey jones remember the titans character analysis Updated Thayne Alan Smika, photo taken in 1983, courtesy of fbi.gov Smika was known around town as a college dropout and drifter. 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. But Sid was rarely home, according to friends, and was often with Shauna when he wasnt working or at school. Detectives found a .20-gauge shotgun and several cartridges in his closet in Akron, and took those into evidence. Were following up on all leads as to what his location may be, and this includes checking cell phone records of people who may be in touch with him.. My brother is dead, and Im angry that the system didnt work better then. But as long as theyre not giving up, we have hope.. /Outlines 4 0 R He asked her to be his date to the Navy ROTC ball, and from that point on, the two were inseparable. Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (MDAA) Massachusetts District Attorneys Association. Detectives couldnt be reached Wednesday to comment on whether they obtained any leads from the family members phones. An aspiring journalist, Wells also was part of the universitys Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. In 2010, armed with more sophisticated forensic and ballistic evidence, he says he was once again able to pinpoint Thayne Smika as the likely killer. and appreciated. The suspect, roommate Thayne Smika, has been on the run since 1986 over theft charges. Smika had spent his younger days in North Platte, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado before eventually making his way to Boulder. 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. The FBI is currently offering a reward of $10,000 for information that results in Smika's capture and conviction. 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. Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. The FBI said Smika's abandoned car was found in California in 1986, but other than that, there's been no sign of him since he was released from custody. 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. Thayne Smika Warrant. district attorney noun Synonyms of district attorney : the prosecuting officer of a judicial district Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web His intent is to reveal what happened within the district attorney 's office during his year there. Sam and Sid Wells needed a third roommate to help with rent, so they posted an ad which was answered by 24-year-old Thayne Smika, a Colorado State University graduate from Akron in eastern Colorado. 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. 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. Tonight, In Pursuit with John Walsh takes a look at both men and the allegations against them. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. (Information retrieved from NamUs.g. Smika would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. 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. 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. I dont know why anybody would enter into an agreement like that. Stories worth watching 16 videos. Im 100 percent. With the FBIs help, they established new forensic and ballistic evidence linking Smika to the murder. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in the case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. So thats when we started thinking maybe Thayne isnt so innocent.. Their elections are non-partisan. Thayne Smika has been missing since 1986 after his mother posted a bond for the 1983 murder of his roommate Sid Wells. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . His sister, Tava Smika, currently lives in Vaughn, MT. For interview, call Sid, 443-****, evenings.Si. Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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. Thayne Smika disappeared in 1986, and the police didn't issue an arrest order for him until 2011. of 1 A. Greg Thayne Smika, who is believed to be living under an assumed identity, would be 54 now. Deputy District Attorney Lesli S. Boese Ted S. Szczupakiewicz Michael D. Thurston. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. 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. He has not been seen since. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. 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. When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. Got a tip? Call 1-866-THE-HUNT (In Mexico: 0188000990546) or click here. Burkhalter, who had become a homicide detective, thought that the suspect might be a former patient at the clinic. 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. 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. A maid corroborated hearing a similar noise around the same time. In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. According to the court filings, Smika's friends and acquaintances described him as dirty, messy, and volatile. /Lang (en) Last Name: Smika. 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. 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 . In 2011, the. Boulder Deputy Police Chief Dave Hayes, one of the first detectives to investigate the case, said Smika may have become assimilated into a community and he hopes new coverage of the case will lead a neighbor or a relative to step forward. Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at http://www.crimeshurt.com. UNDATED: Thayne Smika is seen in a photo provided by the Boulder, Colo., Police Department. 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. Lakewood, Ohio. upperclassman or graduate student. 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. Smika, who shared an apartment with Sid Wells in the plush Spanish Towers condominium complex near the CU campus, was arrested late Thursday at his mother's home in the eastern Colorado farming. 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. It's time for justice, said Hayes, who has remained in touch with Wells' family over the last three decades. Stories worth watching (13 Videos) Roommate missing after killing Police and prosecutors know their suspect and have a warrant out for his arrest. For nearly five decades as a police officer, Hayes has been on the helping side in situations of crisis and tragedy. But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. Momentarily the information will appear next to your cursor. Before arriving in Boulder, Smika had lived in North Platte, Nebraska, and Akron, Colorado, throughout his formative years. July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM But he got home early, around 11:45 a.m. 'The Hunt': Thayne Smika . However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. 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. Thank you! When Wells was assassinated, he had just started his final year at the University of Colorado and was 22 years old. Things were going as planned for Smika, according to the documents, late on July 31. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. The suspect in this case is a man named Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' in 1983. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. 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. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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Following an investigation, authorities discovered Sid had been killed by a single shot fired at a slight downward angle from a.20-gauge shotgun. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Its disturbing on so many levels.. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. 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. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in a case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. 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thayne smika district attorney