thayne smika district attorney

In December 2012, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Smika after Boulder police developed more evidence in the case. Hayes home was one that was turned to ash. 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 . Associated Press That same year Hayes joined the Louisville Police Department at the age of 20. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Source: CNN. /MarkInfo <> Detective Tom Dowd may be reached at 303-441-3385. It all started with this classified ad in the Boulder Daily Camera, January, 1983. stream /Metadata 6 0 R>> Last updated: July 17, 2020 Denver, CO Earlier this month, Arias's present attorneys, Peg Green and Corey Engle, filed a 324-page appeal on behalf of the imprisoned murderer, asking that her conviction be overturned. Then they learned that prosecutors had declined to charge Smika with the killing, saying there wasnt enough evidence. Detectives couldnt be reached Wednesday to comment on whether they obtained any leads from the family members phones. She said she isn't bitter about the delays in getting a murder warrant. She grieved in ways that I cant even imagine, Menger said. "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 . According to Detective Hayes, This is not a whodunit, but rather a 'where is he?'. 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,. Lakewood, Ohio. "The police department felt that way, his friends and roommates felt that way. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Watch Liz Gelardi and James Dougherty's video story in the player below or by clicking here. Photo from the Boulder Daily Camera Spring 2011 Campus News www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. 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. Darryl Smika said he has theories on where his son is hiding, but theyre mine. He said he absolutely believes his son is innocent in the infamous homicide, and he hopes police never find him. All Rights Reserved. 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. According to the FBI, Thayne Smika hasn't been seen since he was freed from detention. Shauna went back to her place, which was also in Spanish Towers, and Sid, Smika and the other man stayed back and did more cocaine into the early morning hours. He asked her to be his date to the Navy ROTC ball, and from that point on, the two were inseparable. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. The first grand jury did not issue an indictment for murder believed to be a result of misconduct by the district attorney. Im angry that the system let me down. This will be a great fit for Estes Park for a lot of reasons.. How can a district attorney actually handle his grand jury in such a manner? <> District attorneys are assigned to Arkansas's 23 judicial circuits. Thank you! Wind gusts were clocked at 70 to 100 mph. Police and the family believe he changed his name and disappeared. Middle Name: Alan. 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. Smika charged, but DA's deal throws case into disarray. 15:04 GMT 09 Aug 2014. There was blood spatter underneath the note, which would mean the note was written after the death, Neitzel said. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. 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. Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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. The service requires full JavaScript support in order to view this website. The FBI is currently offering a reward of $10,000 for information that results in Smika's capture and conviction. Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. But he wouldnt know that until later that evening. He also had some small-time involvement in the use and sale of cocaine, according to police documents. <> Police suspected Smika, Wells' roommate, and arrested him a few months after investigators said they linked him to the murder. He says he was confident in his work and the departments conclusions. Sam Wells still struggles with talking about that day. Sam called police, who arrived shortly afterward. 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. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. Thayne Smika is wanted for the 1983 slaying of his roommate, who was dating Robert Redford's daughter at the time. And it was questions from Sid and friends regarding several grams of missing coke, a few hundred dollars, and Smika's behavior that police believe eventually led to Sids murder just before noon on Aug. 1, 1983. 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. Before arriving in Boulder, Smika had lived in North Platte, Nebraska, and Akron, Colorado, throughout his formative years. 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. Subscribe 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. July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM Boulder police are still looking for Thayne Smika after a murder warrant was issued for his arrest in 2010. 7 0 obj An autopsy showed Wells was shot execution-style at point-blank range in the back of the head with a 20-gauge shotgun. 4 helpful votes. Police in 2011 issued a first-degree-murder arrest warrant for Thayne Smika, 54, . But in 2009, Stan Garnett took over as district attorney, with a newfound interest in the case. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers. With the Marshall Fire, he experienced being a victim, something he says has given him an increased sense of empathy in working with others. People had to be evacuated from the fires path. The Moving can be an exciting experience. 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~ = 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.. endobj In 2022 Hayes was a Democratic primary candidate for Sheriff in Boulder County running against Curtis Johnson, a division chief with the Boulder County Sheriffs Office. An arrest warrant for murder was issued but Smika was nowhere to be found. 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. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 6: 6 "Trafficking in . You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. Thayne Smika Missing Thayne Smika Follow Thayne's Case Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. "It's past time for justice for Sid Wells and his family," Deputy Chief Dave Hayes said. 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 . 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. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. 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. 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. 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. Last seen alive: October 01, 1986. This story was originally reported August 10, 2014. $300 monthly. 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. In 1920 there were 2 Smika families living in Oklahoma. 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. He also reviewed the grand jury decision by Hunter. Wells and Redford's daughter Shauna, then 22 years old, were both students at the University of Colorado and lived in the same building. New DA furthers investigation, obtains new arrest warrant. Im thinking, no, thats not real; thats not right. The suspect in this case is a man named Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' in 1983. Their elections are non-partisan. First Name: Thayne Alan. For his first date with Shauna Redford, the two went to an ROTC dance, the site Daily Camera reported. Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. Police suspected his roommate, Thayne Smika, and arrested him. Smika, who was also once an AMW web-exclusive, will be the first ever fugitive from 'The Hunt' to get an In Pursuit profile as well. Oklahoma had the highest population of Smika families in 1920. Now, a retired detective who worked the case back in the early 80s is speaking up for the first time in years in hopes of bringing closure to a Colorado family and an end to a complex murder mystery that has puzzled Boulder for decades. Looking out the windows at the Louisville Police Station, Hayes saw flames consuming nearby bushes. Marshals photo. 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. 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. endobj 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. Walking anywhere including the Red Light District is fine. 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. 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. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. but it can also be stressful. Im 100 percent. 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. Boulder police issued a statement Wednesday saying they're looking for Thayne Smika, who is still being sought after a murder warrant was issued for his . "Smika's relatives have not provided any helpful information to the Boulder Police Department," police spokesperson Kim Kobel said in a statement. Smika was a leading suspect when the coroner declared the death to be a homicide. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at http://www.crimeshurt.com. Published on September 2019 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 6 | Comments: 0 | Views: 288 of 46 Colo. police seek help with high-profile cold case. Marshals in connection with a 2005 stabbing and Thayne Smika is wanted by the FBI for murder. UNDATED: Thayne Smika is seen in a photo provided by the Boulder, Colo., Police Department. Deputy District Attorney Lesli S. Boese Ted S. Szczupakiewicz Michael D. Thurston. She believes Smika has had some very good cover for 30 years and has also had help staying off the grid. To view more information on a district, click on a county within that region. 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. But Sid was rarely home, according to friends, and was often with Shauna when he wasnt working or at school. My view is the warrant couldve been approved long ago, and had it been, its possible that Mr. Smika mightve been found more quickly, Garnett said. But authorities could not find him. 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. 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. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. My dad helped review medical charts to screen for possible suspects, said Hayes. Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. The whole thing was extremely frustrating.. However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. A young man is murdered under suspicious circumstances. 'The Hunt': Thayne Smika . Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. However, then-Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to file charges, and Smika moved away in 1986. . Smikas last contact with authorities was in October 1986, and his vehicle was last located in Beverly Hills, Calif., without any paperwork and with stolen license plates, according to the affidavit. Sid Wells' shot-to-death body was found in his Boulder apartment on August 3, 1983. The FBI speculated that Thyane Smika might also reside in California. It's time for justice, said Hayes, who has remained in touch with Wells' family over the last three decades. Police and prosecutors know their suspect and have a warrant out for his arrest. /Outlines 4 0 R Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. ;}v;LZ%^(R(;_/"-Rqnv};!;.cs|CGA6. Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. The case was presented to a grand jury but the District Attorney at. appreciated. 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. Detectives found a .20-gauge shotgun and several cartridges in his closet in Akron, and took those into evidence. Were revictimized on a daily basis because our loved one is not there to share that moment with us. The evidence pointed to Thayne," June said. Sid, Shauna and a friend eventually ended up back at Sid and Smikas apartment, and they drank and used cocaine, according to the documents. Directory of District Attorney Offices. Smika would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. According to the affidavit, Boulder police received the requested information from the phone companies on Feb. 24. It's like a partially opened door with a very dark room behind it, he said. In Sids obituary, Shauna was listed as survivor, girlfriend and best friend. 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