New DA furthers investigation, obtains new arrest warrant. A broken hearted Shauna later left the university. 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~ = In December 2012, a judge signed an arrest warrant for Smika after Boulder police developed more evidence in the case. There was just no sign of life whatsoever, Wells said. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika since 1986 or even called him by that name. <> We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Circumstances: Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. 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. Smika told the detectives that a possible suspect was Craig Evans, a man Smika said had been stealing cocaine from the victim. Police focused their attention on Thayne Smika and, when forensic evidence confirmed their suspicions, they arrested him. In the summer of 1983, 22-year-old Sid Wells was living with his older brother in their familys Boulder, Colorado, condominium and studying journalism at the University of Colorado. How in the world could this possibly happen? Boulder police release new sketches of Smika. I dont want him to go through this for something he did not do, Darryl Smika said. One friend said shed never known him to have had a job. $300 monthly. Police in 2011 issued a first-degree-murder arrest warrant for Thayne Smika, 54, . He says he was confident in his work and the departments conclusions. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. Im still hopeful. That, according to police interviews, made for easy pickings for Smika, who was apparently one of only two people aside from Sid who knew where he kept his stash. In his freshman year, hed fallen head-over-heels for a girl in his dorm named Shauna. A Denver district attorney has called parts of Colorado, "the Wild West of weed." Sales across state lines have pitted one legal jurisdiction against another, as marijuana laws differ widely around the country. Wells was dating Shauna Jean Redford, the daughter of actor Robert Redford, and this brought attention to the case on a global scale. 1, 1983, but the district attorney determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Sam Wells still struggles with talking about that day. He didnt deserve being murdered.. Now it comes down to finding a man who hasnt been seen or identified in 31 years. endobj "It's past time for justice for Sid Wells and his family," Deputy Chief Dave Hayes 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. 2023 Cable News Network. Another man who lived next door to the Wells brothers told investigators that hed heard a loud bang, similar to a gunshot, at the time the coroner determined Sid had died. 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. Deputy District Attorney Lesli S. Boese Ted S. Szczupakiewicz Michael D. Thurston. Thayne Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . According to the affidavit, Boulder police received the requested information from the phone companies on Feb. 24. 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. My dad helped review medical charts to screen for possible suspects, said Hayes. Sid and his brother needed a roommate and settled on Smika, but they werent close friends. The police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . 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. The documents detail several personal timelines from people interviewed by detectives that investigators say show Smika was his killer. 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. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in a case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. Report inappropriate content . And his car melted in the driveway. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In August 1983, Hunter was publicly criticized for his failure to file charges against Thayne Smika in the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Sid Wells. After a cold case investigation in December 2010 an arrest warrant for the murder was issued. Why? he wonders. Oct. 6, 1983: Police arrest Thayne Smika, who was living with Wells at the time of the crime, at his family home in Akron. . Robert Redford stopped production of his film The Natural so he and his family could attend Sids funeral. First published on July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM. Please enable JavaScript on your browser and try again. Sam called police, who arrived shortly afterward. Thanyne Smika (CBS/KCNC) CBS/KCNC Smika was arrested in the killing two months later but wasn't charged. Wells' mother, June Menger, said that Boulder investigators have been dogged in their work to solve the case. It kind of rips you to the core, Robert said. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. "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. It is his decision to solve this problem his way, and I have honored it.. Smika charged, but DA's deal throws case into disarray. Lakewood, Ohio. Wells friend told police that the morning of Wells death, Smika was supposed to return some money to Sid, according to former Boulder County deputy chief Dave Hayes. This story was originally reported August 10, 2014. Thayne.. Wells was found shot to death in his Boulder apartment on Aug. 3, 1983. 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. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smika surname lived. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. Smikas father, Darryl Smika, told the Camera on Wednesday that the last time he had contact with his son was a month before he disappeared, and he doesnt have information on his sons whereabouts. /StructTreeRoot 5 0 R At some point, Sid went up to Shaunas apartment to stay with her. 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. Investigators pay a visit to Smika's mother's home. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Sids mom could not believe it. 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. Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. In 2017, Hayes bought a home in Estes Park with the thought that he would eventually retire in the community. Smika's bail was set at $5million after the warrant was issued. . But he got home early, around 11:45 a.m. Tonight, In Pursuit with John Walsh takes a look at both men and the allegations against them. / CBS Colorado. Smikas friends and acquaintances thought Smika to be messy, unkempt and temperamental, according to the court documents. <> 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. A grand jury was derailed by Hunter two years later, according to the Camera. His longtime girlfriend, Shauna, was the daughter of actor Robert Redford, which was a major reason the story attracted so much attention when Wells was murdered. Subscribe Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. 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. 348 But Sid and a friend confronted him about the missing drugs, andSmika blamed their disappearance on another man. I dont know why anybody would enter into an agreement like that. Also Read: Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. /Outlines 4 0 R Smika would be off scot-free for the time being, which infuriated the still-grieving Wells family. But he wouldnt know that until later that evening. Redford said in 1997 that Wells' murder still haunted him. Detectives found a .20-gauge shotgun and several cartridges in his closet in Akron, and took those into evidence. Also Read: Debra Jeter Death And Daughter Kiersten Jeter Netflix Documentary Case Dateline. It's an unsolved mystery involving a beautiful college town, a picture-perfect young couple and even a movie star. Smika was a leading suspect when the coroner declared the death to be a homicide. "Thayne Smika escaped a first-degree murder charge, and has likely been living a life of . 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. There was blood spatter underneath the note, which would mean the note was written after the death, Neitzel said. Thayne Smika is wanted for the 1983 slaying of his roommate, who was dating Robert Redford's daughter at the time. 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. Following his release from detention, they claimed it's conceivable Thayne spent a significant amount of time living in Yelapa, Mexico. 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. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. 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. 06:57 GMT 09 Aug 2014 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? Wells' mother June Menger says Redford is like a daughter-in-law to her, even though she never saw her son married. Middle Name: Alan. 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