A young man is murdered under suspicious circumstances. 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. So he started putting together another arrest warrant for Smika, which Boulder County District Court Judge Roxanne Balin approved on Dec. 2, 2010 more than 27 years after Sids murder. Thayne Smika Missing Thayne Smika Follow Thayne's Case Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. 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. Following an investigation, authorities discovered Sid had been killed by a single shot fired at a slight downward angle from a.20-gauge shotgun. She said Redford initially decided not to attend the funeral, worried it would become a media circus. There was just no sign of life whatsoever, Wells said. Sid Wells' shot-to-death body was found in his Boulder apartment on August 3, 1983. Prefer C.U. Walking anywhere including the Red Light District is fine. stream Police in 2011 issued a first-degree-murder arrest warrant for Thayne Smika, 54, . Discovery Company. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. One of the doctors in his fathers practice, Zdenka Kalendovsky, a neurologist who had immigrated from Czechoslovakia, was shot to death in the clinics parking lot. UNDATED: Thayne Smika is seen in a photo provided by the Boulder, Colo., Police Department. appreciated. He may also be living in California, the FBI said. It kind of rips you to the core, Robert said. He also had some small-time involvement in the use and sale of cocaine, according to police documents. 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. www.officer.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. But Sid was rarely home, according to friends, and was often with Shauna when he wasnt working or at school. * DNA Update -- History Repeats Itself: Twice now Boulder District Attorneys have misled the public in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. 01:37 - Source: CNN. The trail has been icy, but Boulder police said they haven't given up. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. Following the murder, Shauna went on to marry university professor Eric Schlosser, the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation. I wasnt ready to retire, and this opportunity came available, said Hayes who turned 66 this year. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. A. Greg 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. 11 reviews. BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Thursday will mark 30 years since a murder on the University of Colorado Boulder campus and police are still asking for help to track the killer down. Then-District Attorney Alex Hunter made a deal with Smika's. July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM The case went cold and remained closed for years until Boulder police Deputy Chief David Hayes and Detective Melissa Kampf reopened it in 1997 when a new witness offered information about Smikas actions around the time of the homicide. A warrant for his arrest on forgery charges was issued out of Denver in early 1986, but he was never arrested and the warrant was eventually dropped. Photo from the Boulder Daily Camera Spring 2011 Campus News 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. 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. He worked through college at the Boulderado Hotel. His vehicle was recovered in Hollywood, CA in 1986. He also had a fondness for cocaine, according to police interviews with friends, a habit he could not afford. First published on July 31, 2013 / 9:40 PM. Darryl Smika said hes unfazed by the police request for his phone records. But he came anyway because of his close friendship with Wells. I dont know why anyone would ever agree ahead of time not to respect the decision that a grand jury is going to return.. How can a district attorney actually handle his grand jury in such a manner? a state arrest warrant was issued for Smika by the County District Court, Boulder County, Colorado, for first degree . 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. upperclassman or graduate student. 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. and Re: Walking at night . Police ask anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact them. 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. The rent was due that day. in 2011 the Boulder County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and approved an. Before arriving in Boulder, Smika had lived in North Platte, Nebraska, and Akron, Colorado, throughout his formative years. Darlene Smika the mother of the missing suspect, who vanished in 1986 refused to speak with detectives, police reported. Watch Liz Gelardi and James Dougherty's video story in the player below or by clicking here. The Smika family name was found in the USA in 1920. Investigators pay a visit to Smika's mother's home. 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. 5:59 PM EDT, Fri July 10, 2015. 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 . During his boyhood, Hayes thought about becoming a priest, but an interaction with a Denver police officer, R. James Burkhalter, helped him decide what he wanted to be. Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. % 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. But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. Smika left the area, and in 1986 his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, California. Last seen alive: October 01, 1986. But as time passed, Sid began having trouble collecting the rent. 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. The case, however, was never solved. 2. 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. /Outlines 4 0 R Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. Level Contributor . 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. For interview, call Sid, 443-****, evenings.Si. 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 former DA, Hunter, served as the Boulder County District Attorney from 1973 to 2001, when Mary Lacy became head of the office. ;}v;LZ%^(R(;_/"-Rqnv};!;.cs|CGA6. Boulder police release new sketches of Smika. TRAITS & CHARACTERISTICS: Height: 5 feet 11 inches Weight: 140 pounds at the time of the incident Sex: Male Race: White Eyes: Hazel Place of Birth: North Dakota Hair: Brown, could be sun-bleached With the FBIs help, they established new forensic and ballistic evidence linking Smika to the murder. He had a warrant for his arrest for the charge of Forgery and he was also the suspect in a 1983 Boulder, CO Homicide. They also found a box of shells with three missing. In 2011, the. 15 0 obj In his freshman year, hed fallen head-over-heels for a girl in his dorm named Shauna. It would be unusual for someone to absent themselves from contact with any and all known family members for such an extended period of time, Detective Traci Cravitz wrote in an affidavit supporting the departments request for phone records, which was made public Wednesday. LinnyT. 16 0 obj That summer, Sid was living with one of his brothers, Sam, and Smika in the Spanish Towers condos on 29th Street just east of campus. I hope its solved, he said. Robert Redford stopped production of his film The Natural so he and his family could attend Sids funeral. Thayne Smika was accused of killing his roommate Sid Wells in August 1983, and the case hasn't been solved yet. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. . Circumstances: Smika moved out of his Denver, CO home in 1986. Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. After Boulder police gathered additional evidence in a case in December 2012, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Smika. "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 . Lakewood, Ohio. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you have information about Thayne Smika or his whereabouts contact Detective Jeremy Frenzen at 303-441-1890 orfrenzenj@bouldercolorado.gov. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? Sid and his brother needed a roommate and settled on Smika, but they werent close friends. 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, 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. Police released his 1983 mugshot and an age-progressed image of what he might look like today. $300 monthly. 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. . Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. Now it comes down to finding a man who hasnt been seen or identified in 31 years. 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. Honorary U.S. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Stories worth watching (13 Videos) Roommate missing after killing You all made up your own stories.. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. Smika's bail was set at $5million after the warrant was issued. 2023 Cable News Network. When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. Save. It's like a partially opened door with a very dark room behind it, he said. "Smika's relatives have not provided any helpful information to the Boulder Police Department," police spokesperson Kim Kobel said in a statement. 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. , updated Smika left the area and in 1986, his abandoned car was found in Beverly Hills, CA. endobj I dont know why anybody would enter into an agreement like that. He says he was confident in his work and the departments conclusions. The comments below have not been moderated, By 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. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smika surname lived. Under Garnett, an arrest warrant was issued for Thayne Smika, a roommate of Wells' and a longtime suspect in the case. Allegedly Arrested For Murder, Debra Jeter Death And Daughter Kiersten Jeter Netflix Documentary Case Dateline, Did Bbg Tyler Snatched JayDaYoungan? First Name: Thayne Alan. They said it's possible he lived in Yelapa, Mexico for many years after he was released from custody. 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. He said it had turned into his nightmare too, she said. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers. Thanyne Smika (CBS/KCNC) CBS/KCNC Smika was arrested in the killing two months later but wasn't charged. Trujillo said if Smika is still alive, he's confident he'll eventually be caught and prosecuted and the case will finally be solved. Im still hopeful. 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. 15:04 GMT 09 Aug 2014. 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. Following his release from detention, they claimed it's conceivable Thayne spent a significant amount of time living in Yelapa, Mexico. 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. Thayne Smika Warrant. Smika's potential motivation would have been because she owed Wells $300 in rent that day. 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