They said it's possible he lived in Yelapa, Mexico for many years after he was released from custody. 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. But he had plenty of other friends and acquaintances. The guy who you believe has done it has never been brought to justice, Robert said. After police ruled his brother out as a suspect, they began to focus on Smika. The only problem is no one has seen Thayne Smika or called him by that name, at least since 1986. Smika's mother) Thayne Alan Smika, a white male, DOB February 27, 1959, and then described as being 5-11, 140 pounds with Brown Hair and Brown Eyes, was at the residence and the detectives notified him of the murder. LinnyT. He says he was confident in his work and the departments conclusions. He has not been seen since. 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. Updated She said Robert Redford and her son were friends, and they went jogging and skiing together. 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. People had to be evacuated from the fires path. Smika was never seen again. It was January nearly 18 years after a brown-eyed 5-year-old girl named Aleszandra "Alie" Berrelez vanished from the courtyard outside her Englewood apartment, sparking a four-day hunt that ended. He worked through college at the Boulderado Hotel. Wells and Redford's daughter Shauna, then 22 years old, were both students at the University of Colorado and lived in the same building. In 1986 his abandoned car, a Dodge Aries, was found in Beverly Hills wiped clean of prints. 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. Multiple experts confirmed it was highly likely that the shell used to kill Sid was a match to the other two shells investigators found, something Netizel says is the most damning evidence in the case. Police and prosecutors know their suspect and have a warrant out for his arrest. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. 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. Their elections are non-partisan. 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. Following his release from detention, they claimed it's conceivable Thayne spent a significant amount of time living in Yelapa, Mexico. Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Thayne Smika is wanted for first-degree murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Thayne Smika is wanted for the 1983 slaying of his roommate, who was dating Robert Redford's daughter at the time. Sid Wells, who was 22 at the time, was found shot to death in his condo in August of 1983. 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. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again. 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. Smika allegedly stole around 7 grams of cocaine from Sid on two different occasions, according to the court documents. At some point, Sid went up to Shaunas apartment to stay with her. The police arrested Smika in connection with the killing two months after it occurred, on Aug . However, Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to take the case. 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Darryl Smika said he thinks authorities are wasting their time and money looking for his son. Bond was set for $5 million in that case, the highest in Boulder history, said Hayes who believes Smika is living under an alias. According to Detective Hayes, This is not a whodunit, but rather a 'where is he?'. The district attorney's office in Boulder County . Sid didnt learn until later that Shauna was the daughter of actor Robert Redford. at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-444-3776. Hayes father was a Denver physician who became ill and had to step back from his medical practice. [But Im] optimistic that something is going to happen.. Thayne Alan Smika is wanted for a murder which occurred on August 1, 1983. . endobj [KGOV updated this report on Oct. 28, 2019.] The comments below have not been moderated, By Thayne Smika was arrested in 1983 for the murder of his roommate Sid Wells, but the Boulder County Jail freed him after his mother put up a bond. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Last updated: July 17, 2020 Denver, CO Police ask anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact them. First Name: Thayne Alan. Following the murder, Shauna went on to marry university professor Eric Schlosser, the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation. endobj Sid, Shauna and a friend eventually ended up back at Sid and Smikas apartment, and they drank and used cocaine, according to the documents. Honorary U.S. Smika was never prosecuted because the district attorney at the time declined to take the case. The first grand jury did not issue an indictment for murder believed to be a result of misconduct by the district attorney. 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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. I dont know why anyone would ever agree ahead of time not to respect the decision that a grand jury is going to return.. When she came back around 12:15 p.m., her boyfriend was dead. Its disturbing on so many levels.. A maid corroborated hearing a similar noise around the same time. An aspiring journalist, Wells also was part of the universitys Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. I believe the motive was the money and the cocaine, and that Thayne got found out from Sid that he was not being up and up, Neitzel added. /MarkInfo <> Sam Wells had gone on an overnight camping trip and was set to return around 1:30 p.m. 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. And his car melted in the driveway. "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. In 2017, Hayes bought a home in Estes Park with the thought that he would eventually retire in the community. 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.. A Boulder County grand jury was convened to investigate the homicide but failed to issue an indictment in 1985 after Hunter made a secret agreement with Smika's public . 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. I knew at that point nothing was ever going to come from that grand jury, Neitzel said. Sids older brother, Sam, found his body. 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. 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. Investigators are still looking for Thayne Smika and are asking anyone with information about Smika or where he might be living to contact . Then they learned that prosecutors had declined to charge Smika with the killing, saying there wasnt enough evidence. Then-District Attorney Alex Hunter made a deal with Smika's. 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. I dont know why the grand jury was handled the way it was. The FBI is currently offering a reward of $10,000 for information that results in Smika's capture and conviction. In 2011, the. Another connection with Burkhalter came in 1977. 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. 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. Stories worth watching (13 Videos) Roommate missing after killing The state or Arizona has until January 4, 2019, to respond. Or, keep up-to-date on the latest news and weather with the Denver7 apps for iPhone/iPads, Android and Kindle. 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. but it can also be stressful. An autopsy showed Wells was shot execution-style at point-blank range in the back of the head with a 20-gauge shotgun. The following week, Smika's mother posts a $100,000 bond, and. 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. The door was unlocked, as it typically was. Hayes home was one that was turned to ash. Smikas friends and acquaintances thought Smika to be messy, unkempt and temperamental, according to the court documents. THAYNE ALAN SMIKA . Smika says he told Sid about the trip the night before. I believe its possible that he still is out there.. Sam Wells still struggles with talking about that day. A. Greg Its something I would like to see before Im gone, Neitzel said. Sidney Wells Murder And Case Update. 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 This was in the days before HIPPA. It all started with this classified ad in the Boulder Daily Camera, January, 1983. To date, the trail has been cold, but Boulder police said they have not given up. 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. Prefer C.U. She wants to find Thayne Smika and she wants to ask him, Why?. Sids mom could not believe it. But I hope its solved with the criminal who did it, not with my son being convicted of something he didnt do.. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Save. Smika moved to Denver then eventually left for California. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. 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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. Sids murder happened a mile from where he lived in 1983, and the grand jury incident happened just as he was getting out of law school at CU. <> Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. I hope its solved, he said. 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. 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. 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