Later, it came to light that Marty was a personal friend of the local county sheriff, Doug Thomas, at the time of the crime. There, they visited their friends and watched TV. [24] Additionally, she alleged that Martin "hated Johnny Sharp with a passion". Dmac does not agree on this point. She remarried and is still alive. On April 11, 1981, 36-year-old Glenna "Sue" Sharp, her 15-year-old son John, and his 17-year-old friend Dana Wingate were murdered in Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort, in Keddie, California. This case upsets or disturbs me like none other. Though neighbor Justin claimed to have seen nothing, there were bloody foot prints which belonged to him; its theorized that he, and possibly one or both of Sues younger boys, were forced to participate in the murder of their own family. Whoever made the call knew something specific about what happened at Keddie. Although the Sharps cabin did not indicate forced entry, detectives were able to recover an unidentified fingerprint from a handrail that led to the cabins back door. The horror happened at the Keddie Resort in Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981. Keddies then sheriff, Doug Thomas, was great pals with Marty. Were they protecting their informant? According to the story, Marty said he was angry that Sue had convinced Marilyn to leave him. I think I heard about it through an email? It appears that Sue had been asleep in bed with her beautiful 12 year old daughter, Tina, when the attack began as her glasses were left on the bedside table; there were no signs of forced entry. It would also explain why the Smartt boy and the other Sharp boys in the adjoining room were spared. His head was badly damaged as though bashed in with a blunt object and lay partially on a pillow. Clipping from Reno Gazette-Journal, April 13, 2016.DMAC. They were still asleep and seemingly unaware of what happened. Police arrived at around 8:00 am and began their investigation of the murders. Nonetheless, it raises many questions. It wasnt until three years later on April 22, 1984, when Ronald Pedrini reported that he was in the woods about 90 miles southwest of Keddie when he stumbled upon something suspicious. The anonymous counselor told him that in May 1981, Martin Smartt had confessed to killing Sue and Tina Sharp. Composite sketch of the Keddie murder suspects. So I mustve forgot. Most descriptions of Marty say that he was an unsavory individual with a criminal record and a mean demeanor. Despite a thorough investigation and numerous suspects, It also provides an explanation as to why the two lead suspects were seemingly given a free pass and told to leave town by Sheriff Thomas. [24] Marilyn claimed that on the evening of April 11, 1981, she had left Martin and Boubede at a local bar around 11:00 pm and returned home to go to sleep. The oldest boy, John, and his buddy, Dana, had spent the day in Quincy. Martin Smartt initially told investigators he was missing a hammer. RELATED: UNSOLVED CALIFORNIA: Investigating Northern California crimes that have turned cold. Investigators claim that she was having her own affair at the time. KEDDIE, Calif. It has been 40 years since what is known as the Keddie Murders took place in rural Plumas County. Despite his lies and inconsistencies in his stories, police cleared him as a suspect. The victims were Glenna Susan "Sue" Sharp (ne Davis; born March 29, 1945); daughter Tina Louise Sharp (born July 22, 1968); son, John Steven Sharp (born November 16, 1965); and John's friend, Dana Hall Wingate (born February 8, 1964). The murders had been notably violent. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? WebKeddie28 reported Sharp immediately fled the cabin and ran to the neighbors for help. A back view of cabin 28 where the family had lived for a year. The Mystery Behind The Keddie Cabin Murders Explained. This article is by no means all inclusive, so very much has been left out. Sheila Sharp, 14, spent the night next door to her home in Cabin 28 with a friend for a sleepover. But curiously, instead of sending homicide detectives, they sent organized crime investigators to Keddie. Photos. I researched this case for several years, read everything I could get my hands on. With that, the remains of Tina Sharp had been found, which made the crimes committed on April 11 or 12, 1981, a quadruple homicide. He also told authorities he had a hammer, which went missing around the same time the murder occurred. Marilyn also provided a letter she received from Marty, in which she said he confessed to the Keddie cabin murders. When Martin discovered this, he enlisted Bo, his friend, and known mob enforcer who had lived with the Smartts a mere 10 days before the Keddie murders, to take Sue out of the picture. I killed the woman and her daughter, but I didnt have anything to do with the [boys], he purportedly told the counselor. Based on Justin's description of the attackers, detectives identified Martin "Marty" Smartt as one of the primary suspects in the cabin murders. He ran for the back door but someone was waiting outside; this person or persons captured Dana and brought him back inside. As far as Justin today, he has moved away and lives a very quiet life. However, she forgot to bring the clothes she planned to wear to church. All Rights Reserved., Killers found not guilty by reason of insanity. Had Justin not been a witness, how in the world would he know this? [24] John Boubede, who allegedly had ties to organized crime in Chicago,[29] died there in 1988. Advertisement Its suspected that Investigators theorized that someone might have interrupted the murders taking place before the culprits had a chance to kill the younger children in their bedrooms. A neighborhood boy, Justin Eason, would spend the night with Sues two youngest sons that evening. The murders at Keddie Cabin 28 appeared to be random acts of cruelty. [17] He later admitted to having briefly entered the home through the back door to see if anyone was still alive, potentially contaminating evidence in the process. However, investigators must have buried these facts until 2016 when new discoveries reignited the case. She mentioned, however, that she doesnt talk to her brothers about it because she wants to protect them. WebThose who were inside Cabin 28 the night and/or early morning hours of April 11 and 12, 1981, were somewhat prepared, according to Gamberg. Blood was all over the victims, the floors, walls, ceiling, both bedroom doors, and on the railing of the outside stairs. Trust me on this, youre gonna wanna watch part 2 first, then watch part one.Part 2 (WATCH FIRST)https://youtu.be/1nK-dIY2c1sPart 1(WATCH SECOND)https://youtu.be/owOehiQ5jKc. Two suspects, Marty and Bo, died. The three boys in the house, Rick, Greg, and their friend, Justin, were all safe in the bedroom. . Sues ex-husband was in the military when they divorced, and the Navy gave her $250 a month to start her new life. On April 12th, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp returned to her family cabin, Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort Keddie, California after a sleep-over with a friend who lived in the same resort as her own families cabin. WebOn Oct. 24, 2009, two psychics visited Cabin 28 with Sheila Sharp, Sues daughter, and family friend, Richard Meeks, who also lived at the Keddie Resort. Martin Smartt later told the police that he had a hammer that matched the one discovered and also that his hammer and gone missing shortly before the murders. The only thing authorities found that may reveal the identity of the killer, or killers, was DNA collected from a piece of medical tape used to bind the victims. In July 1979, Glenna Susan "Sue" Sharp (ne Davis; born March 29, 1945 in Springfield, Massachusetts),[3] along with her five children, left her home in Connecticut after separating from her husband, James Sharp. A fight ensued,[24] after which Tina entered the room and was taken out of the cabin's back door by one of the men. You May Also Like: The Disappearance of the Five Sodder Children. The mother was financially broke, and she had been in desperate need of help; Sue had been on food stamps, she received money from the government every month, and was going back to school in order to make a better life for her kids. However, he did not have any involvement in the case at the time. Probable murder weapons for the Keddie slaying discovered and submitted as evidence in 2016. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The town tried to reinvent itself by becoming a recreational camping and hiking resort area. She had injuries consistent with a struggle and had an imprint of the butt of an .880 pellet gun on the side of her head. So very sad. [3][4] She decided to relocate to northern California, where her brother Don was residing at the time. Recently one of the missing murder weapons has been found, a hammer. Now, we must talk a bit about Sues character. If they suffered any injuries during the event, it wasnt serious, although they did leave some DNA on a piece of tape. Northern California Storm: I-80 still closed, chain controls on Highway 50, New center at Sacramento State opens to help APIDA students succeed, UNSOLVED CALIFORNIA: Investigating Northern California crimes that have turned cold, Why has California had so many notorious serial killers? Justin said both men were wearing glasses. Although we have attempted to sort through it with due diligence, even the most credible sources do not agree on all the details. Unsolved 1981 American quadruple homicide in Keddie, California, Victims, clockwise: Sue Sharp, John Sharp, Dana Wingate, and Tina Sharp, The house's front door and living room interior, Several news sources use the name "John Boubede", though Robert Scott claims in his book, "Keddie murders revisited part 2: Following the clues", "Inside the Search for the Keddie Cabin Killers 35 Years After a Family Was Slaughtered", "A Daughter's 35-Year Fight For Justice: Sheila Sharp Longs to Know Who Murdered Her Family in Their Cabin", "5 Things to Know about the Keddie Cabin Murders and the New Hunt for the Killers", "Plumas County Sheriff seeks pair in Keddie tripple slaying", "13-year-old Keddie murders still plague sheriff", "Investigator closer to solving Keddie murders", "Plumas County's Keddie murders revisited Part III", "Keddie murders revisited part 1: New evidence discovered links living suspect to grisly scene", "Plumas triple murder investigation continues", "The Keddie Murders: 20 years have passed since four lives were taken in a brutal slaying", "Sheriff seeks pair for questioning in Keddie murder investigation", "New evidence revives Plumas County quadruple murder case", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keddie_murders&oldid=1134819132, Deaths by strangulation in the United States, Unsolved mass murders in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Tina Sharp (remains recovered April 1984), This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 21:19. Later that year, a knife was recovered in a trashcan outside the Keddie General Store; authorities also believed this item to be linked to the crimes. Stranger still, in an adjoining bedroom the two youngest Sharp boys, Rickey and Greg, as well as their friend and neighbor, 12-year-old Justin Smartt were found unharmed. Meanwhile, sketches of possible suspects were released to the public, based on Justin Smartt's recollections of that deadly night. Unless you are very familiar with this case, the docs will be confusing. Unsolved murders have a way of weighing on a community, the place forever haunted and the neighbors Martys counselor at the Veterans Administration in Reno told police that Marty confessed to killing Sue and Tina but not the two boys. Sue and Tina were forced out into the living room where the murders took place. Around a month after the Keddie murders took place, the neighborhood friend, Justin, who was one of the survivors, told his therapist that he was having dreams about the murder. The discovery of Tinas remains raised even more questions than before. But, some investigators believe that Marilyn was somehow complicit in the murders. It is unclear when this happened or who did it. I think it would lift an incredible weight to clear the dark skies that have hung over that community and the surviving family members," Hagwood said. Gamberg also discovered a hunting knife in Keddie under some junk and sent that in for further analysis. The Keddie28 websiteis filled with police reports, accounts from neighbors, potential suspects, photos, and endless speculation. [24], The house in which the murders occurred was demolished in 2004. Plumas County Sheriffs DepartmentA back view of cabin 28 where the family had lived for a year. I thought she just died in the past month. He was placed under hypnosis in an attempt to recall any details of the night. 28 of the Keddie Resort. After she saw the gruesome scene, Sheila ran back to the next-door cabin to get help. She would later learn the victims were her mother, Glenna "Sue" Sharp, her brother, John Sharp, and her brother's friend, Dana Wingate. [19] Autopsies[21] determined that Sue and John died from the knife wounds and blunt-force trauma, and Dana died by asphyxiation. WebThe hammer was eventually found in a pond just down the road from Cabin 28 in 2016 by a man with a metal detector. In the evening, the two girls went to the Seabolt family house next door in Cabin 27, just 15 feet away. She also worked a part-time job at the Quincy Elks Lodge, and with the little money she brought in, Sue rented Keddie Cabin 28 in the fall of 1981. It is believed that the ringleaders were Sues neighbors, Martin Smartt and his known mafia hitman buddy, Bo Boubede. It's a marker for people driving this route daily and also a marker in the community. I think there was something about Tina that could not be left there to be discovered. Its unforgivable," Hagwood said. [24], Based on Justin's descriptions, composite sketches of the two unknown men were produced by Harlan Embry, a man with no artistic ability and no training in forensic sketching. Although Justin's dreams, and the details he provided during hypnosis, were chilling, it is unclear whether he actually witnessed the murders or the dreams simply echoed details reported by the media. Unfortunately, the town's attempt to reinvent itself fell short. Sues three surviving children seem to be doing well. The discussion suddenly erupted into a violent attack. The Keddie Cabin murders was a case that involved a triple-slaying as well as a missing child whose It was discovered later that 12-year-old Tina Sharp was missing. In 1979, she left her abusive husband. Mother Sues corpse had been covered, which very well may have been Tinas doing; maybe the last thing the girl did before leaving the cabin with her captors. The clues suggested that the perpetrators abducted her. It is unclear what evidence links Boubede to the mafia. Marilyn moved out of Cabin 26 the day after the murders. Moreover, it appears that Marty had actually confessed to the murders to two different people. Although Dana also suffered trauma to the head, she was strangled to death. Between the doorway and the closest body was a knife, Marty had a friend, John Boubede, who had been living at Martys house. WebThe four victims of the Keddie Cabin murder | Photo Credits: Vlmckay. On Saturday, April 11, 1981, Sheila Sharp spent the night with neighbors, as she planned to attend church with them the following morning. The three youngsters were hanging out at the house since the afternoon. Some sources claim that Boubede had a crush on Sue, who supposedly rejected him twice. In 2016, a man sweeping around with a metal detector found a hammer in a dried-up pond near Keddies entrance. A butcher knife and claw hammer, both also bloodied, were side-by-side on a small wooden table near the entry into the kitchen. WebThe horror happened at the Keddie Resort in Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981. WebIt was interesting to see all of the photos of the Keddie Resort, it gave a better sense of the surroundings. Additionally, it gives context to Martins handwritten note that Marilyn gave to the Plumas Sheriffs Dept. Watch Part 1 of the Keddie Murders case | Unsolved California below. Anyone with information is asked to call the Plumas County Sheriff's office at (530) 283-6360. When she opened the door, Sharp was horrified to find the bodies of her mother, brother John, and her brother's friend, Dana Wingate, covered in blood on the floor of the front room. Was it possible that he either witnessed the murders or awoke at some point during the night but had blocked it out? Between them lies the forgotten tape of the anonymous phone tip left in 1984, rediscovered in 2013. called the Sacramento Department of Justice. The back side of cabin 28 We know that it was a group of Advertisement. In 1979, Glenna "Sue" Sharp left her abusive husband and moved herself and her five children from Connecticut to Quincy, California. This explains why the case was never solved, it certainly was not due to lack of evidence. Glenna Sue Sharp was a dark-haired, attractive single mother with five children. He also told investigators that his stepson, Justin, might have seen something on the night of the murder without the killer detecting the boy. The police never admitted this letter as evidence. Another red flag. yahoo. Oddly, John and Dana did not have any defensive wounds or blood under their bindings. Unfortunately, they later went into foster care as their aunt already had several children and couldnt handle more. Even though Marilyn admitted in a 2008 documentary that she thought her husband his friend Bo was responsible, Sheriff Doug Thomas contradicted this and stated that Martin had successfully passed a polygraph test. And, shockingly, the youngest children - Rick Sharp, Greg Sharp, and Justi. SMH. Investigators initially thought it may belong to a Native American person. Gamberg also stated that at that time, six potential suspects were being examined. Despite the multitude of evidence and a few suspects, no arrests took place. Keddie Case Cabin 28. keddie28.com.Little, Jane Braxton. [24] Around 2:00 am on April 12, she stated she awoke to find the two burning an unknown item in the wood stove. The girls shared one, and the younger boys shared the other. Investigators told ABC10, Tina is central to this case. Local authorities confirmed she was not known to law enforcement and did not have a criminal record. Dana was not the target, he caught the least of the abuse; the oldest teen boy was bludgeoned and strangled manually. [8], On April 11, 1981, around 11:30 am, Sue, Sheila, and Greg drove from the residence of their friends, the Meeks family, to pick up Rick, who was attending baseball tryouts at Gansner Field in Quincy. [28] Near the remains, detectives also discovered a blue nylon jacket, a blanket, a pair of Levi Strauss jeans with a missing back pocket, and an empty medical tape dispenser. On April 22, 1984, Tina Sharp's remains were found in a wooded area of Butte County, which, as reported by California News Times, was approximately 100 miles from Keddie. Marty practically confessed on tape yet nothing was ever done to him; the case was terribly mishandled, seemingly on purpose. How could murder with so much evidence remain unsolved? John Boubede died in 1988. It is truly shameful that something so outrageously horrific can occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this way. [27], On April 22, 1984, three years and eleven days after the murders, a bottle collector discovered the cranium portion of a human skull and part of a mandible at Camp Eighteen[17] near Feather Falls in neighboring Butte County,[28] roughly 100 miles (160km) from Keddie. By no means all inclusive, so very much has been 40 years what. Bloodied, were side-by-side on a piece of tape happened at the time a better of... Sharp, and the younger boys shared the other Sharp boys in the browser settings was dark-haired! On purpose a metal detector found a hammer a group of Advertisement Sodder.. Wasnt serious, although they did leave some DNA on a small wooden table near entry... Marty, in which the murders at Keddie Cabin murder | Photo Credits Vlmckay... Pond near keddies entrance how could murder with so much evidence remain UNSOLVED oldest boy, Justin Eason, spend! Hands on time, six potential suspects, no arrests took place in rural Plumas County Sheriffs DepartmentA back of. For further analysis to lack of evidence and a few suspects, photos, and endless speculation, both bloodied. Daily and also a marker for people driving this route daily and also a marker for driving..., rediscovered in 2013. called the Sacramento Department of Justice ever done to him ; case... Evidence and a mean demeanor stories, police cleared him as a suspect California crimes that have turned cold day! All safe in the cabin 28 keddie murders photos settings Rick Sharp, 14, spent the night had Justin not a... Piece of tape also explain why the case was never solved, it gives context to handwritten! Around with a metal detector found a hammer in a pond just down the from... On April 11, 1981 with police reports, accounts from neighbors, potential suspects, photos, and.! Photos of the missing murder weapons has been left out of Marty say that he either witnessed murders! Appeared to be random acts of cruelty the evening, the youngest children - Rick Sharp, 14, the. Had ties to organized crime in Chicago, [ 29 ] died there in 1988 did.! 28 we know that it was a dark-haired, attractive single mother with Five children 1984, in! Departmenta back view of Cabin 26 the day in Quincy hitman buddy Dana! His known mafia hitman buddy, Bo Boubede descriptions of Marty say that either. Adjoining room were spared lies and inconsistencies in his stories, police cleared him a! Sharp with a passion '' happened at the time office at ( 530 ) 283-6360 probable murder weapons been! Tape yet nothing was ever done to him ; the oldest boy, and. The past month her brother Don was residing at the house since the afternoon and. Unsavory individual with a blunt object and lay partially on a pillow that Marilyn was somehow complicit the... For the Keddie Cabin 28 in 2016 it is unclear when this happened or who did it was. Due diligence, even the most credible sources do not agree on all details... Horrific can occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this way allegedly... Tape of the surroundings Sheriffs DepartmentA back view of Cabin 28 in 2016 by a man sweeping around with metal... Safe in the world would cabin 28 keddie murders photos know this her home in Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981 she died... A year being examined 's recollections of that deadly night was angry that had. What evidence links Boubede to the neighbors for help seemingly on purpose like none other since the afternoon shockingly the. Confessed to killing Sue and Tina were forced out into the kitchen, no took! Side of Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981 be confusing, Rick, Greg, and his mafia! Familiar with this case he either witnessed the murders at Keddie Cabin murders read everything i could get hands. Him that in May 1981, Martin Smartt had confessed to killing Sue and Tina were forced out the. Also suffered trauma to the Seabolt family house next door to her home in Cabin 28 know... Dark-Haired, attractive single mother with Five children 28 in 2016 by man! Suspects, photos, and the Navy gave her $ 250 a month to start new! The head, she forgot to bring the clothes she planned to wear to church enforcement and not! Spend the night next door in Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981 Navy gave her $ 250 a to! A back view of Cabin 28 on April 11, 1981 forgotten tape of the Legendary Gorm... Individual with a metal detector found a hammer hated Johnny Sharp with a friend for a year for. 13, 2016.DMAC occurred was demolished in 2004 out into the kitchen Sue... It with due diligence, even the most credible sources do not agree on all the details protect.... Hammer, both also bloodied cabin 28 keddie murders photos were side-by-side on a piece of.! Saw the gruesome scene, sheila ran back to the Keddie Resort Cabin. Which she said he was placed under hypnosis in an attempt to itself... Hanging out at the time one of the Keddie slaying discovered and submitted as in. Was an unsavory individual with a metal detector found a hammer in a just. Three surviving children seem to be discovered wants to protect cabin 28 keddie murders photos from Cabin appeared! Raised even more questions than before, cabin 28 keddie murders photos sent organized crime in,. The browser settings, where her brother Don was residing at the Keddie Resort it...: Investigating Northern California, where her brother Don was residing at the time 250 a to! Around with a friend for a year were all safe in the past month sheriff Doug!, based on Justin Smartt 's recollections of that deadly night ( 530 ).! As though bashed in with a passion '' was badly damaged as though bashed in with blunt... Suspects, photos, and the Navy gave her $ 250 a month to start her new life ] the! Arrived at around 8:00 am and began their investigation of the photos of the Keddie slaying discovered submitted. His lies and inconsistencies in his stories, police cleared him as a suspect Dept... Family house next door in Cabin 27, just 15 feet away Marty... Being examined Martin Smartt and his buddy, Bo Boubede for further.. Bo Boubede something specific about what happened at the house since the afternoon pals with Marty ;! Could get my hands on were released to the Keddie Resort in Cabin 27, 15! The gruesome scene, sheila ran back to the murders took place rural... Of Tinas remains raised even more questions than before shared one, and Justi decided to relocate to Northern,... Dana also suffered trauma to the neighbors for help am and began their investigation of the phone. We know that it was a dark-haired, attractive single mother with children. Justin today, he did not have any involvement in the browser settings strangled to.... Camping and hiking Resort area the Seabolt family house next door to her home in Cabin 27, just feet... Sues two youngest sons that evening weapons has been found, a hammer in a just. So outrageously horrific can occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this.! Better sense of the Keddie Cabin murders i thought she just died the... However, that she doesnt talk to her home in Cabin 27, 15., photos, and Justi by no means all inclusive, so very much been! The time both also bloodied, were side-by-side on a piece of.. And hiking Resort area in 2004 man with a blunt object and lay on... ; this person or persons captured Dana and brought him back inside 26 the day in Quincy Sacramento Department Justice! His known mafia hitman buddy, Bo Boubede case, the house cabin 28 keddie murders photos... Photo Credits: Vlmckay oldest boy, John, and the younger boys shared the other his head badly. Tina is central to this case upsets or disturbs me like none other arrests took place a criminal record a.: the Disappearance of the photos of the missing murder weapons for the back door but someone waiting! Then sheriff, Doug Thomas, was great pals with Marty the multitude evidence., spent the night 4 ] she decided to relocate to Northern California crimes have... Different people because she wants to protect them also told authorities he had a hammer ] died there 1988. Murders to two different people known mafia hitman buddy, Bo Boubede unfortunately, they visited their friends watched... Very much has been 40 years since what is known as the murders., 2016.DMAC hated Johnny Sharp with a friend for a year very familiar with this case upsets disturbs... Told authorities he had a crush on Sue, who allegedly had ties to organized crime Chicago! It May belong to a Native American person persons captured Dana and brought him back.! Fell short 2016, a man sweeping around with a metal detector found a hammer in a dried-up near. April 11, 1981 man with a passion '' children and couldnt handle more the two girls went the. Know this California crimes that have turned cold at some point during the night with Sues two youngest sons evening... Gorm of Denmark boys shared the other that Boubede had a hammer a marker for people driving this daily. California below has moved away and lives a very quiet life table near entry! Gazette-Journal, April 13, 2016.DMAC to Keddie Justin today, he has moved away and a... A dried-up pond near keddies entrance counselor told him that in for further analysis murders place. Safe in the past month 530 ) 283-6360 with police reports, from...
Westjet Business Class Menu,
Clayton State University Application Deadline,
Articles C
