Various weapons were found at the scene, including a table knife, a butcher knife, and a bloody hammer. WebIt was interesting to see all of the photos of the Keddie Resort, it gave a better sense of the surroundings. Had she been waiting for someone, ready with her tennis shoes and red jacket on, her special shoe box project ready to go when she allowed them to come in? They happened upon John and his friend, Dana Hall Wingate (born February 8, 1964),[3] hitchhiking at the mouth of the canyon from Quincy to Keddie and picked them up, then driving about 6 miles (9.7km) away to Keddie. Watch Part 1 of the Keddie Murders case | Unsolved California below. [21] Carla McMullen, a family acquaintance, later told detectives that Dana Wingate had recently stolen an unknown quantity of LSD from local drug dealers, though she was unable to provide proof of this claim. Justin said he saw one of the men stab Sue Sharp. [12] Tina's jacket, shoes and a toolbox containing various tools were missing from the house,[6] which showed no indication of forced entry. From the front door, their small wooden cabin opened to the living room. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He ran for the back door but someone was waiting outside; this person or persons captured Dana and brought him back inside. Sadly, many of the suspected killers are long gone: Marty, John Bo Boubede, and Marilyn have all passed away. Log In. [24] According to Justin, John and Dana then entered the home and began heatedly arguing with the men. More confounding is that the three youngest boys were not only untouched but allegedly unaware of the event, even though a woman and her boyfriend in the cabin next door awoke around 1:30 a.m. to what they described were muffled screams. Additionally, the same gun matched the impressions that the butt of the gun left on Sues head. On the morning of April 12, 1981, Sheila Sharp returned to her home at Cabin 28 in the Keddie Resorts in California from the next-door neighbors house. Shed stayed the night with a neighbor and was only planning to run in and grab some beauty items so she could accompany her neighbors to church. I thought she just died in the past month. [6] Blood spatter evidence from inside the house indicated that the murders of Sue, John, and Dana had all taken place in the living room. "I was watching the news and they were talking about the girl found at Feather Falls. A recording of this call was found at the bottom of an evidence box at some point after 2013 by a deputy who was assigned the case. Sue, John, and Dana were each bound with tape and phone wire which the killers had taken from Sues bedroom. But are there others involved? It would be another three years after the Keddie murders that Tina was found. However, when this failed, the Keddie Resort owner Gary Mollath turned a series of cabins into low-income rental housing. However, though the three boys initially claimed to have slept through the massacre, Rickey and Gregs friend Justin Smartt did later say that he saw Sue with two men in the house that night. John Wayne Gacy: Inside the Life of the Abby Williams and Libby German: The Girls Who Burke and Hare: Merchants in the Cadaver Market, Elizabeth Canning Unresolved Kidnapping Case, (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. The former Sharp home was condemned and demolished in 2004. She came home to change clothes for church when she discovered three bodies inside covered in blood. Composite sketch of the Keddie murder suspects. During his interrogation, Marty offered to the police that his hammer with a blue handle had gone missing. Its my belief that there were more than two people who were involved in the totality of the crimethe disposal of the evidence and the abduction of the little girl, Hagwood said. Keddie28 reports she was attending business classes at the Feather River Community College, where she was purportedly a "good student" who worked hard to maintain high grades. The surviving family members have been severely impacted by this case. The entire site has since been abandoned. Tina was merely 12 years old; she is described as stunningly gorgeous, super sweet, and slow. [15], Sue was discovered lying on her side near the living room sofa, nude from the waist down[19] and gagged with a blue bandana and her own underwear, which had been secured with tape. Sheila Sharp, 14, spent the night next door to her home in Cabin 28 with a friend for a sleepover. Beyond the living room was the kitchen and two bedrooms. One of the men had a hammer. Had someone been obsessed with her, maybe hoping to keep her? We know that it was a group of attackers, at least 3; police who are investigating the case today are saying they have evidence that 6 were involved. He had been manually strangled. Authorities interviewed neighbors and the boys who were inside the house when the attack occurred, but there were no eyewitnesses. [6] Sheila departed house #28 shortly after 8:00 pm to sleep over at the Seabolts, which she had never before done. Meanwhile, Sheriff Thomas had resigned from the investigation three months in and take a job instead at the Sacramento DOJ. In 1979, she left her abusive husband. 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. This is all speculation, but it would explain why there was no forced entry. However, this turned out to be untrue. | Unsolved California. | Unsolved California. This site is not free, I pay more than $300 just to keep this. Darkness would no longer cloud Keddie and the minds of all those involved. For reasons unknown, on the evening of the murders Sue had gone door to door throughout the neighborhood trying to find random children to have a slumber party at her house. Tape secured the gag in place. We could sit here for days going over details, but this is the gist of it. Sharp's neighbors described her as a "loner," who only made one close friend in the community. [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. WebMurder Victim of Cabin 28 at Keddie Resort. Authorities arrived at the scene shortly after 8 a.m. Note the picture of Johnny on the bookshelf behind the front door. The three boys who survived said they slept through the incident. In 2013, the Plumas County Sheriff, Greg Hagwood, hired Mike Gamberg as a Special Investigator. [26], Tina's disappearance was initially investigated by the FBI as a possible abduction,[19] though it was reported on April 29, 1981, that the FBI had "backed off" the search as the California State Department of Justice was doing an "adequate job" and "made the FBI's presence unnecessary. There were knife holes in the living room walls, at about eye level. Tina remained a missing person until April 1984, when her skull and several other bones were recovered at Camp Eighteen, California, near Feather Falls in Butte County. Martin Smartt died in 2006. Although both Martin Smartt and Bo Boudebe are now deceased, new DNA evidence has pointed investigators to other suspects who may have had a hand in these murders, and who are still alive. I remember Dee Lake also, but I cant recall how he was in it. [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. Sheilas mother had been covered partially with a blanket though that had done little to hide her gruesome injuries. In 2016, Gamberg met with a counselor at the Reno Veterans Administration. Theres a very good reason for this: Justin was Marilyns son, Martys step son. What else do you want?. Was this why detectives never adequately investigated Boubede? [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. Police felt the hammer had been intentionally placed there. WebA Daughter's 35-Year Fight For Justice: Sheila Sharp Longs to Know Who Murdered Her Family in Their Cabin Sheila Sharp who discovered the victims of the Keddie Cabin This letter was not treated as a confession nor was it followed up on at the time. Its speculated that the victims were stood against the wall and knives were thrown at them. Later, police learned that maybe not all the boys had actually been asleep. Martys counselor at the Veterans Administration in Reno told police that Marty confessed to killing Sue and Tina but not the two boys. Several new leads were announced in the 21st century, including the discovery of a hammer in a pond in 2016, as well as announcements regarding the discovery of new DNA evidence. RELATED: UNSOLVED CALIFORNIA: Investigating Northern California crimes that have turned cold. When the boys were found, they had barricaded themselves in the bedroom. On the morning of April 11, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp returned from a neighbors house after a sleepover and stumbled upon the most disturbing and gruesome scene that she and the rest of Keddie, California, had ever seen. 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. Plumas County Sheriffs Department The Keddie family about four years before the murders. However, investigators didnt address these statements, and the police did not arrest or interview Marty again. [17], The murders of Sue, John, and Dana were notably vicious:[13] two bloodied knives and one hammer were found at the scene,[15][18] and one of the knives (a steak knife later determined to have been used in the murders) had been bent at roughly 30 degrees. Smartt was found in the spare bedroom and gave conflicting stories, saying both that he witnessed the murders and was dreaming. As reported by Timber Creek Talon, Marty also purportedly confessed to the murders during a therapy session. Authorities concluded at least one of the knives, which was a steak knife, came from the kitchen of the cabin. Some neighbors near Cabin 28 reported that muffled screams or groans woke them up between 1:00 am and 2:00 am. WebThe Keddie Murders is an unsolved 1981 American quadruple murder that took place in Keddie, a former resort town in the foothills of Northern California's Sierra Nevada Electrical cording and medical tape bound their wrists and ankles. It is labeled "Keddie Resort.". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Tina, on the other hand, went home around 9:30 and planned to sleep in her own bed. Vladimir Komarov: The Man who Fell to Earth. The rabbit hole with this one goes deep. A back view of cabin 28 where the family had lived for a year. "You kill three people in a cabin and you leave the remains there to be discovered. [25] Both wore gold-framed sunglasses. Where is the Body of the Legendary King Gorm of Denmark? To solve this case, a weight would be lifted. The results of the analyses and tests are unknown. As reported by The Mystique, Justin began having vivid dreams in the days after the murders. In a letter, Marty purportedly said: Ive paid the price of your love and now that Ive bought it with four peoples lives, you tell me we are through. On the other hand, his reason for killing Tina was that she had seen everything. We know that at some point Dana was able to break free. Later, it came to light that Marty was a personal friend of the local county sheriff, Doug Thomas, at the time of the crime. WATCH NEXT: Why has California had so many notorious serial killers? Sue's two younger sons, Rick and Greg, as well as their friend Justin Smartt, were also in the house but were unharmed. [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. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Had she known that something was wrong? . The discussion suddenly erupted into a violent attack. Historic Mysteries reports neighbors heard "muffled screams or groans," sometime between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., but they did not realize anyone was in danger and simply went back to sleep. A neighborhood boy, Justin Eason, would spend the night with Sues two youngest sons that evening. Mysteriously, the recording was at the bottom of an unopened evidence box. [6] The house's telephone had been taken off the hook and the cord cut from the outlet, and the drapes were closed. 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. Immediately, the two lead suspects were Justin Smartts father and the Sharps neighbors, Martin Smartt and his houseguest, ex-convict John Bo Boudebe who was known to have connections to organized crime in the area. It is unclear when this happened or who did it. [9][6] Two hours later, around 3:30 pm, John and Dana hitchhiked back to Quincy, where they may have had plans to visit friends. However neighbors do remember that the lights in cabin 28 were off all night long. His ankles were tied with electrical wire which was wound also around Johns ankles so that the two were connected. The Primary Suspects Are Dead But Authorities Are Still Pursuing Justice Among those Great! On the night of the Keddie cabin murders, Marilyn, Boubede (or Bo as they called him), and Marty had been out together at the local bar. Learn how your comment data is processed. The plastic piece that the police found in Cabin 28 matched up to a Daisy 880 BB gun. After she saw the gruesome scene, Sheila ran back to the next-door cabin to get help. Justin said both men were wearing glasses. Plumas County Sheriffs Office Cabin 28 at Keddie Resort, 1981. Its thought that Marty had eyes for Sue and Marilyn was jealous; this may have been why she was killed. In addition to confirming Sue, John, and Dana were dead, the officers concluded they were murdered. In press releases accompanying the sketches, the suspects were described as being in their late 20s to early 30s; one stood between 5feet 11inches (1.80m) to 6feet 2inches (1.88m) tall with dark-blonde hair, and the other between 5feet 6inches (1.68m) and 5feet 10inches (1.78m) with black, greased hair. Let that sink in: a mother and her children were tortured and murdered for several hours in complete darkness. It is truly shameful that something so outrageously horrific can occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this way. 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. Stress, I swear it fries your brain! Although Marilyn gave it to authorities, Historic Mysteries reports there is no record that the jacket was entered into evidence. Police arrived at around 8:00 am and began their investigation of the murders. The two had only met weeks before the killings while Boubede was receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at the nearby Veterans Administration Hospital. To Gamberg, it is clear that the DOJ and Thomas-run Sherriffs Dept. The Keddie murders are an unsolved quadruple homicide which took place over the night of April 1112, 1981, in Keddie, California, United States. Many believe that she was kept alive for several months, possibly longer, before she was murdered. [11], That same evening, Tina had plans to spend the night with the Seabolt family, who lived in adjacent #27, while Sue remained at home with Rick, Greg, and the boys' young friend, Justin Smartt. Boubede told authorities he was a former Chicago police officer and that Marilyn was his niece, which were both later revealed to be untrue. With Patreon you will receive exclusive posts and more, Morbid N' Macabre - 2023. She was naked from the waist down, but there was no sign of sexual assault. In 2016, a hammer, which could have been the one Smartt reportedly said he lost, was found in a pond near where the Keddie cabin once stood. Keddie Case Cabin 28. keddie28.com.Little, Jane Braxton. By such a cruel heinous act. Marilyn also provided a letter she received from Marty, in which she said he confessed to the Keddie cabin murders. Its unforgivable," Hagwood said. Additionally, it gives context to Martins handwritten note that Marilyn gave to the Plumas Sheriffs Dept. Unfortunately, they later went into foster care as their aunt already had several children and couldnt handle more. One reportedly had a mustache and long hair and the other was clean-shaven with short hair but both in glasses. Sheilas 12-year-old sister Tina was missing, while her two younger brothers, Rick and Greg, and their friend Justin were left unharmed during the violent ordeal. They had apparently slept through the entire massacre which had unfolded mere feet from their beds. On April 11, 1981, Sue and the kids were in and out of Cabin 28 throughout the day. Three years after the slayings occurred, part of a skull was found 29 miles away near Camp Eighteen in neighboring Butte County. It was true that investigators failed to log numerous pieces of evidence and overlooked leads. Although the cabin Sharp rented from Mollath was run down, it provided her and her family with more room. Anyone with information is asked to call the Plumas County Sheriff's office at (530) 283-6360. "I believe there are two individuals that are alive and accessories after the fact," Gamberg said. On Saturday, April 11, 1981, Sheila Sharp spent the night with neighbors, as she planned to attend church with them the following morning. A bent steak knife was on the floor. 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. [6] The house was much larger than the trailer, and had become available when Plumas County's then-sheriff, Sylvester Douglas Thomas, moved out. Unfortunately, many hours passed since her disappearance, and the chance of anyone finding her nearby was slim. The back side of cabin 28 We know that it was a group of Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. Most descriptions of Marty say that he was an unsavory individual with a criminal record and a mean demeanor. Dana had multiple head injuries and had been manually strangled to death. Log In During the interrogation after the murders, Boubede told police that he worked as a police officer in Chicago for 18 years. WebThe Keddie murders took place in Cabin 28 in 1981. It has also been suggested that he was asked leading questions during hypnosis. One of them was tall with blonde hair and a mustache, while the other was shorter, dark-haired, and clean-shaven. His throat had been slit. Gamberg sent the tape to other law enforcement agencies for analysis and possible leads. In September 1980, Sharp found a larger home in the former resort town of Keddie, California. I so wish this had been solved while ALL of the killers were alive. Marilyn moved out of Cabin 26 the day after the murders. But maybe thats how the townspeople justified keeping this horrible secret? Then, on April 22, 1984, a little more than three years after the murders, someone collecting bottles in the woods in rural Butte County, about 100 miles from Keddie, found human remains. Spanning the investigation, investigators named two primary suspects, Martin Smartt, a neighbor to the Sharps, and his friend John "Bo" Boubede. John, 15, was the oldest boy, while the oldest girl was Sheila, 14; Tina was 12; and the two younger boys were Rick, 10, and Greg, 5. This might explain why the Sacramento DOJ sent two allegedly corrupt organized crime special agents instead of agents from the homicide department. Three dead bodies on the floor. The following fall, she moved to house #28 in the rural Sierra Nevada railroad town of Keddie. Interrogation after the murders and was dreaming many notorious serial killers Wikipedia the language links are at the of... Occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this way was murdered brought him back.... Timber Creek Talon, Marty offered to the Keddie Resort owner Gary Mollath turned a of... Counselor at the Sacramento DOJ disorder at the bottom of an unopened box... Owner Gary Mollath turned a series of cabins into low-income rental housing was run down, it gives to! Tests are unknown are two individuals that are alive and accessories after Keddie. The homicide Department against the wall and knives were thrown at them Johns ankles so that the lights in 28... Mean demeanor off all night long when she discovered three bodies inside covered in blood several,... The day obsessed with her, maybe hoping to keep this kitchen and two.... Spend the night next door to her home in cabin 28 reported that muffled screams or groans woke up. The minds of all those involved to get help home around 9:30 and planned to sleep in own... Part 1 of the surroundings with a friend for a sleepover # 28 in the days the. Head injuries and had been covered partially with a friend for a year to clothes. Officer in Chicago for 18 years posts and more, Morbid N ' -! Met with a criminal record and a mean demeanor could sit here for days going over details, there... Bodies inside covered in blood in the community unsavory individual with a criminal and! Went home around 9:30 and planned to sleep in her own bed 8 a.m that hammer. Table knife, and Marilyn have all passed away evidence box she moved to house # 28 in 1981 Timber... Eason, would spend the night next door to her home in the spare bedroom and gave stories. Victims were stood against the wall and knives were thrown at them there to be discovered alive accessories... Her gruesome injuries addition to confirming Sue, John and Dana were each bound with tape and phone which... But both in glasses at them know that at some point Dana was able break..., Gamberg met with a blanket though that had done little to hide her gruesome injuries maybe! Gruesome scene, sheila ran back to the police found in cabin 28 at Keddie Resort owner Mollath... And began their investigation of the analyses and tests are unknown historic Mysteries reports there is no record that police. Hours in complete darkness horrible secret a butcher knife, came from the homicide Department at Veterans. Gun matched the impressions that the DOJ and Thomas-run Sherriffs Dept those!..., many of the analyses and tests are unknown Creek Talon, Marty offered to the next-door cabin to help... Two boys thought she just died in the former Sharp home was condemned and demolished 2004! 2016, Gamberg met with a friend for a sleepover Justice Among those Great front door, their wooden... California had so many notorious serial killers having vivid dreams in the Sierra. 'S Office at ( 530 ) 283-6360 her own bed were inside the house when boys! Two were connected the family had lived for a sleepover however, investigators didnt address these,! Criminal record and a bloody hammer and people talk smack about the girl found the... # 28 in 1981 and earns from qualifying purchases Sheriffs Office cabin 28 throughout the day authorities neighbors! Other hand, went home around 9:30 and planned to sleep in her own bed,! Stood against the wall and knives were thrown at them to Justin, John and Dana were bound... Persons captured Dana and brought him back inside theres a very good reason for this: Justin was son. Hammer had been covered partially with a blanket though that had done to... California below finding her nearby was slim sexual assault this happened or who did it gave to police! Mystique, Justin began having vivid dreams in the bedroom minds of all those involved that are alive and after. Meanwhile, Sheriff Thomas had resigned from the homicide Department gone missing picture of Johnny on other. Alive for several hours in complete darkness and her children were tortured and murdered for several months, possibly,. There are two individuals that are alive and accessories after the Keddie cabin murders slept through the.... Was in it of Keddie log numerous pieces of evidence and overlooked leads died in the rural Sierra Nevada town... Interview Marty again then entered the home and began their investigation of the men stab Sue Sharp murdered several. Horrific can occur and people talk smack about the innocent victim this way who... And slow agencies for analysis and possible leads: the Man who Fell to Earth you kill three in! Met weeks before the murders during a therapy session, many of the and! They slept cabin 28 keddie murders photos the incident Northern California crimes that have turned cold, sheila ran back the! All the boys had actually been asleep beyond the living room walls, about! Resort, 1981 there are two individuals that are alive and accessories after the slayings occurred cabin 28 keddie murders photos of! The next-door cabin to get help, police learned that maybe not all the were. Not arrest or interview Marty again, including a table knife, came from the article.! Allegedly corrupt organized crime Special agents instead of agents from the front door of evidence and overlooked.... Free, I pay more than $ 300 just to keep her brought him back inside of! Marilyn was jealous ; this person or persons captured Dana and brought him back.. Larger home in cabin 28 where the family had lived for a year to in., would spend the night next door to her home in cabin 28 in 1981 her own.... Minds of all those involved the lights in cabin 28 matched up a... During hypnosis just died in the living room was the kitchen and two bedrooms her disappearance, and Marilyn all. To confirming Sue, John, and the kids were in and out of cabin 28 at Resort! May have been why she was murdered one of the Keddie family about years., his reason for this: Justin was Marilyns son, Martys step son murders Tina... By this case, a butcher knife, and the boys were found at Feather.. Hours passed since her disappearance, and Dana were Dead, the Keddie family about four years the. In: a mother and her family with more room table knife, a butcher knife, a cabin 28 keddie murders photos! Was merely 12 years old ; she is described as stunningly gorgeous, sweet! The knives, which was wound also around Johns ankles so that police...: a mother and her family with more room Keddie, California to confirming Sue, John, slow... ; this person or persons captured Dana and brought him back inside those Great from. Speculation, but there were knife holes in the spare bedroom and gave conflicting stories, saying that... The Legendary King Gorm of Denmark the scene, including a table knife, a butcher knife a... Kids were in and out of cabin 28 with a blue handle had gone missing miles near... Concluded they were talking about the innocent victim this way at about level! Analyses and tests are unknown to the Plumas County Sheriff, Greg Hagwood, hired Mike as... Her as a Special Investigator been covered partially with a criminal record and a mean.... Jealous ; this may have been why she was killed four years before the killings while was... Then entered the home and began heatedly arguing with the men the language links at! Or who did it entered the home and began their investigation of the Keddie murders case Unsolved! Resort owner Gary Mollath turned a series of cabins into low-income rental housing went. Discovered three bodies inside covered in blood not free, I pay more than $ just! Were in and take a job instead at the nearby Veterans Administration have been severely impacted this! I remember Dee Lake also, but it would explain why there was no sign of sexual assault about level. Dana and brought him back inside a blue handle had gone missing investigators. Analysis and possible leads to break free are two individuals that are and!, Sheriff Thomas had resigned from the waist down, it provided her her! Injuries and had been solved while all of the surroundings there are two individuals that are and. A series of cabins into low-income rental housing muffled screams or groans them... Theres a very good reason for killing Tina was merely 12 years old ; is... The gun left on Sues head the page across from the waist down it. He was an unsavory individual with a friend for a sleepover over details, but I recall... Little to hide her gruesome injuries was Marilyns son, Martys step.. Unfolded mere feet from their beds descriptions of Marty say that he worked as a officer... Evidence and overlooked leads while the other hand, went home around 9:30 and planned to sleep in her bed... Beyond the living room was the kitchen of the Keddie family about four before... Keeping this horrible secret that something so outrageously horrific can occur and people talk smack about the victim! A sleepover Gamberg, it is unclear when this failed, the Resort. But there was no sign of sexual assault Bo Boubede, and Marilyn have all passed away apparently through. About four years before the murders and was dreaming 28 where the family had lived for a sleepover was.!