They're the ones that have kept me going. Some even believed the furniture moved around by itself. Why was Marty's then-wife, Marilyn Musgrove, a key conspirator and fellow murderer, not arrested? The bodies of Sue, John, and Dana were found on the morning of April 12 by Sue's 14-year-old daughter, Sheila, who had been sleeping at a friend's house. Brenda Brown, Ryan Becker, 2020 "Murder in California: Serial Killers and Unsolved Murders", Marques Vickers, 2019; References This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 06:27 (UTC). He said, And I was wondering if they thought of the murder up in Keddie up in Plumas County a couple years ago where a 12-year-old girl was never found.. ", "To have this solved would finally give my family some closure, some answers as to why it happened and why it took so long to solve," Sheila says. It would take those at the scene at least several hours to realize that fact. Cabin 28 was condemned and torn down in 2004. "It's my feeling that either he [the caller] was told or he was involved in some way," Gamberg said. Its not about what was done, but what was not done. And that was plenty. Severin John Bo Boubede, Smartts friend. It's a case that's gathered far more dust than clues over the years. According to Gamberg, right after the murders, Sheriff Doug Thomas contacted the DOJ in Sacramento. The hammer, similar to one reported missing by Smartt, was dug up near the crime scene just last month. The three bodies on the floor had been bound, stabbed and beaten with a hammer. She reported the possibility of a homicide in Cabin 28. It contained a tape recording of an anonymous caller to Butte County dispatch. As a Quincy deputy who knew many of the area residents, understood and had experience in homicide investigation, and as someone who knew at least two of the victims, he believes his input should have been taken seriously. Tina's (the sister whose body was not found in the cabin) skull had been found due to an anonymous tip called into the police on the. The hope is coming from an unlikely sourceinformation from a family member of Boubede has led to a discovery investigators thought was long gone. As he sorted he found one bag of evidence that was never opened. Although he prefers not to share his identity, dmac has been heavily investigating the Keddie murders for many years. yeah, both of them had records," he said. * Stream our true crime show, People Magazine Investigates on Investigation Discovery, which includes an episode on the Keddie cabin murders. Please enter valid email address to continue. Hes also shared some important information with the Plumas County Sheriffs Office. Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the app for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices. As word spread through Keddie and the rest of Plumas County of the murders, its clearly a crime that not only affected Shelia Sharp and her remaining brothers and the boy who was spending the night, it deeply affected some members of the sheriffs office and the community, Gamberg said. What was ignored was an alleged admission of guilty by one of the suspects. Moving forward, DNA might still be retrievable from evidence collected at Keddie Cabin 28 if it hasnt been compromised and DNA testing facilities are notoriously backlogged. Hagwood personally knew them. ", "It's a little bit confused," Sheila says of her recall after more than three decades. rice farms in northern california. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Detectives say they are closer than ever to solving the Keddie Murders case | Unsolved California 28,296 views Apr 30, 2021 It has been 40 years since the most horrific crime in Plumas County. Marty Smartt's letter was an early re-discovery. Of course his DNA would be there! Its also believed medical tape was brought along, and theres some evidence that an 880 BB or pellet rife was there, but was not recovered at the scene. He was also familiar with Cabin 28 in Keddie. great article! Gamberg also found in the investigation's files an apparently unopened envelope with a recording of a 911 call. Every bit of evidence that can still be recovered is important to this case, according to Gamberg as he continues to search for leads and re-interviews anyone linked to the Keddie murders. "It could be next month, it could be next year but really the focus in our priority is getting the truthgetting the answers.". Now, an Alleged Serial Killer Has Confessed, Police Say, Judge Orders Release of Adnan Syed as Murder Conviction of 'Serial' Subject Is Vacated. Among those questioned in the killings was Sue's neighbor Marty Smartt, who lived two cabins away with his wife (and Justin Smartt's mother), Marilyn. Yet Gamberg and Sheriff Greg Hagwood believed the evidence leaned toward those two as the culprits. I taught Dana Wingate that year at the highschool. "I actually put in my mind that I'll probably go to my gravethat it will never be solvedand then when all this is coming out--it brought up the hope again," she said. Keddie murders revisited part 2: Following the clues. Case file update is a new column featuring previous cases involving Plumas County and its people. How did Doug Thomas keep Gamberg out of the investigation if Gamberg was terminated in March 1981 and wasnt reinstated until 1983 (2 years after Thomas resigned)? With nothing in those first weeks that tied them to the crime, Thomas said, neither were charged. Although two of the main suspects, Smartt and Boubede are dead, they were alive at the time of Tina Sharps discovery. It's a case that involves a triple-slaying and a missing child whose remains. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for many of the products and services listed on the site. She waited and prayed for Tina to be found and reunited with her siblings a dream she held onto until 1984, when Tina's severed skull turned up in the deep woods some 50 miles away from the Keddie cabin, in another county. Unsolved Mystery of the Keddie Cabin Murders by Joe Turner 1 Listen to this article. Neither Hagwood nor Gamberg are willing to divulge specifics on whom theyre watching, but new evidence has given them solid leads. CALLER: Hello I was watching the news and they were talking about the skull they found at the Feather Falls and they asked for any help. Some of the evidence was placed in a freezer to preserve it. Along with special agents Crim and Bradley, Spiro Vasos, a finger print expert, and Bruce Palmer, an evidence expert, also arrived from DOJ. The 1981 Keddie cabin murders of three family members and a teenage friend shook the small Sierra Nevada mountain communities of Keddie and Quincy in northern California, beginning a mystery that lingers decades later. More than 35 years after a teenage girl came home to find her family brutally slain in their resort cabin, police say the cold case is heating up. Hagwood commented on the theory of it being a cover-up: "It has brought to light some amazing timelines, histories, and what some may call 'coincidence.' Authorities arrived at the scene shortly after 8 a.m. In the larger community of Quincy, with a population of just under 2,000, Sheriff Hagwood was a schoolmate of victims Johnny and Dana, and the summer before the murders they'd all worked together as teenagers on a painting crew. Dana suffered multiple head injuries and was manually strangled. Although a lot of potential evidence was collected and catalogued, very little worthwhile information was realized from the scene. Sue's 12-year-old daughter Tina was taken from the cabin, but her decomposed remains wouldn't be found for another three years. Defensive injuries would be discovered on her arms. Obsessed with travel? in 1990. ", "I would like my kids and grandkids to know that she was a very caring and kind person," Sheila says of Sue. After countless hours of digging, the clues in the cold case started heating up, and new light is emerging on the decades-old crime. "It could have been that I blocked it out, and the shock of it all, too.". We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. After the slayings, Sheila, Greg and Rick were sent out of state to live with an aunt. Although someone had covered the body of the mother with a blanket, it did little to relieve the horrific scene the teen and law enforcement encountered. It sounded within two feet of me, but nobody was around. The Sharp familys home shortly after the infamous murders took place in 1981. 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A segment of tape containing identifiable DNA was found on the floor near the body of Glenna Sue Sharp, 36, in 1981, Plumas County Sheriffs special investigator Mike Gamberg said recently. Decades after the horrific incident, there is still significant public interest in the unsolved case. In her book, Sheila wrote, "My mom's character has been subject to all manner of cruel supposition including accusations that she was a drug addict, drug dealer, prostitute, or at the very least an unfit mother.". According to records, RMX was seen in Keddie Sunday morning, including multiple times pacing at or walking by 28. But both Marty Smartt and "Bo" Boubede are now dead, questioned by law enforcement after the killings but never charged. DNA deoxyribonucleic acid is now considered the most reliable physical evidence. Another piece of perhaps vital evidence that Gamberg discovered was in an envelope that was never opened. Sue Sharp had envisioned a new life when she moved near her brother, Don, from Connecticut to northern California with her five kids in the late 1970s. From 1974 until his retirement in 1994, he worked all but one of Plumas Countys cases. If someone confessed in 1981 why is it still unsolved? According to the crime scene report, the boys' bodies on the living room floor were bloodied around their heads and necks. Sheila's sister was missing her remains were found in the woods three years later. The three were killed using knives and a hammer. Police was on the scene for a short while before they . Hence them throwing Marty's roommate Bo (who was an ex-con) into the case as an accomplice. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! The 1981 Keddie cabin murders of three family members and a teenage friend shook the small Sierra Nevada mountain communities of Keddie and Quincy in northern California, beginning a. I felt this strong pressure on my throat. If anyone has information concerning a cold case, please contact Victoria Metcalf at 283-0800 or [emailprotected], or contact the Plumas County Sheriffs Office at 283-6300 with tips or leads on active cases. Keddie will never be the same because of those murders, and after visiting where it happened, I dont think I will be either, Kendall whispered. Marilyn, Marty, and Bo were only after Sue. Others may look at it more accusinglyI don't put anything outside the realm of possibility.". Life changed dramatically in 1981 for this whole community, Gamberg said meaning not just Keddie, which is six miles west of Quincy. There was evidence that went unnoticed and people of interest who may not have been vetted properly. The FBI was also involved because it was believed that Tina Sharp was abducted. Marty was reportedly an abusive husband. Wonderful-Variation 2 yr. ago Six people coming together to commit a murder is an extraordinarily unusual situation. What else do you want?". Between them lies the forgotten tape of the anonymous phone tip left in 1984, rediscovered in 2013. And Ive seen speculation being treated as fact over the years, even when it can be discredited by the facts that get ignored. What Gamberg first encountered was the Keddie murders crime scene room. Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort, where the 1981 murders occurred. He became a deputy in his hometown in 1988. What else do you want?". The freezer got turned off, Gamberg said. By. Its almost time for the wearin of the green, and the Catholic Church in Quincy is celebrating with a St. Until now, lack of fingerprints and identifiable DNA left at the scene by the perpetrators has stymied investigative efforts. Some of the evidence was ignored. But the unsolved murders of a woman, two teenage boys and a girl still haunted him. He accepted the job and the challenge of following the evidence and leads that still existed. DOJ sent two men, special agents Harry Bradley and P.A. To join the discussion, click the link below. How This Serial Killer Was Brought Down By The Same App He Used To Hunt For Victims Jade Townsend The case that took 44 years to be solved: Arlis Perry Fatim Hemraj Mom Attends Birthday Party, Finds Daughter Who Died in House Fire as a Baby Jayden Yugie This Gold-Digger Turned Grave-Digger Lured Men to thier Deaths Help Status Writers Blog Careers Gamberg is no stranger to homicide cases. more. / CBS Sacramento. And more developments are anticipated. This was Cabin 27 where the Seabolt family lived. Authorities also interviewed Marty's ex-con friend "Bo" Boubede, who had moved in with Marty. In recent interviews, both Hagwood and Gamberg said the sheriffs office and the California Department of Justice blew it in 1981. When he was reinstated, Thomas kept him out of the investigation. Sue was covered by a yellow blanket; her hands and feet were bound by electrical wiring. Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort, where the 1981 murders occurred. An imprint matching that of the butt of an 880 rifle was also left on Sues head. The evidence proves Dana and John died as true heroes, running to the defense of Sue and Tina. Everybody was suspicious of everybody and afraid of everybody else, he said. Gamberg also knew the two boys. 5 People Vanished Along the Snake River Beginning in 1979: Will Police Finally Catch a Serial Killer? As Marty said in his 1981 confession, they were just collateral damage. "I know we are closer than we've ever been.". But it also recounts the killings and Sheila's theory that they were carried out by a neighbor, Marty Smartt, and his ex-con friend "Bo" Boubede, in part as revenge for Sheila's mom siding with Marty's wife in a marital dispute. Relief is something Sheila Sharp has been searching for since that dark day in April 1981. Why were corrupt DOJ BOCCA agents immediately assigned to this rural case? Cabin 28 and others in the small Keddie community were allowed to deteriorate in the years following the Keddie murders. Gamberg said he has hunches about what happened to it, but it hasnt been recovered. And now two years after that, hes announced that theres more that links a living person or persons to the crime. It's debated whether it was the murders themselves that led to less interest in renting in the once-busy area, or if it was the allegedly poor management of the cabins themselves that led to fewer people being willing to live there. He soon moved on to another job and has since retired. ", "She did at least get to see her first grandchild born. He had known connections with organized crime in Chicago.Boubede also had at least two known aliases as Bobby Lake and John DeSantis, according to the Keddie 28 online site administrator dmac. She was dutiful in her attention to each of us, and while we lived in relative poverty, we also lived in a home of love. I could ask a hundred people what started this and Id probably get the same rehashed rumors from most of them. Charles Montaldo. I honestly believe that Marty Smartt and Bo Boubede had nothing to do with the Keddie Cabin 28 murders, and that it's awful convenient how they were fingered as suspects years after both of them were dead. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The Seabolt family lived just 15 feet away. solved 40 years later with DNA evidence: 20: Murder of Betty Van Patter: . Sharp's oldest daughter, Sheila, had been at a sleepover when she returned to the family home, Cabin 28, to find her murdered family. Sue Sharp, Johnny Sharp, and Johnny's friend Dana, were bound together by some type of electrical wiring. These were boys he went to school with. Its here he would roll up his sleeves and begin going through the evidence. In 1981, the gruesome murder of four in Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort in Northern California has long been unsolved.or has it?. Adding to the mystery: Sheila's younger brothers Greg and Rick, ages 5 and 10 at the time, were asleep and unharmed in an adjacent bedroom of the cabin, along with a friend, Justin Smartt. Both Gamberg and Plumas County Sheriff Greg Hagwood believe that possibly as many as six people were involved in one capacity or another in the murders or the cover-up. Sheila's 12-year-old sister Tina was missing from the scene but her remains were found at a different time. ET) on Investigation Discovery. His home was just a short distance away in Cabin 26. Plumas County Sheriff Greg Hagwood described what happened in Cabin 28 in 1981, where single mother of five Glenna Sue sharp was murdered with her teenage son John and his friend Dana Wingate. 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