The hammer, similar to one reported missing by Smartt, was dug up near the crime scene just last month. Lone pools of blood on the living room floor and on the sofa pillow indicate the boys bodies were also moved and staged, Gamberg said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Another piece of perhaps vital evidence that Gamberg discovered was in an envelope that was never opened. Police was on the scene for a short while before they . Subscribe now to PEOPLE for more on this case. Editors note: This story contains information that some readers might find unsettling or objectionable. I really hope they get justice and whoever was involved thats still alive according to the article pays for what they did to this woman and the kids. It said, "I've paid the price for your love and now that I've bought it with four peoples lives, you tell me we are through? Keddie and Quincy are seven miles apart. Backpackerverse.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. There are people locally who know more than theyve said, and I believe weve identified some of them, and we know who they are, and we know where they are. Everybody was suspicious of everybody and afraid of everybody else, he said. Crim from the divisions organized crime unit not from homicide to investigate. He was lying face up with his blood-covered hands bound together securely with medical tape. Cabin 28 and others in the small Keddie community were allowed to deteriorate in the years following the Keddie murders. These were boys he went to school with. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). There was evidence that went unnoticed and people of interest who may not have been vetted properly. They had died. The three bodies on the floor had been bound, stabbed and beaten with a hammer. 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). Just three years after reopening the case, Gamberg was talking to the media about new evidence that was recovered namely a hammer that matches one Smartt said went missing before the murders, and a hunting knife, recovered in Keddie. Thats probably when she was covered. With nothing in those first weeks that tied them to the crime, Thomas said, neither were charged. Broke my heart. A psychic online claims she visited the house and could hear the screams of the victims. Although Smartt and Boubede fled Plumas County shortly after interviews with DOJ, its known that Smartt allegedly lived in Paradise at the time of that phone call, according to dmacs research. Meredith Corporation. Relief is something Sheila Sharp has been searching for since that dark day in April 1981. Gamberg said he has hunches about what happened to it, but it hasnt been recovered. She left behind a broken marriage with a military man, now deceased, whom Sheila says was abusive to his wife and two daughters. Public File for KMAX-TV / Good Day Sacramento. Gamberg said he was fortunate in that he was able to get his piece of DNA processed in a timely manner. But the unsolved murders of a woman, two teenage boys and a girl still haunted him. And I go through my moments of, I start crying for no reason. Years of No Answers and a Theory of the Crime. Smartt would have been in his early 30s at the time of the Keddie murders. It's been hard to cover up the emotions stirred by the 35-year-old mystery. Hagwood's mother was a teacher who had Tina in class. The Keddie Cabin Murders took place on April 12, 1981; Sue Sharp, two of her children, and her son's friend lost their lives. As he sorted he found one bag of evidence that was never opened. The freezer got turned off, Gamberg said. If someone confessed in 1981 why is it still unsolved? CALLER: And I was just 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? Strangely, Sheila's two younger brothers, Greg and Rick, and their friend, Justin, were found in the cabin asleep and safe. A bent steak knife lay on the floor, and a butcher knife and claw hammer, both also bloodied, were side-by-side on a small wooden table near the entry into the kitchen. RELATED VIDEO: Exclusive Look at People Magazine Investigates the Keddie Murders. 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. 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. On April 12, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp was returning from a sleepover when she discovered three dead bodies in her family's cabin at the Keddie Resort: her 36-year-old single mother, Sue; her brother Johnny, 15; and Johnny's friend Dana Wingate, 17. I felt this strong pressure on my throat. That said, he understands that some of the individuals who had the experience to work the crime scene and follow the leads werent allowed to do their jobs in 1981. The theories allege that he was a close friend to Marty Smartt at the time. Gamberg and Hagwood reiterated their position that a resolution was imminent in a 2021 interview on the anniversary of the murders, saying that they were "close" to solving the case. ET) on Investigation Discovery. Apparently, as the suspects bludgeoned and stabbed their victims to death, none of the suspects were injured or left their own blood at the scene. That tape, too, was turned over for voice comparisons with audio of earlier suspects. Sheila herself hopes the case will be solved. ", "I have a measure of confidence that we've identified some of them and we're gonna be--we're gonna be coming," he said. says Sheila, now a 50-year-old mother of three and grandmother of two. "There are people locally who know more than they've said," Hagwood told PEOPLE, "and I believe we've identified some of them, and we know who they are, and we know where they are. Unsolved murders have a way of weighing on a community, the place forever haunted and the neighbors always left wondering. He was their coach in martial arts and other activities. Those left dead at the scene included the mother, Sue Sharp; her son, John Sharp, 15; and his friend, Dana Wingate, 17. He accepted the job and the challenge of following the evidence and leads that still existed. 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. The discovery came three years after Tinas disappearance by a man out hunting bottles. Gamberg thinks the tape was deliberately ignored when it arrived at the Plumas County Sheriffs Office. Case file update is a new column featuring previous cases involving Plumas County and its people. As Marty said in his 1981 confession, they were just collateral damage. Justin Smartt Eason, 12, one of three boys left alive in a second bedroom, was allowed to spend the night. Also, a man recently discovered a steel blue claw-hammer using a metal detector that matched the description of one that Marty had told investigators he lost. Sue's two younger sons, Rick and Greg, as well as their friend Justin Smartt, were also in the house but were unharmed. Many were questioned, but without sufficient evidence nobody was convicted. Outside of organized crime, that basically never happens, and even within the world of organized crime it is probably quite rare to have so many people in on a hit. yeah, both of them had records," he said. Although its been a mystery as to who gave the two teens a ride home, Gamberg has identified the individual and has interviewed her. Thomas, the retired sheriff, also said he first heard about the letter in 2016. And I have every confidence that they either participated after the fact or they have first-hand information. Dee Mack, Are you related to Angelique or Angels Mother Hester Mack then later Hester McCormick? The three were tied up, bludgeoned and stabbed to death. But for some, Keddie is synonymous with murder and despair. * Watch the full episode of the People Magazine Investigates After Show on the Keddie case, available Nov. 28 on People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). Growing up in Taylorsville, Kendall (Name changed for privacy) had heard about the Sharp murders from a fairly young age. 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. 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. Truly a case of wrong place, wrong time. It sounded within two feet of me, but nobody was around. 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.. 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. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. The most widely accepted theory involves a love triangle between Martin, Marilyn, and Sue. He reportedly left for Reno, Nevada after the murders. The area probably wouldnt have seemed creepy to an uneducated bystander, she said. It's a believe long-shared by the victims' family. What occurred next shocked the country: Four people were killed, three of which were found in Cabin 28. Investigators Have a Personal Stake in the Case, 5. Sue was covered by a yellow blanket; her hands and feet were bound by electrical wiring. After the slayings, Sheila, Greg and Rick were sent out of state to live with an aunt. "I don't think there really is any type of final closure in a murder case. 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. A GRAPHIC Look Back at the Keddie Murders On the morning of April 11, 1981, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp returned from a neighbor's house after a sleepover and stumbled upon the most disturbing and gruesome scene that she and the rest of Keddie, California, had ever seen. To make things even more suspicious, the anonymous called identified the skull as Tina's. What Gamberg first encountered was the Keddie murders crime scene room. Enter your email address to subscribe to Plumas News and receive notifications of new posts by email. "I want to remember the happy times," she says. The two say they've zeroed in on longtime suspects, and they believe they've discovered new evidence and re-discovered old evidence that was either forgotten or overlooked that could point to a resolution. Both Hagwood and Gamberg said residents had very little trust or confidence in the sheriffs department before the murders. In earlier years, before the Sharps moved in, he spent nights there with a friend and his family. Leads werent followed and evidence wasnt checked. And also, as I'm growing older, what can I expect in my later years? This just seems like a rehash of an old article. * Stream our true crime show, People Magazine Investigates on Investigation Discovery, which includes an episode on the Keddie cabin murders. It would take those at the scene at least several hours to realize that fact. Of course his DNA would be there! Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! A vital thread, Gamberg said, is who knew about Tina's remains placed in an isolated wooded area in neighboring Butte County and who may have helped to put them there. 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. And more developments are anticipated. It was an emotional experience, but it didnt reach its peak until after I got home. It's not the only troubling aspect of the case to Hagwood. Living far away from Keddie, Sheila felt a growing hopelessness that someone would ever be made to answer for what happened to her family. Until now, lack of fingerprints and identifiable DNA left at the scene by the perpetrators has stymied investigative efforts. Despite a thorough investigation and numerous suspects, the case remains unsolved to this day, leaving many questions unanswered and a small community in shock. The Keddie Cabin murders was a case that involved a triple-slaying as well as a missing child whose remains were later discovered. Main Street Artists Gallery puts the work of two artists in the spotlight for March Debbie Kercmar Boyd and, FRC is joining Plumas County and Plumas Unified School District, with campus remaining closed on Wednesday, March 1st. Sheriff Hagwood had this to say about the tape: The third development came from Gambert speaking to Marty's former therapist in Reno, Nevada. Many others suspect the police on the case may have been involved in a cover-up. * Watch our new true crime show, People Magazine Investigates, which continues with an episode on the Keddie cabin murders on Monday at 10 p.m. 'People Magazine Investigates': Did Pam Hupp Stab Her Friend More Than 50 Times? Now She's Speaking Out, Lone Survivor of 1984 Colorado Hammer Killer Attack Misses the Family He Stole: 'Inside I Cry Every Day', investigators were able to analyze identifiable DNA. What has made this case particularly hard to organize is that the original case history log who did what and on what date is gone. Sue had left a broken and abusive marriage and was described as a "quiet woman who loved her kids." New developments were found when the case was reopened Gamberg organized some boxes of case reports and uncovered evidence from the case that had been shoved aside. The second development was something else found in the same boxes of case files: the taped anonymous phone call that tipped off the location of Tina Sharp's remains. ', In 2012, Sheila wrote a book with her husband, Richard Whittle: How to Survive Your Visit to Earth. That night I dreamt of a young girl, walking around the empty site. Marty was reportedly an abusive husband. What were the killers involved in that caused LE to protect them (and play CYA)? In 1979 she made the brave decision to leave her abusive husband and make the move from North Carolina to Northern California to be closer to her brother who lived in the town of Quincy. Victoria didnt do any research for this one and it sounds like Gamberg is part of the problem! And a crime that was committed so many years earlier doesnt have the priority recent crimes receive, he said. They looked through every box in connection with the case and found a recording of a man believed to be one of the killers, or at the very least an accomplice. Dozens peripherally involved in the case had motive, if not opportunity, yet Law enforcement immediately zeroed in on their prime suspects then, seemingly inexplicably, ignored them. Hagwood personally knew them. 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. May 2, 2016 / 11:47 PM Obsessed with travel? You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. "I struggle with that. Sheila's sister was missing her remains were found in the woods three years later. Another person of interest also lived in Butte County. I taught Dana Wingate that year at the highschool. Also note how close the cabin is to its neighbor. A bent steak knife was found on the floor, and a bloody butcher knife and claw hammer were found on a small wooden table near the entryway to the kitchen. Although he prefers not to share his identity, dmac has been heavily investigating the Keddie murders for many years. The hope is the new evidence will lead to new arrests. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the app for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices. rice farms in northern california. A 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 28 murders in 1981, when . Great. This case is getting old and unless new eyes come in it will go nowhere. 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. great article! Students should, County Administrative Officer Debra Lucero announced today that Plumas will be continuing its closure due to snow except for, The snow keeps falling and our readers keep finding moments to share some of levity, others of some serious, Plumas Unified School District and Plumas Charter School announced this afternoon that there will be no school on Wednesday, March. Perhaps one day they will finally confirm those suspicions but for now, the devastating case remains unsolved. There were weeds as tall as my thighs all around. Wonderful-Variation 2 yr. ago Six people coming together to commit a murder is an extraordinarily unusual situation. 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. "Great! His home was just a short distance away in Cabin 26. For some reason, the DOJ had an interest in Boubede, according to Gamberg. ", "It's obviously a worthwhile pursuit," he says. In 1981, the gruesome murder of four in Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort in Northern California has long been unsolved.or has it?. Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort, where the 1981 murders occurred. Unsolved in California: The Case of the Keddie Cabin Murders January 12, 2022 / Jamie Day The little town of Keddie California lies nestled in the mountains to the north-eastern part of the state in Plumas County. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for many of the products and services listed on the site. "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. Sheila's 12-year-old sister Tina was missing from the scene but her remains were found at a different time. He found a letter written by Marty Smartt to his wife reportedly written soon after the murders. But that rain can't wash away the horror of what happened in the now-empty lot in the tiny resort town of Keddie. An envelope with a cassette recording of a man telling a sheriff's dispatcher about a body that was found three years of the murders that could be one of the victims who was kidnapped from the murder scene. The best destinations around the empty site probably wouldnt have seemed creepy to an uneducated bystander, she.. People Magazine Investigates on Investigation discovery, which includes an episode on case. Gamberg discovered was in an envelope that was never opened hasnt been recovered the. 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