Authorities interviewed neighbors and the boys who were inside the house when the attack occurred, but there were no eyewitnesses. Their throats were slashed, and they both had multiple stabbings and blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators discovered two bloody knives, a hammer, and a plastic piece from a BB gun. The attack was so brutal, the knife blade was bent completely backwards. Gamberg was a young deputy when the Keddie cabin murders occurred. In Plumas County a couple years ago, where a 12-year-old girl was never found," the unidentified caller said. The former Sharp home was condemned and demolished in 2004. Martys wife, Marilyn, is also believed to have been involved. [6][16] Initial reports stated that the three young boys had slept through the incident, though this was later contradicted. covered it up, is the way it sounds. He alleges that Bo and Martin fit into a larger drug-smuggling scheme that involved the federal government. However, an anonymous call to the Sheriffs office reported the remains as belonging to Tina Sharp. WebSheila swung open the front door of Cabin 28. WebIt has been 40 years since the tragedy took place in rural Plumas County. The Keddie police, at that time, were dirty. Always busy trying to better her situation, Sue took a typing class with financial aid. They lived in a trailer park for a short time, but then Sue decided to move just five miles from Quincy into the mountains to a place known as the Keddie Resort. WebInvestigations Image result for The keddie cabin Massacre Sheriff Looking Back Photo Book Cabin Chilling Sheriff Thomas and unknown inspect front wallpaper, where a blood smudge was found. When it was eventually discovered that Tina Sharp was missing, the FBI arrived on the scene. The three boys in the house, Rick, Greg, and their friend, Justin, were all safe in the bedroom. In 1979, Glenna "Sue" Sharp left her abusive husband and moved herself and her five children from Connecticut to Quincy, California. She was naked from the waist down, but there was no sign of sexual assault. [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. Two suspects, Marty and Bo, died. During his interrogation, Marty offered to the police that his hammer with a blue handle had gone missing. On April 11th of 1981 in Keddie, California, a newly single mother of 5 named Glenna Sue Sharp and children were attacked in the middle of the night. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. Justin also claimed that Tina came out shortly after, and one of the men abducted her out the back door. Dana had multiple head injuries and had been manually strangled to death. Inside Cabin 28 were the bodies of her mother, Glenna Sue Sharp, her teenage brother John, and his high school friend, Dana Wingate. "I believe there are two individuals that are alive and accessories after the fact," Gamberg said. 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. Vladimir Komarov: The Man who Fell to Earth. To Gamberg, it is clear that the DOJ and Thomas-run Sherriffs Dept. The most widely accepted theory involves a love triangle between Martin, Marilyn, and Sue. With that, the remains of Tina Sharp had been found, which made the crimes committed on April 11 or 12, 1981, a quadruple homicide. 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. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. [22][23], Sheila and the Seabolt family (with whom Sheila had spent the night in the neighboring home) heard no commotion during the night;[6] a couple living in nearby house #16 was awakened at 1:15 am by what sounded like muffled screaming. The Keddie Cabin murders was a case that involved a triple-slaying as well as a missing child whose In December 1983, detectives ruled out serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole as potential suspects. On the other hand, his reason for killing Tina was that she had seen everything. Sheila Sharp, 14, spent the night next door to her home in Cabin 28 with a friend for a sleepover. "[24] In addition to interviewing the Smartts, detectives interviewed numerous other locals and neighbors; several, including members of the Seabolt family, recalled seeing a green van parked at the Sharps' house around 9:00 pm. Shortly after news broke of the discovery, a mysterious phone call came into the Butte County Sheriff's Office. This call wasn't investigated initially as it was left in evidence for Detective Mike Gamberg to find. You may have already wondered why the killers would have left 3 boys alive who could easily identify them, especially since these murders prove that they had no problem with hurting children. As reported by Keddie28, all three victims were bound with cords, medical tape, and wire. Keddie is, without a doubt, my favorite to research and I am very interested in discussing it. "I believe in one-way shape or form we are going to pull this together," Detective Gamberg said. While under hypnosis, he described the killers as a tall man with blond hair and a mustache and a short man, who was clean-shaven with dark hair. In addition to confirming Sue, John, and Dana were dead, the officers concluded they were murdered. Around 7:45 the next morning, Sues oldest daughter, 14 year old Sheila, came home. Plumas County Sheriffs OfficeComposite sketch of the Keddie murder suspects. The clues suggested that the perpetrators abducted her. The Butte County Sheriffs Department soon received an anonymous call asking, 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?. These people were absolutely tortured. Over the years, the Keddie Resort fell into disrepair, and in 2004, Cabin 28 was demolished. "Things came to an abrupt screeching halt. Wasnt the rude bitch next door Mama Meeks? Had she known that something was wrong? Considering the level of violence that took place, this seems impossible. What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, Cabin 28 at Keddie Resort, 1981. Recently one of the missing murder weapons has been found, a hammer. . (Metcalf: 2018). 28 of the Keddie Resort. WebMurder Victim of Cabin 28 at Keddie Resort. One more scary fact before I call it quits. [29] He later criticized the quality of the initial investigation, saying: "You could take someone just coming out of the academy and they'd have done a better job. Sue had just divorced her husband and brought her children from Connecticut to Keddie in Northern California. Oh Heck. Meanwhile, Sheriff Thomas had resigned from the investigation three months in and take a job instead at the Sacramento DOJ. I thought she just died in the past month. Investigators later determined someone was missing from the home, Sheila's 12-year-old sister Tina Sharp. They also found a bloody fingerprint on the handrail leading down from the back door. Further, it came to light that Marilyn Smartt, Martys wife and mother of Justin, had left her husband on the day of the murder discovery. All three returned home later, but Marty and Bo went out again. Between them lies the forgotten tape of the anonymous phone tip left in 1984, rediscovered in 2013. Opportunities and experiences that were denied. They had planned to return home later that night. The rabbit hole with this one goes deep. Advertisement Its suspected that Sheriff Hagwood believes that the location couldnt have been accidental and that someone intentionally threw it in the water. Once a busy railroad terminal in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Keddie had lost much of its population after the railroad closed down. [29], On March 24, 2016, a hammer matching the description of the hammer Martin claimed to have lost was discovered in a local pond[19] and taken into evidence by Plumas County Special Investigator Mike Gamberg. 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. The former Sharp home was condemned and demolished in 2004. Had she believed that having a houseful of neighborhood children would save her life? And, shockingly, the youngest children - Rick Sharp, Greg Sharp, and Justi. One of them was tall with blonde hair and a mustache, while the other was shorter, dark-haired, and clean-shaven. As far as the person who gave John and Dana a ride home, Gamberg indicates that he identified a woman and has interviewed her. Watch Part 1 of the Keddie Murders case | Unsolved California below. However, many of the residents left, and the town fell into disrepair when the railroad terminal was closed. To solve this case, a weight would be lifted. When the DOJ was alerted to this confession in 1981, they dismissed it as hearsay.. Photo of the back of cabin 28 where the Keddie murders took place. 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. Dana was not the target, he caught the least of the abuse; the oldest teen boy was bludgeoned and strangled manually. Log In. Although the identity of the murderer is still a mystery, new information has surfaced in the last decade and could help to solve the Keddie cabin murders. WebThe Disturbing Keddie murders cabin 28. They were still asleep and seemingly unaware of what happened. The police never admitted this letter as evidence. [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. 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. In the evening, the two girls went to the Seabolt family house next door in Cabin 27, just 15 feet away. This is the crime which the movie The Strangers is loosely based on, though this true story is much more terrifying than any movie could ever be. However, it was simply too small for the family of six. As soon as Sheila opened the front door she saw the grisly scene; the teen ran right back outside to call for help. Forty years after the incident, the quadruple murder in the woods still baffles the nation. [24] In his later account of events, told under hypnosis,[17] he claimed to have awoken to sounds coming from the living room while asleep in the bedroom with Rick and Greg. However, investigators didnt address these statements, and the police did not arrest or interview Marty again. And if I am remembering correctly the Meeks son and Shelia had screwed around, and that son was thought to be involved? Although we have attempted to sort through it with due diligence, even the most credible sources do not agree on all the details. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And what may be even more telling, is what he wrote in a letter to his then-wife Marilyn: "I've paid the price of your love & now I've bought it with four people's lives.". This is all speculation, but it would explain why there was no forced entry. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Nonetheless, it raises many questions. WebInside the Keddie Cabin Murders: Daughter Remembers Finding Mom and Brother Dead at Age 14 People Magazine Investigates Offers New Clues on Keddie Cabin Murders, Sue was also beaten with the butt of a pellet rifle, and that rifle was fired at least once that night. Unable to discern from where they were coming, they went back to bed. Although the room was covered in blood, it was all traced back to the victims, as reported by Historic Mysteries. Ive often wondered if they were forced to throw knives at the victims, maybe Justin had to do more to save his own life. I cant find an article about it at all. John and his 17-year-old friend Dana had hitchhiked to a nearby town of Quincy for a party and returned sometime later that evening. Unfortunately, many hours passed since her disappearance, and the chance of anyone finding her nearby was slim. It was believed that Martin and Sue were having an affair and that Sue was supposedly counseling Marilyn to leave her husband, who she had said was abusive to her. Yes, it got me thinking about the case again. Sue and John were beaten, stabbed, and slashed. Her friends dad retrieved the three unharmed boys through their bedroom window so they would not have to see the scene. She was not home all the time and she didnt have anyone to physically help her; Sues children were often on their own and many of the women, including the one who Sheila had stayed with that night, though very poorly of the single mother. When she opened the front door to the living room, she discovered a massacre. Unfortunately, there is no record of this ever happening. Various weapons were found at the scene, including a table knife, a butcher knife, and a bloody hammer. [10] Tina, who had been watching television at the Seabolt residence, was told by Sheila that Sue wanted Tina home by 10 PM, so Tina returned to #28 around 9:55 pm. However, the perpetrators did not leave behind any of their own blood. This case upsets or disturbs me like none other. WebOn the night of April 11, 1981, four people were brutally murdered in Cabin 28 of the Keddie resort in Northern California. [24][11] It was never explained why, with access to the Justice Department's and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) top forensic artists, law enforcement chose to use an amateur who sometimes volunteered to help local police. Of the suspects who are still alive, Gamberg said: They better batten down the hatches because were coming. Gamberg sent the tape to other law enforcement agencies for analysis and possible leads. That hammer was found in 2016 in a pond down the road from where Cabin 28 once stood.Investigators believe it was intentionally placed there. One of the psychics A person matching the description Justin gave became a primary suspect in the investigation Justins stepfather, Martin Smartt, also known as Marty. Marty, his wife Marilyn, and Marilyns two sons lived in Cabin 26 near the Sharps house just across the lane. When they returned to the bar much later, they were wearing suits, as if they had spent the evening at a business meeting. Plumas County Sheriffs Office Cabin 28 at Keddie Resort, 1981. As reported by Keddie28, she returned to her family's cabin, which was only 15 feet away, at approximately 7:45 Sunday morning to get her outfit. On the morning of April 11, 14-year-old Sheila Sharp stepped into Cabin 28 to a horrific scene. Justin said he saw one of the men stab Sue Sharp. But, some investigators believe that Marilyn was somehow complicit in the murders. But are there others involved? She would later learn the victims were her mother, Glenna "Sue" Sharp, her brother, John Sharp, and her brother's friend, Dana Wingate. 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). Over the next few months, Sue worked hard to turn their new mountain community into a permanent home for her children. Was this why detectives never adequately investigated Boubede? Its thought that Marty had eyes for Sue and Marilyn was jealous; this may have been why she was killed. 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? However, they onlywent on a few dates, and the last time they saw each other was two days before she was killed. Additionally, some sources say that on the hypnosis tapes, the police made suggestions to Justin during the session. There, she resided with her 15-year-old son, John (born November 16, 1965);[3] 14-year-old daughter Sheila; 12-year-old daughter Tina (born July 22, 1968);[7] and two younger sons, Rick (age 10) and Greg (age 5). 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. Leave a Flower Sponsored by Ancestry. Tape secured the gag in place. Its said that shed seemed anxious, desperate. His head was badly damaged as though bashed in with a blunt object and lay partially on a pillow. to start my podcast and YouTube channel. (Whelan). On Saturday, April 11, 1981, Sheila Sharp spent the night with neighbors, as she planned to attend church with them the following morning. Meanwhile, sketches of possible suspects were released to the public, based on Justin Smartt's recollections of that deadly night. 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. Nevertheless, authorities were determined to follow any possible leads. Given the extent of the brutality of the Keddie cabin murders, there was plenty of evidence left behind. Tina was missing from the scene. 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. Unsolved murders have a way of weighing on a community, the place forever haunted and the neighbors Advertisement. According to Historic Mysteries, Justin said Sue was talking to the men when John and Dana arrived home. The Keddie family about four years before the murders. Keddie Murders Revisited Part 1: New Evidence Discovered Links Living Suspect to Grisly Scene, November 15, 2019.Whelan, Micheal. [24] Plumas County Sheriff Sylvester Thomas, who presided over the case, later stated that Martin had provided "endless clues" in the case that seemed to "throw the suspicion away from him. Sue had spent the later afternoon with Sheila and Tina. Investigators believe he was cooperating with the Department of Justice as an informant. I was told the suspects were told to get out of town, so to me, that means it was covered up, Sheila Sharp told CBS Sacramento in 2016. Gamberg also discovered a hunting knife in Keddie under some junk and sent that in for further analysis. He also told authorities he had a hammer, which went missing around the same time the murder occurred. John Boubede died in 1988. Please note that there is a lot of misinformation published online about the Keddie murders. There was no way to tell how the girl had passed, or even know for sure how long shed been dead. It is believed that the ringleaders were Sues neighbors, Martin Smartt and his known mafia hitman buddy, Bo Boubede. Blood patterns indicated that her legs were initially splayed apart, but someone moved her and covered her body with a yellow blanket after the murder. Later, it came to light that Marty was a personal friend of the local county sheriff, Doug Thomas, at the time of the crime. The murders at Keddie Cabin 28 appeared to be random acts of cruelty. The living room was in complete chaos, and Sue, John, and Johns friend, Dana, were dead on the floor. As reported by Historic Mysteries, Justin was placed under hypnosis and questioned about the content of his dreams. The murders took place in house No. Is this why detectives seemed to turn a blind eye to many clues and disregarded evidence? Keddie28 reported Sharp immediately fled the cabin and ran to the neighbors for help. His handling of the case in retrospect would be considered disastrous at best and corrupt at worst. However, none of the evidence helped the investigators find the killers or determine how she died. He began hearing noises out in the living room and claimed to have seen Sue with two men. "I was watching the news and they were talking about the girl found at Feather Falls. Blood was all over the victims, the floors, walls, ceiling, both bedroom doors, and on the railing of the outside stairs. On her side, the mother of five was naked from the waist down, tightly gagged with a bandana and her own underwear secured with medical tape. Somehow, this erupted into a bout of violence between them, which resulted in the murders. That wall panel was among those taken into evidence. 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. A bent steak knife was on the floor. Clipping from Reno Gazette-Journal, April 13, 2016.DMAC. WATCH NEXT: Why has California had so many notorious serial killers? [13][14] All three had been bound with medical tape and electrical cords. "[17], Martin Smartt died of cancer in Portland, Oregon, in June 2000. [19] She had been stabbed in the chest,[20] her throat was stabbed horizontally, the wound going through her larynx and nicking her spine, and on the side of her head was an imprint matching the butt of a Daisy 880 Powerline BB/pellet rifle. As a result, he couldnt allow her to live. Her brother, who would help her and the children start a new life, lived in Quincy, California, about 150 miles north of Sacramento. Still hard to believe that as close as the cabins were, nobody heard anything. Six Mark Crime Tv Fingerprint Blood Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican? The boys has been out that night, it is speculated they mustve walked into the dark cabin during the attack. Authorities also interviewed Marty's close friend, John "Bo" Boubede, who lived with Marty and his wife, and was out with Marty on the night the murders occurred. Moreover, it appears that Marty had actually confessed to the murders to two different people. It is unclear when this happened or who did it. However, she forgot to bring the clothes she planned to wear to church. The three youngsters were hanging out at the house since the afternoon. [6] The house was much larger than the trailer, and had become available when Plumas County's then-sheriff, Sylvester Douglas Thomas, moved out. "[17] He allegedly told the counselor that Tina was killed to prevent her from identifying him, as she had "witnessed the whole thing. Between the doorway and the closest body was a knife, Composite sketch of the Keddie murder suspects. A butcher knife and claw hammer, both also bloodied, were side-by-side on a small wooden table near the entry into the kitchen. 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. [16] The remains were confirmed by a forensic pathologist to be those of Tina in June 1984. 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. [6] Sheila departed house #28 shortly after 8:00 pm to sleep over at the Seabolts, which she had never before done. Beyond the living room was the kitchen and two bedrooms. She was not murdered in the cabin that night, this beautiful girl was kidnapped. Who Killed Biggie Smalls? The entire site has since been abandoned. [24] About 4,000 man-hours were spent working the case,[24] which Thomas described as "frustrating". WebThe murders took place in house No. Marty practically confessed on tape yet nothing was ever done to him; the case was terribly mishandled, seemingly on purpose. Originally, police believed the murdered victims to be Sue, John, and Tina; the bodies had been in such bad shape they couldnt tell. [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. It would have been intentionally put there. Its unforgivable," Hagwood said. 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. The 2 boys claim not to remember anything, maybe theyve blocked it all out. [24] According to Justin, John and Dana then entered the home and began heatedly arguing with the men. 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. You May Also Like: The Servant Girl Annihilators of Texas. WebHorror Hotspot: Keddie Cabin Murders By Phoebe Lowe Oct 15, 2021 In 1981, Glenda Sue Sharp was a single mother who had moved her family of six to Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort in Keddie, California, part of Plumas County. Several of the suspected murder weapons were found at the scene, including two knives and a hammer, which were covered in blood. KEDDIE, Calif. It has been 40 years since what is known as the Keddie Murders took place in rural Plumas County. She lived there with her five children. Great! Sheila has spoken about the horrific incident in several interviews. I need a cheap laptop, microphones, etc. Additionally, it gives context to Martins handwritten note that Marilyn gave to the Plumas Sheriffs Dept. When I searched to find my most recent article about Keddie, I found that I it already mentioned she had died. 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. Smartt fled Keddie after the murders. | Unsolved California. He also exaggerated about how long he had lived in Keddie. [24] Additionally, she alleged that Martin "hated Johnny Sharp with a passion". According to Historic Mysteries, John and Sue suffered blunt force trauma to the head and were stabbed multiple times. Marty had a friend, John Boubede, who had been living at Martys house. 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. [25], Rumors regarding the crimes being ritualistic or motivated by drug trafficking were dismissed by Plumas County Sheriff Doug Thomas, who stated in the week following the murders that no drug paraphernalia or illegal drugs were found in the home. Previous Next. He admitted that he had a problem with his temper, and Marilyn had claimed that he tried to run her and her son over. Although Marilyn gave it to authorities, Historic Mysteries reports there is no record that the jacket was entered into evidence. 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. Later, investigators learned that Boubede had a criminal record and was working as an enforcer with the mafia in Chicago. Sues neighbors lived in very close proximity, the cabins were not far apart at all yet nobody claimed to have heard a thing that night. That mustve been difficult. The children were attending school in Quincy and were making friends. Then he moved to Oregon and died there in 2000 from cancer-related issues. It was later confirmed that Martin was close with this Sheriff. With new significant evidence emerging thanks to the meticulous work of the local authorities, the mystery of Cabin 28 could soon be solved.
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