BOULDER, Colo. — Federal and local law enforcement agencies are releasing new age progression images of a suspect wanted in connection with one of the most high-profile murders in Colorado’s history in hopes that a new tip or lead could finally solve a cold case that has remain unsolved for more than 40 years.
Thayne Alan Smika, who was 24 at the time, is wanted for the murder of his roommate, Sydney “Sid” Wells.
Sid was a promising student at the CU Boulder, where he studied journalism and was a member of the Navy ROTC program. He worked through college at the Boulderado Hotel.
That summer, Sid was living with one of his brothers, Sam, and Smika in the Spanish Towers condos on 29th Street just east of campus. The Wells family owned the condo and had bought it for their children to use while in college.
Police documents later revealed Sid had some small-time involvement in the use and sale of cocaine. And it was questions from Sid and friends regarding several grams of missing coke, a few hundred dollars, and Smika's behavior, that police believe eventually led to Sid’s murder just before noon on Aug. 1, 1983.
Investigators said Sid was found dead in his apartment, lying on the living room floor, with a gunshot wound to this head.
Smika was eventually identified as a suspect in Sid’s murder and taken into custody, but was not initially charged, so he was let go.
Smika's family says the last time they heard from him was in 1986, when he said he was leaving town. Court documents show he told his family members to get passports in order to be able to visit him, implying that he would be leaving the country, but his family claimed at the time that they never heard from him since.
An abandoned car registered to his father, who said he gave the car to Smika before he left town, was found in Beverly Hills, California in 1986, but Smika was nowhere to be found and he remains on the run.
IN-DEPTH | Read Denver7’s coverage of this cold case here
More than 27 years after Sid’s murder, on Dec. 2, 2010, a state arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Smika in Boulder County by then-District Attorney Stan Garnett. Ten days after that, a second arrest warrant was issued – this one at the federal level. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
“It is never too late to hold a murder suspect accountable,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski in a prepared statement. “The FBI is unwavering in our determination to deliver justice for victims’ families. We will work with Boulder Police to pursue this fugitive until he is found and brought into custody to face the consequences of his actions.”
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said his department is hopeful that the new images are able to lead to new information that could bring Smika to justice.
“No matter how much time has passed, we will never stop searching,” Redfearn said. “We are grateful for our FBI partners for their help in creating these images and publicizing this crime.”
Boulder
Boulder cold case catalyzes one family to fight for others
Prosecutors said Smika would now be 67 years old. He might be clean shaven, he might have a beard or moustache, and he might wear glasses, they wrote in a news release Friday. Smika does not have a valid United States passport. Smika might have lived in the town of Yelapa, Mexico, for many years prior to 2007.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Boulder Police tipline at 303-441-1974or the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or at tips.fbi.gov. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.