Do you know who committed the \Keddie Cabin Murders\ in 1981?
On the night of April 11-12, 1981, Glenna "Sue" Sharp, aged 36, was brutally murdered along with her son John, his friend Dana Wingate, and later, her daughter Tina Sharp, in what has become known as the Keddie Cabin Murders. The crime took place at Cabin 28 in the rural resort town of Keddie, California. Sue Sharp, her teenage son John, and his friend Dana were found dead in the cabin, while Tina’s remains were discovered three years later, about 50 miles away from the cabin, in Butte County. The victims had been viciously attacked, with multiple weapons used, including knives and hammers, resulting in blunt-force trauma and multiple stab wounds.
The crime scene was described as chaotic and extremely violent. Blood was found throughout the cabin, on walls, furniture, and even the ceiling, suggesting the victims had been moved post-mortem. Sue was found gagged and tied, while both John and Dana had been bound with medical tape and electrical wire. John’s throat was slit, while Dana was strangled and sustained severe head injuries from blunt objects. Sue had also been stabbed in the chest and suffered other significant injuries, including a mark left by a BB gun on her head. These details indicated a prolonged and gruesome struggle, with the crime scene described as "savage" in nature.
The initial investigation was fraught with issues. Evidence was mishandled, crime scene protocols were not strictly followed, and key details were overlooked. Two men, Martin "Marty" Smartt, who lived nearby, and his friend John "Bo" Boubede, became the prime suspects. Marty was reportedly angry with Sue, allegedly blaming her for advising his wife to leave him. Both Marty and Bo had suspicious ties, with Bo known to have connections to organized crime. Despite these suspicions, both men passed polygraph tests, and neither was formally charged. The investigation was further complicated by claims that local authorities may have purposely mishandled the case to protect certain individuals.
In 2013, investigators re-opened the case, utilizing modern DNA technology to reexamine evidence. A hammer matching the description of a murder weapon was found in a local pond, and additional DNA evidence linked to a living suspect was uncovered. Despite these developments, the case remains unsolved, and the Keddie Cabin murders are still one of California’s most chilling cold cases, leaving both investigators and family members seeking answers even decades later.
The case's notoriety has continued to draw attention due to the complexity of the investigation, the possible cover-ups, and the brutality of the crime itself. It remains one of the more perplexing unsolved homicides, reflecting both the challenges of rural policing and the lingering impact of unresolved violence on small communities.
