CA CA - Sue Sharp 36, & 3 children, Keddie Cabin Murders, Plumas, 11 Apr 1981

[missy_g]

Has anyone seen the documentaries for this crime? Are they worth ordering? I'd love to see them but I don't want to pay too much..LOL..wish they were on Netflix.

 

[December]

I have read up on these murders. I have only read part of this thread. so, I will just say, this is a horrendous crime. and it reminds me of the movie funny games. not exactly, but the concept. because it looks like someone was throwing knives at the wall and other odd things and then at some point these horrible murders were committed.

 

[Ausgirl]

Has anyone seen the documentaries for this crime? Are they worth ordering? I'd love to see them but I don't want to pay too much..LOL..wish they were on Netflix.

In my opinion they are very worth it- but keep in mind that more and more has been discovered about the crimes as the past few years has passed. Leaps and bounds have been made since Josh first set out making the first film, and even since the second came out there's been a lot.

I really hope there will be a part 3, in which all this is included. IMO it's worth watching the evolution of a private sector investigation into this crime, which but for Josh and team, plus the dedicated work of the forum members, would have remained much more of a mystery than it currently is.

 

[missy_g]

What kind of new information has their been?


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[scriptgirl]

This case needs more publicity. The LA Times should do a piece on it.

 

[missy_g]

Contact 20/20 or dateline.


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[AnaPhylaxis]

It would appear that at least some of the cabins at Keddie Resort have been upgraded and remodeled (beautifully so, I might add) and are again being rented out.

Here's a link to their new Facebook page with interior and exterior pictures of some of the cabins. They really are quite lovely (not sure I could handle staying there in light of this unsolved case, though, but I'd love a day trip to look at the place):

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keddie-Resort/353980854742513

I was rather hoping Cold Justice might be interested in this case, but apparently all submissions must be through the local law enforcement agency requesting their help.

In light of all of the information available on the various internet forums, I'm predicting the local law enforcement in that area will never reach out for assistance with this one. Such a shame that it's unlikely justice will ever be had for these victims.

 

[cybersleuth58]

I had the same thought about Cold Justice becoming involved but I'll bet there are tons of cases already on their docket. Could Sheila and the other Sharp family members pressure the locals to request their help? These family members have waited far too long for answers!

If anyone doesn't already know, Parts 1 & 2 of the documentary are now available free on YouTube, at least in No. America. While it's certainly an interesting documentary, I'd caution folks that it's chock full of gossip and wild speculation. Examples: Drug related? Not likely. Drug murders are usually a quick shot to the head and the perpetrators are OUT of there...These killers were disorganized. They have none of the characteristics of a professional hit. Mom was on welfare? Irrelevant. Sue was "sleeping with men for money"? Where is the evidence? Marty confessed to his counselor? Interesting, but his statement is troubling for a lot of reasons not important here. (One major problem is the abduction of Tina. To silence her? Why not kill her right there?) Further, his motivation is troubling as he claims therapists are obliged to report crime which is patently false. (See US vs. Farrar, 281 US 624 (1930), and Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, 17 Cal. 3d 425, 551 P.2d 334, 131 Cal. Rptr. 14 (Cal. 1976). Also read: http://www.jaapl.org/content/14/3/221.full.pdf?origin=publication_detail... ) States require therapists warn of impending criminal conduct. As in the case of someone telling their therapist that he/she intends to kill his/her spouse. People, even therapists, have all kind of motivations to inject themselves into cases like this, most of them suspect.

How much did value judgment of Ms. Sharp as a single mom cloud the direction the investigation took in the early days? Recollection enhanced by hypnosis, as we all know, is inherently suspect. Justin has changed his story many times, as people familiar with this are aware. We really don't "know" (empirically, I mean) how much memory is recollective vs. how much is interpretive. Justin was a traumatized juvenile when this occurred; therefore, who knows how much his "memory" tracks what actually happened?

I have some questions for the people here who know far more than I do about this case. Not having access to the actual case files but some experience with criminal cases, I've searched and searched for any information pertaining to the biological father of the kids. I'm assuming that he was interviewed and ruled out? There were no simmering custody battles or child support wars? Beating death is up close and personal, and often (but not always) indicative of rage. (The Groene abductions/murders, of course, were by a stranger/perpetrator and are a perfect exception).

A few things other than the victims injuries spur my curiosity. First, Tina's accusation that a man sexually molested her in the past is troubling in light of the fact that she was the person abducted from the scene. Why abduct her unless she had some special significance to the killer? Was there someone fixating on Tina? If she was just a witness, she would have been killed right there. No need to take the chance of abducting her unless she had some "value" to the perpetrator. It seems she was killed soon after being abducted. Were her remains kept by the perpetrator? The forensic anthropologist didn't feel her skull was out there for more than a year, a year and a half at the most. Was it kept as a trophy? It also showed NO SIGNS of blunt force trauma, while the others were brutally beaten, with numerous skull fractures. Why?

Having read part or all of John Douglas' profile, he also believes Tina to have been the focus of this crime. Obviously, this doesn't make it true, but it's something to consider. There were a number of accusations made by people in the documentary about local pedophiles. Sex crimes (even those against children) were not taken as seriously back then as they are now. Back then, LE didn't realize that sex offenders often progress in violence. "Peeping toms" were frequently dismissed as "harmless". (Often they were the butt of jokes in popular entertainment at the time!!). We don't look at them as "comic relief" anymore.

I'm also assuming there wasn't enough DNA collected or it wasn't adequately preserved? Is there DNA available that might provide answers?

 

[Ausgirl]

To address a few of the questions up there:

- Jim Sharp, the children's dad, was cleared by police as he was nowhere near the state at the time. He too is a convicted pedophile - Sheila Sharp's book details the horrible abuse he put her through. But yep, he was nowhere near Keddie.

- Tina *was* sexually abused by a man named Daniel French, in the caravan park the family lived in prior to moving to the cabin. He was in the general area, at the time of the murders.

- Tina's teacher is also a convicted sex offender, who kept a photo of her on his desk.

- IIRC, Tina's skull did show some signs of blunt force, around the face area. At least, some bone damage there. A bit of damage due to animal predation as well. Of vast interest to me, re her remains, is the phone call received by Butte County police which indicated the caller knew Tina's body was out there, prior to her remains being ID'd.

- The PCSO's evidence freezer was unplugged at one point, causing damage to all evidence within, including samples from the Sharp/Wingate murders.

 

[missy_g]

Darnit, it seems like when DNA can be used, something happens to the evidence.

 

[scriptgirl]

I think it is possible Tina was the reason for the murders. Where are Jim Sharp and Daniel French now.

 

[kilahchris]

This crime occured shortly after a movie named Friday the 13th came out (A horror movie about murders that happened at a cabin resort similar to Keddie). I wonder if the perpetrators where inspired by horror movies that came out at that time.

 

[STANDREID]

This case reminds me a little of the Friday the 13th film that was released in the previous year. Wonder if it gave someone an idea.

I said the same thing a year and a half ago and was swiftly told I didn't know what I was talking about.lol

My opinion didn't change though.

 

[kilahchris]

I said the same thing a year and a half ago and was swiftly told I didn't know what I was talking about.lol

My opinion didn't change though.

The Friday the 13th movie came out in May of 1980. The frenzy un organized crime scene at the Keddie cabin resort is very similar to the film.


After sleuthing about this case. I have my theories. My question points to the financial stability of Glenna Sue Sharp, raising 5 children. Her, John or even Dana possible involvement in the drugs arrangement.

I have no doubt that Marty Smartt is behind it. I get a sense there was a complicated drug related scenario that led up to the murders. And I do not wish to defame the sharp family as they are victims in this tragedy. An Arrangement could of been made by between Marty his accomplice BO and Either Glenna to store dope or money in the cabin. Either that or one teenage boys (Dana) could of stolen dope or money from them. Long story short the dope or money or whatever the arrangement that was made went missing. Marty went to the cabin to interrogate them on what happened. The murder was not pre-mediated, but he and accomplice tied Sue and John up in an effort to interrogate them. Things got out of hand Marty and his accomplice in a frenzy found the hammers end up killing Glenna Sue, John and Dana. Poor little Tina walked in on what happened and she was taken in a hurried fashion.

In their hurried frenzied actions they left the other children unharmed. The murder weapons came from the house which leads me to believe the murders where allowed to come inside the cabin.

 

[Batman's Mommy]

Was Angel Maturino Resendiz ever considered in regards to this crime? There are so many hallmarks of his crimes in this one... stabbing, blunt-force trauma, sexual intent, proximity to railroad tracks, attacked in the home. There was also a report on one of the sites I read by someone stating that they saw a man, out of place, walking along the highway around that time-frame described as "Mexican" and around 25 years old. AMR would have been about 29 around that time. I've always felt that he was responsible for many more unsolved murders than we will ever know.

 

[Batman's Mommy]

Was Angel Maturino Resendiz ever considered in regards to this crime? There are so many hallmarks of his crimes in this one... stabbing, blunt-force trauma, sexual intent, proximity to railroad tracks, attacked in the home. There was also a report on one of the sites I read by someone stating that they saw a man, out of place, walking along the highway around that time-frame described as "Mexican" and around 25 years old. AMR would have been about 29 around that time. I've always felt that he was responsible for many more unsolved murders than we will ever know.

Replying to myself, but I found that he was in prison in Florida at the time. There is still a lot of eerie similarities with the way he killed, even the blanket covering one of the victims.

 

[bessie]

Replying to myself, but I found that he was in prison in Florida at the time. There is still a lot of eerie similarities with the way he killed, even the blanket covering one of the victims.

I can see why you'd feel that way. For me, it's the resemblance to the Groene murders that I've always found startling. But like the Railroad Killer, Duncan was incarcerated at the time of the Keddie murders.

What it comes down to, imo, is the shared psychological traits among killers which manifest in similar M.O. The more we learn about individual killers, the more obvious the likenesses become.

 

[bessie]

The Friday the 13th movie came out in May of 1980. The frenzy un organized crime scene at the Keddie cabin resort is very similar to the film.


After sleuthing about this case. I have my theories. My question points to the financial stability of Glenna Sue Sharp, raising 5 children. Her, John or even Dana possible involvement in the drugs arrangement.

I have no doubt that Marty Smartt is behind it. I get a sense there was a complicated drug related scenario that led up to the murders. And I do not wish to defame the sharp family as they are victims in this tragedy. An Arrangement could of been made by between Marty his accomplice BO and Either Glenna to store dope or money in the cabin. Either that or one teenage boys (Dana) could of stolen dope or money from them. Long story short the dope or money or whatever the arrangement that was made went missing. Marty went to the cabin to interrogate them on what happened. The murder was not pre-mediated, but he and accomplice tied Sue and John up in an effort to interrogate them. Things got out of hand Marty and his accomplice in a frenzy found the hammers end up killing Glenna Sue, John and Dana. Poor little Tina walked in on what happened and she was taken in a hurried fashion.

In their hurried frenzied actions they left the other children unharmed. The murder weapons came from the house which leads me to believe the murders where allowed to come inside the cabin.

Maybe the blood on the doorknob was from Tina's hands. Say she walked in on the killing, ran to her mother's body, then tried to run to the boy's bedroom, but was snatched up quickly. Just an image that ran through my mind.

I know this post is from a year ago, but it's a da*n good one, imo. I'm not certain about the who, but the why and the how sure make sense.

 

[Batman's Mommy]

Maybe the blood on the doorknob was from Tina's hands. Say she walked in on the killing, ran to her mother's body, then tried to run to the boy's bedroom, but was snatched up quickly. Just an image that ran through my mind.

I know this post is from a year ago, but it's a da*n good one, imo. I'm not certain about the who, but the why and the how sure make sense.

Yes it is!! I read a lot more last night, and came to a similar conclusion in regards to $$ raising those kids, the 80s era, and possible reasons those two would have gone back to her house in the early morning hours.

Such horror!! I think the boys walked in on the initial crime being perpetuated on Sue, Tina woke during what transpired at that point, and she was a witness.

It is truly the making of nightmares!

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

I wasn't too familiar with this case until I read the following summary written a few days ago. According to the author, this is where it stands today:

https://krazykillers.wordpress.com/2015/11/08/keddie-county-killings-still-a-creepy-cold-case/

To this day the sheriff’s department refuses to discuss the case and will not look into it. The sheriff’s department also will not accept assistance from other law enforcement agencies. Much of the evidence collected was lost by law enforcement or destroyed due to a leak in the roof at the sheriff’s office. Furthermore, after three decades nothing has been done with the bloody fingerprint that was collected from the scene. After the murders, the community lived in shock and fear. The atmosphere had changed. The once quiet and peaceful Keddie was abandoned by most of its inhabitants. Cabin 28 became a horror house of sorts. Although at least one family lived in the cabin after the murders. In 2004 Cabin 28 was bulldozed to the ground. Today there are only a handful of residents that call Keddie Resort home. Although the Keddie murders are officially on the books as unsolved Smartt’s confession to his therapist may be legitimate. Why the police haven’t re-opened the case is the real mystery.