Introduction
On the night of April 11, 1981, Glenna Sharp and her children, John (age 15) and Tina (age 12), along with John’s friend, Dana Wingate (age 17), were brutally murdered in their cabin at the Keddie Resort. The bodies of Glenna, John, and Dana were found in the cabin, while Tina’s remains were discovered three years later in a nearby campground. The victims had been bound, beaten, and stabbed to death.
Despite extensive investigations, no one has ever been convicted of the murders. There have been numerous theories and suspects over the years, including local criminals and even family members, but none have been definitively linked to the crime. In recent years, there have been renewed efforts to solve the case, including the release of a documentary and a podcast exploring the case and potential suspects.
The Keddie Murders are still a haunting and unsolved case in California’s history, and the brutal nature of the killings continues to shock and mystify those familiar with the case.
Overview
The Keddie Murders, also known as the Cabin 28 murders, are a gruesome quadruple homicide that occurred in Keddie, California, USA, in April 1981. The murders were particularly shocking due to their brutal nature and the fact that the killer or killers were never caught. The case remains one of the most notorious unsolved murders in California’s history and has fascinated true crime enthusiasts for decades.
In this blog post, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the Keddie Murders. We will begin by discussing the background information surrounding the crime, including the location and the victims. We will then delve into the details of the crime itself, including how the victims were killed and any evidence found at the scene. We will also explore the investigation and aftermath of the murders, discussing the various theories and suspects that have been proposed over the years. Finally, we will examine the ongoing mystery surrounding the Keddie Murders and their impact on true crime culture. By the end of this post, you will have a deeper understanding of this shocking and unsolved crime, and its place in the history of California’s criminal justice system.
Background information
The Keddie Murders occurred in a small resort town located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The Keddie Resort was a small collection of cabins nestled in the woods, popular among tourists and vacationers. On the night of April 11, 1981, Cabin 28, one of the cabins in the resort, became the scene of a horrific crime.
The timeline of events leading up to the murders is somewhat unclear, but it is known that on April 11, Sue Sharp and her five children, along with John Boubede and Dana Wingate, a friend of one of the Sharp boys, arrived at Cabin 28 for a weekend getaway. The family had recently moved to Keddie to escape Sue’s abusive husband, James Sharp,
who was in custody in another state. The night of the murders, Sue Sharp and her daughter, Tina, went to stay with a friend in another cabin at the resort, leaving John and Dana, along with Sue’s two youngest boys, Rick (age 10) and Greg (age 5), in Cabin 28.
The victims of the Keddie Murders were Glenna Sharp, Sue’s friend who was visiting from another town, and her two children, John (age 15) and Tina (age 12), along with John Boubede and Dana Wingate. The victims had all been tied up and brutally murdered, with their bodies left in various states of disarray in the cabin. Sue’s two youngest boys were found unharmed in the cabin, but traumatized by the events that had taken place.
The victims were all known to each other, with Glenna Sharp being a friend of Sue’s. The Sharp family had recently moved to Keddie, and it is unclear whether they had any prior connections to the other victims. The relationship between John and Dana is also somewhat unclear, but it is believed that they were friends and had come to Keddie together for the weekend.
The background information surrounding the Keddie Murders is complex and somewhat shrouded in mystery. Nevertheless, understanding the location and the relationships between the victims is crucial to understanding the events of that fateful night in April 1981.
Details of the crime
The Keddie Murders were a gruesome and brutal crime, with the victims being subjected to unspeakable violence. The crime scene was discovered the morning after the murders, and the scene was horrific. Here are the details of the crime:
The victims had been bound and gagged,
with their throats slit and multiple stab wounds. Glenna Sharp and John Sharp had been beaten so severely that their faces were almost unrecognizable.
Tina Sharp, who was only 12 years old, was missing from the scene and was later found dead near a river in a remote area of the forest. It was discovered that she had been strangled to death.
The cabin was in disarray, with furniture overturned and blood spattered throughout. It was clear that the perpetrators had spent a significant amount of time at the scene and had left very few clues behind.
Initial investigation of the crime scene uncovered some evidence that suggested that the crime had been committed by more than one person. The bindings used on the victims were different, with some being electrical cord and others being shoelaces. A bloody hammer and knife were also found at the scene, along with a bent steak knife that appeared to have been used to pry open a window.
The first investigation into the Keddie Murders was intense, with dozens of law enforcement officials working to gather evidence and interview witnesses. The search for suspects included a widespread canvas of the local community and surrounding areas, as well as a thorough review of the victims’ personal histories and connections. However, despite numerous tips and leads, the investigation did not produce any concrete suspects.
Over the years, various theories and suspects have been proposed in relation to the Keddie Murders, but none have resulted in an arrest. The case is still one of California’s most notorious unsolved murders, with the perpetrators still at large.
Crime Scene Photos:
Details of the Victims
The Keddie Murders involved the brutal killing of four people: 36-year-old Glenna Sue Sharp, her son 15-year-old John Sharp, his friend 17-year-old Dana Wingate, and Sue’s youngest daughter 12-year-old Tina Sharp. Here is more information about each of the victims:
Glenna Sue Sharp:
Glenna Sue Sharp, also known as Sue, was a 36-year-old mother of five children who had recently separated from her husband. She had moved to Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort with her children and had been living there for several months before the murders occurred. Sue was described as a caring and devoted mother who worked hard to provide for her family.
John Sharp:
John Sharp was Sue’s 15-year-old son and the eldest of her five children. He was described as a quiet and introverted teenager who was close to his younger sister, Tina. John had invited his friend, Dana Wingate, to spend the night at the cabin on the night of the murders.
Dana Wingate:
Dana Wingate was a 17-year-old friend of John Sharp’s who had come to Keddie to spend time with him. Dana had recently dropped out of high school and was living in Sacramento at the time of the murders. He had a troubled past and had been in trouble with the law several times.
Tina Sharp:
Tina Sharp was Sue’s 12-year-old daughter and the youngest of her five children. She was described as a bubbly and outgoing child who loved animals and had dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Tina’s disappearance from the cabin after the murders led to a massive search effort, but her remains were not discovered until three years later in a remote area of Butte County.
The Keddie Murders were a tragic and senseless crime that claimed the lives of four innocent people, including two teenagers and a young girl. The impact of the murders on their families and loved ones cannot be overstated, and the ongoing search for justice for the victims continues to this day.
The investigation and aftermath
Despite an extensive investigation and numerous leads, the Keddie Murders are still unsolved to this day. Over the years, various theories and suspects have been proposed, but none have resulted in an arrest.
One theory is that the murders were the result of a drug deal gone wrong. It was known that there was drug activity in the area, and some believed that the victims may have been involved in the drug trade. Another theory is that the murders were related to a dispute between the victims and a local motorcycle gang. There were rumors that one of the victims had been involved in a romantic relationship with a member of the gang, and that this may have led to the murders.
Other suspects over the years have included James Sharp, Sue Sharp’s estranged husband, who was in custody at the time of the murders but had a history of violence. A former neighbor of the Sharp family also came under suspicion, as did a man who had been seen in the area on the night of the murders. However, despite numerous tips and leads, no concrete evidence has ever been found to connect any of these suspects to the crime.
The media attention that the case received was significant, with the Keddie Murders becoming one of California’s most notorious unsolved crimes. The impact on the Keddie community was profound, with many residents feeling a sense of fear and unease in the aftermath of the murders. Some residents even left the area in the wake of the tragedy.
In recent years, there have been renewed efforts to solve the case. In 2018, a documentary titled “The Cabin 28 Murders” was released, which examined the crime and the later investigation. The documentary included interviews with family members of the victims, as well as law enforcement officials involved in the case. In addition, a podcast titled “The Keddie Murders” was launched in 2019, which explores the crime and the potential suspects.
Despite these efforts, the case remains unsolved. The Keddie Murders continue to be a source of fascination and intrigue, with many hoping that one day the truth will be revealed, and justice will be served for the victims and their families.
Who Were the the Suspects
There were several suspects in the Keddie Murders case, but no one has ever been convicted of the crime. Here is information about some of the main suspects:
Martin Smartt
Martin Smartt was a friend of Sue Sharp’s ex-husband and was staying in another cabin at the Keddie Resort on the night of the murders. He had a history of violence and drug use, and several witnesses reported seeing him near Cabin 28 on the night of the murders. Smartt was one of the initial suspects in the case, but he died in 2000 before he could be brought to trial.
John “Bo” Boubede:
John Boubede was a known drug dealer and associate of Martin Smartt’s. He was also staying in a cabin at the Keddie Resort on the night of the murders, and some witnesses reported seeing him near Cabin 28. Boubede was interviewed by police several times but was never charged with the murders.
Justin Eason: Justin Eason was a friend of John Sharp’s who had been staying in Cabin 28 in the days leading up to the murders. He had a history of violence and drug use and had been involved in a physical altercation with John Sharp earlier on the night of the murders. Eason was considered a suspect in the case but was never charged with the murders.
Others: There have been several other suspects in the Keddie Murders case over the years, including family members and acquaintances of the victims. However, no one has ever been arrested or charged with the murders, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
The Keddie Murders in Pop culture
The Keddie Murders have had a significant impact on popular culture, inspiring numerous books, documentaries, podcasts, and even a feature film. The unsolved nature of the case has captivated audiences for decades, and its eerie and gruesome details have made it a popular topic in true crime circles.
One of the earliest pop culture references to the Keddie Murders came in 1983, when true crime writer Gary Alan Walker published a book about the case titled “Keddie: An Almost Forgotten Story.” The book was one of the first detailed accounts of the murders and helped to bring the case to national attention.
In 2008, filmmaker Josh Hancock released a documentary about the Keddie Murders called “Cabin 28: The Keddie Murders.” The film features interviews with family members, investigators, and true crime experts, and explores the various theories and suspects that have appeared over the years.
In recent years, the Keddie Murders have also been the subject of several popular podcasts. In 2017, the “Generation Why” podcast dedicated an episode to the case, and in 2020, the “Morbid: A True Crime Podcast” released a multi-part series on the murders.
The case has also inspired works of fiction, including the 2018 horror film “The Strangers: Prey at Night,” which features a storyline inspired by the Keddie Murders. The film’s director, Johannes Roberts, has cited the case as one of the key inspirations behind the movie.
In addition to its appearances in books, films, and podcasts, the Keddie Murders have also been the subject of numerous online discussions, message board threads, and true crime forums. The case has become a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring countless armchair detectives and true crime enthusiasts to speculate about the identity of the killer and the circumstances surrounding the crime.
Despite its ongoing popularity in pop culture, the tragedy of the Keddie Murders is still a sobering reminder of the devastating impact that violent crime can have on families and communities. While its influence on popular culture is undeniable, the most important legacy of the Keddie Murders is the ongoing search for justice for the victims and their loved ones.
