Colorado Police Seeking Suspect in 1983 Slaying

Police investigators from Boulder, Colo., are in Ventura searching for a man wanted in the 1983 shotgun slaying of a 22-year-old man.

Boulder police suspect that Thayne Alan Smika, now 39, has been hiding in Southern California since the mid-1980s, and may be working in the Ventura area for a plumbing company.

Fifteen years ago, Boulder police arrested Smika in the shooting of Sid Wells. Smika and Wells, who were roommates, apparently had argued over rent money, police said. The killing sparked national attention because Wells was dating the daughter of movie star Robert Redford at the time.

He later was released for lack of evidence.

Boulder Police Cmdr. David Hayes said Wednesday that because of improved technology, authorities recently were able to link pellets found at the scene to shotgun shells found at the home of a relative of Smika. Smika is also wanted on a 1986 warrant issued in Denver, which alleges he embezzled $63,000 from a construction company where he worked, Hayes said.

Based on a tip from a Ventura area resident, Hayes and another police investigator arrived in Ventura this week and have been searching several locales.

“We think he’s probably in the Ventura or Oxnard area,” Boulder Police Det. Melissa Kampf said. Smika is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, 140 pounds and with brown hair. He has worn a heavy beard in the past, but might currently be clean-shaven.

Anyone with information is asked to call Ventura Police Det. Quinn Fenwick at 339-4411.