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More than four decades after a University of Colorado student was found shot to death inside his Boulder apartment, the FBI is asking for the public’s help by releasing new age-progression images of the man accused of killing him.
Investigators on Thursday unveiled updated renderings of Thayne Alan Smika, who authorities said has spent decades evading arrest after the Aug. 1, 1983, killing of his former roommate Sidney Lee Wells, 22.
Police responded to an apartment complex in Boulder that day and found Wells lying on the living room floor with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the FBI. Wells was a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder studying journalism and was enrolled in the Navy ROTC program.
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Smika, who was a 24-year-old student at the time, was identified as a suspect during the initial investigation but was not immediately charged. Three years later, in October 1986, authorities found his abandoned car in Beverly Hills, California, with a stolen license plate. He has remained on the run ever since.
A Boulder County judge issued a state warrant charging Smika with first-degree murder in December 2010. Days later, federal authorities charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and obtained a federal arrest warrant.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Smika’s arrest and conviction.
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“It is never too late to hold a murder suspect accountable,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski said. “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 investigators hope the newly released images generate fresh leads in the decades-old homicide investigation.
“We are hopeful these images generate actionable tips that our detectives can investigate to find Smika and bring justice in this case,” Redfearn said. “No matter how much time has passed, we will never stop searching. We are grateful for our FBI partners for their help in creating these images and publicizing this crime.”
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Authorities said Smika would now be 67 years old. He may be clean-shaven or have a beard or mustache and may wear glasses. Investigators also said he does not have a valid U.S. passport and may have lived in Yelapa, Mexico, for years before 2007.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Boulder Police tip line at 303-441-1974, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Anonymous tips can also be made through Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
