More than 40 years after a University of Colorado student was found dead in his Boulder apartment, the FBI is requesting public assistance by releasing updated images of the suspect.
New renderings of Thayne Alan Smika, accused of the 1983 murder of his former roommate, Sidney Lee Wells, have been shared by investigators aiming to locate him. Wells, 22, was found on August 1, 1983, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police discovered Wells lying on the living room floor, as reported by the FBI. He was a senior studying journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder, also part of the Navy ROTC program.
Smika was a 24-year-old student at the time of the incident and identified as a suspect but evaded immediate charges. His car was later found abandoned in Beverly Hills, California, with a stolen license plate. Since then, he has remained elusive.
A Boulder County judge charged Smika with first-degree murder in December 2010, followed by federal charges for flight to avoid prosecution.
The FBI is putting up a $10,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest and conviction. Age-progression images of Smika aim to invigorate the search.
“It is never too late to hold a murder suspect accountable,” stated FBI Denver Special Agent Amanda Koldjeski.
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn is optimistic that the fresh images will bring new leads.
“We are hopeful these images generate actionable tips,” Redfearn said. “We will never stop searching.”
Smika, now possibly 67, might be clean-shaven or have facial hair, and could wear glasses. He lacks a valid U.S. passport and may have resided in Yelapa, Mexico, before 2007.
Anyone with information is urged to call Boulder Police at 303-441-1974, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Anonymous calls can be made through Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
Brittany Miller, a writer for Fox News Digital, graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.