Found Deceased MA - Henry Bedard, 15, found murdered, Swampscott, 16 Dec 1974

[Betty P]

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I do think one theory mentioned is possible - that Henry wasn't going to SV that evening, but was possibly going to a friends house - someone who lived on one of the streets near SV. Someone confronted him before he reached his destination.

The other good possibility is Henry being followed by some bullies on his way home. He took the route through SV to get away from them, but they possibly followed him up there. IDK.

 

[Sneaker33]

The film was old according to Henry's father. Wonder if even looked at by family as people grieve differently. It might have been too painful if family footage during happier days. It sounds as the family grieved separately and did not talk about Henry.

Gray Hughes (Has a YT channel on crime) tried to get in touch with Henry's sister a few times. I don't think she returned the call. I have only watched one of his analyses which was on the Summer Wells Case. The owner of Websleuths praised him yesterday while discussing the case of missing Gabbie Petrillo. Henry's case was never high profile but there is interest in solving it. I would be interested in a reputable outside analysis. A set of fresh eyes with no previous ties to Swampscott residents or local law enforcement. I think a lot of what is featured on many crime channels especially the high profile Summer Wells is rubbish. However, Gray Hughes has a connection to Trisha, the owner of Websleuths and she has strong connections to highly trained cold case investigators. Would be interested in what he had to say.

 

[Betty P]

The film was old according to Henry's father. Wonder if even looked at by family as people grieve differently. It might have been too painful if family footage during happier days. It sounds as the family grieved separately and did not talk about Henry.

Gray Hughes (Has a YT channel on crime) tried to get in touch with Henry's sister a few times. I don't think she returned the call. I have only watched one of his analyses which was on the Summer Wells Case. The owner of Websleuths praised him yesterday while discussing the case of missing Gabbie Petrillo. Henry's case was never high profile but there is interest in solving it. I would be interested in a reputable outside analysis. A set of fresh eyes with no previous ties to Swampscott residents or local law enforcement. I think a lot of what is featured on many crime channels especially the high profile Summer Wells is rubbish. However, Gray Hughes has a connection to Trisha, the owner of Websleuths and she has strong connections to highly trained cold case investigators. Would be interested in what he had to say.

I didn't know GH had looked at Henry's case. I'll have to check it out. Was it a recent episode? Though I don't know Henry's family, I'm not surprised his sister didn't want to participate. I sense the family has been through a lot over the years and may not feel like making public statements anymore, especially since there haven't been new developments in a while.

 

[WSFalcon]

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Unless some newer technology comes along, DNA is out of the question. Even if it this happened today, there may not have been any of the kill

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It's been stated many times that there is not any DNA. Even in crimes committed today, there is not always useable DNA left at a crime scene.
I have n0t heard but it seems that the partial print may not be enough of a print to match as the partial print has not panned out either.

 

[Sneaker33]

I didn't know GH had looked at Henry's case. I'll have to check it out. Was it a recent episode? Though I don't know Henry's family, I'm not surprised his sister didn't want to participate. I sense the family has been through a lot over the years and may not feel like making public statements anymore, especially since there haven't been new developments in a while.

He posted on a FB page interest in getting in touch with Henry's sister. It appeared she did not communicate back. I think it was a post on Swampscott LE FB page about Henry.

 

[Sneaker33]

Unless some newer technology comes along, DNA is out of the question. Even if it this happened today, there may not have been any of the kill

It's been stated many times that there is not any DNA. Even in crimes committed today, there is not always useable DNA left at a crime scene.
I have n0t heard but it seems that the partial print may not be enough of a print to match as the partial print has not panned out either.

I think there was DNA but it evidentally has not been a match. I recall people close to the case saying DNA would solve the case. It has not yet. The specialized methods usually require funding. <modsnip>

 

[WSFalcon]

I think there was DNA but it evidentally has not been a match. I recall people close to the case saying DNA would solve the case. It has not yet. The specialized methods usually require funding. <modsnip>

I had not heard that about the DNA in this case. It would be great if there actually was DNA but it just has not been a match yet.
What I had read and heard from some locals was that the pouring rain the night before didn't help, but more so the bat was handled by so many people thru the years and was not protected or stored correctly for DNA, there is not any useable DNA. I would think that the DNA of all those that handled the bat, looked at it, potentially breathed on it, etc. could be on the bat and their DNA would then have to be somehow removed or eliminated as the suspects DNA, which I do not think is an easy task, especially if the suspects DNA is not on the bat.
I think this case will only be solved if someone who really knows who did it, or one of the culprits themselves, comes forward.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

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I'm fairly convinced the murderer was a young person.

 

[WSFalcon]

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I'm fairly convinced the murderer was a young person.

<modsnip: Removed reference to non POI> ... curious, what are your reasons for thinking the killer was a young person?

 

[WSFalcon]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> I am not sure when the first photos of the bat were published. I am fairly sure that the bat was described early on and many in town knew that the bat had a roman type numerals or markings on the handle. I can recall hearing something about the bat and these markings after the murder.
I read that shortly after the murder the police were at the high school talking to the AD trying to identify the bat. Again, not sure when the photo was published but a description of the bat was fairly well known in town by many, but certainly by the police and I assume all the Little League officials, coaches, and the kids they interviewed as they were working hard trying to identify the bat's owner or if anyone recognized it.
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[WSFalcon]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> ... I played and coached baseball, the kids notice quite a bit that adults do not especially about bats, gloves, etc. It is a little different today as bats are more costly but you could ask any kid on our team what type of bat or even glove that their friends had or used and they could tell you the brand, model, etc.

 

[seichem745]

Keep in mind that Henry was not cutting thru the old train tracks. He went up to the small wooded area above the town DPW.
The way he was heading home was pretty much the most direct and common walking route from Vinnin Sq. /CVS to his house. It is the way I would have walked back then to get to his area of town from Vinnin Sq.
His sister stated that where he cut up was not a short cut, which I would agree with.

.....As someone not personally familiar with Swampscott, I wonder whether Henry and his fellow high school students regularly used the old Swampscott Branch right of way to walk downtown?...
Maybe he had heard from the high school grapevine that it was safe to use the abandoned right-of-way and then cut to Suffolk and Franklin, an easy route to describe?
The old tracks that ran from Walker Rd. up to the old Jr High/HS/MS, was used very regularly as it was a direct route to the school and had easy access in multiple places. You would find kids walking along that route, playing in the woods near there, riding dirt bikes, etc. on a fairly regular basis.
The section in question that ran across Paradise Rd. was not used very often as it was a bit difficult to get up to, even for a kid, and it did not save time. On Paradise Rd. there was a high stone wall and I believe a fence that made it a little difficult to get up to the old train tracks from Paradise Rd.
Like many kids, I often walked along the old train tracks that ran to the Jr. High/HS/MS, but I think I only was on the other portion a couple of times and I grew up near there.

Maybe some mean homicidal troll-like person or persons was hiding in ambush near or on the old bridge abutment for high schoolers or whatever that cross Paradise Road from the area of the high school?
I used to think it was something like that but I think that is doubtful. It was not a common area so if someone was waiting to ambush a kid walking home thru there they could have a long wait. I had thought previously that maybe a homicidal troll like person saw Henry walk up there and is was a crime of opportunity but Henry veered off to that area for a reason so I think it is more likely he was meeting someone.

statistically these types of murders are personal. he either wnt up there to meet someone or unfortunately came upon a group who didn't like him. Henry was popular and that breeds jealousy. most likely it was a split second loss of control on the part of the killer, then after the first hit he knew he had to finish it. the crime scene was made to confuse.

 

[Smiling Faces]

statistically these types of murders are personal. he either wnt up there to meet someone

I agree with you. I doubt it was a group because this was just to gruesome from what i have read to keep quiet. If it was 1 person then i can see why the bat may have been already hidden up there. I can't see someone walking up there with a bat in hand, JMO

 

[WSFalcon]

I agree with you. I doubt it was a group because this was just to gruesome from what i have read to keep quiet. If it was 1 person then i can see why the bat may have been already hidden up there. I can't see someone walking up there with a bat in hand, JMO

One thought I have always had on the bat was that it looked like an old bat so it may have been lying around up there in the clearing.

 

[Betty P]

One thought I have always had on the bat was that it looked like an old bat so it may have been lying around up there in the clearing.

IIRC, it was a Hank Aaron model of a Louisville Slugger bat, so not too old

It was first shown to the public in the Jan 2, 1975 issue of the Boston Globe, just a few weeks after Henry's murder.

2 Jan 1975, 4 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com

 

[WSFalcon]

IIRC, it was a Hank Aaron model of a Louisville Slugger bat, so not too old

It was first shown to the public in the Jan 2, 1975 issue of the Boston Globe, just a few weeks after Henry's murder.

2 Jan 1975, 4 - The Boston Globe at Newspapers.com

Good input on how old the bat was. I guess I assumed it was old as it thought it looked kind of worn in the photos.
This does seem to confirm what I have read and recall from back then, that many in town knew what the bat looked like and were discussing the unusual markings on the bat trying to see if anyone recognized it.
Unfortunately a lot of unknowns that are difficult to figure out such as why did Henry go up to this out of the way place, where did the bat come from, why or who would have a bat in Dec., etc.

 

[Sillybilly]

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[Sillybilly]

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JMHO YMMV LRR

It was never applied for.

 

[Sillybilly]

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[Sillybilly]

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