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

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

Sneaker33 said:
Did Websleuths decline someone who applied to be recognized as am insider? It was my understanding an individual suspected someone in the community but did not wish to be identified. It is my opinion the poster gave too much identifying information resulting in the thread being shut down. I do think the poster was sincere. It is possible he was being misled by others around him or he could have accurate information to identify the murderer. The conversation ended up being shut down. Henry was not believed to have a large sum of money on him. I don't know how much he had saved for a car. I suspect it was not a lot because his sister previously mentioned him saving for a new bike the previous summer.
Click to expand...

IIRC, there were some people who shared information but didn't want to apply for insider status. They dont usually refuse anyone who can offer some sort of verification.
 
evilwise said:
Do you have a mainstream or verified source that the car savings money was accounted for? Because I've been looking for that information. The perfume itself is irrelevant, it was the purchasing of the perfume that would have given observers a glimpse of cash being carried.
Click to expand...

I have never seen or heard anything either way on how much money Henry brought to school that day or if the money was recovered. I don't think that it was ever stated that Henry brought his entire savings, whatever it was, to school that day. I took any mention in the newspapers that Henry was saving for a car as something that was said to give him praise and show that he was a good hardworking kid, had a newspaper, caddied at the local golf course (many of us kids had newspaper routes and caddied back then) helped out at his Dad's gas station, etc.
My take is that money or a robbery was not the motive for this murder or the reason to lure him up there, though I can imagine a situation in which a fight over money in the woods goes bad.
I would like to see more information from other true locals that grew up in town and remember this well. I am not sure who the insider that is being referred to though there were a couple of posters throwing about information that I was very skeptical of and thought that it should not have been posted.
 
I thought I had read somewhere that about $37 was taken from Henry...quite a sum in 1974.

But I dont think robbery was the motive.

My theory is the murderer was someone who *owed* Henry money from the card playing. So the taking of Henry's money was kind of an extra f' you..."not only am I not going to pay you, I am going to take your money too"
 
WSFalcon said:
I have never seen or heard anything either way on how much money Henry brought to school that day or if the money was recovered. I don't think that it was ever stated that Henry brought his entire savings, whatever it was, to school that day. I took any mention in the newspapers that Henry was saving for a car as something that was said to give him praise and show that he was a good hardworking kid, had a newspaper, caddied at the local golf course (many of us kids had newspaper routes and caddied back then) helped out at his Dad's gas station, etc.
My take is that money or a robbery was not the motive for this murder or the reason to lure him up there, though I can imagine a situation in which a fight over money in the woods goes bad.
I would like to see more information from other true locals that grew up in town and remember this well. I am not sure who the insider that is being referred to though there were a couple of posters throwing about information that I was very skeptical of and thought that it should not have been posted.
Click to expand...
The problem with the theories is when "names" are given about possible suspects. I don't think this was about Henry's money. I have no idea of the motive. Hopefully, a talented cold case unit will solve some day. I am curious to the police's reference to similarity between other murders on Salem/Swampscott line.
 
Jealousy over the fact that henry had it together more than most is more likely than robbery, he had more money because he worked for it, he had girls who liked him, he was good at sports. Teenage boys have a lot of issues and too much testosterone. this was way before school shootings by angry young boys. I can see a normal kid being jealous and sharing that with a a close friend or two and maybe through peer pressure being told to man up or shut up. then when he got his opportunity that day on the hill he couldn't control his emotions. It appears to be a cowardly act on the part of the killer(s) however you look at it. I can't see SHS students being able to remain cool enough after the fact to get away with it. I vote for Non SHS individuals, recent grads, drop outs.
 
It does indeed appear to be a cowardly act. It is odd because Henry was a small guy, not an intimidating figure.

That is one reason I discount the older bully theory. An older kid wouldnt need a baseball bat to rough Henry up.
 
I don't feel the intention was to rough him up, (if it was a planned meeting) I would say the motivation was to intimidate Henry, scare him. (if it was unplanned) then it was a matter of opportunity and the bat being there doesn't play into it at all.

If an older person roughed up a small younger person and people found out then they would be in trouble.

so if it was older people and it was not planned then it was someone who lost his cool in the process.

he was hit from behind so the killer could have just let henry leave. It's plausible that Henry turned to leave the altercation then got hit when he wasn't looking.
 
I wonder if there were initial suspects that went to have severe mental health issues. Or, anyone from that area that turned out that way?
 
I can't see SHS students being able to remain cool enough after the fact to get away with it. I vote for Non SHS individuals, recent grads, drop outs.[/QUOTE]
Obviously a very cold case with no real suspects that we know about. I had similar thoughts on a SHS student or friends being able to keep quiet and remain cool after the fact, though if it was Non SHS individuals, older recent grads, drop-outs, they would most likely not be someone Henry knew or was friendly with, so the question remains how did they lure him up there?
I had thought for years that perhaps he may have wandered up and thru that area, which is still possible if he was cutting thru to someone that abutted that area (not cutting thru to go home) but since finding this board, reading others insights, and knowing the area, it seems to me that he very most likely went up there to meet someone. So either he knew them enough to go meet them in that out of the way wooded area, or was lured up there by someone he knew or perhaps to meet a girl or by a girl.
 
In the absence of verified insiders everything is speculation except the bat. Does it still exist in evidence somewhere? The grip might still be able to yield DNA. Even though many people probably touched it, any identified person could give new information about where it came from.
 
evilwise said:
In the absence of verified insiders everything is speculation except the bat. Does it still exist in evidence somewhere? The grip might still be able to yield DNA. Even though many people probably touched it, any identified person could give new information about where it came from.
Click to expand...
Yes, the bat still exits in evidence. I understand that it has been tested several times. My understanding is that the bat has not provided any usable DNA.
DNA has solved many old cold cases, though I believe that there are cases in which there is not any DNA that was left at the crime scene. I am not a DNA expert but my understanding is that with it pouring rain when the bat was left at the scene and the way the bat was handled by many people through the years, as well as the way the bat was stored for all those years, unfortunately there is not any DNA evidence.
 
WSFalcon said:
I can't see SHS students being able to remain cool enough after the fact to get away with it. I vote for Non SHS individuals, recent grads, drop outs.
Click to expand...
Obviously a very cold case with no real suspects that we know about. I had similar thoughts on a SHS student or friends being able to keep quiet and remain cool after the fact, though if it was Non SHS individuals, older recent grads, drop-outs, they would most likely not be someone Henry knew or was friendly with, so the question remains how did they lure him up there?
I had thought for years that perhaps he may have wandered up and thru that area, which is still possible if he was cutting thru to someone that abutted that area (not cutting thru to go home) but since finding this board, reading others insights, and knowing the area, it seems to me that he very most likely went up there to meet someone. So either he knew them enough to go meet them in that out of the way wooded area, or was lured up there by someone he knew or perhaps to meet a girl or by a girl.[/QUOTE]
I vote that he was meeting a girl but the girl was loyal to the boys she was with.
 
The rumor has always been that he was murdered over a girl. Henry’s brother even makes a reference to this in the Chronicle episode. Another persistent rumor is that the murderer was the son of someone greatly feared and influential.
The bat had a partial print but since LE never took Henry’s prints they can’t compare them. Last I read, the bat was sent out for new testing but nothing came of it.
 
Jealousy happens at that age, most don't ambush and murder over it though. if the killer was jealous why not just fight one on one?
 
seichem745 said:
Jealousy happens at that age, most don't ambush and murder over it though. if the killer was jealous why not just fight one on one?
Click to expand...
Only the killer knows the answer to that. FWIW, Henry’s brother thought it was a stupid reason too. Watch Chronicle episode, read post on Facebook page. You will learn a few things, if you don’t believe me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 281 more.
Total: 3,008 (members: 282, guests: 2,726)

Online statistics

Members online
282
Guests online
2,726
Total visitors
3,008
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
599,643
Messages
18,097,735
Members
230,895
Latest member
Tb3
Back
Top