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

[UnlicensedPI]

Along those same lines, the person who did this had some severe psychological problems to kill Henry in the first place. Those psych/mental issues were in operation before and after the murder and allowed the killer to feel no guilt about what he did. No conscience. Maybe he was used to not being held accountable to others.

For that reason, JMO, it's likely this killer stood out to other students in school and around town. Maybe not in a big way, but I'd be willing to bet he was someone known to have a temper or to bully others. If he came from a "good" family, his behavior may have been overlooked or dismissed by others.

Another possibility is that he was considered an oddball or loner, someone whose violent tendencies were not obvious due to social isolation.

Regardless, he was a schemer. He was someone who took the time to arrange a place and time for his meeting with Henry and bring along a weapon.

He arranged it in a way that didn't arouse suspicion from Henry.

He was organized enough to escape unnoticed and dispose of evidence (bloody clothes, etc.) before cleaning up and returning to "normal", not an easy task for a minor who still lived at home with his parents. Are we looking for someone whose parents worked and weren't usually there when he got home from school?

Henry's murder doesn't appear to have been an impulsive act, it was planned by someone who could trick Henry into going to that spot that busy afternoon.

Just a hunch, but I suspect some friends and fellow students of Henry's had or have suspicions about the killer. For various reasons, though, they rationalized that it couldn't be him.

JMO

I think everything you're saying is a possibility, even strongly likely. But I disagree that it wasn't impulsive. IMO, the purpose of the meeting was something other than murder. I know it wasn't baseball season, but the killer could have been coming from a practice or tryouts or something like that. He could have been enraged when the bat was already in his hand -- a weapon of opportunity. Henry having the personality we've discussed, he could have antagonized the killer, not even thinking he'd get hurt. I don't think the killer was thinking that far ahead in bringing the bat as a weapon or protection. If he had, he would have taken it with him.

I like what you said about the parents working late. Just wanted to highlight that point. If the kid lived in the neighborhood, which is most likely IMO, it's a bunch of duplexes that may attract lower income families than the rest of the town, parents working late, working multiple jobs, or a single parent are great suggestions about his home life.

 

[Tommy2step]

I do think it was a kid who had a temper, was a loose cannon. Maybe the parents were absent parents who didn't know or just didn't care. Part of me thinks leaving the bat may have been left intentionally or at least he didn't care. Why? He's cocky, confident, so what? Prove it!! I don't think he was a professional (like a Hitman calmly dropping a gun and slowly walking away). But why leave
the bat? Maybe it was a warning to others. You cross me and this is what will happen to you. If others suspect him, they might be afraid of coming forward after seeing/hearing what happened to Henry. Again, I think kids who are now in their 60s know, but havent come forward. BTW, on the family's face book page, someone did put forth a name to look at...

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

I absolutely believe the murder was impulsive. I dont believe it was planned at all. I dont even believe the culprit intended on any type of physical attack. Something obviously set the killer off

 

[Betty P]

I may have posted this before, but just bringing it forward as we discuss Henry

Weather Underground historical weather info for the Swampscott area, Dec 16, 1974

Beverly, MA History | Weather Underground

High Temp: 43 degrees F
Low Temp: 0

Civil Twilight
Rise 6:36 AM Set 4:44 PM
Nautical Twilight
Rise 6:01 AM Set 5:20 PM
Astronomical Twilight
Rise 5:26 AM Set 5:54 PM

Max wind speed 36

4:00 pm Neighborhood kids party when boys found Henry's empty wallet and shopping bag
4:44 pm Civil twilight/sunset

Part of me thinks leaving the bat may have been left intentionally or at least he didn't care. Why? He's cocky, confident, so what? Prove it!! I don't think he was a professional (like a Hitman calmly dropping a gun and slowly walking away).

He dropped the bat (or threw it away, it was 50' from the body, IIRC) because it was still light out and he didn't want to be seen walking from the woods while carrying it. Possibly it was one he stole or picked up somewhere. Someone at home might have noticed if he brought it there. In 1974, on the east coast, kids weren't playing, practicing for or trying out for baseball in the weeks before Christmas.

Not sure why, but I suspect Henry's attacker was older, an upperclassman. He may have had his own car: how else was he able to go to SV with a baseball bat with no one noticing? If he were walking, like Henry, someone would have seen him walking around town with a bat. It may have also allowed him to leave undetected and possibly go somewhere else to clean up. Any mention of cars in the area? If he had a car, perhaps the perp parked a few streets away. Going to look at Google Maps.

While I was typing this, I came up with a possible scenario for a motive for a fellow HS student borrowing money from Henry, then becoming enraged when not able pay it back. I don't feel comfortable discussing it in the public forum, in case I'm wrong. I'll ponder it some more.

 

[Betty P]

My new profile of the killer:

Older than Henry
Borrowed money from Henry
Likely (but not certainly) a fellow student at Swampscott High
Not a friend, but an acquaintance
Physically strong, with a bad temper, was used to getting his way with people, esp. those younger or smaller
Drove a car
Was known in the area; his presence around the crime scene wouldn't have been unusual to people who lived there
Possibly played sports; had access to athletic equipment
Involved in a relationship, possibly one that was in trouble or had recently ended
Possibly had a certain social status he wanted to maintain
Was under stress in his personal life
Didn't have a good paying job or had no source of extra income (hence assuming a fellow student)
Loan was possibly related to a secret that the killer didn't want revealed to others

JMO, speculation and subject to change.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

My new profile of the killer:

Older than Henry
Borrowed money from Henry
Likely (but not certainly) a fellow student at Swampscott High
Not a friend, but an acquaintance
Physically strong, with a bad temper, was used to getting his way with people, esp. those younger or smaller
Drove a car
Was known in the area; his presence around the crime scene wouldn't have been unusual to people who lived there
Possibly played sports; had access to athletic equipment
Involved in a relationship, possibly one that was in trouble or had recently ended
Possibly had a certain social status he wanted to maintain
Was under stress in his personal life
Didn't have a good paying job or had no source of extra income (hence assuming a fellow student)
Loan was possibly related to a secret that the killer didn't want revealed to others

JMO, speculation and subject to change.

I can agree with most of that profile.

I think the killer almost certainly had a troubled home life. An abusive, possibly alcoholic home. That fact may or may not have been known to the community. As Charlie Rich sang, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.

 

[spidersleuth]

Hey all. I am a swampscott resident who is deeply fascinated with the case. I’ve only read up until 2018 so I plan to read through the rest of the thread. I have been intrigued by this case since I learned about it in high school. I have some theories which actually include a prominent family in town.

 

[spidersleuth]

My new profile of the killer:

Older than Henry
Borrowed money from Henry
Likely (but not certainly) a fellow student at Swampscott High
Not a friend, but an acquaintance
Physically strong, with a bad temper, was used to getting his way with people, esp. those younger or smaller
Drove a car
Was known in the area; his presence around the crime scene wouldn't have been unusual to people who lived there
Possibly played sports; had access to athletic equipment
Involved in a relationship, possibly one that was in trouble or had recently ended
Possibly had a certain social status he wanted to maintain
Was under stress in his personal life
Didn't have a good paying job or had no source of extra income (hence assuming a fellow student)
Loan was possibly related to a secret that the killer didn't want revealed to others

JMO, speculation and subject to change.

As a swampscott native who is familiar with families involved in the case I have the same theories.

 

[spidersleuth]

Given the Facebook group full of people from the town trying to crack the mystery, I don't think there's any great awareness of the guilty party. Maybe the kid and their parents (who could have died by now). This is definitely not a case of the whole community protecting a murderer.

That being said, I really love the phrase "pampered punk!"

I’m from here and I have a feeling it is a family protecting their own. I am inclined to believe it may have been a son or nephew of a member of the police force at that time.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I’m from here and I have a feeling it is a family protecting their own. I am inclined to believe it may have been a son or nephew of a member of the police force at that time.

I'm from here too! Not Swampscott but an abutting town. I don't think he was related to the police since Cassidy worked so hard on it. IMO the police wouldn't have been so cooperative with the press or appealing to the public if they were trying to cover it up.

 

[spidersleuth]

I'm from here too! Not Swampscott but an abutting town. I don't think he was related to the police since Cassidy worked so hard on it. IMO the police wouldn't have been so cooperative with the press or appealing to the public if they were trying to cover it up.

Cassidy is a huge family... and I know that not all of them are good apples.

 

[spidersleuth]

Chief Cassidy was a good man, but his family reaches far. But I am not talking about a cassidy here, I have other suspicions I don’t feel comfortable sharing yet. But maybe someday ...

 

[jgfitzge]

Hey all. I am a swampscott resident who is deeply fascinated with the case. I’ve only read up until 2018 so I plan to read through the rest of the thread. I have been intrigued by this case since I learned about it in high school. I have some theories which actually include a prominent family in town.

Hi spider, welcome to the thread, quick question does our Governor Charlie Baker still reside in your town of Swampscott?

 

[Tommy2step]

If you look on the page set up by Henry's sister, someone posted a couple of comments which include the name of a person they believe to be a potential suspect. I won't post it here, you can look it up, but the name is interesting. He went to Salem High, same age as Henry-maybe slightly younger, was tall and rather big (current pictures indicate this as well), came from seemingly prominent family (father had a position of authority in MA government. He is a prominent business owner in the area so he or his family has money. Also had/has interest in golf...so it would seem he had access to sports equipment. Swinging a golf club and a bat are pretty similar exercises.

 

[spidersleuth]

Hi spider, welcome to the thread, quick question does our Governor Charlie Baker still reside in your town of Swampscott?

Yes he does!

 

[Betty P]

Hey all. I am a swampscott resident who is deeply fascinated with the case. I’ve only read up until 2018 so I plan to read through the rest of the thread. I have been intrigued by this case since I learned about it in high school. I have some theories which actually include a prominent family in town.

Welcome spidersleuth! Thanks for the local POV. Please do share your theories as best you can. We'd like to hear your ideas.

I'm glad more people are reviewing and posting about this sad case. I came across it a few years ago while going far back in the Cold Case thread here at WS. I now always think about Henry and his family just before each Christmas. It's such a sad, tragic death. I feel so badly for Henry and his family and friends. I do hope they get some answers.

ETA: I just found the comment you mentioned from Henry's sister's web site. The name mentioned does match the initials carved into the bat.

 

[spidersleuth]

Welcome spidersleuth! Thanks for the local POV. Please do share your theories as best you can. We'd like to hear your ideas.

I'm glad more people are reviewing and posting about this sad case. I came across it a few years ago while going far back in the Cold Case thread here at WS. I now always think about Henry and his family just before each Christmas. It's such a sad, tragic death. I feel so badly for Henry and his family and friends. I do hope they get some answers.

ETA: I just found the comment you mentioned from Henry's sister's web site. The name mentioned does match the initials carved into the bat.

My FIL was in high school at the time of the murder - a few years ahead of henry. He has his theories but is tight lipped, i have to share this KM potential with him because that family is definitely still very prominent in our area. I have shared all my theories with him but I know there’s someone he thinks could be responsible still very much in the area.

 

[Betty P]

My FIL was in high school at the time of the murder - a few years ahead of henry. He has his theories but is tight lipped, i have to share this KM potential with him because that family is definitely still very prominent in our area. I have shared all my theories with him but I know there’s someone he thinks could be responsible still very much in the area.

Thanks. That the killer is still in the area seems to be a consensus based on comments from locals and the way the current LE words some of their statements in more recent news reports. That's IMO, but it's something I picked up on when they're interviewed. Everyone keeps saying that someone around the area knows or might remember something. I take that to mean people who know the killer still live in town.

Short of someone coming forward to identify the bat or similar knowledge of events before or after the murder, though, LE doesn't have much to build a case.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

If you look on the page set up by Henry's sister, someone posted a couple of comments which include the name of a person they believe to be a potential suspect. I won't post it here, you can look it up, but the name is interesting. He went to Salem High, same age as Henry-maybe slightly younger, was tall and rather big (current pictures indicate this as well), came from seemingly prominent family (father had a position of authority in MA government. He is a prominent business owner in the area so he or his family has money. Also had/has interest in golf...so it would seem he had access to sports equipment. Swinging a golf club and a bat are pretty similar exercises.

An interesting theory for sure. I'm not seeing the KM initials on the bat though.

 

[spidersleuth]

I’d like to clear up some confusion about SV and why kids might be up there. Our small town is divided in the middle by a golf course, that stretches between swampscott and marblehead. The old high school (now the middle school) is adjacent to the golf course. To walk to the other side of town home from school , kids famously cut through that golf course so they can save a half mile. They come out on parsons drive (where the famous baseball star lived) cross paradise road, and head up to suffolk ave. In my day (the nineties) when we’d walk home that way, we’d stop up by the water tower to smoke cigarettes. By my time, the path up to the water tower was decrepit, and we had to use franklin ave to get up to suffolk. During their time there was a path that was useable up to the tower right from paradise road.

My point is that the path off the road coming up from paradise road to the tower is now unusable but i imagine during the 1970s that’s how many people walked home, and was probably more of a hang out spot than it was in the nineties. People say that Henry wouldn’t have walked home that way but based on how our town is set up it would make more sense to cut through that way to get to his side of town.