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

[Betty P]

it started out as public but was turned private, i guess the moderators felt it had served its purpose and got tired of reading comments and theories they knew were not true. you have to understand the people closest to the investigation have way more info than any web sleuths.

Very true. There have been a few cold cases recently that opened up - experts, podcasts, tv shows, etc. have sometimes been able to reveal more information about old, long discussed cases. It's amazing how more information can change the nature of a cold case and bring it more into focus. There's just not enough publicly known about Henry's case for an outsider to figure out what happened.

I hope continuing to discuss his case will eventually make someone come forward to LE and tell what they know.

 

[seichem745]

If people are local they should visit his grave!

 

[Smiling Faces]

if the items were found close to the entrence to suffolk then i would say that is where the killers exited the woods and hastily discarded the items before hitting the street. not a bright thing to do but you have to consider the killers themselves were in shock at what just happened.

Would Norfolk Ave be close to Suffolk? It was dark out as well? Most people were getting ready for the holiday's? Most people had their shades closed down, not like today where people have window shades open.

 

[WSFalcon]

Confirming that when I posted "Yes, Norfolk Ave" I was referring to the boy who found Henry. <modsnip>
Norfolk Ave. abuts the old train tracks that could lead to the wooded area, and is across from the elementary school and park. Suffolk Ave is on the opposite side of the tracks and dead ends into the woods as well.

 

[seichem745]

2011 was the rattling of the cages. If you pay attention to the quotes from LE at that time and re watch the chronical video and read the article that i believe was from a news paper (not certain) but it is still currently on line where they called the killers out as cowards. It is fairly transparent. They were sending a clear message and asking for people to come forward.

 

[Valiant]

If they had DNA evidence, what they would likely do is find something in his garbage or something he discarded in public to get his DNA for comparison. This is how it's been done in many cases without the need to tip anyone off by testing family members.

Then once they have established that, they then get a warrant for an official collection of DNA from the suspect.

 

[seichem745]

Le knew who did it in 2011, I am sure of that.

 

[WSFalcon]

Le knew who did it in 2011, I am sure of that.

Really, you think LE knows who did it? It's possible but if so they have been able to keep it quiet for a # of years in this relatively small town, which surprises me a bit. I would think if LE does know then only a few within LE know or it would have slowly leaked out to others by now with all the ex-LE in town that have come and gone thru the years.
Unfortunately it sounds like there is very little, if any, real evidence. I have no idea if they have usable DNA.

 

[seichem745]

There are 100's of cases where LE has a belief of who the suspects are but there is a legal system in place and you need real evidence. the quote (one of many)"It's a matter of getting people to talk" then you see posts right here about individuals being afraid to talk. I am open to being completely wrong I am just connecting the dots on what is available on the internet, youtube and here on this site. I believe the effort made in 2011 was purposeful. I believe they got a lot of information. this case seems cold on usable evidence.

 

[WSFalcon]

There are 100's of cases where LE has a belief of who the suspects are but there is a legal system in place and you need real evidence. the quote (one of many)"It's a matter of getting people to talk" then you see posts right here about individuals being afraid to talk. I am open to being completely wrong I am just connecting the dots on what is available on the internet, youtube and here on this site. I believe the effort made in 2011 was purposeful. I believe they got a lot of information. this case seems cold on usable evidence.

I think you are correct that the case seems cold, unfortunately very cold, on usable evidence. LE may have a belief who did it but if so they have kept it very quiet.
In the Boston.com article in 2004 it said...'We never got anything that was worthwhile. Nothing. Nothing at all," said James Hanley, the retired Swampscott police captain who oversaw the investigation. ''There were all kinds of theories.......I never got anything that would kind to seem to have any credence to it." Another article stated that he had interviewed hundreds of people, friends, coaches and no one could identify the bat. It also stated that a # of kids took a lie detector test and passed.
I am not saying I agree with this rumor or theory, but I have heard that some locals thought whoever did it may have been protected or shielded by someone in LE. Not a conspiracy per say but someone covering. I would like to think and believe that LE /SPD would not cover up for any credible suspect.
I have never heard any good theories on who could have committed this terrible crime.
I feel that unless the culprit(s) or someone that the culprit confessed to comes forward, we may never know.

 

[seichem745]

it was emphatically staed by the persons closest to the case that it was not about money and it was not a police cover up, that there were suspects but no usable evidence. that is good enough for me.

as for quotes from law enforcement you have to look at the quotes from the time of 2011 when they had much more information. what they said in 1974 is irrelevant in a case this old.

 

[Betty P]

There are 100's of cases where LE has a belief of who the suspects are but there is a legal system in place and you need real evidence. the quote (one of many)"It's a matter of getting people to talk" then you see posts right here about individuals being afraid to talk. I am open to being completely wrong I am just connecting the dots on what is available on the internet, youtube and here on this site. I believe the effort made in 2011 was purposeful. I believe they got a lot of information. this case seems cold on usable evidence.

This is not unusual in cold cases - LE is sure or fairly sure they know who did it, but can't move forward to prosecution without more evidence. I had the same impression from their communications in 2011 - they were sending a message to some people - those who did it and those who know or suspect who did it. I hope there is someone out there who knows something and is finally willing to reveal what they know.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

still think that may be a sword...

 

[seichem745]

Maybe since so much time has passed, looking into people from that area that got in trouble with the law since Henry was murdered might lead to something. Or maybe lead to someone that knows something or heard rumors, etc. I hope that made sense? I'm guessing whoever did this had other troubles and this wasn't the only crime commited by the perp.

Hindsight is 2020! looking at the trajectory of the lives of those who lived in the area, what careers they chose at what time might be eye opening.

 

[seichem745]

Also possible.

If so, why did he walk up there that day? It wasn't his usual route home. It was out of the way and he'd already walked quite a distance that afternoon.

I don't know, i was going on the premise that he came upon a group of yahoos in the woods who just started messing with him, which escalated into taking his money then we all know what happened next. but i am considering the possibility they knew he was coming up there and the intent was intimidation or protection of someone else, maybe someone his age. speculation only...just thinking out loud.

 

[seichem745]

An Anonymous tip is prompting a new investigation into two murders
decades apart. Swampscott Sgt. Tim Cassidy says the department received
credible information regarding an unsolved murder from 1941. According
to Cassidy the caller left some information about the murder scene and
left a name of a former Swampscott resident who was the murderer of
Frances Corcoran. Swampscott police say there are similarities with the
1941 murder case and the unsolved murders of 15-year-old Paula
Kallenback and 15-year-old Henry E. Bedard Jr. Frances Cochran's body
was found on July 20, 1941 on Swampscott road, mutilated, and partially
burned. Beard's body was found in a wooded area between Suffolk Ave
and Paradise Road in December of 1974, and Kallneback's body was
found in 1979 she was sexually abused and beaten with a baseball bat
that was found at the scene. Police believe all three are connected
somehow and say they are very anxious to speak with this individual
again because we believe he may have information that could help us
solve other cases." is anyone looking at these cases on here?

 

[seichem745]

What would the motive be in killing Henry be? What was the connection with Henry? Here's my theory, based on nothing but speculation. One of the prevailing theories is that Henry owned someone money OR was trying to get back money owed to him...most likely a classmate or other kid in town. Maybe Henry doesn't want to pay it back. This other kid is talking about it to his family - maybe an uncle, cousin or older brother - i.e., " This kid at school owes me money! Its pissing me off !!". Lets say its an uncle who tells the kid, "Don't worry...we'll get your money back and teach that punk a lesson". A meeting is arranged and Henry walks into a trap. this was speculated by someone in an earlier thread, more likely older siblings might do something like this .

 

[WSFalcon]

An Anonymous tip is prompting a new investigation into two murders
decades apart. Swampscott Sgt. Tim Cassidy says the department received
credible information regarding an unsolved murder from 1941. According
to Cassidy the caller left some information about the murder scene and
left a name of a former Swampscott resident who was the murderer of
Frances Corcoran. Swampscott police say there are similarities with the
1941 murder case and the unsolved murders of 15-year-old Paula
Kallenback and 15-year-old Henry E. Bedard Jr. Frances Cochran's body
was found on July 20, 1941 on Swampscott road, mutilated, and partially
burned. Beard's body was found in a wooded area between Suffolk Ave
and Paradise Road in December of 1974, and Kallneback's body was
found in 1979 she was sexually abused and beaten with a baseball bat
that was found at the scene. Police believe all three are connected
somehow and say they are very anxious to speak with this individual
again because we believe he may have information that could help us
solve other cases." is anyone looking at these cases on here?

I am not familiar with the new information and police communications from 2011 that you and others were referring to.
Is above the information & communication from 2011? Googling I found the above info in an article from 2004/2005 suggesting a link to the murders, so I am assuming it is not the communications from 2011.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

There was a senior, initials K M, from Swampscott High. Henry was a Freshman, correct?

 

[UnlicensedPI]

There was a senior, initials K M, from Swampscott High. Henry was a Freshman, correct?

If you're talking about the car dealer, he never went to Swampscott High. He's from Salem.