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

[UnlicensedPI]

Rita was the woman found floating in Gloucester Harbor. She was the girlfriend of a popular “suspect”. But she was older than Henry.

She was actually quite a bit younger. She was born in 1967.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

She was actually quite a bit younger. She was born in 1967.

You are right. She is younger. Sorry about that.

 

[seichem745]

You are right. She is younger. Sorry about that.

sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this case is all but lost. I came across a swampscott police fb page that is just a year old. google 45 anniversary of case then read the comments.

 

[WSFalcon]

sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this case is all but lost. I came across a swampscott police fb page that is just a year old. google 45 anniversary of case then read the comments.

I am familiar with that page and had read all the comments previously and just re-read every comment. Several familiar names commenting. I agree that unfortunately this case may be lost until the culprit(s) confesses or an eye witness that was there or knows something concrete decides to testify.
One of those closest to this mentions that it was not planned but also not random. Wrong place at the wrong time and they know or they believe that they know who was there.
RIP Henry-I hope that someday there can be closure.

 

[seichem745]

Not planned meaning it was not intended to be a murder or possibly even violent. not random meaning it was a planned meeting. Henry went there for a reason. wrong place, wrong time? I have no idea, to me it appears the meeting was set, henry was due home not too long afterward. my mind sees everyone there at the agreed upon time. If someone else has a different take please let me know cause I am stumped on the last statement.

 

[Betty P]

sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this case is all but lost. I came across a swampscott police fb page that is just a year old. google 45 anniversary of case then read the comments.

You can post a link to a law enforcement FB page here. TIA

Swampscott Police Department

 

[seichem745]

Out of respect for the people who have suffered i just dont want to dig, they have spent their lives on this. they know who did it and someone has come forward and confirmed what they believed so I sincerely hope it brings closure for them. I have always stated my belief that it was some variation on buttryflys friends theme.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I would like to know the “real” story. I have followed this case many years now, heard many rumors, many names. Even if the police never officially solve this, people deserve to know what happened so we will stop digging and put it to rest. Would someone message me the facts? Is suspect(s) alive/dead? Who else was there? Could it be linked to Paula Kallenback’s murder five years later? She was also bludgeoned, but also stabbed, beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled.

 

[Betty P]

Out of respect for the people who have suffered i just dont want to dig, they have spent their lives on this. they know who did it and someone has come forward and confirmed what they believed so I sincerely hope it brings closure for them. I have always stated my belief that it was some variation on buttryflys friends theme.

If the party or parties responsible for Henry's death are still living, they need to be held accountable. LE is still asking for information about Henry's murder so I assume they still believe there are people out there who were involved.

Everyone should be careful to respect the privacy and feelings of the surviving family members and friends and avoid speculation that could unfairly harm innocent people. Those are the rules at WS and the ethical approach.

If LE is still appealing to the public for information and for possible witnesses to come forward, there's a reason for doing so. They deserve a lot of credit for continuing to search for answers.

JMO

ETA: I could be wrong or am misunderstanding the situation, but from recent news media, it sounds like Henry's family still wants LE to continue the investigation.

 

[WSFalcon]

If the party or parties responsible for Henry's death are still living, they need to be held accountable. LE is still asking for information about Henry's murder so I assume they still believe there are people out there who were involved.

Everyone should be careful to respect the privacy and feelings of the surviving family members and friends and avoid speculation that could unfairly harm innocent people. Those are the rules at WS and the ethical approach.

If LE is still appealing to the public for information and for possible witnesses to come forward, there's a reason for doing so. They deserve a lot of credit for continuing to search for answers.

JMO

ETA: I could be wrong or am misunderstanding the situation, but from recent news media, it sounds like Henry's family still wants LE to continue the investigation.

My understanding is that the family does want LE to continue to investigate. And LE continues to ask that "if anyone has any information about the murder of 15 year old Henry Bedard Jr. please contact:"
It does seem that some of those who are very close to it feel that they have a good idea of who was involved. I have heard similar statements from some locals as well, though never any specifics.
Like many I would very much like to see this case solved, especially as there are those that believe they know what happened. We do not need any rumors or names thrown about in public, but if you really do know something and have a way to substantiate it, it should be brought to LE.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

@lisette

Kind of sounds like the KM story. Most of us do not believe that story. I’m sure a lot of people think they know what happened but does anyone really know? Besides the killer?

 

[seichem745]

they know, WE don't get to know. that is the bottom line.

 

[WSFalcon]

they know, WE don't get to know. that is the bottom line.

I understand that we don't get to know.
Growing up at that time nearby, with family/friend connections to LE, I remember this case well and it has always bothered me.
I believe that some, I suppose it would have to be a very few, feel that they know who did it or who was there, but I have always questioned whether anyone really knows as it is has been kept very quiet for over 40 years in a relatively small town.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

@lisette

Kind of sounds like the KM story. Most of us do not believe that story. I’m sure a lot of people think they know what happened but does anyone really know? Besides the killer?

 

[Betty P]

@lisette

Thanks for putting these together in one post. Without a link, we can only consider this speculation, though. It sounds plausible, as have some other theories involving meeting a girl/ jealous boyfriend, someone doing drugs, etc. JMO, and IANAL, but if someone is simply a witness to an attack on Henry, they probably wouldn't face serious consequences if they talk to LE and help resolve the case. The only person who would still face consequences would be the person who killed him. It's illegal to make threats against witnesses, especially if it constitutes cyberstalking or cyberthreats. That's a federal offense

B. Cyberthreats “Cyberthreats” can simply mean threatening communications that are conveyed via the Internet, cellphone, or other digital means. The communication in interstate commerce of threats to harm a person or property, to kidnap a person, or to damage a person’s reputation, is a violation of federal law pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 875. Because the Internet is a means of interstate commerce, threats sent online may be federally prosecuted. See18 U.S.C. § 875(c) (2015). It is axiomatic that “cyberthreats” are “threatening” to the victim, as the perpetrator generally intends the victim to feel threatened. For instance, the victim in a recent Supreme Court case addressing section 875 stated, “I felt like I was being stalked. I felt extremely afraid for mine and my children’s and my families’ lives.” Elonis v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 2001, 2007 (2015). (For a detailed discussion of this case, see Gretchen Shappert, Elonis v. United States:Consequences for 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) and the Communication of Threats in Interstate Commerce, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS’BULLETIN (May 2016)).

https://www.justice.gov/usao/file/851856/download

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

Did the Bedard family ever hire a private investigator?

 

[Betty P]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

We're not allowed to discuss information that comes from comments on Facebook. It's ok to post links to pages for LE or groups helping to find someone or solve a murder, but we can't discuss comments. There's no way of knowing if information posted on a social media page is accurate or a rumor.

Just trying to keep the thread here open.

I'm not singling you out seichem745, but just making a general statement for everyone who is discussing the details of comments on FB about this case. Thanks for understanding.

OTOH, its ok to post a link to a FB page if it's LE, news media or a tribute to or trying to solve a crime against someone. Just remark that the comments are interesting and others can go there and read them.

I can check with Mods on this if you want, to get an idea of how much to discuss.

 

[seichem745]

<modsnip: Removed due to no context, probably due to removed posts>

the thing that makes this case so disturbing to me is the age difference of the killer and the victim. the specifics in terms of Henry being hit from behind (if this is true) it appears this crime had little to do with the victim and had everything to do with killer being a bully and a coward.

 

[lisette]

If you say that it was stated by that individual it's good enough for me due to the fact that is the only scenario that fits with every other quote from her.

the thing that makes this case so disturbing to me is the age difference of the killer and the victim. the specifics in terms of Henry being hit from behind (if this is true) it appears this crime had little to do with the victim and had everything to do with killer being a bully and a coward.

And that killer needs to be identified and named… I don’t care if he/she is deceased or not! Henry’s life and brutal death should not be so easily dismissed as if it doesn’t matter. Speak up, those in the know!Name the killing bully!

 

[EndlessEnigma]

And that killer needs to be identified and named… I don’t care if he/she is deceased or not! Henry’s life and brutal death should not be so easily dismissed as if it doesn’t matter. Speak up, those in the know!Name the killing bully!

I don’t think the dead are who they are worried about. This is a case of, we think we know what happened but we can’t prove it without evidence.