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

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

Also, if these kids walked from Lynn or took the bus, you're saying the kid took the bat with him? Would've looked odd toting a bat in mid December

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Yes, the girlfriend is the same one that tries to keep the case in the public eye, along with Henry’s sister. As for her neighbors house burning down, I did hear rumors of that but i don’t believe it had anything to do with Henry’s murder.

I'm not sure this is accurate. It's my understanding that CC wasn't Henry's girlfriend at the time of his death.

 

[lisette]

I'm not sure this is accurate. It's my understanding that CC wasn't Henry's girlfriend at the time of his death.

I was just thinking that if she were the same girlfriend that PP was interested in, she would probably remember rejecting him, and the subsequent hostility with HB. But maybe she does remember it and is just afraid to be so specific as to name names.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I was just thinking that if she were the same girlfriend that PP was interested in, she would probably remember rejecting him, and the subsequent hostility with HB. But maybe she does remember it and is just afraid to be so specific as to name names.

I'm definitely following your train of thought and I agree! But I don't think it was CC (and I don't think she's afraid of anybody!) I'd love to figure out who it was because if she remembers rejecting PP, that's yet another piece of this theory that can be verified.

 

[seichem745]

what was hts connection to hb?

 

[seichem745]

Well I have followed this case a long time your posts confirm a couple of things I have always maintained. One, it was always more than one person that Henry ran into that day. One to hold or block him while the other hit him with the bat. No way Henry interacts with a kid/guy one to one with a bat. Two, sounds like what happened and who was an open secret. Kids talk. Three, based on the weapon and injuries, this was personal. I thought the chances of Henry randomly coming upon a stranger with a bat was slim to none. Lastly, as much as I believe the police investigated you cannot discount the Townie/Police relationship factor into this investigation. Like the sports term “fake hustle” there was a lot of activity but not much in the way of accomplishment.

It has been stated that henry was hit from behind, he probably never saw it coming. the police were simply incompetent to investigate a homicide.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I was just thinking that if she were the same girlfriend that PP was interested in, she would probably remember rejecting him, and the subsequent hostility with HB. But maybe she does remember it and is just afraid to be so specific as to name names.

She does remember. If you watch the Chronicle special about Henry’s murder, she talks about a certain group of kids who were mean to her and Henry. She also said they would give them a hard time when Henry walked her home. She claims they were jealous thirteen and fourteen year olds.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

She does remember. If you watch the Chronicle special about Henry’s murder, she talks about a certain group of kids who were mean to her and Henry. She also said they would give them a hard time when Henry walked her home. She claims they were jealous thirteen and fourteen year olds.

Doesnt add up.

The kids were from Lynn. They were giving henry and her a hard time when they were walking home in Swampscott?

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I'm not sure this is accurate. It's my understanding that CC wasn't Henry's girlfriend at the time of his death.

According to Cindy she was.

 

[seichem745]

how do 16 year olds from lynn fit that scenario in any way?

 

[jgfitzge]

Doesnt add up.

The kids were from Lynn. They were giving henry and her a hard time when they were walking home in Swampscott?

I am not sure if the high schools today are in the same location but, in 1974 what was the distance between the two schools? I assume they were let out around the same time?

 

[Betty P]

Doesnt add up.

The kids were from Lynn. They were giving henry and her a hard time when they were walking home in Swampscott?

Perhaps not all of them were from Lynn. Some may have lived in Swampscott, but chose to go to the school in Lynn.

 

[WSFalcon]

It has been stated that henry was hit from behind, he probably never saw it coming. the police were simply incompetent to investigate a homicide.

This was stated to me by LE back at the time. And it was common knowledge and repeated often, including in the media that Henry was hit from behind and did not have any defensive wounds. Hence the thinking that he knew his attackers but I am not sure that has to be true; he could have been trying to run away when hit from behind.

 

[WSFalcon]

I am not sure if the high schools today are in the same location but, in 1974 what was the distance between the two schools? I assume they were let out around the same time?

SHS and Lynn Tech were not near each other.

 

[WSFalcon]

Perhaps not all of them were from Lynn. Some may have lived in Swampscott, but chose to go to the school in Lynn.

It was not uncommon for a "few" kids from Lynn to hang in Swampscott at the parks, etc. This was mostly the kids that lived and grew up on the Lynn/Swampscott town line. Some kids from Lynn that worked in Swampscott at the shopping center knew some Swampscott kids that way. I ran into and hung out occasionally with some Lynn kids that I worked with but only when we were old enough to work and could drive.

 

[WSFalcon]

I'm not sure this is accurate. It's my understanding that CC wasn't Henry's girlfriend at the time of his death.

I had not heard that but had wondered about that.

 

[WSFalcon]

why are three teenagers from lynn at that location in swampscott at 430 on a monday?

IMO, it does not make any sense for kids from Lynn to being hanging in that little area and Henry just happened to go up there. I am not sure it really was a common hangout. I grew up 1/2 mile from there and never went up there and that was the same for all my friends.
I had always thought that Henry may have run into someone he knew, even if just casually knew, while shopping or walking down Rt. 1A/Paradise Rd. that lured him up there. Such as come up there to smoke some pot, have a beer, meet a girl, see something cool, whatever.

 

[WSFalcon]

Did Henry plan to meet those kids or did he stumble upon them?

I very much doubt he stumbled upon them.
My thinking has always been he ran into someone while shopping 1-mile down the road or walking home and then arranged to meet them up there for whatever reason, such as smoke pot, have a beer, meet a girl, etc.

 

[seichem745]

I very much doubt he stumbled upon them.
My thinking has always been he ran into someone while shopping 1-mile down the road or walking home and then arranged to meet them up there for whatever reason, such as smoke pot, have a beer, meet a girl, etc.

I think there was more planning to this situation, I believe that what caused his death didn't start on dec 16th. The older kids scenario has been told in and around swampscott for years and there are people who fit the scenario who are currently dangerous. once again, there is no evidence.

 

[WSFalcon]

I think there was more planning to this situation, I believe that what caused his death didn't start on dec 16th. The older kids scenario has been told in and around swampscott for years and there are people who fit the scenario who are currently dangerous. once again, there is no evidence.

You could be right as we do not know. If it was planned to do this then that is premeditated murder.
My feeling is that the issues most likely started before 12/16 but if these kids were from out of town, and/or older, I don't think it was planned well in advance or even earlier that day at school.
My thinking has always been that someone happened to see him at shopping center or walking home, or Henry ran into someone shopping or walking home as this was the direct route, and he was lured up there somehow. It could have been to rough him up but it got out of hand, or it could have been premeditated.