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

[seichem745]

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.

not only pre meditated but if the killer was 18 then an adult killed a child.

 

[WSFalcon]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed due to hearsay> in the 70s they had open campus so kids would try to schedule a free period or study hall for the end of the day (or 1st period) and you could leave school early or come in late.
It was also reported a number of times that he took a *bus, which I had heard and believe was a school bus, over towards the shopping center and school buses run after school.
<modsnip: Removed reference to hearsay>
*..."When school let out at 2:15PM, instead of following his usual routine and walking home with friends, Henry caught the bus to the Vinnin Square Shopping Center."

 

[WSFalcon]

<modsnip> it has been pretty much confirmed that he took the bus after school to the Vinnin Sq area so he must have hung around the school to catch the bus.

 

[jgfitzge]

——

 

[jgfitzge]

“ 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.”

Again, I really question this line of thinking. Look, I can understand someone in the 1970s around the time of the murder being hesitant and somewhat hesitant to come forward especially if they are young, with kids, and entrenched in the town. However, in 2021 I really have a hard time visualizing this. What exactly would anyone be afraid of at this point in time? Are we talking somebody in town government that would reassess their property or Deny them a permit? Are we talking about someone in law-enforcement that may give them an unwarranted speeding ticket? Or are we talking about someone in the town that only has a “reputation” as a dangerous person?

 

[jgfitzge]

One more thing, in regards to the Swampscott townie hierarchy, where are the retards considered Townies or were they considered somewhat outsiders having moved in. I asked because in several other cases in the 70s and 80s similar to Henry Bedards murder when the crime happened to the “outsider” or newbie family I’m on the Tonys there seem to be a lot of hesitancy, lost evidence, not aggressively going after certain individuals etc. In other words when the victim was the newbie or outsider and the persons of interest or suspects are Townies or relatives from the town fathers their seem to be somewhat of an incestuous relationship between the police department and those folks.

 

[jgfitzge]

he retards considered Townies

Oops dictation and carelessness got me again.

meant to say “were the Bedards considered Townies”

 

[seichem745]

Henrys sister was 18 at the time of the murder, the family moved from Lynn to swampscott, they left swampscott a few years after the murder. It doesn't appear they were a prominent family in any way.

 

[WSFalcon]

I would say that they were not considered outsiders, for whatever that's worth.

“ 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.”

Again, I really question this line of thinking. Look, I can understand someone in the 1970s around the time of the murder being hesitant and somewhat hesitant to come forward especially if they are young, with kids, and entrenched in the town. However, in 2021 I really have a hard time visualizing this. What exactly would anyone be afraid of at this point in time? Are we talking somebody in town government that would reassess their property or Deny them a permit? Are we talking about someone in law-enforcement that may give them an unwarranted speeding ticket? Or are we talking about someone in the town that only has a “reputation” as a dangerous person?

"Again, I really question this line of thinking......." would agree and question that line of thinking as well .

 

[seichem745]

“ 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.”

Again, I really question this line of thinking. Look, I can understand someone in the 1970s around the time of the murder being hesitant and somewhat hesitant to come forward especially if they are young, with kids, and entrenched in the town. However, in 2021 I really have a hard time visualizing this. What exactly would anyone be afraid of at this point in time? Are we talking somebody in town government that would reassess their property or Deny them a permit? Are we talking about someone in law-enforcement that may give them an unwarranted speeding ticket? Or are we talking about someone in the town that only has a “reputation” as a dangerous person?

maybe the teenagers who murdered in the 70's grew up to be murderous adults, career criminals or just happen to be well connected to large groups of people. Maybe they have legitimate combat training. the world is full of people who don't lead 9-5 working lives.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

It has been nearly 50 years. Fear is no longer a valid excuse to not come forward with info.

We can talk till we are blue in the face about neighborhood toughs, local yokel police chiefs, wannabe mafioso, but the bottom line is if your withholding info you're doing so to protect those responsible. Period.

 

[WSFalcon]

It has been nearly 50 years. Fear is no longer a valid excuse to not come forward with info.

We can talk till we are blue in the face about neighborhood toughs, local yokel police chiefs, wannabe mafioso, but the bottom line is if your withholding info you're doing so to protect those responsible. Period.

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Yes, thank you! The fear angle for potentially withholding information for this tragedy needs to be put to rest.
I grew up in the town and knew to some extent many of the well known families in town and area, including town leaders, LE, some good, some not so good, some that are still in town. I have never really bought into the fear angle for not coming forward, especially this many years later.
Someone could have been covering for someone back in the day or even now, but that is not fear.

 

[seichem745]

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Yes, thank you! The fear angle for potentially withholding information for this tragedy needs to be put to rest.
I grew up in the town and knew to some extent many of the well known families in town and area, including town leaders, LE, some good, some not so good, some that are still in town. I have never really bought into the fear angle for not coming forward, especially this many years later.
Someone could have been covering for someone back in the day or even now, but that is not fear.

There is no evidence, period! people don't want to talk about violent people when there is no evidence. no one is hiding anything. Le knows who did it if you believe the only person who has kept this case in the public eye. "We know who was there and can"t prove a thing" is a direct quote.

 

[everybodhi]

It has been nearly 50 years. Fear is no longer a valid excuse to not come forward with info.

We can talk till we are blue in the face about neighborhood toughs, local yokel police chiefs, wannabe mafioso, but the bottom line is if your withholding info you're doing so to protect those responsible. Period.

|

Yes, thank you! The fear angle for potentially withholding information for this tragedy needs to be put to rest.
I grew up in the town and knew to some extent many of the well known families in town and area, including town leaders, LE, some good, some not so good, some that are still in town. I have never really bought into the fear angle for not coming forward, especially this many years later.
Someone could have been covering for someone back in the day or even now, but that is not fear.

Yes, that’s why I tried to stress, the fear is not logical, and yet emotions often influence people’s decisions anyway.

 

[seichem745]

Yes, that’s why I tried to stress, the fear is not logical, and yet emotions often influence people’s decisions anyway.

there is no information to withhold, there is no evidence! even if someone is best friends with the killer they have no evidence.

 

[everybodhi]

There is no evidence, period! people don't want to talk **** about violent people when there is no evidence. no one is hiding anything. Le knows who did it if you believe the only person who has kept this case in the public eye. "We know who was there and can"t prove a thing" is a direct quote.

I have no evidence and you have no evidence but how can we know if the killer or someone who was present at the murder didn’t confess to someone else, followed by a threat to never tell anyone? Perhaps that person told someone else and now it’s in the land of hearsay.
LE may not “have evidence” because someone may know and be withholding testimony.

 

[WSFalcon]

There is no evidence, period! people don't want to talk **** about violent people when there is no evidence. no one is hiding anything. Le knows who did it if you believe the only person who has kept this case in the public eye. "We know who was there and can"t prove a thing" is a direct quote.

I don't want to keep going in circles on this, maybe we are agreeing, though assuming that this statement is correct (I understand who stated it) ..."We know who was there and can"t prove a thing", would mean that someone who was directly involved, such as the murderer or a witness who was there, or someone who has incriminating evidence of someone's directly involvement (i.e. a family member saw them come home that night all bloody, saw them throwing out bloody clothes out, etc.) must have said something to someone at one time. Otherwise how would they "know who was there".
I understand this does not mean there is legal or enough evidence to charge, at least not until that person who has this information or one of the direct participants come forward.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

I will never believe no one recognized the bat. I certainly believe the parent(s) of the perp recognized the bat....

 

[jgfitzge]

there is no information to withhold, there is no evidence! even if someone is best friends with the killer they have no evidence.

I guess I will go with the saying, if you know something say something and let LE decide whether it’s evidence and/or whether the information needs to be pursued or built on.,,

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I am still not sure I see the connection that skipping the last class would mean preplanning to meet someone in the woods at 4:00.
Plus it has been pretty much confirmed that he took the bus after school to the Vinnin Sq area so he must have hung around the school to catch the bus.

I believe the altercation was over by four as that’s the time the boys were on the way to the birthday party nearby and saw the wallet and perfume.