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

[WSFalcon]

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

I agree that has always been surprising that no-one has come forward about the bat but it may make a little sense when we think about it.
One thing that I think of is that back in the 70s I believe wooden baseball bats were fairly inexpensive so bats were not as coveted as they are today, and there was not any real marketing about the different or latest models, like today. Today's baseball bats, including youth bats, are very expensive.
This bat may have been just lying around somewhere and picked up at a park, garage sale, etc., though a recent poster said that a poi was known to carry a bat around with them.
Also, although it seems that someone should certainly recognize the bat, but then again, unless you were on a baseball team, which would be a very small group especially at HS age, and saw this particular bat up close on a regular basis, we probably would not pay that close of attention to the details to what a wooden bat looks like. At glance they all look kind of alike.
The perpetrator probably did not play organized baseball so who would really know what an old wooden bat that they had lying around looked like, except for perhaps the people that were there that day, and maybe a parent but even a parent may not know either.

 

[WSFalcon]

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.

Ok-thanks.
I was commenting as some of said that skipping the last class indicates that it was pre-arranged to meet there then. I am not sure I see the connection with skipping the last class to this being a pre-planned meeting. It may have been, but it may not have been. Plus I believe he took a school bus to go shopping and those run after school.
I feel it is just as likely he ran into someone while shopping or while walking home, or they saw him and approached him, and lured him up there. This may be one of the reasons that his close friends did not seem to have any knowledge on who could have done this.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

Ok-thanks.
I was commenting as some of said that skipping the last class indicates that it was pre-arranged to meet there then. I am not sure I see the connection with skipping the last class to this being a pre-planned meeting. It may have been, but it may not have been. Plus I believe he took a school bus to go shopping and those run after school.
I feel it is just as likely he ran into someone while shopping or while walking home, or they saw him and approached him, and lured him up there. This may be one of the reasons that his close friends did not seem to have any knowledge on who could have done this.

I don’t believe we know one way or another if he did skip school. We also don’t know if the rumor about him arguing with another student that day in school is true. I’m starting to think there is more than one story going around. One group says suspect is dead, others say he’s alive and dangerous.

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I agree that has always been surprising that no-one has come forward about the bat but it may make a little sense when we think about it.
One thing that I think of is that back in the 70s I believe wooden baseball bats were fairly inexpensive so bats were not as coveted as they are today, and there was not any real marketing about the different or latest models, like today. Today's baseball bats, including youth bats, are very expensive.
This bat may have been just lying around somewhere and picked up at a park, garage sale, etc., though a recent poster said that a poi was known to carry a bat around with them.
Also, although it seems that someone should certainly recognize the bat, but then again, unless you were on a baseball team, which would be a very small group especially at HS age, and saw this particular bat up close on a regular basis, we probably would not pay that close of attention to the details to what a wooden bat looks like. At glance they all look kind of alike.
The perpetrator probably did not play organized baseball so who would really know what an old wooden bat that they had lying around looked like, except for perhaps the people that were there that day, and maybe a parent but even a parent may not know either.

Some Parents will be the first to stand by their children, lawyer up, and protect them from prosecution. I think this could have happened here. And I agree with you about the bat. It may be insignificant to the perp. After all it was left there, so it couldn’t have been too important or familiar enough to connect it to him. It’s the carvings on the end that LE think someone might recognize. The bat itself was pretty common for that era.

 

[WSFalcon]

Some Parents will be the first to stand by their children, lawyer up, and protect them from prosecution. I think this could have happened here. And I agree with you about the bat. It may be insignificant to the perp. After all it was left there, so it couldn’t have been too important or familiar enough to connect it to him. It’s the carvings on the end that LE think someone might recognize. The bat itself was pretty common for that era.

That makes sense, you could be correct.
Yes, the carvings on the bat is what was focused on from the beginning as being unique, but even after many interviews and photos of the bat, no-one ever came forward as recognizing it. My guess is that the bat was an old used bat someone had lying around.

 

[WSFalcon]

I don’t believe we know one way or another if he did skip school. We also don’t know if the rumor about him arguing with another student that day in school is true. I’m starting to think there is more than one story going around. One group says suspect is dead, others say he’s alive and dangerous.

Agree. With looking at the case again years later plus social media, it seems a few different stories started circulating.
I am skeptical of the arguing with a student after school story. It could be true but based on it coming out years later plus other things makes me skeptical. And even if it was true, 15 yr old boys argue quiet often about a # of things, so it may be totally unrelated.

 

[seichem745]

"thanks for the contacts but those closest already have met with many. We finally found someone who told us exactly what we believed. So we who invested so much are done. Anyone else feel free. But remember the Swampscott Police are and always will be the main contact."

"there’s a lot that can’t be shared but sadly I know as facts. And all I’m saying is this was not random. It was not planned. But wrong place wrong time and we know who was there and can’t prove a thing."

These are quotes from one of the moderators of the first fb page and are on the fb page that is public and available to everyone.

 

[seichem745]

I don’t believe we know one way or another if he did skip school. We also don’t know if the rumor about him arguing with another student that day in school is true. I’m starting to think there is more than one story going around. One group says suspect is dead, others say he’s alive and dangerous.

I think the actual info is that one of 3 has passed and wasn't the killer. it was stated recently that "it would be nice to at least get an arrest" I am assuming that the person who said that believes there wouldn't be a conviction but an arrest would be nice anyway. If they know who did it and that person is still local I would say they should work on breaking him with the 50th anniversary. Just my opinion but thats where i would focus my energy if i was involved.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

If you "know" someone did it but don't have any evidence, then you don't actually "know" who did it.

Having suspicions and theories is fine. It is different than facts, though

 

[EndlessEnigma]

I think the actual info is that one of 3 has passed and wasn't the killer. it was stated recently that "it would be nice to at least get an arrest" I am assuming that the person who said that believes there wouldn't be a conviction but an arrest would be nice anyway. If they know who did it and that person is still local I would say they should work on breaking him with the 50th anniversary. Just my opinion but thats where i would focus my energy if i was involved.

The recent statement on this board, which I’m starting to think is not accurate, was that the killer recently died and one of the others hit him once and he is still alive. <modsnip>

 

[seichem745]

does anyone believe there will be a confession from the killer?

 

[EndlessEnigma]

does anyone believe there will be a confession from the killer?

No. I don’t believe the killer will ever confess. He obviously has no conscience.

 

[WSFalcon]

does anyone believe there will be a confession from the killer?

After 45+ years I would say a confession is very unlikely, though one can still hope. There have been killers that have confessed after years, though I am not sure of any after this many years.
Still unlikely but the best hope may be for an accomplice or someone close that the killer(s) confided in to come forward with credible information.

 

[seichem745]

After 45+ years I would say a confession is very unlikely, though one can still hope. There have been killers that have confessed after years, though I am not sure of any after this many years.
Still unlikely but the best hope may be for an accomplice or someone close that the killer(s) confided in to come forward with credible information.

I am thinking more a deathbed or someone facing thier own death may want to come clean. as far as someone the killers confided in i think that would be hear say? I'm not sure that counts, if it did we might have the salem witch hysteria all over again.

 

[Betty P]

A witness coming forward would work.

 

[seichem745]

A witness coming forward would work.

if there were 3 people there and one is dead and the other two are related or good friends I really don't think that is a realistic hope but if one more dies and the killer is the last one left with no one left to protect then just maybe he will ponder if he wants to take the truth of his own life to his grave?

 

[WSFalcon]

I am thinking more a deathbed or someone facing thier own death may want to come clean. as far as someone the killers confided in i think that would be hear say? I'm not sure that counts, if it did we might have the salem witch hysteria all over again.

That is why I said credible information. With hearsay I think of court, legal admissible. With a deathbed confession there would be no conviction and not in court so I am not sure that it is hearsay, plus this confession could even be witnessed by multiple people, it could be documented, etc.

 

[WSFalcon]

A witness coming forward would work.

Agree. That is what I was thinking.
Perhaps also a witness, friends, family members, etc. that saw them leaving those woods that night, saw them getting rid of bloody clothes that same night, etc.

 

[Betty P]

if there were 3 people there and one is dead and the other two are related or good friends I really don't think that is a realistic hope but if one more dies and the killer is the last one left with no one left to protect then just maybe he will ponder if he wants to take the truth of his own life to his grave?

I think its possible if, as has been discussed, one of them didn't participate in the murder. JMO

 

[seichem745]

does anyone have access to the original fb page started in 2011 or connection to the admins?