The passing of actor and filmmaker Robert Redford has reignited attention on a decades-old murder investigation linked to his family. The cold case involves the 1982 murder of Sid Wells. He was the former boyfriend of Shauna Redford Schlosser, daughter of movie star Robert Redford, who was tragically murdered in 1983 while attending the University of Colorado Boulder.
On August 1, 1983, Sid Wells was shot to death in his apartment. This tragedy happened just as Robert Redford was preparing to shoot “The Natural.” The actor really did stand with his daughter in this traumatic period. What’s more, he even attended her funeral and, according to the actress, offered her his support after the tragedy.
As investigations into Wells’ murder went cold, eventually marked as unsolved, authorities turned their attention to one suspect— Smika otherwise known by the nickname “Jungle Mike.” Instead, Smika disappeared in 1986, becoming a fugitive and increasingly driving the case into cold territory. In 2009, Boulder district attorney Stan Garnett went out on a limb. As he did with the Wells case, he would start processing cold cases through these new DNA testing techniques. The next year, claiming new evidence, police obtained an arrest warrant for Smika for the murder.
Recently, actor Robert Redford became aware that Smika was once again the focus of investigation into the murder of Sid Wells. He had written to Garnett, thanking her for continuing to seek justice in this decades-old case.
“I was in my office and my secretary said: ‘Robert Redford’s on the phone – do you want to talk to him?’” – Stan Garnett
The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office has determined Smika’s bail at $5 million if he is found. This is a very serious case and the FBI is actively pursuing him. A day after Redford’s death, they announced a $10,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest.
The renewed focus on this cold case has reignited discussions about unresolved violence and the impacts on families left behind. Authorities are still searching for Smika. In the meantime, Shauna Redford Schlosser continues to hope that justice will someday be served for Sid Wells and his family.