Discovery of Tina's Remains Report 6-84

by jhancock » Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:15 pm



The report is dated 6-19-84.



I was advised by DOJ SA/Mike Crim that the Butte County Sheriff Department received a report from a citizen looking for antique bottles in the Feather Falls area that he had discovered a skull. They responded and recovered a portion of a human skull but were not able to identify it due to the lack of identifiable information on the remains. The discovery was made on 4-22-84.



On discovery that there wasn't enough information on the remains, the BCSO and DOJ conducted an extensive search in the area where the original find was made. On 6-8-84 they located the lower jar and it contained the needed information for comparison. The usable portions of the remains were sent to Paul Payne of the DOJ missing persons unit who coordinated the comparison of the remains with Tina Sharp who he had on file from the original investigation of this case. Payne sent the X-rays on file of Tina along with the remains to Dr. Norman S. Sperber of San Diego. [see deleted scenes from Part I for our interview with Dr. Sperber]



On 6-19-84, DOJ Crim was notified by Payne that Dr. Sperber had confirmed the identification of the remains as Tina Sharp from the dental records. Dr. Sperber is an expert in such comparisons.



During the search by DOJ and BCSO of the area where the remains were found, other evidence was also located.



6-19-84, I contacted Paul Payne of DOJ who confirmed the positive identification. I met with DOJ SA/Crim and discussed the find with him. We tried several times to notify the next of kin but were unable to contact anyone because they had either moved or were out of the area of their business and home address.



6-19-84, the evidence seized by BCSO during the search was labeled and packaged by myself and readied for transport to the DOJ lab in Redding. Purpose to compare the knots found in the ligatures from the victims inside the Keddie residence with the knot found in the cloth ligature found in Butte County. Tahama Co. investigators who were in Quincy on a different case will transport the evidence to the Redding lab on 6-21-84 on their return to their county.



6-20-84, approx. 0900 hr, we made contact with V/G. Sharp's sister in Oregon and notified her of the above. We were unable to contact the other relatives mentioned in this case. BCSO was advised of the notification and news releases were issued on the information by BCSO and PCSO.



6-20-84, I assigned Deputy R. Day to contact the Fish and Game Dept. to obtain location of deer kills in the Feather Falls area by hunters in the years 1974 through 1981. Purpose is to obtain a list of persons who would be familiar with that area from a prior visit. The area where Tina was found was a site called "Camp 18" which is a remote deer hunting area several miles above (North) of Feather Falls. USFS map coordinates are R7E, T21N, sec 35.



6-20-84, I contacted Brad HAssy who is a helicopter pilot. He will take us to the above area on 6-21-84 for aerial photos. A ground search team was arranged by Det. Sgt. Steve Wright. A door to door and area search will be conducted on 6-21-84 in an attempt to obtain further evidence or information from the crime scene in Butte County.



6-20-84, Marilyn L. (previously Marilyn S.) contacted me to confirm what she had heard on the radio about Tina being found in Butte County. I advised her it was true. We discussed her ex-husband. She told me that he went to Reno the day after the homicides, or at least that is what he told her. She said she can't confirm that he actually went to Reno, but he did go somewhere. I asked her about her son Justin and she told me that he has had some serious mental problems and was consequently delivered to her [other] ex-husband in Montana. He has started to discuss the Keddie incident on occasion but stops abruptly and will not talk further. I asked her if Marde had any connections (deer hunting, fishing, etc) with Feather Falls or that area and she stated none that she knows of. She added, however, that he does fish a lot and spends a lot of time in the woods but not around that area. Marilyn was very upset emotionally, evident by crying. She asked me if we found any other evidence in the area around Feather Falls that would implicate a suspect. I advised her we hadn't. No additional information from her at this time.



6-21-84, approx 1030 hr I left via helicopter to Feather Falls. On arrival I met with an investigative team supervised by Det. Sgt. Steve Wright. The team consisted of Sgt. Wright, DOJ Crim, Sgt. Young, Deputy Carillo, and Deputy Combs. We went to the actual location of where the body was found which is Camp 18 on the Feather Falls/LaPorte road approximately five miles north of Feather Falls. I found the location to be approximately 100 yards from the Camp 18 turn out. DOJ SA/Crim pointed out the exact location in that he was there on the original search by the BCSO. We searched the area for any evidence that is missing or could be connected to this case. Sgt. Wright located an empty medical tape dispenser and a portion of a pair of Levis in the area. Sgt. Young located a decomposed blue nylon coat that was buried near the road in the camp. With the aid of the helicopter, I took several photos of the area.



We went from Camp 18 to the community of Feather Falls where we conducted door to door interviews of any and all persons we could locate in town and the surrounding area. We gave people a list of possible suspect names, the original flyer of Tina, a list of possible suspect vehicles, and the composite drawings to examine and asked them questions concerning any suspicious circumstances that might be connected with her death. No one had anything to add to our information at this time. We left information where we could be contacted and asked that they call should they remember anything later.