SWAMPSCOTT — December marks the anniversary of a heinous unsolved crime that occurred in the town 47 years ago.
“If anybody thinks they can come forward with any information, we would love to really identify the culprits or culprit and get the family closure that it deserves,” said Detective Sgt. Jay Locke, who is working the case with Detective Candace Doyle.
On Dec. 15, 1974, a 15-year-old boy was murdered near the hill overlooking the Department of Public Works. Swampscott resident Henry Bedard Jr. had gone to do some errands that day and didn’t come back home.
His parents grew worried around dinner time. They knew something was wrong and organized a group to search for him. On the next day, a 10-year-old boy stumbled upon Bedard’s body, which had been buried under a pile of leaves. Police found a baseball bat (Louisville Slugger) just feet from his body.
Bedard was found in the wooded area that was a popular hangout spot for local youth at that time, and that they called “SV” for “Swampscott View.” Swampscott police said it is possible he was going there to meet someone. The murderer(s) could have been someone he knew or a random act of violence, police said.
Bedard was a high-school athlete and a sophomore-class representative.
“He liked everybody and, I think, everybody liked him,” said his father, Henry Bedard Sr., on the WCVB Chronicle TV program.
Bedard’s murder case has been continuously investigated by detectives from Swampscott Police along with the Massachusetts State Police Detectives CPAC Unit assigned to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett for the last 47 years.
“Unfortunately, people within the case have passed away. (Previous) investigators have passed away,” said Locke.
He and Doyle have been working with old notes and old tapes of interviews and handwritten reports of tips. There have been persons of interest identified over the years, but there was not enough evidence to charge anyone with the murder.
“Evidence degrades and memories fade, and people pass away. So every day you’re losing a little bit more (while) trying to bring it home,” said Locke.
At the same time, new technologies have been developed since the case was first investigated. Swampscott detectives are hoping that a new DNA technology might help him learn something new. Also, the baseball bat that police collected as evidence in 1974 from the crime scene has unique markings on the handle that investigators are hoping can lead to the owner.
“It is tough to never be able to put (down) something like that,” said Locke. “(We are) trying to do something for the family, for Henry’s memory, but it’s also for his friends and the community itself. It doesn’t matter when it happened, but people still need to be brought to justice.”
If anyone has any information about the murder of 15-year-old Henry Bedard Jr., please contact: Detective Sgt. Jay Locke at [email protected] or 781-595-1111 or Detective Candace Doyle at [email protected] or 781-595-1111.
