The Murder House of Keddie Resort
The Keddie Resort, founded in 1910, was a thriving vacation town 140 miles north of Sacramento, California. People drove hundreds of miles to stay in one of the 33 rustic cabins, hike the pristine wilderness, and dine on wild game and fine wine. All this changed on April 11, 1981, when Glenna Sharp, two of her children, and a teenage friend were found brutally murdered inside Cabin 28. When law enforcement failed to catch the killers, Keddie resort turned into a ghost town within a year after the slayings.
Dubbed “The Murder House,” Cabin 28 was a grim reminder of that awful slaying. It was a place of such evil that seasoned detectives did not like to step inside during their investigations. The curious and the homeless are reported to have fled the house in terror after seeing floating figures and objects materialize from out of nowhere.
Local residents are skeptical of the hauntings and are hopeful of rebuilding the once thriving community. If anything, they are resentful of the unwanted intrusions of ghost seekers.
“That house has been such a negative point for so long that I intend to tear it down and put a park there,” long time owner, Gary Mollath said. “Then I’m going to open this place back up and cater to groups — with people traveling closer to home now, I think the timing will be just right. I want people to come and say, ‘Wow!’ when we start up again. Not be scared.”
Cabin 28 was razed on August 26, 2006. Let’s just hope that whatever lurked inside has vanished, along with the rubble.
This was not a thriving vacation town. I grew up in Quincy, at the time of these murders I was almost 21 years old. Keddie was run down already. The gas station on the highway was already boarded up. The cabins on both sides to highway 70 were monthly rental. Most of the people that were renting them were rail road employees and young familys looking for cheap rent.
Growing up in a small town! Well lets say as a teenager there is not much to do in a small town. The movie house only changed movies every two weeks, the radio station went off the air at dark, and the bowling alley was for adults. From the age of 15 I partied in Keddie, and several other places in Plumas county. We all did. Keddie was 7 miles out side of Quincy heading down the canyon. The youth of Plumas county partied. Bucks lake, Spring Valley, Portola, Green Horn Ranch, LaPort road, these are just examples of the wide span of area that we partied. What happened in keddie changed a small town way of life for ever. We never locked doors or cars ect. After this horrifice day we did.
I have always believed that drugs were involved, but not from the victims. My little sister and brother went to school with Dana & John. Mrs. Sharp was 36 year old single mom renting what she could afford. Being a youth of Plumas County and having many friends that participated in the use of illegal drugs, (this was also very common practice) I has heard that LSD (purple micro dot) was being manufactured down in Keddie. In fact I knew of a couple people that had experiance a very bad trip from this. It was common knowledge that you could obtain any drug you wanted, just like today.
What I believe; and this is just my opinion. I believe that two people after making a purchase in Keddie experienced an extremly bad trip and went completly crazy. I do think these two individuals were not mentally all there to beging with. I believe that these two were already in the house when the boys came home. What evil possessed them I do not know.
But I do not believe that Mrs. Sharp’s life or anything the kids had done cause what happened to them. Now as far as people not wanting to talk. Common practice of a small town just pretend it didn’t happen and everyone will forget.
This was a horrible crime that changed not just the victims and their family but an entire County. A 100 year old way of life had been changed. Sheriff Thomas ended up resigning. I am sure the Officers that had to be on the case, will never be the same. (Just like the people of Calaveras County when they found what Charles Ing was doing)
The jury in the Ing case is being called his last victims, because they had to relive his crimes. Small woodsy towns seem to be good cover for psychopathic killers.
I have for years wondered what happened. I don’t know if there will ever be any answers. My heart brakes for the family’s. My heart brakes for a community that will never be the same. My heart brakes for the victims. More should have been done to help the family’s. I hope one day that the family’s will get justice and the victims souls can then rest in peace.
By K on May 11th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
K,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. There’s some truly evil people in this world, which you never hear about until they commit a heinous crime such as this. I’m hopeful that the souls of Mrs. Sharp and those kids have moved on to a good place. As for their families, I’m sorry that they’ve had to live with this pain.
By Deborah on May 11th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I just wanted to say that I just stumbed upon the site after
reading about the Keddie Murders in a book by Leslie Rule
called WHEN THE GHOST SCREAMS. Its such a tragedy
and even sadder that the murderers are still free!!!!
The person that wrote above about Keddie and said
PARTY every other word was almost comical and reminded
me of CABIN FEVER and the guy that kept saying we like
to party out here, and called the young actor in the film
PARTY MAN! hahah
But the murders are NO LAUGHING MATTER and I
wish nothing but peace for the families of the slain victims.
I hope the murderers are brought to justice in this world
but if not I know they will answer to God in the next!
By Kimberly Lynn Cole on May 18th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Hi, my name is Heather my mother was Tinas best friend at the time of her murder. My mom was going to spend the night at tinas house that night but she got grounded so she told tina she wouldnt be able to make it. my mothers name is shelly barker the daughter to Ron and Susie barker we are all from quincy ca. now my father was friends with John and Dana he was at the party with them at oakland camp his name is gerry graham i would and i know they would love it very much if some one would comeforwerd with info of the murders.they tor down the cabin before i got a chance to see it but i know there was a docunentary and i have looked every were and cant find it so if u know were i could find it either in chico ca or quincy ca i would really really love that thank u
email is sexy_sk8er6985@hotmail.com
By Heather Graham on May 21st, 2007 at 9:57 am
I was living in Keddie then as a college student,I still go there almost twice a month durring the trout season,I never quit going,not in all these years.I taught the little boy how to ride his bike,I heard he slept through everything,I forgot his name,but I remember the mom coming down in front of the reasturant where I was teaching him and telling him to come home,that’s the last I saw of them,it was Easter vacation and we all went home,I saw it on the news durring vacation,I couldn’t believe it.When I got back the FBI asked me all kinds of questions,they were so clueless,there was a lot of drugs and bikers and such in the area,some junkies,some bad people,I just don’t think they looked hard enough.I heard they found the girls skull in the middle fork area,that made me very sad ,I remember her,I always hoped that they would find her alive.
Keddie had already gone down before then,it was just resurected for a few years by Les and Barbara Hogeboom,I know,I was a bus boy/waiter in their restaurant and after that happened,it was too tough for them too hold on and ghost went the town.It will come back as people find out about it’s hidden treasures.
By gary bianco on April 16th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Hi, my name is Jonas and I was wondering where I could find the documentary.
By Jonas on May 20th, 2008 at 7:53 am
[…] … reading about the keddie murders in a book by Leslie Rule. called WHEN THE GHOST SCREAMS. …http://www.paranormalwatch.com/2007/05/02/the-murder-house-of-keddie-resort/Keddie Murders in Cold Case Files in AETV Community CenterKeddie Murders: 22 years ago in a very […]
By keddie murders on May 22nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
[…] Strangers is based on real life events, namely the Keddie Resort murders. The voiceover that introduces you to the film is very haunting, and really puts things in […]
By Joe’s Review: The Strangers : Intermission at Work on June 5th, 2008 at 6:10 am
What always fascinates me about these murders that are not resolved, is the fact that people have to build their lives and marry and be acquainted with strangers. I have never seen a picture of a serial killer who “looked” like a serial killer. The Manson girls, Dahmer, Ing, Bundy, the BTK killer, etc. none of these people look like killers, yet they were surrounded by people. It terrifies me that serial killers do not wear special badges or costumes that scream “SERIAL KILLER!!!!”. That would be nice. I am 22 years old and have always been afraid of the dark and always will be, but I am well informed about grisly murders and necrophiliac activity. I guess like many other people, I find a strange, insatiable pleasure in being terrified. I recommend everyone to see the film “The Strangers”. It’s a study in minimalist film making without all the extravagantly gory Hollywood bullshit, and it’s still extremely frightening and oddly realistic.
By Johanny on June 6th, 2008 at 6:19 am
What really is troubling about this movie is that it has movie goers dupped into seeing a piece of trash film ” that was based on actual events” that wasnt HALF as scary as what actually took place in real life in keddie ca.Other than a few connections on basic themes isolation,fear of the unknown,etc…..this film shouldnt have the right to compare itself to one of the most grizzly scenes i have read about.
By steven clark on June 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Hello my name is L .I have been pondering this case for some time now . I believe that the nature of these crimes where sloppy at beast leading me to believe that the killer would in turn be sloppy as well . However I also believe strongly that these killings are some how connected to a person who had a fascination with the occult . The reason being is the reported crime scene its self . Also the he fact that one of the children was taken so far away and killed in such a manner that It reminds me of a sacrifice . So who in the area had interest in such things as the occult ? The assailant also most likely lived in the town proper . He or she knew the victims . Knew there movements and also knew the best plain of attack . The killer was also a parent to a new born or small child . Seeing as how the small children where spared this stands to reason .If you can find a person who fits this ID I am sure you would have your killer .Its just a matter of going through the town records . If you would like to share this information with me then Email Me At larrywebb123@live.com. I believe that with the right information solving this case would be relatively easy . Thank you
L
By L on June 18th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I have been looking for the movie site to no avail…My friend lived in cabin 28 a few years after the murders and had no supernatural experiences in the cabin..She did have it blessed by the Mormon Missionaries before she moved in…She said she was most comfortable in the basement bedroom and seemed to be the happiest room of the house…major mold in the bedrooms and kitchen even after thorough clean up she lived there in 86-87 he teenage daughter slept in room survivors slept in…Husband did go on several rages while living there that was not typical to his behavior before or after living there….Kitchen was 2nd happiest room…Too bad for the major screw up of law enforcement…couldn’t find their butts with both hands….What became of the piece of wall they cut out for evidence??? Was it lost on the way to the evidence room???? This is the era of DNA!!!! I was taught in criminology course that the perfect murder was one that was a crime of passion and not planned?
By Maxine St.Clair on June 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am