Independent Detective

Case #52 -  John Sharp  

• Date of Incident – April 12th 1981

• Location – Keddie Resort, Keddie, Plumas County, California
• Date of Birth: 11/16/1965
• Case Entry Made: 02/16/2026
• Last Updated: 02/16/2026

Plumas County Sheriff’s Office: (530) 283-6360
Detective Mike Gamberg

Social Media Links:
Facebook Group: John’s Unsolved Case Post
Strange Case Files: The Keddie Cabin Murders
Pluma News: Keddie Murders
Find a Grave: Virtual Cemetery for all 4 Victims
Wikipedia: Keddie Murders
Lassen News: Peoples Story on Keddie Murders

This is a unique case that consisted of 4 people who tragically lost their lives in a multiple homicide that is still onging:

Other victims (and links to their pages):

Glenna “Sue” Sharp
John Sharp
Tina Sharp
Dana Wingate

Who Was John Sharp?

John Sharp was described by friends as protective of his younger siblings and deeply loyal to his mother, Glenna Sharp. After the family moved from Connecticut to Northern California in late 1980 to escape an abusive household, John helped his mother adjust to life in a remote mountain town.

At 15, he was navigating adolescence in a place far removed from city life. Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort wasn’t luxurious, but it represented safety and a fresh beginning. John shared the small cabin with his siblings, where friends frequently visited and the home was often lively despite financial hardship.

That sense of fragile stability would end on April 11, 1981.

The Night of the Keddie Murders

– On the evening of April 11, John invited his friend Dana Wingate to stay overnight. John’s younger brothers slept in a separate bedroom, while his sister Sheila spent the night at a neighbor’s cabin.

– Sometime between late night and early morning, unknown attackers entered the cabin.
– The scene investigators found hours later was one of extreme violence. John, his mother Sue, and Dana were bound and assaulted with multiple weapons. The brutality suggested rage, personal targeting, or a chaotic confrontation — possibilities that continue to fuel theories decades later.
– John’s 12-year-old sister Tina was missing. Her disappearance added another layer of horror. Three years later, her remains were discovered miles away, confirming she too had been murdered.
– The younger boys in the bedroom survived physically unharmed — a fact that has baffled investigators and criminologists ever since.

How John’s Death Shaped the Investigation

John’s murder wasn’t random in the emotional sense. Detectives believe the attackers were familiar with the household. The targeted violence against the older victims — especially John and Sue — raised early suspicions that the crime was personal.

However, the initial investigation was plagued by:
– Evidence handling mistakes
– Possible contamination of the crime scene
– Lost or overlooked physical evidence
– Conflicting witness accounts

These early failures may have permanently damaged the case.

John’s surviving siblings later spoke about the long shadow of trauma. For them, the case wasn’t just unsolved — it froze their childhood at the moment they lost their brother.

Latest Investigation Developments

Despite the passage of time, the Keddie murders remain an active cold case.

DNA Breakthroughs

Modern forensic testing has identified viable DNA from crime scene materials. Investigators confirmed that genetic evidence matches a living individual, though authorities have not publicly named a suspect.

Rediscovered Evidence

A hammer believed connected to the murders was recovered decades later and re-tested using modern forensic techniques. While results remain sealed, officials have confirmed that testing continues.

Renewed Public Attention

Books, documentaries, and cold case journalism have revived interest in John Sharp’s story. Increased exposure has generated new tips and public pressure for resolution.

Case Status

Plumas County authorities state the case is still open and under active review. Detectives have emphasized that advances in forensic genealogy could eventually produce an arrest.

John Sharp’s case is frequently cited as an example of how modern DNA technology can reopen long-dormant investigations — offering cautious hope that justice may still be possible.

Why John Sharp’s Story Still Matters

John wasn’t a headline. He was a teenager protecting his family in a cabin that was supposed to be safe. His death represents more than a mystery — it represents the human cost of investigative failure and the enduring need for answers.

Cold cases often become puzzles. But behind the puzzle is a boy whose future vanished overnight. Remembering John Sharp restores the humanity that can get lost in decades of speculation.
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Facebook Post:

In April 1981, a quiet mountain community in Northern California woke up to something it was never meant to carry.

Inside a small cabin at the Keddie Resort, three people were found deceased. A fourth child was missing.

The victims were 36-year-old Sue Sharp, her 15-year-old son John, his friend Dana Wingate, and Sue’s 12-year-old daughter Tina. Three of them were discovered inside the cabin on the morning of April 12. Tina was not there.

Two younger boys and a friend had slept through the night in a back bedroom. They were unharmed.

For three years, Tina Sharp remained missing. In 1984, her remains were found more than 60 miles away in neighboring Butte County. No clear cause of death could be determined.

From the beginning, the investigation was troubled. The scene was not fully secured. Evidence was later described by investigators as mishandled or overlooked. Important leads were not pursued at the time.

Decades later, the case was reviewed again. Investigators publicly criticized the original handling and acknowledged that key opportunities had been missed. DNA was tested. Evidence was reexamined. No arrests followed.

The cabin where the crime occurred was demolished in 2004. The resort itself faded away. But the questions never did.

How did someone enter and leave the cabin without waking the children in the back room?

Why was Tina taken from the scene when the others were left behind?

And did early investigative failures permanently prevent answers?

More than forty years later, the Keddie Cabin Murders remain officially unsolved.

If you know anything, now is the time to come forward.

The full, fact-checked case record is linked above

Sketch Drawing of Suspects

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