When 14-year-old Californian schoolgirl Sheila Sharp returned to her family home from sleepover on the morning of April 12, 1981, she was met by one of the most sickening sights a human could imagine .
Her mom Glenna 'Sue' Sharp, her brother John, 15, and John's pal Dana Wingate, 17, had been massacred during the night. The victims had been restrained with electrical wire and medical tape before being beaten to death with a claw hammer inside the family home - an isolated wooden cabin in Keddie, Plumas County.
Sheila's 12-year-old sister Tina was also missing. Chillingly, the two youngest Sharp children - Rick, 10, and Greg, five, as well as their friend Justin Smartt - were found unscathed in the bedroom next door, having seemingly slept through the carnage.
The disappearance of Tina remained unsolved for another three years until her skull was found almost 60 miles away. And to this day, the quadruple murder remains unsolved, with no suspect ever having been detained by police.
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Both Sue and John suffered additional stab wounds and had their throats cut, with Sue showing signs of defensive injuries on her arms. Dana had been strangled as well as hammered. Evidence of the brutal attack was everywhere, with blood splattered across walls, ceilings, and furniture.
Despite an intensive investigation, which involved eight investigators working on the case around the clock and the implementation of a Secret Witness program, no-one was ever charged.
Two men seen in the area around the time of the murders were identified, but they were never publicly identified as suspects, and no physical evidence was found to link them to the crime.
There has been much speculation over the years about the motive for the murders, with some suggesting that Tina was the primary target due to a possible sexual motive.
However, no conclusive evidence has ever been found to support this theory. In 1984, Tina's remains were discovered in a remote location about 60 miles from Keddie.
The cause of Tina's death could not be determined due to advanced decomposition, but it is widely believed that she was also murdered. Despite numerous potential suspects and theories, the case remains unsolved to this day.
The Keddie murders have become one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in California history, and continue to fascinate and intrigue true crime enthusiasts.
Rod DeCrona, the patrol commander for the sheriff's department, said the fact that crime involving four victims was a rare occurrence.
The officer still feels a chill when patrolling the area, as the murderer remains unidentified. The Keddie murders are now infamous as the biggest unsolved mystery in Plumas County's history, marking the downfall of the once-bustling northern Sierra mountain resort.
Following the horrific incident, tourists, gripped by fear, started to avoid Keddie, leading to its decline into a dilapidated ghost town. Nowadays, the only people who visit are those drawn by a grim curiosity and a desire to see the site of cabin 28, where the killings occurred. The cabin was finally torn down in 2004.
Even after nearly four decades, the investigators on the case cling to the hope that justice will eventually prevail. Deputy Lt. Don Stoy is of the opinion that the killers have been lucky to avoid capture for this long, but he remains hopeful that the mystery will one day be solved.
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