47-Year-Old Swampscott Teen Killing Remains Open Investigation

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Forty-seven years after the body of 15-year-old Henry Bedard Jr. was found buried under a pile of leaves near a Swampscott hillside, police are hoping the anniversary of his death will bring forth new information on who was responsible for his killing.

Police issued the request for information on the anniversary of his death on Dec. 16. The teen went missing while out running errands and was later found by a 10-year-old as part of a search group that went looking for him.

Police said a Louisville Slugger baseball bat was found just feet from his body near the hill overlooking the Department of Public Works. At the time, the area was a popular hangout spot for kids and police believe it is possible Bedard went there to meet someone.

Police said they are not sure if Bedard knew his killer or if it was a random act of violence.

"This murder investigation has been continuously investigated by detectives from Swampscott police along with Massachusetts State Police Detectives CPAC Unit assigned to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett over the last 45 years," Swampscott police said.

In particular, police are still hoping that unique markings on the handle of the baseball bat (pictured below) will help connect it to the owner.

"Over the years this case has had many pieces of information brought to investigators, along with numerous interviews to obtain as much info as possible," police said. "As in any investigation of this nature, an attempt to connect physical evidence to those individual(s) involved is the goal."

Anyone with any information on this case is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Jay Locke at JLocke@SwampscottPolice.com or 781-595-1111 or Detective Candace Doyle at CDoylce@Swampscottpolice.com or 781-595-1111.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)