Captive Audience Revisits Steven And Cary Stayner's Stories After several days, the bodies were identified as Carole Sund and Silvina Pelosso through dental records. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. "We never really got along that well after he came back All of a sudden Steve was getting all these gifts, getting all this clothing, getting all this attention. He also struggled in high school where he was bullied for the abuse he had endured. Cary Stayner, also known as The Yosemite Killer, was convicted nearly 20 years ago in the murders of four people in 1999 while he was working as a hotel For FBI agent Jeff Rinek, it was the climax of a ", Stayner's apartment was searched later in the day and the authorities discovered evidence that linked him to Armstrong's murder. She was working for the Yosemite Institute for the past year and had worked on education programs through a partnership with the National Park Service. On Good Morning America in March 1980, Steven shared with host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. Teresa Kay Gray, 36, of Modesto. Unsurprisingly, it didnt take long for the story to become national news, and the teenage Steven was at the center of it all. The Sund family's worst fears were confirmed when a hiker wandered onto the site of a burned-out red 1999 Pontiac, hidden off Highway 108, in the Stanislaus Forest region on March 18. By Friday, July 23rd, Stayner, in the meantime, had disappeared from the area, by the time agents came to arrest him. By the end of that evening, the FBI felt it had gathered enough evidence to arrest Cary Stayner for murder, Sunday morning, they rushed him to Fresno to officially lodge a complaint, then to Sacramento on Monday where he was put before the courts. In the end, Stayner confessed without the promise of child pornography or reward money for his parents. 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school and they quickly snatched him. During the session, an unexpected event occurred. The boys were still in elementary school when on December 4, 1972, a man named Kenneth Parnell took seven-year-old Stephen, whilst walking home from school on Highway 140. According to court documents filed Monday, Cary Stayner told the FBI he assaulted Silvina Pelosso and Juli Sund before killing them. They lived in the farming town of Merced, California, the Gateway to Yosemite. In 1972, Stayners Carole and her husband, Jens, 43, owned a realtors business in the Stockton area. How can one family, contain two completely contrasting children? In 1997, Stayner got a job as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge, seven miles from the gate of the national park, where he worked for 2 years before the murders.. ", Steven Stayner with his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell. Agents had interviewed Stayner, a handyman at the Cedar Lodge where the tourists had stayed, and later dismissed him as a suspect. More than a thousand leads, they confessed, produced nothing. Cary, the motel handyman and champion underachiever who was arrested at a nudist colony, said in a jailhouse interview that voices told him to kill Carole and Juli Special agent Maddock said, "During the last 24 hours, we have developed specific information linking Stayner (also) to the Sund-Pelosso murders.". Alternate Versions WebCary Stayner, the handyman at their hotel, confessed after being arrested for beheading another victim, female nature guide Joie Armstrong. Jens had scheduled to meet them at the San Francisco airport that evening on his way to Arizona, to where the others were to accompany him. Cary didnt emerge as a suspect during the initial investigation, and the FBI actually believed they had the people responsible for the killings in custody. Upon release, the FBI warned him not to leave El Portal. The California Highway Patrol verified the car's license plate as the Sunds rented vehicle and immediately notified the FBI. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. And he wanted the same treatment. I got put on the back burner, you might say," Cary told J.P. Miller, a filmmaker who wrote a screenplay about Steven's abduction. Police found her car in front of her cabin, packed for the trip. Something was clearly very, very wrong. He had talked his way into the room under the guise of fixing a leak, and then sexually assaulted both girls and brutally murdered Carole Lund and Silvina Pelosso in the room. Then he took action. Crazy Credits At that time, the Bureau stated that, while no one had yet been charged, it felt that those responsible for killing the three women at Yosemite were already behind bars. Still, the Bureau intensified its search, recruiting the use of more high-tech equipment and air support. The revelation came in a six "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. Initially, the police didn't have any solid leads as to who killed them. But, as the Hulu doc frames it, the media attention that Steven got after escaping his abductor and also saving Timothy White had a dark side both for Steven and for the rest of his family. That same day, Stayner allowed himself to be interviewed by a reporter from KNTV. "Thats when I told him, 'You need to go to a doctor, Cary.'" I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home. In his capacity, Stayner performed technical and housekeeping duties, everything from fixing electrical and mechanical breakdowns to delivering extra towels and bedding to guests. Woman recalls moment family learned they were target of 1999 By the time Steven was 14, he had been abused and manipulated by Parnell for seven years and Parnell and Steven together realized that Steven was growing up and that he was no longer going to be controlled by Parnell and they would need to find someone else that they could sexually abuse. I did murder Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong None of the women were sexually abused in any way.". Check-out had apparently been done in advance and the keys were left on the room desk. Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, said his son was deprived of a fair trial by a kangaroo court and a judge who ignored defense arguments. They finally caught up with him at the Laguna Del Sol nudist colony, which he frequently visited. From the Archives: Friends surprised by Cary Stayner's arrest Those sources say it is difficult for some investigators to believe Stayner could have gotten the jump on all three women without any help, let alone dispose of their bodies.". This time, agents detained him and forced him to answer more questions. He walked naked and and smoked pot, he could find the peace that he so desperately needed. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Its manager had seen a story on television, recognized Stayner's photo as one of his guests, and notified the FBI. So while Parnell was at work, Steven ran away with Timothy, and the two hitchhiked to a police station in Ukiah, California. Cory gets emotional as she describes how he fell through the cracks of familial or institutional care. Arrested on an unrelated drug charge, he has been questioned about the Yosemite case. That evening, the group grabbed some videos from the lodge's service desk to watch in their room. TV NEWS : Search Captions. Borrow Broadcasts : TV Archive : It was discovered beyond a campground adjacent to her living quarters in the Foresta community, a group of 30 cabins for use by park workers. The dramatic story was told in the 1989 television movie, I Know My First Name Is Steven.. The two brothers of the Stayner family are both famous - one experienced horror in the hands of a child molester, Steven, and the other, Cary, the serial killer in Yosemite. In a 2003 jailhouse interview with The Chronicle, Parnell admitted that he had tried to buy the boy to experience the "love and respect" that a son has for a father. Unfortunately, less than a decade after his incredible escape, Steven Stayner died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24, leaving behind a wife and two children. "I've struggled with that issue for the last 24 hours and continue to do so," he confessed. He then carried Juli to a vista point near Lake Don Pedro, pledged his love, and then cut her throat as the sun rose. IMDb Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith Claims Alex Murdaugh Made Him A Fall Guy, Morgan Doughty Filed A Lawsuit Against The Murdaugh Family, Buster Murdaugh Testified For The Defense At His Fathers Double Murder Trial, Randy Roth From 'A Rose For Her Grave' Is Still In Prison, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. You know what I mean? Cary was the ideal son, Kay Stayner revealed to the jury during her elder sons trial for murder. Although the Merced police department launched a full-fledged investigation at the time of Stevens disappearance, they werent able to find any significant leads. He told Hartman that his parents "didnt change that much," but his brother and sisters, "they changed a lot. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five, less time than he held Steven captive. I never recognized either one of them.". Larry Duane Utley, 41 an associate of Dykes and Larwick, first picked up during a March parole sweep. Knives were used in the slayings and the weapon suspected in Ms. Armstrong's death was recovered.". FBI agent Nick Rossi said on February 26, "At this point, we have not yet uncovered evidence to allow us to determine conclusively whether this was a tragic accident or a criminal act. Two weeks later, FBI agent James Maddock, now placed in charge of the investigation, told the press, "We feel almost certain that the women were victims of a violent crime.". Her mother had been dating him and he had decided to kill them on Valentines Day. | Billy Joe Strange, 39, an El Portal parolee who worked at the Cedar Lodge lounge and restaurant, where the murdered women were last seen. How intended victim of 1999 Yosemite killer views the tragedy Whites stepfather, Roger Gitlin, said White died April 1, 2010, of an apparent pulmonary embolism. And in 1999, the Stayner family was back in the news but this time, for a less than positive reason. Yosemite Victims Were Raped - CBS News After a couple of weeks, he upped the sum to $300,000. Campbell, when first arrested on mail fraud charges, had in her possession Carole Sund's checking account and automated teller machine numbers. Stayner, clad in a red jail jumpsuit, bowed his head but showed no emotion as Judge Hastings sentenced him to death three times, once for each murder, after returning to the courtroom. Rachel Lou Campbell, 36, of Modesto, was charged in April with stealing checks and credit cards, and converting them into cash and merchandise worth $365,000. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. He grew up, got married and had two kids. Steven Stayner had a new father figure, and it was Kenneth Parnell, who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist. Cary was off anybody and everybody who met him will tell In February 1980, Parnell decided to kidnap a new victim. I was the oldest and all that. The hire car company confirmed that Carole had never returned the rented Pontiac, nor told them that they were extending their agreement. Because of the discovery of Sund's wallet in suburban Modesto, police, and FBI searched "the logical routes in and out of that spot, interviewing homeowners and business owners and others who may have seen them." "Privately, some members of the Sund-Pelosso task force were saying the same things to the media. On Saturday, July 24, FBI agents announced at a press conference that a man was in custody on strong suspicion of murder and that a "significant announcement" would be made shortly. At that time, Steven had been forced to endure sexual abuse by his kidnapper, whom he finally turned in to the police. Out of respect for his family and the victim's family, we don't want to say anymore." He loved his brother. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "(A witness claimed that) Stayner was angry about authorities seizing his backpack after he was questioned earlier that day. Emotionally, Cary Stayner had a tough time during his childhood. He is currently in his 60s and still on death row while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. Concluding the interview, he addressed the victims' families: "I am sorry their loved ones were where they were when they were. Darrell Gray Stephens, 55, Strange's roommate. "I'm confident we've done everything that could be reasonably done.". It was not animated or digitally created; a stunt driver put the truck into a full controlled jackknife in front of the camera. Cary always wore a hat because he was compulsively pulling his hair out. Four men were considered the main murder suspects in the initial inquiries. She also happens to have a front row seat to two true crime narratives in her own family. The other Sund children believed their mother and sister Juli would be returned. To the dismay of the Stayner family, the case went cold. By the end of June, the FBI had reviewed the testimonies and the evidence linked to the suspects in custody. He also exhibited some behaviors that made others uncomfortable, including, as he later admitted, exposing himself to his sister's friend. A relatively quiet, but friendly, a motel handyman called Cary Stayners only passions seemed to be nude sunbathing and hiking. Jens couldn't accompany them on this trip because he needed to prepare for an upcoming business trip. Angelia Dale, who testified before the federal grand jury. The FBI task force investigating Yosemite issued a federal warrant for her arrest after she failed to appear in Stanislaus County drug court in June. The trivia item below may give away important plot points. They had been hosting Silvina, who was a foreign exchange student from Argentina and a friend of Juli's, She was spending three months with the family. Parnell and Murphy were driving towards town when Stephen was lured into their vehicle and abducted. The FBI pushed for Strange's arrest, but he denied any part in the triple murders. On March 1, 1980, Steven waited until Parnell was at work and then fled the house with Timothy. He was arrested in May on an unrelated crime charge but was soon released. They no longer want you.. Or certainly, nothing noticed by his colleagues at the motel. . WebThe story of Steven and Cary Stayner will leave you in absolute disbelief. Cary Stayner went from being the brother of child abductee Steven Stayer to a full-blown serial killer. He denied any role in the Yosemite slayings. "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. In May 2002, Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1999 murder of Pelosso and the Sunds. Chief James Maddock said he himself questioned whether the Bureau could have done anything to prevent Armstrong's killing. where Stayner was employed as a handyman. Part of TV News Archive. Because he was the handyman at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal where the Sund & Pelosso group had stayed before they were murdered, his questioning at that time seems to have been more routine than anything. I guess I was jealous. On February 12, 1999, Carole Sund, 42, her daughter Juli 15, and Silvina Pelosso 16, left their home in Eureka, California to go on vacation in the area near Yosemite National Park in the same state in the United States. He usually ate lunch and dinner at the motel restaurant. A Shade Of His Brother - TIME She was seen that day at the Institute offices and was planning to visit a friend in Sausalito, California, that day but never made it. You have the other brother who's left at home. Steven told the police what happened to him and Timothy and he was also able to tell them his real name was Steven, not Dennis. Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror - ABC Soon after, he confessed to murdering Carole Sund, Juli Sund, and Silvina Pelosso once in custody. On July 23, when Cary Stayner was released from custody for his marijuana charge, he quickly packed up and left for Laguna del Sol, a nudist colony, according to The case of a lifetime / For Cary Stayner, there was something Although most of the stains were likely to include Armstrong's blood, Stayner was observed to have a laceration on his hand during his interrogation, and therefore may have been cut and bled during the attack. In his interview, Stayner claimed that hair from his body was left on the bedspread in their motel room, but he returned later and changed the bed. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. But it took less than six months for another murder in the area to show them that the killer was still at large this time, the victim was 26-year-old naturalist Joie Armstrong. By mid-April, those who had been arrested were ordered to testify in front of a grand jury in Fresno, California. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. Stayner said he thought he had gotten away with the earlier crimes, but could not resist the urge to kill Armstrong after he struck up a chance conversation with her. Connections Against the odds, he flourished there. Tragically, Steven Stayner was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident at the age of 24. On Dec. 4, 1972, Steven, 7, was walking alone to his familys home in Merced, California, when he was coaxed into the car of convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell, who was posing as a minister. Ashley Stayner is a self-professed true crime fan. "'Deep in my heart I know something my mind does not want to learn,' said Gina,13. Soundtracks. He was a good student, a Ive never seen anything thats so close to black and white and evil and good as Stayner and our children, said Francis Carrington, the father of Carole Sund and grandfather of Juli. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. He had given the FBI details "only the killer would know in such specificity that agents were able to recover evidence confirming his confession. But when Parnell kidnapped another young boy, this time 5-year-old Timothy White, Steven knew he couldnt let another child be subjected to the abuse and torment he had faced for years. | Steven & Cary Stayner: Hero vs Killer Brother - YouTube His attempt was foiled when other people were at the house at the time he was planning to commit the crimes. Stayner At a press conference outside the Stayner house, everyone was smiling, but Cary in his baseball cap wasnt smiling at all. In a jailhouse interview with a television reporter, he said he did not rape any of the women. "I remember going out one night after Steve disappeared and wishing on a star that my brother would come back home," Cary reportedly told Mike Echols, author of the book I Know My First Name Is Steven. Timothy Lee White, 5, gets a piggyback ride from 14-year-old Steven Stayner at a news conference in Ukiah, California, in 1980, Kenneth Parnell stops the car and goes to a payphone, he comes back and tells Steven, Your parents, I just spoke to them. Concluding the interview, he addressed the victims' families: "I am sorry their loved ones were where they were when they were. It seemed as though he had a compulsion with trying to get close to women or be sexual with them, but he was unable to develop any sort of interpersonal relationships with any women. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. What followed turned out to be one of the most shocking crimes in both National Park and American history, involving a man whose family had already been involved in a notorious crime, literally the two faces of evil. Web6,597 views Jan 24, 2019 56 Dislike Share ABC10 172K subscribers On July 26, 1999, former ABC10 reporter Tim Daly went down to the Cedar Lodge where Cary Stayner The American Court TV (now TruTV) television series Mugshots released an episode on the Stayner case titled "Cary Stayner The Cedar Lodge Killings". [29] In 2018, the Reelz channel aired an hour-long documentary about the murders titled Yosemite Park Killer. ", The FBI was reluctant to finger Stayner because, they, and many others, did not believe that Stayner acted by himself, given the brazen killing of the three women in the Cedar Lodge Motel and the disposal of the bodies. Cary Stayner, now 57, was convicted of the murders of Armstrong, the Sunds and Pelosso, and sentenced to death for all except Armstrong's. Stayner said he thought he had gotten away with the earlier crimes, but could not resist the urge to kill Armstrong after he struck up a chance conversation with her. Cedar Lodge, 9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318. Stayner's father, Delbert, admitted that he thinks son Cary may have suffered a trauma at age 11, when younger brother Steven, then seven, was abducted in 1972, disappearing for eight years. Stayner But instead of seeking mental health treatment, he moved to Yosemite. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. He has been questioned about any involvement. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". Sex offender Kenneth Parnell dies in Vacaville