Connecticut Serial Killer William Devin Howell Describes The Shockin Against the odds, he flourished there. He abandoned the group's rental car with the bodies of Carole and Silvina inside, returning two days later to burn the evidence and retrieve the wallet, which he dumped in Modesto to confuse authorities. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? On the way to his police interview he confessed to a detective in the car to murdering Joie Armstrong, describing the brutal killing "as if he was reading a soup label," said John Boles, another FBI agent on the case. It was then that Steven's nightmare began as Murphy brought him to Kenneth Parnell, a known pedophile. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. 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. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. Then on March 25, Juli Sunds body was discovered near Lake Pedro in Tuolumme County. 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. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Unofficially, Jens Sund offered a $250,000 reward for information that would lead to the return of the missing women. He was a good student, a Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five, less time than he held Steven captive. where Stayner was employed as a handyman. Vacuum sweepings were taken from inside Joies house, where Stayner claims to have bound her with duct tape, yielded hair evidence. "I've struggled with that issue for the last 24 hours and continue to do so," he confessed. Chief James Maddock said he himself questioned whether the Bureau could have done anything to prevent Armstrong's killing. ", Steven Stayner with his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell. They lived in the farming town of Merced, California, the Gateway to Yosemite. Or certainly, nothing noticed by his colleagues at the motel. The police reckoned that the killer of the three women was someone familiar with the county given the location of the Pontiac. One brother was subjected to just unspeakable horror for years, but by all appearances, he was a happy-go-lucky, jovial kid with a girlfriend. Jeffrey Wayne Keeney, 32, of Modesto. 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. You know what I mean? 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. On days off he would escape to Laguna Del Sol, a nudist colony in Sacramento County. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, See more StrangeOutdoors True Crime Stories, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, https://casefilepodcast.com/case-161-the-yosemite-sightseer-murders-part-1/, https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/stayner-cary.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Stayner, https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944, https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/me-timothy-white10-2010apr10-story.html, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a26040174/cary-stayner-steven-yosemite-murders/, https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/july-25-1999-cary-stayner-arrested-murder-yosemite-60263995, https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-recalls-moment-family-learned-target-1999-yosemite/story?id=60364987, https://www.theunion.com/news/local-news/stayner-sentenced-to-death/, Tagged: The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, Carole Sund yosemite murders, Juli Sund yosemite murders, Silvina Pelosso yosemite murders, Cary Stayner yosemite murders, Yosemite park murders, Joie Ruth Armstrong, Sign up now for a one-time fee for access to over 55 exclusive member articles, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. The Stayner family was made up of two brothers, three sisters, and parents Kay and Delbert. 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. In 1972, Stayners Robyn Lively is a step sister of Blake Lively. ", Steven Stayner and Cary Stayner in the baseball cap in the background. During the session, an unexpected event occurred. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. Still, the Bureau intensified its search, recruiting the use of more high-tech equipment and air support. When Steven didnt return from school that afternoon, his parents sounded the alarm. Soon after, he confessed to murdering Carole Sund, Juli Sund, and Silvina Pelosso once in custody. Concluding the interview, he addressed the victims' families: "I am sorry their loved ones were where they were when they were. The initial suspicion was that they may have wandered off the main hiking paths and got lost in the park. At a press conference outside the Stayner house, everyone was smiling, but Cary in his baseball cap wasnt smiling at all. In February 1980, Parnell decided to kidnap a new victim. This time, agents detained him and forced him to answer more questions. Cary looked out for Steven, according to Cary Stayner's former classmate Jack Bungart. Cary Stayner went from being the brother of child abductee Steven Stayer to a full-blown serial killer. Then there was another murder. 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. 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. "I'm confident we've done everything that could be reasonably done.". WebThe story of Steven and Cary Stayner will leave you in absolute disbelief. "Her mother, sisters, and a family friend had been missing for a month by the time Gina Sund read her poem in front of a thousand or so people who gathered in Modesto," writes Time. 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. Cory gets emotional as she describes how he fell through the cracks of familial or institutional care. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. 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. 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school and they quickly snatched him. Cedar Lodge, 9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318. Four hikers visiting Yosemite National Park had been brutally murdered, and Cary Stayner had confessed to the crimes. That same day, Stayner allowed himself to be interviewed by a reporter from KNTV. Tragically, Steven Stayner was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident at the age of 24. 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. And he wanted the same treatment. 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. Im just horrified when I think of what happened in that room, what my daughter felt when she realized she was in serious trouble, said Carole Carrington as she asked the judge to sentence Stayner to death. Cary always wore a hat because he was compulsively pulling his hair out. She also happens to have a front row seat to two true crime narratives in her own family. On Monday, July 22, the court heard Stayners taped confession, which he had given to FBI agents. After a couple of weeks, he upped the sum to $300,000. He was buried Thursday in the town of Newhall, where he had worked as a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy. 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. I guess I was jealous. 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. Steven Stayner helped another child escape from a pedophile, after enduring years of abuse and not wanting to see the child experience the same fate. But seven years later in February 1980, Steven miraculously reappeared. Over the next few weeks, a task force including FBI agents and law enforcers from four surrounding counties, arrested several known sex offenders, drug users, and ex-convicts with a record of violence from within a 75-square-mile area between Modesto and Sonoma. It was badly decomposed and her throat had been cut. 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. It was not animated or digitally created; a stunt driver put the truck into a full controlled jackknife in front of the camera. 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 He told Hartman that his parents "didnt change that much," but his brother and sisters, "they changed a lot. Cary was 11 years old at the time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. Then all of a sudden it's gone. Angelia Dale, who testified before the federal grand jury. He also exhibited some behaviors that made others uncomfortable, including, as he later admitted, exposing himself to his sister's friend. It then came out that Steven had been kidnapped by Parnell, who had been sexually abusing Steven while also posing as his father and forcing him to go by the name Dennis Parnell. The issue of whether his confession was coerced seemed to be resolved when on July 24, the court heard the recorded demands that Stayner made to the FBI agents that he wanted to be satisfied before he would give them his confession. Im so proud of the way Carole and Juli lived, and Im so ashamed of Stayner.. Larwick, who grew up in Tuolumme County near where the bodies of Carole Sund and Silvina Pelosso were found, was jailed on March 16 after he allegedly shot a Modesto police office. Previously, the defense had maintained that the FBI had coerced the confession. ", FBI sources claimed that he had already confessed his guilt during the Saturday evening interrogation. On Good Morning America in March 1980, Steven shared with host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. A woman named Lenna learned in 1999 that her mother, her sister and her had nearly been murdered by Cary Stayner. To the dismay of the Stayner family, the case went cold. On December 4, 1972, at the age of seven, Steven was approached after school by Edward Ervin Murphy, who claimed he was collecting money for the church. Knives were used in the slayings and the weapon suspected in Ms. Armstrong's death was recovered.". Check-out had apparently been done in advance and the keys were left on the room desk. Caroles parents, Francis and Carole Carrington, appeared on the Good Morning, America TV show, to ask for the prayers of Americans and their help in locating their daughter and the children. 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.". They then headed out for Cedar Lodge in El Portal on February 14, which is located on Yosemite's western slope. The hire car company confirmed that Carole had never returned the rented Pontiac, nor told them that they were extending their agreement. For two weeks, Steven watched Timothy suffer the separation from his family. According to court documents filed Monday, Cary Stayner told the FBI he assaulted Silvina Pelosso and Juli Sund before killing them. He wanted the world to take note.. | 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. Initially, the police didn't have any solid leads as to who killed them. Silvina Pelossos mother, Raquel, said, I just cannot understand how so many peopledidn't realize that maybe (Stayner) was the man since I heard that he was interviewed some time ago. Arrested on an unrelated drug charge, he has been questioned about the Yosemite case. Some who knew Cary were shocked at his arrest. The Bureau relocated its headquarters from Yosemite to Modesto at this point and, on February 28, twelve days after the women's disappearance, hinted that was is no longer treating the Sund incident as a missing persons case, but as murder. "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. Sandy Cox, whose husband owned the window company where Stayner worked for in Atwater, says, "We've known Cary since he was a little boyIt just doesn't match up. He remains on 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. Despite this, he never appeared to behave lewdly nor perversely in public. Eugene "Rufus" Dykes, 32, also of Modesto and Larwick's half-brother was arrested in March. The FBI Laboratory has also found possible bodily fluid stains on a bed sheet taken from her residence. "Privately, some members of the Sund-Pelosso task force were saying the same things to the media. Maria Ledbetter, 24, of Modesto, an admitted methamphetamine addict and former girlfriend of Dykes, about whom she was questioned extensively. After first flying to San Francisco, where Carole rented a red 1999 Pontiac Gran Prix, they stopped in Stockton, where Juli took part in a cheerleading contest at the University of the Pacific. The death-penalty trial of Cary Stayner was moved from Mariposa County to Santa Clara County, CA. The dramatic story was told in the 1989 television movie, I Know My First Name Is Steven.. Steven Stayner had a new father figure, and it was Kenneth Parnell, who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist. 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. Steven later said in an interview, I returned almost a grown man, and yet my parents saw me at first as their seven-year-old. I did murder Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong None of the women were sexually abused in any way.". However, there were warning signs during his younger years. He then carried Juli to a vista point near Lake Don Pedro, pledged his love, and then cut her throat as the sun rose. Billy Joe Strange, 39, an El Portal parolee who worked at the Cedar Lodge lounge and restaurant, where the murdered women were last seen. He is currently in his 60s and still on death row while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. How can one family, contain two completely contrasting children? 'I try to stay strong because I know that's what you'd want your baby to be, but, Mommy, I don't want you to leave me.'". He denied any role in the Yosemite slayings. . Unsurprisingly, it didnt take long for the story to become national news, and the teenage Steven was at the center of it all. Cary Stayner Span of crimes FebruaryJuly 1999 Country United States State (s) California Date apprehended 1999 7 more rows 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. His attempt was foiled when other people were at the house at the time he was planning to commit the crimes. The 1999 murders of four women near Yosemite National Park were already a big story before Cary Stayner confessed in an FBI interview. Ashley Stayner is a self-professed true crime fan. It was dark when they arrived and Timmy could remember where he lived so they went to the police station. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. While he attended his meeting, the women were to tour the Grand Canyon. | WebCary Stayner was convicted of the 1999 Cedar Lodge Killings near Yosemite National Park. A large search turned up nothing. I wish I could have controlled myself and not done what I did. He was convicted of four brutal murders in 2002. 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." Police found her car in front of her cabin, packed for the trip. He said, I want you to get a hold of some producers in Los Angeles. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. 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. He had given the FBI details "only the killer would know in such specificity that agents were able to recover evidence confirming his confession. He usually ate lunch and dinner at the motel restaurant. For FBI agent Jeff Rinek, it was the climax of a On February 15, the ladies hiked into Yosemite National Park on one of the many trails. 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. At that time, Steven had been forced to endure sexual abuse by his kidnapper, whom he finally turned in to the police. Carole and her husband, Jens, 43, owned a realtors business in the Stockton area. 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 He also struggled in high school where he was bullied for the abuse he had endured. The revelation came in a six All of its been bad, Delbert Stayner said of his familys life. In the end, Stayner confessed without the promise of child pornography or reward money for his parents. In his capacity, Stayner performed technical and housekeeping duties, everything from fixing electrical and mechanical breakdowns to delivering extra towels and bedding to guests. The new three-part Hulu docuseries Captive Audience explores the tragic story of the Stayner family specifically the fraught lives of their two sons, Steven Stayner and Cary Stayner. 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. 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. By this point, Cary Stayner had a couple of nervous breakdowns. And in 1999, the Stayner family was back in the news but this time, for a less than positive reason. Stevens death, along with the death of his uncle soon afterward, reportedly had a serious impact on Cary Stayners mental health and well-being. 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 Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. 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. Steven Stayners fame was short-lived. The brothers, four years apart in age, shared a room, but didnt get along, Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. | Four men were considered the main murder suspects in the initial inquiries. I went to ask if Cary wanted to talk, reporter Ted Rowlands said. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story,'" There was a movie made about his brother, Steven Stayner, and he wanted the same and for the world to take notice. There, they got a room with a plan to stay for a few days. Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Cary Stayner, the serial killer convicted in the grisly murders of four women near Yosemite National Park, is born on August 13, 1961. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". It was the last time the women were seen alive. Crazy Credits They finally caught up with him at the Laguna Del Sol nudist colony, which he frequently visited. Cary, as the older brother, had a very strange relationship now with his younger brother, Steven, who was getting all of this attention and who was a different person, former KNTV reporter Ted Rowlands told ABC News. But he was surprised that did not find his wife at the airport and assumed she had flown ahead, The next day, he tried to contact them again and failed and he called the police. "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. 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 The prosecution team was headed by George Williamson and the defense team was headed by Marcia Morrissey. Connections 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 a voice that seemed relieved to be unburdened from its depth a long-kept secret, Stayner blurted, "I am guilty. So while Parnell was at work, Steven ran away with Timothy, and the two hitchhiked to a police station in Ukiah, California. In May 2002, Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1999 murder of Pelosso and the Sunds. He was charged with attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation in 2004, that he was sentenced to 25 years to life. Special agent Maddock said, "During the last 24 hours, we have developed specific information linking Stayner (also) to the Sund-Pelosso murders.". Whites stepfather, Roger Gitlin, said White died April 1, 2010, of an apparent pulmonary embolism. Although the Merced police department launched a full-fledged investigation at the time of Stevens disappearance, they werent able to find any significant leads. But, to no avail. 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. The other Sund children believed their mother and sister Juli would be returned. Then Carole's wallet turned up in Modesto, which included money and credit cards. I was the oldest and all that. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story. There was a movie made about Steven Stayner. 51K views 3 years ago 20/20 Extra: For the first time, 20 years after the Yosemite murders, Lenna speaks out exclusively on what she learned about Cary | Steven Stayner was just seven-years-old when he was abducted a few blocks from his home in Merced, Soundtracks. | 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. For four weeks, police, family, and volunteers searched the area in and near Yosemite National Park by helicopter, foot, and skis. "'Deep in my heart I know something my mind does not want to learn,' said Gina,13. 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. 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. Upon release, the FBI warned him not to leave El Portal. Agents descended on the colony and returned him to El Portal on Saturday where he was put through a more lengthy interrogation. Ken Parnell went back to what he had been doing for years. Goofs 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. He received the death penalty for killing four women, three of whom had been staying at the Cedar Lodge, where Stayner was employed as a handyman. Then he took action. The California Highway Patrol verified the car's license plate as the Sunds rented vehicle and immediately notified the FBI. Its manager had seen a story on television, recognized Stayner's photo as one of his guests, and notified the FBI. A relatively quiet, but friendly, a motel handyman called Cary Stayners only passions seemed to be nude sunbathing and hiking. Quotes He did feel, however, that the FBI spared nothing to investigate the earlier killings. 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..
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