"The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. Cary was the ideal son, Kay Stayner revealed to the jury during her elder sons trial for murder. Angelia Dale, who testified before the federal grand jury. I never recognized either one of them.". He then carried Juli to a vista point near Lake Don Pedro, pledged his love, and then cut her throat as the sun rose. The car was hidden off a spur road where locals dump old refrigerators, cars, and washing machines. Previously, the defense had maintained that the FBI had coerced the confession. His attempt was foiled when other people were at the house at the time he was planning to commit the crimes. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. 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. On February 15, the ladies hiked into Yosemite National Park on one of the many trails. Still, the Bureau intensified its search, recruiting the use of more high-tech equipment and air support. | 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. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. A large search turned up nothing. 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. But by the middle of March, their hopes faded. He loved his brother. 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. He remains on In 1999, Carole Sund, 42, her daughter Juli Sund, 15, and Juli's friend, Silvina Pelosso, 16, went missing while visiting Yosemite Park. She had probably been murdered on the evening of Wednesday, July 21. 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. He walked naked and and smoked pot, he could find the peace that he so desperately needed. More than a thousand leads, they confessed, produced nothing. Cary Stayner, now 57, was convicted of the murders of Armstrong, the Sunds and Pelosso, and sentenced to death for all except Armstrong's. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. FBI Accused Of Botching Yosemite Case / Agency For four weeks, police, family, and volunteers searched the area in and near Yosemite National Park by helicopter, foot, and skis. Agents descended on the colony and returned him to El Portal on Saturday where he was put through a more lengthy interrogation. Heroism, tragedy and cold-blooded murder: The Stayner brothers Steven Stayners fame was short-lived. 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. On Good Morning America in March 1980, Steven shared with host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. The inn staff claimed that when they cleaned the room the next morning, they had detected no evidence of foul play or anything that made them suspicious. Stayner, 38, has been charged with murder in the July 21 death of naturalist Joie Armstrong. Woman recalls moment family learned they were target of 1999 On Monday, July 22, the court heard Stayners taped confession, which he had given to FBI agents. 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. You know what I mean? "Privately, some members of the Sund-Pelosso task force were saying the same things to the media. He was buried Thursday in the town of Newhall, where he had worked as a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy. It was then that Steven's nightmare began as Murphy brought him to Kenneth Parnell, a known pedophile. The revelation came in a six He grew up, got married and had two kids. IMDb 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. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Something was clearly very, very wrong. 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. At the time of the murders, Cary was working as a mechanic at the Cedar Lodge, which is where he met his first three victims Carole Sund, her daughter Juli Sund, and her friend Silvina Pelosso. 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. | 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 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 Unofficially, Jens Sund offered a $250,000 reward for information that would lead to the return of the missing women. Suspect at Yosemite Had Fantasy of Killing Women The Cedar Lodge hired him as a handyman in 1997 and gave him the use of a small apartment on the top floor. They lived in the farming town of Merced, California, the Gateway to Yosemite. Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror - ABC 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. 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. Convicted in 1978 for rape and robbery, he was jailed on March 14 for failing to register as a sex offender. He had a long criminal record and had been questioned extensively by the FBI. Upon release, the FBI warned him not to leave El Portal. ", Steven Stayner with his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell. Vacuum sweepings were taken from inside Joies house, where Stayner claims to have bound her with duct tape, yielded hair evidence. For years, Parnell traveled around California with Steven. Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. 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. He also exhibited some behaviors that made others uncomfortable, including, as he later admitted, exposing himself to his sister's friend. She also happens to have a front row seat to two true crime narratives in her own family. There, they got a room with a plan to stay for a few days. 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. An FBI Agent Recounts a Repulsive Request by Serial Killer Cary At that time, Steven had been forced to endure sexual abuse by his kidnapper, whom he finally turned in to the police. Teresa Kay Gray, 36, of Modesto. Then all of a sudden it's gone. Shortly after Stevens death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. Local police and Yosemite Park Rangers began to search the area where the missing three were last seen. "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. By the end of June, the FBI had reviewed the testimonies and the evidence linked to the suspects in custody. Four hikers visiting Yosemite National Park had been brutally murdered, and Cary Stayner had confessed to the crimes. Woman recalls moment family learned they were target of 1999 "'Deep in my heart I know something my mind does not want to learn,' said Gina,13. I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home. The prosecution team was headed by George Williamson and the defense team was headed by Marcia Morrissey. In February 1980, Parnell decided to kidnap a new victim. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. When Steven didnt return from school that afternoon, his parents sounded the alarm. 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. Investigators searched his truck and confiscated his backpack for examination. He usually ate lunch and dinner at the motel restaurant. Stayner I went to ask if Cary wanted to talk, reporter Ted Rowlands said. Cary Stayner Span of crimes FebruaryJuly 1999 Country United States State (s) California Date apprehended 1999 7 more rows ", Stayner's apartment was searched later in the day and the authorities discovered evidence that linked him to Armstrong's murder. Soundtracks. 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. The Stayner family was made up of two brothers, three sisters, and parents Kay and Delbert. 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school and they quickly snatched him. He did feel, however, that the FBI spared nothing to investigate the earlier killings. He demanded that his parents be given the reward money, that he be incarcerated at a prison near his parents home, and, to Stayners detriment, that he be given a large cache of child pornography. 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. Despite this, he never appeared to behave lewdly nor perversely in public. 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. Steven was a national hero. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. Its manager had seen a story on television, recognized Stayner's photo as one of his guests, and notified the FBI. WebCary Stayner was convicted of the 1999 Cedar Lodge Killings near Yosemite National Park. From the Archives: Friends surprised by Cary Stayner's arrest After several days, the bodies were identified as Carole Sund and Silvina Pelosso through dental records. Goofs They no longer want you.. Check-out had apparently been done in advance and the keys were left on the room desk. 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. When Cary Stayner was questioned by FBI agents, he immediately confessed to the four Yosemite Park murders and provided a detailed accounting of his crimes. Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror - ABC According to court documents filed Monday, Cary Stayner told the FBI he assaulted Silvina Pelosso and Juli Sund before killing them. 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.". However, there were warning signs during his younger years. 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. Then he took action. Although the Merced police department launched a full-fledged investigation at the time of Stevens disappearance, they werent able to find any significant leads. "Thats when I told him, 'You need to go to a doctor, Cary.'" Parnell and Murphy were driving towards town when Stephen was lured into their vehicle and abducted. Agents arrived at the scene early on the 19th and upon opening the trunk, investigators found two charred bodies. In this, he calmly reviewed how he strangled 16-year-old Silvina Pelosso in the motel bathtub and how he sexually assaulted Juli Sund for hours before brutally cutting her throat. 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. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. Quotes 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. 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.". The suspect, Cary Stayner, 37, had been one of the people questioned after the triple killings in February, but, at that time no evidence linked him directly to the crime and he had been released. 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. The California Highway Patrol verified the car's license plate as the Sunds rented vehicle and immediately notified the FBI. 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. So while Parnell was at work, Steven ran away with Timothy, and the two hitchhiked to a police station in Ukiah, California. Steven Stayner had a new father figure, and it was Kenneth Parnell, who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist. After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. 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. In his capacity, Stayner performed technical and housekeeping duties, everything from fixing electrical and mechanical breakdowns to delivering extra towels and bedding to guests. 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." 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. Tragically, Steven Stayner was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident at the age of 24. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal. "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. Whites stepfather, Roger Gitlin, said White died April 1, 2010, of an apparent pulmonary embolism. Crazy Credits "He stated that he felt like jumping in a truck, driving it through the shop and killing the boss and killing everybody in the office, and then torching the place," friend Mark Marchese said in 1999. Her mother had been dating him and he had decided to kill them on Valentines Day. How can one family, contain two completely contrasting children? Four men were considered the main murder suspects in the initial inquiries. Cary and Steven Stayners Parents Now: Where Are - The Very seldom did he get into trouble. 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. 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 the end, Stayner confessed without the promise of child pornography or reward money for his parents. Cary Stayner went from being the brother of child abductee Steven Stayer to a full-blown serial killer. At a press conference outside the Stayner house, everyone was smiling, but Cary in his baseball cap wasnt smiling at all. Eugene "Rufus" Dykes, 32, also of Modesto and Larwick's half-brother was arrested in March. 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. According to Special Agent Christopher Hopkins , both the FBI's Evidence Response Team and the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office collected items of potential interest from Room 509 at the Cedar Lodge Motel, the room in which Stayner sexually assaulted Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso and murdered both Carole Sund and Silvina. The FBI also seized clothing stained with blood from her body. Sex offender Kenneth Parnell dies in Vacaville 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. Some who knew Cary were shocked at his arrest. The dramatic story was told in the 1989 television movie, I Know My First Name Is Steven.. . Cary looked out for Steven, according to Cary Stayner's former classmate Jack Bungart. Emotionally, Cary Stayner had a tough time during his childhood. 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. In the Bureau's mind, this time it had the right man. That same day, Stayner allowed himself to be interviewed by a reporter from KNTV. 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. After the fourth murder, the FBI went looking for Cary Stayner to interview him, but initially as a witness. However, when they found Cary at a nudist colony nearby and brought him in for questioning, he quickly confessed to Armstrongs murder, and soon after admitted he was also responsible for the first three killings. He was arrested in May on an unrelated crime charge but was soon released. The interview was conducted off camera and reported Monday on the late news. A relatively quiet, but friendly, a motel handyman called Cary Stayners only passions seemed to be nude sunbathing and hiking. Captive Audience Revisits Steven And Cary Stayner's Stories After a couple of weeks, he upped the sum to $300,000. Special agent Maddock said, "During the last 24 hours, we have developed specific information linking Stayner (also) to the Sund-Pelosso murders.". Larry Duane Utley, 41 an associate of Dykes and Larwick, first picked up during a March parole sweep. He was arrested on March 5 when he allegedly reported to his parole officer with liquor on his breath. Connecticut Serial Killer William Devin Howell Describes The Shockin 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. Agents had interviewed Stayner, a handyman at the Cedar Lodge where the tourists had stayed, and later dismissed him as a suspect. While Steven was a freshman at Mendocino High School, some 300 miles to the south, his older brother Cary was an upperclassman at Merced High School. Alternate Versions The case of a lifetime / For Cary Stayner, there was something Stayner It was badly decomposed and her throat had been cut. Concluding the interview, he addressed the victims' families: "I am sorry their loved ones were where they were when they were. "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 had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. Stayner Raped 2 Teenagers, Affidavit Says Part of TV News Archive. | During an off-camera jailhouse interview in Sacramento following his arrest, Cary admitted to Armstrong's murder as well as the murders of Carole Sund, 42, her I did murder Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong None of the women were sexually abused in any way.". Stayner said to investigators I want you to get a hold of some producers in Los Angeles. 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. Connections TV NEWS : Search Captions. Borrow Broadcasts : TV Archive : He paid a local kid to ride with him to the town of Ukiah, California and he told to go and find him a boy. It was the last time the women were seen alive. Latent fingerprints were also been lifted from the interior of Joie Armstrong's truck, which Stayner admits to touching during his encounter with her. 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. That evening, the group grabbed some videos from the lodge's service desk to watch in their room. Cary Stayner But, to no avail. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. where Stayner was employed as a handyman. 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. 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. "And I did that almost every clear night from then on until Steve finally came back home. Her body was next to a stream and head within the water that she and her friends used for drinking water. The initial suspicion was that they may have wandered off the main hiking paths and got lost in the park. Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story. There was a movie made about Steven Stayner. Campbell, when first arrested on mail fraud charges, had in her possession Carole Sund's checking account and automated teller machine numbers. The death-penalty trial of Cary Stayner was moved from Mariposa County to Santa Clara County, CA. Management found him a hard worker and honest. Stevens death, along with the death of his uncle soon afterward, reportedly had a serious impact on Cary Stayners mental health and well-being. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction.
