Parnell molested him on the very first night, and the vicious pedophile started raping the boy within two weeks of his capture. After convincing the boy his parents did not want him anymore, he changed his name to Dennis Parnell. While driving home from his job at a Pizza Hut on Sept. 16, 1989, his motorcycle collided with a car that pulled in front of him. He also conscripted Stayner into aiding him in kidnappings, but Stayner had always failed to grab the targeted child to the point Parnell stopped using Stayner as an accomplice, berating him for being an "incompetent". /founder of A Support Group for Depression and Anxiety where Eat Cereal. Anyone can read what you share. Sometimes I blame myself. A child being kidnapped by a stranger is a very, very rare occurrence. After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. Though authorities would later learn that the letter was written by Cary, it was clear at first that he wasn't a suspect. Cary Stayner (top middle) and Steven Stayner (top right) with the rest of the Stayner family in the 1980s. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. Its no ones fault but the predators. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. He did not receive counseling for his ordeal and left school early after cruel kids teased him about being molested. Because of Stevens heroics Timothy did not have the years and years of abuse to recover from that his savior did. Up to 10 terrorists were involved in the kidnapping, and eight were arrested. He was raised by his kidnapper to feel free to drink and smoke as he pleased, and this return to a healthy, normal home-life often put him at odds with his parents. I told you this was a depressing one guys, hope I didnt ruin your day. (Years later, in 2004, while in his. Deborah Levy said Parnell was "simply interested in raising an abandoned boy." But he was pretty messed up and he never got any counseling. A sad tale that just kept getting sadder. Prior to publication, the manuscript served as the basis for the 1989 TV miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven (also known as The Missing Years), with Arliss Howard as Parnell. I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. Esquire The True Story of the 1963 Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. The court dismissed Mitchells insanity defense, and on May 25, 2011, he was found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences. It was a big part of my husbands case, but it shouldnt be that way, she said. Although Stayner told the younger boy to go inside by himself and tell the officers he had been kidnapped, White refused to leave Stayner's side. Steven knew what would happen to Timmy if he didnt act. Cary Stayner was born on August 13, 1961, in Merced, California to parents Kay and Delbert Stayner. Though the parents admitted as much, the jury didnt buy it though, especially since he admitted to fantasizing about killing women since before his brothers kidnapping. Pacific Theatre of World War II, Korean War. Wellman said Parnell "was looking for one last hurrah. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking home from school in Merced, California, when he was approached by a man passing out religious pamphlets. He was spunky. While working at the Yosemite Lodge, Kenneth Parnell befriended his coworker Ervin Murphy. The nation wept over Stevens bravery and resilience, and Parnell was taken into custody. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. Things eventually got so bad that Mr. Stayner kicked his son out of the house. Their other son becoming a serial killer. In January 2003, Parnell was arrested again after trying to coerce his caregiver's sister, Diane Stevens, into buying him a four-year-old boy for $500. And everybody needs to hear that.. During this time Steven was being horribly abused and raped by Parnell, yet somehow still managed to do well in school when he was there. That name may not be familiar to many, but those who lived in the 1980s know his story well enough. Although they did visit his house on one occasion, it was for an unrelated incident. After that time he was in and out of juvenile custody for car theft and arson.[4][5]. Back then, the idea of not talking to strangers was pretty foreign, especially in a small town. See the article in its original context from. The final nail came in 1990 when Cary's uncle, Jesse Stayner, was shot to death in the home he shared with Cary. 7.8K Followers I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. Ervin Murphy, who aided in Steven's abduction but, according to Echolls' book, insisted that he really thought Parnell was a minister and never thought he'd hurt a little boy, was also. Join Facebook to connect with Edward Ervin and others you may know. On January 20, 2001, President Bill Clinton gave Hearst a full pardon, and by 2002, the FBI had arrested every member of the SLA. On December 4, 1972, Edward Ervin Murphy approached Steven as a seven-year-old after school. . The officers soon realized that both of the boys had actually been kidnapped, and the one identifying himself as Dennis Parnell was actually Steven Stayner. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The group demanded the release of 13 leftist prisoners in exchange for Moro. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. According to the SF Gate, by the time Parnell took Steven, he was already a convicted child rapist. According to a July 1999 article in the SF Gate (then the San Francisco Chronicle), Cary Stayner was voted the "most creative" student of his Merced High School graduating class. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. The San Francisco Chronicle (now the SF Gate) reported that he was 76 years old and died of "natural causes." According to SFGate, his friends and coworkers described him as being impulsive and prone to seemingly abrupt and violent fits of rage. Despite the manhunt, the police did not view Castro as a viable suspect. Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. And for the next 7 years Steven lived publicly as Parnells son and privately as his object of sexual abuse. Captive Audience premieres on Hulu on Thursday, April 21, 2022. After Parnell abducted 5-year-old Timothy White, Steven knew he couldn't let what happened to him happen to Timothy. By age 24, he still blamed himself in some ways for what had happened, but he seemed finally at peace with it, according to his wife, Jody Stayner. The man, Ervin Edward Murphy, was an associate of pedophile Kenneth Parnell. . He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. Steven was touted as a national hero and even went on Good Morning America in March 1980 with his parents. Edward Ervin. Ervin Murphy, the man who lured Steven into the car, went on to serve two years of a five-year sentence. Resides in Fayetteville, NC. After all he had been through, a random medical problem ended the life of Timothy White. The terrorists dumped Moros body in the trunk of a red Renault, and it was found in the historic center of Rome. The 5-year-old cried and begged to be taken home. Even to this day, the exact location of Moros prison is in dispute. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. Of course, none of these boys were ever abandoned. [14] He paid $100 for a birth certificate and had $400 on his person for the completion of the transaction when he was to receive the child on January 3, 2003. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. It was in February 1980 that Mr. Parnell kidnapped a second youth, 5-year-old Timmy White, officials said. However, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death. He marched her out of the house and into a camp in the forest where his wife, Wanda Barzee, awaited. He was simply following the instructions of Kenneth Parnell. It would be seven years before the boy would see his family again years in which he was told his parents no longer wanted him. He was only 24 years old. He worked with groups that searched for missing children, talked to kids about stranger danger and helped with a 1989 TV movie based on his kidnapping, I Know My First Name is Steven. And he never said no to reporters. Timmy White testified in that trial; the Stayner family still keeps in contact with White.). Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. His wife, Jody, said he was finally found peace when on September 16, 1989, he was killed when a car collided with the motorcycle. I dont know sometimes if I should have come home. Parnell was also losing interest in Steven, who at this point was "too old" for him. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. Mr. Murphy appeared shaken by the verdict. Steven publicly questioned if everyone would have been better off had he never come home, and allegedly at the behest of his father, declined to seek much counseling. [8], More than a decade after the sodomy case, Parnell was convicted of armed robbery in Utah. However, his brother Cary also suffered throughout the entire ordeal. Prior to his kidnapping of Stayner, The Famous People reports Parnell had at least two criminal convictions, including armed robbery and the sexual abuse of a young boy. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. Cary tried to gain some sympathy from his brothers plight by suggesting he was neglected by his family as they focused on Stevens return. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. Prosecutor Tim Wellman had largely argued his case before the jury by showing a slideshow of Stayner marked "1", then of White marked "2", and a blank screen marked "3" to show the nonexistent child that would have been abducted had police not been notified. Cary was caught when witnesses identified his 1979 International Scout, which had been parked outside of Joie Armstrong's cabin. After attending high school in New Jersey, he went to the . However, Mr. Murphy admitted in his testimony that he had attemp ted other kidnappings with Mr. Parnell. In 1972, he approached 7-year-old Steven Stayner in his hometown of Merced, Calif. and beckoned the young boy over. . He also drank, suppressing any true feelings about what had occurred, his sister said. We gather the news and films as we search the web and present them to our viewers. Four months later, in July 1999, Cary again gave in to his impulse to kill. Parnell was waiting in the car, and so began a seven-year nightmare for young Steven Stayner. Kenneth Parnell, who by the time he raped Steven Stayner, was his father all night. As reported by People, Stayner struck the driver's side of the car at a high rate of speed. Anyone can read what you share. He was picked up by FBI agents while staying at a nudist colony. Kenneth Parnell died on January 21, 2008, in the state prison hospital in Vacaville, Calif. where he had been incarcerated since 2004. The man, Ervin Edward Murphy, was an associate of pedophile Kenneth Parnell. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. Police later acknowledged that they didnt use enough of their resources to search for Knight. The SLA, led by Donald DeFreeze, hated the U.S. government and was determined to destroy the capitalist state. Just half a decade later he was out on the streets, and (unsurprisingly) trying to find other kids to abuse. The teen, by then 5-foot-10 and barely resembling the little boy who disappeared, had decided he had to escape in order to save his abductor's latest victim, 5-year-old Timothy White, who was taken. In February 1999, Cary was temporarily laid off during the slower winter months. [8] Parnell denied in that same interview having been sexually abused himself, although Mike Echols' book I Know My First Name Is Steven states that he was indeed molested at the age of 13 by a boarder in a rooming house that his mother owned in Bakersfield. Facebook gives people the power to. On December 4, 1972, Parnell abducted seven-year-old Merced resident Steven Stayner with the help of Edward Ervin Murphy, a co-worker at the Yosemite Lodge, where Parnell worked as a night auditor. Soon they stumbled across 5-year-old Timothy White, who was walking home from school. Both of them pulled up next to Steven and asked if he would donate to the church. In an interview with SFGate, Michael Kollman, who was a longtime neighbor of the Stayner family, said, "I think it must have really affected Cary," said Michael Kollman. Stayner was taken to a cabin in Catheys Valley, which was just a few hundred feet from his grandmothers home. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. He was also told he had been adopted and that his name was now Dennis Parnell. Parnell and . At the time of the incident, Steven was a 7-year-old living with his family in Merced, California. Its too hard for Stayners parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner, to talk about anymore, Delbert Stayner said this week. Barbara Mathias was never charged. As well as sexually abusing his victims, Castro only fed them once a day and routinely beat them. What happened to Cary Stayner, and where is he now? Seven years later, after escaping his captor, he returned home. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking down the street in his hometown of Merced, Calif. when a man named Kenneth Parnell lured him into his car under the guise of driving Steven home. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. He would find work at a Yosemite National Park resort and convince a co-worker named Ervin Edward Murphy that he was an aspiring minister. Of course, the families of both boys were overjoyed to be reunited with their sons and Steven Stayner was hailed as a hero. Stayner's account of his time with Parnell formed the basis of a 1991 book by Mike Echols. Steven had a difficult life after his escape and died at age 24 in a road accident. The prosecution successfully argued that sexual aids and pornography found in the apartment, along with Stevens' own testimony, were enough to prove that Parnell's intentions were criminal in nature. New York Time Magazine 2 Convicted In 72 Kidnapping Of 7-Year-Old California Boy, Los Angeles Times Who Was Steven? That's because he was able to escape, with The nightmare ended on May 6, 2013, when Castro left the house and Knight was able to make contact with neighbors. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. It was later learned that Stevens family had sent fliers about their missing son to some of the schools he attended. According to Knight, Castro impregnated her five times but the beatings she sustained resulted in miscarriages on all but one occasion where Knight managed to resuscitate the baby. All three accepted rides from Castro and in each case, he drove the girls to his home, lured them inside, and restrained them in his basement. What happened during those seven years and where is Kenneth Parnell now? In 2015, Matthew Muller Kidnapped a Woman for Over 48 Hours but That Was Just the Beginning. And even if the two cases are similar, its impossible to make clear comparisons, given the differences in circumstances. At the time, Stayner had been missing for more than seven years. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". And this final part, youre not going to believe. Statue of Limitations Invoked. It was the case of Steven Stayner, who escaped from his abductor after the man took another child. Related To Lona Murphy, Almatean Murphy, Geneva Murphy, Robert Murphy, Antonio Murphy. But how did he finally get to prison? So, when a highly publicized kidnapping ends in a heartwarming homecoming, its a pretty big deal. As reported by The Famous People, the man, who was later identified as Ervin Edward Murphy, said he was a representative of a local church and was seeking donations for his parish. So what did this monster, this horrid child-abusing, psychopath receive as punishment for committing the ultimate of cruelties? He also joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also mentioned that Parnell never called what he was doing "kidnapping." As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. He brought along his friend and co-worker, Edward Ervin Murphy. View Erwin Murphy results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? Stayner was terribly concerned about White's welfare and immediately began planning to get the 5-year-old away from Parnell and return him home to his parents. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. In the trial, psychiatrists testified that Mr. Parnell had had a disturbed childhood, attempted suicide at least twice and was the victim of a homosexual rape at the age of 13. Things werent much better at home. After two days, Parnell told Steven that his parents didn't want him anymore and that Parnell was going to adopt him. The two men are to return to court Feb. 3 for presentation of a probation report to the judge, in preparation for sentencing. They started to abuse and brainwash Hearst, with the goal of turning her into the poster child for their supposed revolution. Within two months, they released an audiotape of Hearst claiming she joined their fight and she even had a new name. Follow More from Medium Daniel Ganninger in Fact World The Wonderful World of Completely Random Facts. He was given a life sentence without parole. My dad said he didnt need any.. The Little Boy Who Had Been Kidnaped Never Found Himself, The Guardian Clinton Grants Full Pardon To Patty Hearst, Wanted In Rome The Kidnapping And Assassination Of Aldo Moro. Christ of Latter-day Saints to 10 terrorists were involved in the 1980s kidnapping of 7-year-old California boy Los! With Parnell formed the basis of a Support Group for Depression and Anxiety where Eat.! 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