She added, "He [Steven] got on with his life but he was pretty messed up." Steven, hoping to spare another child his fate, had sabotaged so many kidnappings. He convinced Mathias to lure another young boy into his car. Things were pretty rough for a while, bouncing from one job to another, some would say wandering aimlessly. Then he met Jody Edmondson, and in 1985, when he was 20 and she 17, they married. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. "I've never been this angry. I am fourteen years of age. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Normally when I think about storylines in these categories, they tend to fall in binary categories, someone is either a hero or a villain. My dad said he didn't need any. But in 1980, the Stayners' prayers were answered when Steven returned home after a seven-year disappearance. . Parnell passed himself off as Stayner's father, and the two moved frequently around California, living in locations including Santa Rosa and Comptche. Dimmock credited Ashley"and her really trusting inthe weird process of going back over a story that ultimately has been told a lot of times, but digging some new things up and starting again," for helping the series come together with fresh insight from the family. Steven Stayner was a typical 7-year old boy. He remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison, though California hasn't executed a prisoner since 2006 and Gov. In hindsight,people who knew the Stayners started to remember the quiet, withdrawn boy living in the shadow of his brotherboth when Steven was gone and when he returnedwhowas a creative, talented artist but also pulled his hair out in clumps and as he got older and had trouble forming relationships with women. True Crime Documentaries Worth Watching This Spring, Elizabeth Smart Marks Anniversary of Her "Biggest Miracle" 19 Years After Kidnapping Nightmare Ended, Sherri Papini Formally Pleads Guilty After Admitting Kidnapping Was a Hoax, Why the Unsolved Disappearance of the Beaumont Children Remains One of Australia's Most Haunting Crimes, TV's Most Killer True Crime Transformations, Man Sentenced to 190 Years in Prison for Murder of Jacqueline Avant, convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap, first linked him to Armstrong's July 21 murder. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter, Juli, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while they were staying at the motel where he. For seven years I have been supposedly an only child. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. For the sexual assaults carried out in Mendocino County, prosecutors chose not to prosecute. Stayner's parents fear losing another son. Originally published January 20, 2007 at 12:00 am. Parnell, a sex offender, molested him the very first night, and began raping him thirteen days later, on December 17, 1972. [3], On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Stayner was approached on his way home from school by a man named Ervin Edward Murphy, who had become acquainted with convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell as they both worked at a resort in Yosemite National Park. A cabin that sat several hundred feet away from his grandfathers house. (There was some impressively stiff competition that year, sothe best miniseries honorwent toWar and Remembrance, which also beat outLonesome Dove. On July 24, hours after beingcharged withthe murder ofJoie Ruth Armstrong, a 26-year-old nature guidewho was found decapitatedtwo days beforehand in a densely wooded area of Yosemite just a few hundred feet from her home, Cary confessed in an off-camera jailhouse interview with San Francisco's KBWB-TV to also killing Carole Sund, 42,her daughter JuliSund, 15, and the girl's friend Silvina Pelosso, 16,that past February. Timothy James White (November 1, 1974 - April 1, 2010) was an American man who was abducted in 1980 by pedophile Kenneth Parnell, and held a few weeks before he was rescued by fellow child captive, 14-year-old Steven Stayner, who escaped and guided the 5-year-old to safety. Kay and Delbert Stayner married in 1960 and had five children together. "[35], Steven's story was also included in the book Against Their Will by Nigel Cawthorne, a compilation of stories of kidnappings.[36]. By the time she got there, the 7-year-old was nowhere to be seen. "This is really so phenomenal, for a child to be gone seven years and to be found alive," the boy's mother, Kay Stayner, told the reporters who flocked to Merced, Calif., on March 2, 1980, to cover the joyous, unlikely conclusion tothe family'sordeal. Although pleased with the dramatization, Stayner did complain that it depicted him as a somewhat "obnoxious, rude" person, especially toward his parents, something he refuted while publicizing the miniseries in the spring of 1989. [17] Both children were reunited with their families that day. I know my first name is Steven, I'm pretty sure my last is Stainer [sic], and if I have a middle name, I don't know it. A school friend recalled to20/20years laterthat the boy she knew as Dennis had "a great personality. Steven Stayners kidnapping prompted California lawmakers to change the state laws, allowing consecutive prison terms in similar abduction cases., But the story doesnt end there. I think my last name isStayner.". Realizing how the young boy would suffer at the hands of his captor, Stayner decided to return Timmy to his parents. Stevens parents, Kay and Delbert, were on a camping trip when they learned of the passing. 2023 E! It was then that Steven's nightmare began as Murphy brought him to Kenneth Parnell, a known pedophile. Timothy, back home with his family, adjusted well, and things returned to normal. When the police checked into his background they found a previous sodomy conviction from 1951. [24] In a 2007 interview, Stayner's sister said that her brother did not seek counseling because their father said Stayner "didn't need any". For the abduction, he enlisted the help of nave and simple-minded Ervin Edward Murphy by pretending to be an aspiring minister who needed a young boy to "raise him in a religious-type deal". "You'vegot this crazy story that happens, and then you've got kind of the 1980s version of that story that's presented to the world," Dimmock told E!. In an interview with Newsweek, Steven said, I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year old. "He got on with his life," his sister Cory Staynertold the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His health struggles detailed, Martina McClures story: Her injury and recovery, How did Simon Dunn die? Source: Vimbuzz.com Related Posts He barely knew his parents, and his parents scarcely knew the teenager whod returned home. "I don't think he should be executed because he's sick. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Cary saw the attention that his brother received after returning home and their relationship was never the same, according to TIME. The Abduction Of Steven Stayner. He died on April 1, 2010, at age 35 from pulmonary embolism. He waited until Parnell went to work, then took Timothys hand and ran. "He assumed that identity because he [had to], you know, what would any of us do with that choice, and he was just a young kid. We had hope, faith, and kept busy. But Stevens life back in the safety of his home was difficult. He had askedhis home health care worker if she could help him procure a 4-year-old boy, offering to pay $500 to have him delivered to his house in Berkeley. He also seemed angry at the driver who fatally crashed into him and ticked off by the light sentence given to Parnell, a free man at the time. "They said, 'If we can bring one child home, it will be worth it. Ramirez, Jessica. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. He was about 14 years old and had been kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell, who sexually abused him. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". Dimmock explained. All three episodes ofCaptive Audience: A Real American Horror Storyare streaming now on Hulu. "I wish I could have controlled myself and not done what I did. Jurors in August found him guilty of the murders. Born on April 18, 1965, Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Parents today are very protective of their children, and for good reason. However, police officers spotted both of them, and that's when Steven's real identity was revealed. Before watching 20/20's "Evil in Eden," get the backstory on these notorious brothers. According to our findings, little is known about Cory; nevertheless, Cary Stayner, popularly known as The Yosemite Killer, was condemned over 20 years ago for the 1999 killings of four people while serving as a motel handyman in California. 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 church. On February 14, 1980, in Ukiah, California, they were successful when Poorman found 5-year old Timothy White walking home from school. She reported him topolice and he got the maximum sentence due to California's three-strikes law. I was the oldest and all that. After he failed to find Timmy's parents, he decided to lead the young boy into the police station to get help, as he was not attempting an escape for himself. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter, Juli, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while they were staying at the motel where he worked as a handyman outside Yosemite National Park in February 1999. At 14 years old, Steven was reunited with this parents, and became a national hero overnight. In 2002, Kay testified during the penalty phase of her son Carys trial for a triple murder. So, if youre wondering where she might be today, heres what we know. In high school, Cary was known for being creative, but he couldn't escape Steven's story. Dnde ver Entfhrt: Der Fall Stayner? This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Then all of a sudden it's gone. He was 35 years old. Children. The title of the TV series and the book on Steven Stayner, 'I Know My First Name is Steven', was inspired by a line in his official police statement given after being rescued. But why doesn't my dad hug me anymore? She said back then, This is really so phenomenal, for a child to be gone seven years and to be found alive. Hewasn't wearing a helmet and he was pronounced dead of a skull fracture at a nearby hospital. According to The Berkeley Daily Planet, the then 11-year-old felt responsible for his brother's disappearance and felt forgotten by his parents, who were consumed by their son's kidnapping. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? He went on to add, Sometimes I blame myself. 195 in 2010) in Mendocino County, Calif., and hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. Barbara Mathias was never arrested. Steven Stayner (April 18, 1965 - Sept 16, 1989) was a kidnapping victim. We had hope, faith and kept busy. Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through his grandfather. By the time Steven was nine, Mathias and Parnell had raped him on at least nine separate occasions. For two weeks Steven watched Timothy suffer. FBI agent Jeff Rinek, one of the agents who arrested Cary and then spent 90 minutes in the car withhim driving to bureau headquarters in Sacramento, remembered to the San Francisco Chroniclein 2002 howthe suspect willingly talked about what happened to his brother. She said her father became obsessed with finding the youngster, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years. "The Abductions That Changed America", Article by Tim Bragg (staff writer) printed in the, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, List of child abuse cases featuring long-term detention, "Crash ends life scarred by childhood abduction", "Kidnapper arrested, accused of trying to buy a child", "Kidnap victim reunites with 'mystery woman', "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Stayner, serial killer Cary Stayner's brother, was abducted for 7 years - Crime Library on truTV.com", "17 Years Later, a Tv Miniseries Forces Steven Stayner to Relive the Horror of His Childhood", "Mormon News for WE 01Aug99: Stayner family's woeful history", "A Hit-and-Run Crash Ends the Life of Kidnap Victim Steven Stayner", "A Kidnapping Victim Rates The Film About His Ordeal", "OAKLAND / Child predator sentenced to 25 years to life / Steven Stayner's kidnapper tried to buy 4-year-old in Berkeley", "Sex offender Kenneth Parnell dies in Vacaville", "Ukiah Daily Journal: Timothy White, boy saved by Steven Stayner, dead at 35", "Timothy White, victim of 1980 kidnapping, dies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steven_Stayner&oldid=1141810053, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 22:53. He was not kept in captivity, and in the following years, was enrolled into a number of schools where Parnell identified himself as his father. Parnell had also moved from one menial job to another, some of his work requiring travel and leaving Stayner unguarded, causing an adult Stayner to remark he could have easily used these absences as opportunities to flee, but was unaware how to summon help. They stopped the car and Murphy got out. It wasn't, but when Cary didn't show up for work the next day, authorities put out an APB andthe FBI arrested him at a nudist colony in Wilton, Calif. (He was wearing shorts when agents found him sitting in the camp restaurant. Five hundred people attended his funeral, at which 14-year-old Timmy White was a pallbearer. The driver of the car fled the scene (and later surrendered himself in Tijuana, and was returned to California to be arraigned on felony hit-and-run manslaughter charges). The driver, Antonio Loera, drove off, leaving Stayner helpless on the rain-soaked highway. Steven told him she would probably want to, and the men offered him a ride home. [32] Screening rights were sold to a number of international television companies including the BBC, which screened the miniseries in mid-July of the following year; later still, it was released as a feature-length movie. When 14-year-oldSteven Staynerturned upat a police station, more than seven years after he was kidnapped while walking home from school, it felt like a miracle. Parnell was convicted first of kidnapping Timmy in June 1981, Steven tellingThe Evening Newshe was "glad" about the verdict and hadn't been worrying too much about the next trial, at which he'd be called to testify. Steven Gregory Stayner was an American kidnapping victim popularly known for being abducted in Merced, California by child molester Kenneth Parnell on December 4, 1972, at the age of 7 years. It wasn't until Parnell was charged with attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation in 2004, that he was sentenced to 25 to life. Ill cover Cary Stayner soon. Steven eventually married and had two children. Steven was held captive and sexually abused by his abductor 200 miles away in Mendocino County, California until he was 14. children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. See the events in life of Steven Stayner in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJq6NyCMd6c, http://swordandscale.com/steven-stayner-kidnapped-and-held-for-7-years/, https://alchetron.com/Steven-Stayner-818809-W. Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. When he couldn't figure out the location, he told White to head to the police station, with plans to return to Parnell's alone. Ive never been this angry. The attempt was a failure. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Miller toldPeople: He was kind of a reckless kid after he came back home he wrecked a couple of cars and I talked to him about being careful, because he could kill himself. Furthermore, Steven had saved a then 5-year-old Timothy White from the same fate, escaping from the cabin where they were kept. His relationship with his father remained strained. [6], Acting on instructions from Parnell, Murphy passed out gospel tracts to boys walking home from school that day[6][7] and, after spotting Stayner, claimed to be a church representative seeking donations. The docuseries focused heavily on the miniseries and featured appearances by both Corin Nemec and Todd Eric Andrews. Before starting his freshman year in high school, however, Steven was given a new name Dennis Parnell. He was described as a quiet kid, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends, going to the park, riding his skateboard, or even his bike. Its final this time,he said. This case just breaks my heart And the whole story about his big brother, too. [2] In 2002, Cary was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of four women. But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? The FBI acknowledged at the end of March that, while they were looking closely at a few men who (unlike Cary) had criminal records, no arrests or charges were "imminent.". In the 20/20 special, Cary, the older of the two, is described as being a loving brother who enjoyed spending time with Steven. And they searched. When he didnt return home from school that day his parents went to the police. Why Trust Us? In the era of Lifetime movies shotwhile a suspect is still on trial and amid the boom of star-studded series tackling true crime and corporate chicanery before the dust has settled, the nine years between Steven's homecoming and the seminal miniseries about his case feels like a century. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. [11], Parnell began calling the boy Dennis Gregory Parnell,[12] retaining Stayner's real middle name and his real birth date when enrolling him in various schools over the next several years. Theres so much hate right now.. This dog had been given to Parnell by his mother, who was not aware of Stayner's existence during the period when he was being held by Parnell. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. Judge Thomas Hastings has said that the evidence is becoming repetitive, and he has ordered Stayners defense to tighten up testimony so the case can go to the jury early next week. 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