#onthisday pic.twitter.com/eW5ce2QtEm Fourteen when he was found. And there was just nothing there," said Pat Lunney, an investigator assigned to Steven Stayners case. His parents had different expectations. Tragically, Stayner was killed in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in September 1989 while returning from a Pizza Hut shift. The Stayner family, made up of the two brothers, their three sisters and parents Kay and Delbert, lived in the secluded farming town of Merced, California, surrounded by almond groves and peach orchards, in the shadow of Yosemite National Park. They no longer want you,'" investigative journalist Pat LaLama said. Raised in the peaceful suburbs of Merced, California, the 7-year-old was shuffling home from . "There was a movie made about Steven Stayner. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. Accidental deaths are also on the rise. I never recognized either one of them.". On April 18th, 1965, he was welcomed into the world by his parents, Delbert Stayner and Kay Stayner, in Merced, California, in the United States of America. FBI agents caught up with Stayner at a nudist colony, where he had fled to after Armstrongs murder. Shulze, of Oak Park, California, earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the 2020 and 2021 cross country seasons, as well as 2021 for track. He was remembered at a service at his church, the Merced Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where his pastor and family members gathered to pay their respects. But they weren't religious leaders Kenneth E. Parnellwas a convicted pedophile. Losing perspective? The harrowing true account of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped by a perverted pseudo-priest and his lackey during the 1970s. Carole Sund, her daughter Juli Sund and friend Silvina Pelosso were missing for a month before their bodies were found. Stayners captor, Kenneth Parnell, convinced co-worker Ervin Murphy to lure seven-year-old Steven into their van on 4 December 1972, telling the boy: Your parents, I just spoke to them. But, at the age of 24, Steven Stayner, by then a husband and father of two, was killed in a motorcycle crash. At time of Cary Stayner's trial, stories regularly noted the high-profile abduction . "For seven years I have been supposedly an only child. I always looked very closely in hopes of spotting Steven. On the show, Kay mentioned that Del would often drive around looking for freshly dug ground because he thought Steven was dead. 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. The driver of the car, an employee of the nearby tomato-packing company, fled the scene and was later found in Tijuana. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. According to the psychiatrists report, Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, was ordered into therapy for molesting his own daughters. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 - September 16, 1989) was an American kidnapping victim. But on Sept. 16, 1989, Stayner died in a motorcycle crash. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. But tragedy would strike Stayner one last time. Everything has changed. In 1972, seven-year-old Steven Stayner was kidnapped by a pedophile named Kenneth Parnell in Merced, California and held captive for the next seven years. [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. In 2005, Timothy landed a job as a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, according to the New York Times. Mr. White was 5 years old when he was kidnapped in 1980 by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted child molester. Hulus latest documentary, Captive Audience, revisits the tragic story of Steven Stayner in 1972 what happened to the young boy and where is the perpetrator now? Their new captive, Timmy White, was just 5 years old, and Stayner was heartbroken that White was always sad and crying. Authorities had already interviewed him once before about the other three murders, but at the time he hadnt raised any red flags. . His high school girlfriend said he later told her what happened. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. Parnell posed as Stayner's legal guardian and moved him around the state of California for the next eight years. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) The boy agreed and gave the man his address. But in 1980, the Stayners prayers were answered when Steven returned home after a seven-year disappearance. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. Against the odds, he flourished there. Its a good substitute.. But things changed when the kidnapper brought in another child to live with them when Stayner was 14. But for the Stayners, this seemingly closed hellish chapter of their lives turned out to be . Steven and Timmy. While working at the Yosemite Lodge, Kenneth Parnell befriended his coworker Ervin Murphy. Sometimes I blame myself. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. dewiki Steven Stayner; The cause was a pulmonary embolism, said his stepfather, Roger Gitlin. According to a psychiatrist who would later evaluate Stayner for his defense team, the Stayner family tree was riven with mental illness and sexual abuse going back five generations. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. Stayner and his wife were high school sweethearts, the article said. 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 miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. 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. ABC News reports it was a "sleety, wintery day," and Stayner willingly followed Murphy into Parnell's car, as he expected the man to take him home. Kenneth Eugene Parnell was born in Amarillo, Texas[1][2] to Cecil Frederick and Mary Olive (ne Pollard) Parnell, during the region's dust bowl era during the Great Depression. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. Parnell began sexually abusing Stayner almost immediately. On Sept. 16, 1989, Steven, then 24, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on his way home from work. To me thats guilt plain and simple. Stayner was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the article said. They had a daughter, Ashley, who was 3 at the time of her fathers death, and a son, Steven Jr., who was 2. have yall heard of Steven and Cary Stayner? And if I didnt take care of it now, it would just get worse, Lori Duke, Stayners high school girlfriend, told ABC News. Steven Stayner captured the heart of a nation when he helped another child escape from a pedophile, after enduring years of abuse and not wanting to see the child experience the same fate. In a 2000 interview about his 1951 crime, Parnell said he kidnapped and molested the boy because his wife was pregnant and that he "had to find another outlet. Am I wrong? [8], More than a decade after the sodomy case, Parnell was convicted of armed robbery in Utah. At the time, Parnell was convicted for kidnapping and false imprisonment. . Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. Parnell was registered as a sex offender when he lured 7-year-old Stayners into his car as the boy walked home from his elementary school in Merced, California. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. As he was not wearing a helmet, he suffered massive head trauma, which led to his death less than one hour after the accident occurred. Tragically, the Stayner family would be in for another shock a decade later. The incident was declared a hit-and-run after the car sped away, leaving Stayner on the highway with severe injuries (via The Spokesman-Review). For seven years, as the two moved around Mendocino and Sonoma counties, Stayner was known as Dennis Parnell. Stayner left a substantial amount of evidence in and around Armstrongs cottage, but police initially started searching for him because his vehicle had been seen near her place and they thought he would be a "natural witness to interview," Rinek said. He sexually abused Stayner repeatedly until Stayner fled in 1980 when he was 14. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. 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. The man's name was Ervin Murphy. Wellman said Parnell "was looking for one last hurrah. Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of Steven Stayner, but he was an active child sex predator long before that 1972 abduction. According to the Los Angeles Times, by 1989 Staynerwas married with two small children and was working at Pizza Hut. He was convicted of kidnapping 7-year-old Steven Stayner in 1972 and keeping him . "He was kind of a quiet guy. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. However, none of them panned out. He loved his brother. Stayner died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24. Stayner and Parnell moved often, finally settling nearUkiah, California, where Steven Stayner became Dennis Parnell, according to The New York Times. Steven Stayner, who as a child was kidnaped from his Merced home and held captive until he escaped seven years later, died Saturday in a motorcycle accident, a coroners spokesman said. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. He had reportedly suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts but the cause of his death remains unclear. Why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? Release Date! Powered by. You know what I mean? Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Steven Stayner, Who Escaped 7-Year Captivity, Dead In Crash September 17, 1989 MERCED, Calif. (AP) _ Steven Stayner, kidnapped at the age of 7 and forced to live as the sexually abused foster son of his abductor until he escaped seven years later, has been killed in a hit-and-run traffic accident. The driver was later caught (per LA Times). 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. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. If youre wondering what happened to him since then, heres what we know. "He literally said, 'I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. 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. Hulus latest three-part documentary recalls the devastating kidnapping of Steven Stayner, a seven-year-old boy living in Merced, California. Overnight, Steven Stayner became a national hero, especially as Kenneth Parnell was arrested the very next day March 2, 1980. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. (Stayners helmet had been stolen two months prior, and he hadnt replaced it.) Their return launched Stayner into the spotlight, and he later became the focus of a 1989 television movie titled, I Know My First Name Is Steven. Parnell was registered as a sex offender when he lured 7-year-old Stayners into his car as the boy walked home from his elementary school in Merced, California. The docuseries kicks off with Stevens 1972 kidnapping, and follows his abuse at the hands of Yosemite Lodge worker Kenneth Parnell. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was driving home from work on a California highway after work one rainy evening and got into a deadly collision with a car that turned in front of him. One last Steven Stayner, one last Timmy White. According to Diane Stevens' testimony, Parnell requested that the child have a "clean" rectum, indicating sexual intentions. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. He literally said, I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Steven was walking home from school in Merced, a city in California, when a man handing out religious pamphlets approached him. What was his cause of death? The Stayners suggested that one park could be called Stayner Park, in memory of Steven. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. [3] Parnell was raised mostly without his father, who abandoned the family when Parnell was six. Tragically, Steven Stayner was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident at age 24. The two hitchhiked to Ukiah, California. He later moved with his mother, his two half-sisters, and a half-brother to Bakersfield, California, where his mother operated a boarding lodge. I told you this was a depressing one guys, hope I didn't ruin your day. Three weeks before Christmas 1972, the course of Steven Stayner's life would change forever. I yelled at him a lot. According to another report, Del was ordered to undergo therapy because he molested his daughters. 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. . "Cary was very upset," childhood friend Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. Telling police, "I know my first name is Steven" became the most iconic moment in Stevens remarkable story later becoming the title of the book and a television movie. "Parnell wanted another kid that he could sexually assault.". Stayner once told press that he vigilantly watched his kids, and they werent even allowed out on the porch unless they were in sight of him or their mom. Would love your thoughts, please comment. And it wasn't that he was just a loner, he was a bit of a creepy loner," Flynn said. Here is all you want to know, and more! My dad said he didnt need any. The press also hounded him constantly, and during Parnells trial he was bullied at school over questions of his sexuality. Stayner's account of his time with Parnell formed the basis of a 1991 book by Mike Echols. They kicked him out of their house twice. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was driving home from work on a California highway after work one rainy evening and got into a deadly collision with a car that turned in front of him. He'd been convicted in 1951 for molesting a 9-year-old boy in. Stayner's wife, Jodi, who The Spokesman-Review reported married Steven when she was 16, said he was her first love and the couple met in high school. Did Delbert Stayner Molest His Daughters? However, the jury decided otherwise. He was in the background always.". molesting an 8-year-old boy in Bakersfield, California in 1952 when he kidnapped Stayner. Had no interest in girls, had no interest in people. Steven eventually married and had two children. According to SFGate, his friends and coworkers described him as being impulsive and prone to seemingly abrupt and violent fits of rage. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. And they searched. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Convicted sex offender Kenneth Parnell, known for the 1972 kidnapping and seven-year-long confinement of Steven Stayner, died Monday in the state prison hospital at Vacaville . It is California's oldest correctional institution and has the largest death row in the . "I went to ask if Cary wanted to talk. Captive Audience tells Steven Stayner's story after he was kidnapped and abused for seven years. Privacy Policy. I was disappointed however on some of the inconsistencies, misspellings, and grammatical errors. You have the other brother who's left at home. 2007. . As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. ? American sex offender, child rapist and kidnapper (19312008), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Youth Abducted Seven Years Ago Goes Home Again", "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Sex Offender Kenneth Parnell Dies in Vacaville", "Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism", "Kenneth Parnell, kidnapper of Steven Stayner, dies at 76", "Kenneth Eugene Parnell, A Notorious Child Molester Dies In Prison", abducted man posing pastor launched-daring-escape, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenneth_Parnell&oldid=1133639900, American people convicted of child sexual abuse, American people who died in prison custody, Prisoners who died in California detention, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from May 2022, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 20:40. He had previously been held hostage by his kidnapper in Mendocino County, California, and Mariposa County, California, both 38 miles (61 kilometers) away. Cary was 11. Hulus Captive Audience delves into a story that is fascinating and horrifying in equal parts. But they. Jan. 23, 2008. That night, he talked his way into their room under the guise of fixing a leak, and then sexually assaulted both girls and brutally murdered all three. Del died at his home in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. Del died at his home in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. Hours after Steven Stayner reported Parnells crimes, he was arrested and convicted of kidnapping. According to People Magazine, on September 16, 1989, Steven was heading home on his motorcycle from his job delivering pizza when a "car pulled out of the driveway of a migrant-labor camp along the highway." Steven was only 24 but was married with two children: Ashley (3) and Steven Jr. (2). As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. Steven Stayner was kidnapped when Cary Stayner was 11, Rinek wrote. Parnell remained incarcerated until his death in 2008 at the California Medical Facility, where he died of natural causes. The devastation of losing their son twice within 10 years was excruciating for Steven Stayner's parents. Cary Stayner was convicted in the 1999 murders of 42-year-old Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, their 16-year-old family. Watch "20/20's" full story, "The Black Sheep," TONIGHT at 9 p.m.