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. While they were lovingly raised among almond groves and peach orchards by Delbert and Kay Stayner, their lives in the farming town of Merced were unfortunately in dangerous proximity of a monster. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. After Steven made the miraculous escape and returned home to his parents in Merced, California, he was the center of media attention. As Steven reached puberty, Purnell preference for younger boys drove him to abduct 5-year-old Timothy. Steven Gregory Stayner was an American kidnapping victim whose incident occurred on December 4, 1972. But at the same time, they dealt with a lot of disagreements. The Famous People reports Stayner had a difficult time adjusting to returning to his parents' home. 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. Steven Stayner was the middle child of five siblings living with their parents in Merced, CA. This includes a 9-year kidnapping and a serial killing pic.twitter.com/WgWQCdDk7h, may queen (@syanarchy) February 19, 2020. While working at the Yosemite Lodge, Kenneth Parnell befriended his coworker Ervin Murphy. The plaques inscription will serve as a wake-up call for all of us to be ever vigilant in protecting our young people from child abduction. That evening, Steven was supposed to have dinner with his wife at their favorite restaurant, but it never happened. The rest is spine-chilling history, made famous by exhaustive mediacoverage, books and a film in 1989, I know my name is Steven, based on the book of the samename. She named the sculptural design, Coming Home and it was unanimously approved by the committee. Over the years, Parnell had numerous jobs and he and Stayner moved often. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. Both boys had been victims of kidnapping. Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021. [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. He fell in love. Steven Stayners incredible story features in the captivating Hulu crime dramaCaptive Audience. Both Kay and her husband confessed that they were not the best parents even when Steven returned feelings were still never discussed. In addition to her fathers unwanted advances, one of Stayners sisters said that Cary started peeping on her and inappropriately touching her when she was ten. However, he was not charged for sexual assault as the prosecutors believed they were 'protecting' Stayner from the social stigma of male sexual abuse. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) He didnt whine about lousy breaks. Then in 1980, as Stayner matured, Parnell kidnapped a younger boy, 5-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White. Jody expressed her frustration with the hit-and-run, saying, Im very, very, very angry. 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 friend Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong, a 26-year-old Yosemite naturalist, according to History. Thankfully, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Jody Edmondson. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? Born In: Merced, California, United States, Spouse/Ex-: Jody Edmondson (m. 19851989). [9] Weeks afterward, Stayner escaped Parnell's house with White; he later said he did not want the boy to suffer the abuse that he had endured. It was at this point that Stayner decided to escape with White and return the young child to his parents. However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. Surrounded by endless complainers? During this time, he was working at Pizza Hut and later joined 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'. Steven Stayner's parents were left with many questions when their 7-year-old son vanished into thin air in 1972. At his funeral on September 20, a 14-year-old Timmy White was one of the pallbearers. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. 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. Timothy White became a Los Angeles Sheriffs deputy, and in 2010 died of a pulmonary embolism, also leaving behind a wife and two young children. At the time, Steven was 20 years old, and Jody was 17. In addition to participating in the abuse of Stayner, she attempted to help Parnell kidnap a boy who was a member of the Santa Rosa Boys' Club. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for molesting an 8-year-old boy in Bakersfield, California in 1952 when he kidnapped Stayner, SF Gate reported in 2008. Sadness engulfed the community as people mourned a life blighted with tragedy. [2] In 2002, Cary was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of four women. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell convinced Murphy that he was an "aspiring minister" who needed to find a young boy, who he planned to "raise in a religious-type deal.". Ive never been this angry. Thats unlikely to improve anyones mental health, Opinion: Why my Taiwanese American identity has become more complicated, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Man found guilty of murdering teens who ding-dong-ditched his house. As reported by ABC News, Lori Duke, who went to school with Stayner, but knew him as Dennis Parnell, said, "He had a great personality. Parnell was convicted on February 9, 2004, on the charges of attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation, even though no child had been targeted. [8], More than a decade after the sodomy case, Parnell was convicted of armed robbery in Utah. Unable to avoid the collision, Steven hit the drivers side of the vehicle. Today, Ashley is a mom to a young daughter. However, they ran out of time. 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 died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. She appears content to be beside her family and friends. Regardless, he went on to start a family, and while he probably wanted nothing more than to live a quiet life with his kids outside the spotlight, the Stayner family story was far from over. "He didn't complain. He was spunky. But things began to change when he met Jody Edmondson. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. He barely knew his parents, and his parents scarcely knew the teenager whod returned home. Murphy, who was instructed to distribute gospel tracts to school boys, approached Steven Stayner, claiming to be a church representative and asked him if his mother would be willing to donate anything to the church. However, he always enrolled the boy in school and often allowed Stayner freedoms that a kidnapper would not traditionally grant a captor. When she took the witness stand Thursday and was asked if she knew Yosemite killer Cary Stayner, his sister began to cry. He is now 59 and on death row in San Quentin State Prison, according to his prison records. According to The Famous People, Parnell also enrolled Stayner in school. In a 2000 interview about his 1951 crime, Parnell said he kidnapped and molested the boy because his wife Patsy Dorton (died 2018) was pregnant and that he "had to find another outlet. As he never had any rules, he rebelled when his parents forbade him from drinking alcohol and smoking. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Steven Stayner Death: How Carys Stayners Brother Died, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Bill Balestra said of Stayner, who was . Steven in order to hopefully save other children from the same tragic fate. The family sent out fliers, Sartell said, and headed off on distant road trips to talk to people who might have any information about the missing child. Not only was it a miracle, but during his escape, he had also rescued another 5-year-old boy who had been kidnapped. He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. Steven with his wife and two children in 1988. At the time, Stayner had been missing for more than seven years. He worked as a sheriff's deputy for five years until his life was cut tragically short in April of 2010 when White died of a pulmonary embolism at age 35, according to the New York Times. He worked with child abduction groups and talked about childrens safety. Moreover, according to his testimony in 2002, when Steven went missing, he became fixated with finding him and neglected his four other children in the process, particularly Cary. a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell eventually convinced Stayner that his parents relinquished their rights and that he was granted full legal custody. Stayner had been driving his new Kawaksaki motorcycle when the driver pulled out in front of him on a rain-soaked highway. He was just a great kid with a good heart.. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. On March 1, 1980, two weeks after Timothy White was abducted, as Parnell went on duty at his night security job, Steven Stayner left the house with Timmy and hitchhiked a ride to Ukiah. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. One last Steven Stayner, one last Timmy White. On February 14, 1980, Parnell employed Randall Sean Poorman, a teenage friend of Stayner, to abduct a five-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White in Ukiah, California. He had been abducted in plain sight. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The kidnapping had a deep impact on Cary Stayner, his childhood friend, Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. But this time hes the one who is staying strong for Kay., Delbert mourned the tragedy but expressed relief in the certainty of death. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. Jody said (perThe Spokesman-Review): Im very, very, very angry. Parnell had been with a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of one and half years, during which they reportedly forced Stayner into sexual activities at least nine times. According to Diane Stevens' testimony, Parnell requested that the child have a "clean" rectum, indicating sexual intentions. 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. Being a mother, we assume Kay continues to miss her sons, but likes to keep it private, as made clear on her Facebook account. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. Much of the testimony that the defense has tried to introduce, such as the molestation of one of Stayners sisters by their father, has been barred because of objections by the prosecution. The racers relationship with Sarah Lavin, Where is Katherine Russell today? But before we get into that, lets get to know Stevens two kids: Ashley and Steven Stayner Jr., who are both featured in the documentary. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. Here's what Ashley and Steven Jr. Stayner, who appear in 'Captive Audience,' are up to now. He didn't whine about lousy breaks. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. The brother of convicted murderer Cary Stayner was kidnapped as a young child and was missing for seven years. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. Edward Murphy, Parnell's accomplice from the Stayner kidnapping, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and paroled after two years. Despite the severe trauma that he dealt with when he lived with his kidnapper, Steven made a life for himself, marrying and having children. While both of them are fairly well-known, its for entirely different reasons. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. A Fictionalized Telling of 'The Staircase' Is Coming to HBO Max With More Than One Big Name Attached, The Sound of Pam Hupp Slurping a Soft Drink Is Actually in the Score of 'The Thing About Pam'. Stayner and Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. Years after Timmy White was rescued by fellow kidnapping survivor Steven Stayner, he became a sheriff's deputy. 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. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. In the time leading up to Stevens sudden death in 1989, the couple had been estranged but were working towards making things better. 7-year old Steven Stayner is kidnapped a few days before Christmas by Kenneth Parnell. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. Steven was quite protective of Ashley and Steven Jr, given what happened to him. I heard stories about him going out and wishing on a star, that his brother would come home.. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! When 14-year-old Steven Stayner turned up at a police station, . For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. It was a sad end to a tragic life,Allen Maxfield, CHP traffic safety officer, said. The bronze statue depicts young Timmy looking up at a teenage Steven. He had joined the Mormon Church. All Rights Reserved. He sure led a rough life, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Kenneth Eugene Parnell (September 26, 1931 - January 21, 2008) was an American convicted sex offender, child rapist, and kidnapper infamously known for perpetrating the abductions of 7-year-old Steven Stayner and 5-year-old Timothy White in Merced, California. As the older brother, Stayner felt a natural if undeserved sense of responsibility for not protecting Steven from harm. Stayner went on to marry his wife, Jodi Stayner, and have two children. He was just very well-grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through. In the years after Stevens death, it was mentioned on the show that Jody remarried. Steven Stayner with his parents In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. Stevens parents, Kay and Delbert, were on a camping trip when they learned of the passing. But Kay knew that child molestation, something she went through, was out of the question. Adjusting to post-abduction life was no easy task for Steven. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. In late 1989, Steven was riding his new Kawasaki motorcycle home from his job as a pizza delivery man when a car pulled out of the driveway just ahead of him. Hulus Captive Audience sheds a light on the Stayner family and how the media can influence the publics perception of a case. He also became a sheriffs deputy in Newhall in Los Angeles County in 2005, Mercury News reported in 2010. Steven, wearing no helmet and riding with an invalid license, suffered severe head injuries. 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. Five year old Timothy Lee White gets a piggy back ride from 14 year-old Steven Stayner into a press conference March 2, 1980, in Ukiah, Calif. They had very few memories of their father and learned about his life the way most people did: through the media. Following his rescue, White went on to bravely testify at his kidnappers trial when he was just 6 years old, the New York Times reported in 2010. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. One relative described child sexual abuse as like a family sickness because it had been going on for so many generations. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. 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. She previously attended a military university and served in the U.S. Air Force from 2007 to 2011. Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, was accused of sexually abusing his daughters, and Rinek wrote sexual abuse went back at least five generations in the family. Russells monitored life in New Jersey. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. American Men Aries Men Died on: September 17, 1989 Cause of Death: Accident U.S. State: California Childhood & Early Life Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Realizing how the young boy would suffer at the hands of his captor, Stayner decided to return Timmy to his parents. Steven Stayner died in 1989. Stayner looked forward to raising his children, Ashley and Steven Jr, with Jody. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. However, the young boy could not take advantage of those opportunities as he was reportedly unaware how to summon help. Then in 1980, as Stayner matured, Parnell kidnapped a younger boy, 5-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White, Following his rescue, White went on to bravely testify at his kidnappers trial when he was just 6 years old, the, White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. Around the time Steven disappeared, they lived in an area with lots of children. For the families of missing children, a new statue unveiled in Merceds Applegate Park today,now stands as a beacon of hope, a reminder of survival and heroism in the face of a childs worstnightmare. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. And while Captive Audience focuses mostly on the Stayner family and how Stevens brother Cary grew up to be a serial killer, Whites life and story was changed forever by his ordeal. Stayner waited until Parnell had gone to his night shift job as a clerk at a local motel on March 1, 1980 and, carrying White on his back, hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. Cos Ive not until about an hour ago and its definitely one for the books. 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. Their case inspired the much-watched 1989 TV movie I Know My First Name Is Steven. Stayner died in a motorcycle crash the same year the movie was released. He also became a sheriff's deputy in Newhall in Los Angeles County in 2005, Mercury News reported in 2010. 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. An archive article published September 18, 1989, two days after Stayners death, in The Spokesman-Review, said a driver hit Stayner on a highway and left him on the ground with severe head injuries.
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