At one point, Steven mentioned in an interview, Ive been talking to reporters for nine years. As Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, a Hulu docuseries that streams today, shows, the two boys bravely testified against Parnell at his trial. "He literally said, 'I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. He later said, I never stopped looking, every time I saw a crowd on TV or a picture of a lot of people in a magazine. "He paid a local kid to ride with him to the little town of Ukiah, California, puts this high school kid out on the street to go find him a boy, and he finds 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school," Flynn said. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Its a story of a happy ending turned rathertwisted. After several weeks, the bodies of all three women were discovered. Stayner, 24, was pronounced dead at Merced Community Medical Center shortly after the 5:30 p.m. accident outside a meat company on Santa Fe Avenue between Merced and Atwater, a coroners spokesman said. Then-7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking home from school on Highway 140 when Parnell and Murphy were driving towards town. sibling. According to the Los Angeles Times, the 14-year-old and 5-year-old boys hitchhiked their way to a police station 40 miles away and told officers what had happened. "There was a movie made about Steven Stayner. He was kidnapped. Steven Stayner was born in Merced. I yelled at him a lot. According to another report, Del was ordered to undergo therapy because he molested his daughters. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. He was kidnapped when he was a child but was eventually able to escape after seven years. Cos Ive not until about an hour ago and its definitely one for the books. Unfortunately, ABC News reports authorities were eventually forced to admit "there was just nothing there." . At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had endured and the two escaped. Authorities had already interviewed him once before about the other three murders, but at the time he hadnt raised any red flags. Parnell had lured the child through use of a deputy sheriff's badge he bought at an army-navy surplus store. While investigators were checking into Parnell's past, the 1951 sodomy conviction came to light, although at the time Stayner insisted that Parnell had not sexually abused him.[11]. On February 14, 1980, Parnell abducted five-year-old Timothy White from Ukiah with the help of Sean Poorman, a minor and an acquaintance of Stayner. In addition to assisting in the production of a miniseries based on his experience, Stayner became an advocate for preventing child abduction and helping victims of abuse. Steven disappeared while returning from school, Cary, Stevens older brother, confessed to murdering four women. 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? Purdy said Cary Stayner always wore a hat. Stayner and his wife were high school sweethearts, the article said. He was sentenced to death in 2002 and remains on death row. But he was pretty messed up and he never got any counseling. He loved his brother. Her head, which had been removed, was found several feet away in the water. Barbara Mathias, Parnell's girlfriend who lived with him and Stayner for some time, was never charged with any violation and cooperated with authorities in Parnell's trials. He reunited with his family and later attended college. "It was outrageous. Meanwhile, his captors had renamed Steven as Dennis Parnell and he was enrolled in schools as Parnells son during seven years of abduction and sexual abuse, as reported by the LA Times. Within days, he's on 'Good Morning America,'" Flynn said. Cary Anthony Stayner (born August 13, 1961) is an American serial killer and the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. However, he only served five years of his sentence. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". And so Steven made it home, Timmy was returned to his parents, and two families could breathe again. Leave a Comment / Death-Obituary / By Elon. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. But on Sept. 16, 1989, Stayner died in a motorcycle crash. Kidnapping On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, on his way home from school, Stayner was approached by a man named Ervin Edward Murphy, who had met convicted child rapist Kenneth Parnell while working at a resort in Yosemite National Park. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, according to research conducted by the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and ranked in the top nine leading causes of death for people between the ages of 10 and 64, as well as . He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. "Steven could have grown up normal happy and healthy and Cary still wouldve been a serial killer. Stayner and Parnell pretended to be a son and father (via the Lodi News-Sentinel). He was arrested again in 2004 for attempting to buy a child, and died in a state prison hospital in California in 2008.). Stayner had a traumatic childhood involving sexual abuse, the kidnap of his younger brother by a pedophile, and feelings of blame that he could not protect his brother, FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rinek wrote in his book, In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agents Relentless Pursuit of the Nations Worst Predators. Rinek wrote that even though the abuse likely poured fuel on a fire for Stayner to eventually commit murder, it was one that had already begun to smolder before he was sexually abused and before his brother was kidnapped. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. . Del was born in New Mexico in May 1933 and moved to Merced County, California, in 1951. He also joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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. [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. I never recognized either one of them.". "When Steven came home, Cary was kind of put on the back shelf. The story of steven stayner and timothy white Birth and family Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. Delbert Stayner Age At The Time Of His Death At the time of Delbert Stayner's death, he was 79 years old. 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. Steven returned to Merced to marry and start a family, becoming a champion for the cause of missing children until his untimely death at the age of 24 in 1989. If youre wondering what happened to him since then, heres what we know. Stevens high-school girlfriend, who knew him as Dennis, told ABC News he told her he wasnt going to let that child go through what I had already been through, adding if he didnt take care of it now, it will just get worse. Timothy White died of a pulmonary embolism in 2010 at the age of 35. Delbert Stayner passed away in 2013. imported from Wikimedia project. Steven Stayner (April 18, 1965 - Sept 16, 1989) was a kidnapping victim. in 2004. 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. Hulus Captive Audience tells the tragic story of two Stayner brothers: Steven, who was kidnapped by a pedophile as a child, and Cary, who later became a serial killer. 0 references. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. In 1981, he was convicted of kidnapping both boys and sentenced to seven years of state prison time. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. He said, 'I want you to get a hold of some producers in Los Angeles. His grades faltered, and he dropped out, per the Los Angeles Times. Surrounded by endless complainers? Hours after Steven Stayner reported Parnells crimes, he was arrested and convicted of kidnapping. Wellman said Parnell "was looking for one last hurrah. He also quarreled with his parents at home and drank consistently. Jan. 23, 2008. By age 19, Stayner had amassed $1,100 in unpaid traffic tickets, which led to his drivers license being suspended, according to the Los Angeles Times. Accident or not, someone lost their life. ", "The first year was kinda hectic," Steven said on GMA in 1983. Del died at his home in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. [10] Unfamiliar with the city, Stayner decided the best option was to seek out the local police, who originally considered him a delinquent, until an exhaustive search of missing child posters and a piecemeal interrogation confirmed he was a missing child as well. In 2004, 72-year-old Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life after an informant told police he expressed interest in buying a four-year-old boy for $500. Stayner grew up in Merced, California, near Yosemite National Park. On Sept. 16, 1989, Steven, then 24, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on his way home from work. 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. I told you this was a depressing one guys, hope I didn't ruin your day. When 14-year-old Steven Stayner turned up at a police station, more than seven years after he was kidnapped while walking home from . In 1972, at the age of 7, Stayner was kidnaped while walking home from school. Fortunately, Stevens miraculous return in 1980 led to a happy reunion. . ABC 20/20 is digging into the case on a new episode, which airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, July 2, 2021. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Stayner, the subject of an NBC miniseries in May, lived as the son of his abductor, Kenneth Parnell, a convicted child molester. Mr. White was 5 years old when he was kidnapped in 1980 by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted child molester. He's free. ET on ABC, Cary looked out for Steven, according to Cary Stayner's former classmate Jack Bungart. 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. In the years after Steven vanished, Del spent considerable time looking for anything that would lead him to his son. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. Find a Grave ", The Tragedy Of Steven Stayner's 1989 Death Explained. The Famous People reports Parnell then took the boy to a remote cabin near Catheys Valley, California. But tragedy struck in December 1972 when Steven disappeared while returning from school. They kicked him out of their house twice. "He was very proud of who he was," his wife, Jodi Stayner, said in 1999. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. When Steven Stayner returned home, all he really knew about himself was his first name he wasn't even sure how his last name was spelled. 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. This includes a 9-year kidnapping and a serial killing pic.twitter.com/WgWQCdDk7h, may queen (@syanarchy) February 19, 2020. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/eW5ce2QtEm Steven Gregory Stayner was an American kidnapping victim. 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. Stevens father, Delbert Stayner, struggled in the aftermath of his sons vanishing like everyone else in the family. What Was The Cause Of Death For Steven Stayner? By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. On March 1, 1980, Steven waited until Parnell was at work and then fled with Timothy. However, the jury decided otherwise. Cary was convicted in 1999 of the murders of four women and sentenced to death in 2002. Parnell was convicted of two counts of kidnaping and sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison in February, 1982, after an 18-day trial in Hayward. But they weren't religious leaders Kenneth E. Parnellwas a convicted pedophile. He literally said, I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. After serving in the Army, Del worked at several sawmills and then moved to be employed in the canning industry. As Steven got older and entered puberty, Parnell's sexual interest in Stayner waned and Parnell sought a new boy to "build his family". However, he only served three years in prison for that offense. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. #truecrime #PodernFamily #perspective #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/IItIDruGTI, It Could Always Be Worse (@alwaysbeworse) March 21, 2018, Steven Stayner was only 7 years old when he was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell and Ervin Murphy, according to ABC News. "He was just very well grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through.". Steven was beaten and plied with drugs and liquor while his captors constantly moved around California. Unfortunately, Parnell eventually convinced another teenage boy, named Randall Sean Poorman, to help him kidnap 5-year-old Timothy White. By the time Steven was 14, he had been abused and manipulated by Parnell for seven years. What was his cause of death? Losing perspective? Stayner, who was held captive by Parnell for seven years, died in a 1989 motorcycle crash. "I heard stories about him going out and wishing on a star, that his brother would come home.". On GMA in March 1980, Steven shared with former host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. "Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. Their new captive, Timmy White, was just 5 years old, and Stayner was heartbroken that White was always sad and crying. Unable to avoid the collision, Steven hit the driver's side of the vehicle. Stayner became known as a hero and inspired a television miniseries, I Know My First Name is Steven.. 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. 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. But things changed when the kidnapper brought in another child to live with them when Stayner was 14. Cary Stayner, shown in this March 2, 1980 photo, is hugged by his mother Kay Stayner outside the Stayner home in Merced County, Calif., on the day Stayner's brother Steven was reunited with his family after being kidnapped for 7 years. The kidnapping had a deep impact on Cary Stayner, his childhood friend, Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. On December 4, 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking home from school in Merced, California when he was abducted by two men who worked at . Refocus, and listen as we honor the memory of Steven Stayner, a boy kidnapped in his youth, only to tragically die shortly after escaping captivity. They no longer want you.. He grew up, got married and had two kids. But they. Although he was. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. Stayner would not reemerge until 1980, when he fled from Parnell to save another kidnapped boy, Timothy White. He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. ", "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. 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). Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. He was held by his abductor 38 miles away in Mariposa County, California, and later in Mendocino County, California, until he was aged 14, when he managed to escape with another of Parnell's victims, Timothy White. 2007. . "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. convicted of kidnapping both boys and sentenced to seven years of state prison time. Cary Stayner is now 57 years old. Stayner had been at Cedar Lodge for two years when Carole Sund, her teenage daughter Juli Sund and her friend Silvina Pelosso came to stay one night in February 1999. "I wa. ", Steven also struggled in high school where he was bullied for the tragic abuse he had endured. 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. The harrowing true account of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped by a perverted pseudo-priest and his lackey during the 1970s. Parnell died in 2008 at the age of 76 of natural causes in the state prison hospital at Vacaville, SF Gate reported. Timmy White, 5, sits on the lap of Steven Stayner, 14, during a news conference Photo credit: Getty Images - Getty Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 - September 16, 1989) was an American kidnapping victim. SPONSORED LINKS Reviews TV Preview Lists Movie Explainers TV Explainers Anime He had reportedly suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts but the cause of his death remains unclear. After her friends reported her missing, police found signs of a struggle at her cabin and half a mile away, they found her body. The Seattle Times reports missing-person fliers were actually sent to schools he attended but no one recognised Steven from the picture. Have something to tell us about this article? The fact that Stayners brother was kidnapped by a pedophile and abused for seven years adds an almost unfathomable dimension to the tragedy that enveloped this family. He was popular for being a Person. Stayner was buried at a family plot alongside his grandparents, at a funeral attended by 450 people. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. The cause was a pulmonary embolism, said his stepfather, Roger Gitlin. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. Many researchers suspect cancer may overtake heart disease as the leading cause of death in coming years. For seven years, as the two moved around Mendocino and Sonoma counties, Stayner was known as Dennis Parnell. 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. I returned almost a grown man and yet my parents saw me at first as their 7-year-old, he told Newsweek in 1984. I guess seven years changed him, too. 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. According to Diane Stevens' testimony, Parnell requested that the child have a "clean" rectum, indicating sexual intentions. And if I didnt take care of it now, it would just get worse,'" Duke said. Cary Stayner worked at Cedar Lodge for two years before he killed guests Carole and Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. Steven Gregory Stayner died in a motorcycle accident on September 16, 1989, in Merced, California, United States. Parnell, who was in hospice care, died of natural causes at 9:10 p.m. Monday, according to the department of corrections. 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. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. The docuseries kicks off with Stevens 1972 kidnapping, and follows his abuse at the hands of Yosemite Lodge worker Kenneth Parnell. 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. "Thats when I told him, 'You need to go to a doctor, Cary.'". If you havent got three hours to spare, heres everything you need to know about the horrific story of Steven Stayner. MERCED . I was surprised that the doc didn't talk much about the Stayner's family own history of abuse (the mitigation specialist talked about it a bit in the Cary episode) but apparently there was an uncle in the family who allegedly molested Cary and was later murdered (idk anything about it) and the Stayner family wouldn't allow Steven to get therapy after he came home to properly deal with his trauma. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. He wanted the world to take note. Cary Stayner is shown in a 1979 Merced High School yearbook photo. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. Maybe if he hadnt fled the scene then Steven could have gotten help sooner and might still be alive. But Cary Stayner also exhibited some behaviors that made others uncomfortable, including, as he later admitted, exposing himself to his sister's friend. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. In 1989, he tragically died in a motorcycle accident. Steven Stayner was killed in a motorcycle accident when he was 24 years old FBI/Wikipedia On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work when a car suddenly pulled out of a driveway onto the highway. 1 reference. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. From 2010 to 2014, the number of accident-related . Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of, Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. number of children. Stayner recently talked candidly with reporters of his life with Parnell, who alternately molested him and passed him off as his son. He later moved with his mother, his two half-sisters, and a half-brother to Bakersfield, California, where his mother operated a boarding lodge. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell eventually convinced Stayner that his parents relinquished their rights and that he was granted full legal custody. A cousin said that Stayner spied on her and his sisters and a neighbor girl, hiding under their beds and secretly videotaping them in the bathroom and bedroom. He loved his brother, his former calssmate, Jack Bungart, told the news outlet. READ MORE: Tales Of Demons And Gods Chapter 377: The Audience Awaited The New Chapter! 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. Parnell regularly raped him, and by sixth grade, Stayner was used to being beaten, smoking substances, and getting drunk. He was abducted as a child and later died young. View Entire Post He retired in 1995 from working at a canning factory in Atwater, California. He was not wearing a helmet because someone had stolen it from him two months prior (via the Los Angeles Times). Fourteen when he was found. He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. Currently, Cary, 60, is being held in San Quentin State Prison on death row. As he never had any rules, he rebelled when his parents forbade him from drinking alcohol and smoking. Steven and Timmy. 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 was held by his abductor until he was 14, when he escaped with another of Parnell's victims, Timothy White. (Stayners helmet had been stolen two months prior, and he hadnt replaced it.) Parnell forced Stayner to take on the name Dennis Parnell, and shuttled him from remote towns to isolated cabins all around Northern California, according to the Los Angeles Times. He returns to Merced triumphant. And there was just nothing there," said Pat Lunney, an investigator assigned to Steven Stayners case. Parnell worked at a nearby lodge, and on Dec. 4, 1972, he convinced co-worker Ervin Murphy to accompany him into Merced, per ABC News. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Wikipedia (7 entries) edit. Edward Murphy, Parnell's accomplice from the Stayner kidnapping, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and paroled after two years. Steven Stayner was the middle child of five siblings living with their parents in Merced, CA. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. It was also difficult for his parents to adjust to having a teenager after remembering their son as a 7-year-old boy. In March 1951, Parnell was arrested for raping a young boy and impersonating a police officer; he was sentenced to four years in prison. 2. Date Of Death: September 16, 1989 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: White Nationality: American Steven Stayner was born on the 18th of April, 1965. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. Both men were convicted. 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. 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. Surrounded by TV cameras, Steven Stayner, right foreground, and and his brother Delbert Stayner are shown walking toward their Merced County, Calif., home, March 2, 1980, as Steven was reunited with his family following a 7-year kidnap ordeal. He died at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville in 2008 at the age of 76. Steven Stayner's Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Apr 18, 1965 Death Date September 16, 1989 Age of Death 24 years Cause of Death Traffic Collision The Steven Stayner died at the age of 24. Hulus Captive Audience delves into a story that is fascinating and horrifying in equal parts. Steven Stayners parents were left with many questions when their 7-year-old son vanished into thin air in 1972. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson.

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