[16] [17] According to prison officials, Parnell died of natural causes. What Happened To Kenneth Parnell? Steven Stayner Kidnapper Facts At his funeral, Timmy White was a pallbearer (via Press Democrat). For two weeks, Steven watched Timothy suffer the separation from his family. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. He briefly attended counseling but instead considered talking to reporters as his form of therapy. 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. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. 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. What happened to kidnap victim Steven Stayner? - Mamamia But tragedy would strike Stayner one last time. Steven Stayner testifies about his abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and his seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo. View Entire Post Woman recalls moment family learned they were target of 1999 Yosemite A family was torn apart. And they searched. Marshal from the Fresno County Jail in Fresno, Calif., Aug. 6, 1999 on his way to an arraignment in federal court. "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. Ten years after Stayner's death, the city of Merced . I Know My First Name Is Steven: With Cindy Pickett, John Ashton, Corin Nemec, Luke Edwards. But on Sept. 16, 1989, Stayner died in a motorcycle crash. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. Overnight, Steven Stayner became a national hero, especially as Kenneth Parnell was arrested the very next day March 2, 1980. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. He sexually abused Stayner repeatedly until Stayner fled in 1980 when he was 14. According to SFGate, his friends and coworkers described him as being impulsive and prone to seemingly abrupt and violent fits of rage. Fortunately, Stevens miraculous return in 1980 led to a happy reunion. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He sexually abused Stayner repeatedly until Stayner fled in 1980 when he was 14. Against the odds, he flourished there. ABC 20/20 is digging into the case on a new episode, which airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, July 2, 2021. There was a "pall over" Cary, because he was "the kid who had his brother kidnapped," said Bungart. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. While Parnell was working as a night security guard, the children hitch-hiked to Ukiah, California, Timothys home town. Cary Stayner worked at Cedar Lodge for two years before he killed guests Carole and Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. But he was pretty messed up and he never got any counseling. Steven Stayner Death - Obituary: On April 23th,2022 celebrityexit learned about the death of Steven Stayner through a Social Media post. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. In a motorcycle accident that occurred on September 16, 1989, in Merced, California, the United States of America, Steven Gregory Stayner was killed. He was convicted of the murders of four women between February and July 1999: Carole Sund, her teenage daughter Juli Sund and their teenage traveling companion Silvina Pelosso; and Yosemite Institute naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong. His grades faltered, and he dropped out, per the Los Angeles Times. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell.He was held by his abductor 38 miles (61 km) away in Mariposa County, California, and later in Mendocino County, California, until he was aged 14, when he managed to escape with . Timothy White died of a pulmonary embolism in 2010 at the age of 35. Where Is Kenneth Parnell, Who Kidnapped Steven Stayner, Now? | True He sustained fatal head injuries after his motorcycle struck a car that suddenly pulled out in front of him as he drove home from his. Stayner went on to marry his wife, Jodi Stayner, and have two children. Now I had to compete with a brother and three sisters. Unfortunately, ABC News reports authorities were eventually forced to admit "there was just nothing there." Cary was 11. Star Original Captive Audience - A Real American Horror Story aired on Hulu with all 3 episodes available immediately on the release date of April 21, 2022.[18]. Wikipedia (7 entries) edit. The Tragedy Of Steven Stayner's 1989 Death Explained - Grunge 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. Witnesses later recognized the alleged driver of the automobile. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. Delbert Stayner Age At The Time Of His Death At the time of Delbert Stayner's death, he was 79 years old. He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Captive Audience: Where Is Steven's Brother Cary Stayner Now? - Peoplemag Two kidnapped boys, a hero's return, then a tragic twist: The 0 references. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. What was his cause of death? Parnell died in 2008 at the age of 76 of natural causes in the state prison hospital at Vacaville, SF Gate reported. Steven Stayner was kidnapped when Cary Stayner was 11, Rinek wrote. Parnell posed as Stayner's legal guardian and moved him around the state of California for the next eight years. Steven Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 and died on September 16, 1989. Flynn said Satyner had "a couple of nervous breakdowns," one of which was "fairly violent." 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. In 1985, Stayner married Jody Edmondson in Atwater, where the two were living with their two children at the time of his death. Her head, which had been removed, was found several feet away in the water. Steven Stayner's Kidnapping, Cary Stayner's Horrific Crimes - Yahoo! ***WARNING: Captive Audience spoilers ahead***. Steven Stayner (American Kidnap Victim) ~ Bio Wiki | Photos | Videos How Did Steven Stayner's Dad Del Stayner Die? - The Cinemaholic "He literally said, 'I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. On GMA in March 1980, Steven shared with former host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. Del died at his home in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. 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. Steven was never able to open up about the sexual abuse he suffered and get help. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. He was kidnapped when he was a child but was eventually able to escape after seven years. Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. By Mike Moran of the Confessional Podcast : 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. "His idea of serenity was to maybe smoke a little pot and to sunbathe naked.". "Steven was a national hero. According to Crime Investigation, the boys hitchhiked more than 40 miles to reach Ukiah, California, where White was abducted from. Steven Stayner, 24, Kidnaped as Boy, Dies in Motorcycle Crash Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. 2. Two men pulled up next to Stayner in a car one day, claiming to be ministers collecting money for their church. However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. The contrast between the two brothers is "surreal," Flynn said. 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. But Stayner had issues with readjusting to family life, with a tumultuous teenagehood. [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. Shortly after Stevens death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. Stayner recently talked candidly with reporters of his life with Parnell, who alternately molested him and passed him off as his son. Then, Del served in the US Army for four years until 1957 as a Staff Sergeant. Director Jessica Dimmock also brought in Corin Nemec and Todd Andrews, who portrayed Stayner and his brother Cary respectively in TV mini-series I Know My First Name Is Steven, to read interview transcripts. "He was spunky. This poor family! Not only was Steven able to explain to police what happened to him and Timothy, he was also able to tell them his real name was Steven, not Dennis. He was 79 years old, and from what we can tell, the cause of death has not been made public. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. 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 . Hang out with friends or skateboard," Purdy told ABC News. However, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death. He was kidnapped. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". Stayner was lured into the vehicle and abducted. "Still trying to get a real investigation for the death of my son Aaron Carter," she wrote. Steven Stayner's grave./Steven Stayner. In 2003, he was once again arrested in connection with a kidnapping, when an elderly and sickly Parnell tried to get his caretaker to buy a 4-year-old boy for him in Berkeley, California, the. Read More: Where is Kay Stayner Now? Parnell posed as Stayner's legal guardian and moved him around the state of California for the next eight years. 12 Leading Causes of Death in the United States - Healthline As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. 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 also quarreled with his parents at home and drank consistently. When he returned, Stayner was constantly in the public eye, and he struggled with returning to his normal life after being kept captive for seven years. Everything has changed. In the time after Stevens disappearance, Del dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts. Steven eventually married and had two children. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. But things changed when the kidnapper brought in another child to live with them when Stayner was 14. He sustained fatal head injuries while on his way home from work when his motorcycle collided with a car in a hit-and-run accident. 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. Steven Stayner net worth at the time of death - Vim Buzz 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. Celebrity Exit - Steven Stayner Death - Obituary: On April | Facebook Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work the night before the Emmys when he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Stayner would not reemerge until 1980, when he fled from Parnell to save another kidnapped boy, Timothy White. Accidental deaths are also on the rise. By this point, Cary Stayner was suffering. When Parnell kidnapped 5-year-old Timothy White that year, Stayner fled on foot along with the kindergartner and then hitchhiked to safety, a journey that thrust the two kidnapping survivors into the national spotlight. The boy agreed and gave the man his address. He died behind bars in 2008 from natural causes. The men kidnapped Stayner, and he endured sexual and physical abuse for the next seven years at the hands of Parnell. In February 1980, Parnell kidnapped his next victim, five-year-old Timothy White. He was held by his abductor until he was 14, when he escaped with another of Parnell's victims, Timothy White. 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. Steven Stayner (Steven Gregory Stayner) was born on 18 April, 1965 in Merced, CA, is an American child kidnapping victim. However, he only served five years of his sentence. Is Mayra Rosales Still Alive? You know, hung out with him, played with him., Martin Purdy, a friend of the brothers, remembered Cary as a "nice guy.". If you havent got three hours to spare, heres everything you need to know about the horrific story of Steven Stayner. Within days, he's on 'Good Morning America,'" Flynn said. Cary was convicted in 1999 of the murders of four women and sentenced to death in 2002. He was popular for being a Person. According to the Los Angeles Times, she said after his death, "But he's not hurting anymore. When he returned, he told the boy that he called his parents and they said they did not want him anymore. The Famous People reports Parnell then took the boy to a remote cabin near Catheys Valley, California. 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. Leave a Comment / Death-Obituary / By Elon. The cause was a pulmonary embolism, said his stepfather, Roger Gitlin. On March 1, 1980, Stayner waited until Parnell was at work and fled with White 40 miles back to Ukiah. Stevens sister, Cory, later said that he never went to therapy or counseling because their father didnt think he needed it. Hulus latest three-part documentary recalls the devastating kidnapping of Steven Stayner, a seven-year-old boy living in Merced, California. He was 76. Our days would be-- just get on our bikes in the morning and go to the park. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/eW5ce2QtEm 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. "He was just very well grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through.". Steven Stayner's kidnapper dies in prison | Modesto Bee Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. He died at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville in 2008 at the age of 76. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story,'" Rowlands said. Steven Gregory Stayner Sr (18 Apr 1965 - 16 Sep 1989) 0 references . Sure, Ive seen the excuse about alleged car troubles but it sure didnt stop the guy from fleeing the scene. Stayner went to the police station and told them what happened to him, which included the line that later became the title of his movie: I know my first name is Steven. (Parnell was later convicted of kidnapping and false imprisonment charges, but only served five years. Steven Gregory Stayner (April 18, 1965 - September 16, 1989) was an American kidnapping victim. Stayner died in 1989 in a motorcycle accident while driving home from work. Stayner died at the Merced Community Medical Center at just 24 years old, in what was sadly one of multiple tragedies for him and his family. The Famous People reports Stayner had a difficult time adjusting to returning to his parents' home. Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Steven was 24 years old at the time of death. 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. On July 21, 1999, when Stayner saw Joie Armstrong, a 26-year-old naturalist at Yosemite who taught children about nature in the park, "something instantly" changed with him, Rowlands said. 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. However, he always enrolled the boy in school and often allowed Stayner freedoms that a kidnapper would not traditionally grant a captor. 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. He wanted the world to take note. He'd been convicted in 1951 for molesting a 9-year-old boy in. number of children. They kicked him out of their house twice. Steven Stayner died in 1989. 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 now 14-year-old Steven decided to escape with White on 2 March 1980 after witnessing the childs suffering. I yelled at him a lot. According to another report, Del was ordered to undergo therapy because he molested his daughters. The kidnapping had a deep impact on Cary Stayner, his childhood friend, Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. His life with Parnell lacked discipline he'd even been allowed to drink and smoke. 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. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. After convincing the boy his parents did not want him anymore, he changed his name to Dennis Parnell. He had reportedly suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts but the cause of his death remains unclear. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. Did Delbert Stayner Molest His Daughters? Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Storypremiered on Thursday (21 April) and features interviews with Stayners mother and, as he survived the terrible ordeal, his son and daughter. After he was brought in for questioning, he confessed to murdering Joie Armstrong, describing the brutal killing "as if he was reading a soup label," said John Boles, another FBI agent on the case. In addition to believing his parents no longer wanted him, The Famous People reports Stayner was simply unsure how to get out of the situation he was in. 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 had previously been held hostage by his kidnapper in Mendocino County, California, and Mariposa County, California, both 38 miles (61 kilometers) away. Parnell was arrested that day,[14] subsequently telling authorities "I wanted a family". Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. Surrounded by endless complainers? He even went before the Ways and Means Committee of the State Assembly to push for a bill that could increase the penalty for kidnapping children. . In 1999 a proposition was put forward to rename several local parks in the Merced area to honour outstanding citizens of the city. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. The man who killed Steven Stayner should have been given a - Reddit He is now 59 and on death row in San Quentin State Prison, according to his prison records. Steven died in 1989, aged 24. I suspect this death is what caused Cary to snap, too, so theres more lives ruined because of the hit and run driver. But on Sept. 16, 1989, Stayner died in a motorcycle crash. Stayner and Parnell moved often, finally settling nearUkiah, California, where Steven Stayner became Dennis Parnell, according to The New York Times. Steven Stayner, Who Escaped 7-Year Captivity, Dead In Crash