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. 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. He also became a sheriffs deputy in, He worked as a sheriffs 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. Throughout the first week, Stayner repeatedly told Parnell that he wanted to go home, to which, Parnell told him that he had been granted legal custody of him by his parents. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. The driver, Antonio Loera, drove off, leaving Stayner helpless on the rain-soaked highway. He had been abducted in plain sight. Steven eventually escaped after Kenneth abducted another boy named Timmy White. Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. 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. Cary Staynar tried to protect his younger brother and looked out for him, according to ABC News. Over the next few years, the couple had Ashley and Steven Jr, born a year apart. In early 1989, he helped in the production of a miniseries on his life, 'I Know My First Name is Steven', which was initially broadcast on NBC in May that year. Steven Stayner's death - The sad story behind his tragic passing 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. Stayner had a relaxed upbringing as his captor not only allowed him to roam freely wherever he wished to go, but also allowed him to start drinking at a very early age. Later that year he married again and had another daughter. Not only was it a miracle, but during his escape, he had also rescued another 5-year-old boy who had been kidnapped. So, on December 4, 1972, Kay was supposed to pick him up from school but had stopped to pick something up from Delbert. As the older brother, Stayner felt a natural if undeserved sense of responsibility for not protecting Steven from harm. He said, They dont go out unless I go with them or theres someone outside watching. Kenneth Parnell - Wikipedia He had joined the Mormon Church. He died in his home, according to his obituary which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. 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. 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. Stayner was walking home from school December 4, 1972, when the men lured him into their vehicle, saying they had just talked to his parents and they no longer wanted him, ABC reported. During this time, he was working at Pizza Hut and later joined 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/steven-stayner-34446.php. 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. They dated for a year and got married in June 1985. Sadly, even though she kept her father away from her daughters while he stayed with them, they were still unsafe as Delbert reportedly carried on the cycle of parental molestation. The next day, on March 2nd, both the boys were reunited with their respective families and Parnell was arrested. Former reporter Ted Rowlands said, "Stayner had a new father figure who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist.". Adjusting to post-abduction life was no easy task for Steven. Steven Stayner Death: How Cary's Stayner's Brother Died Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. Steven had become a famous figure, and not everyone liked all the attention he was getting. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. 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. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. 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. Parnell created a new identity for Stayner, giving him the new name, Dennis Gregory Parnell, but retained his original middle name and his original date of birth. Kenneth told Steven that his parents had given him away and that his new name was Dennis. Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through his grandfather. Steven Stayner died when his children were very young. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. But she said it wasnt the brother she remembers. Born In: Merced, California, United States, Spouse/Ex-: Jody Edmondson (m. 19851989). Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. He worked as a sheriffs 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. Around the time Steven disappeared, they lived in an area with lots of children. Steven, wearing no helmet and riding with an invalid license, suffered severe head injuries. 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. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Steven Stayner, Who Escaped 7-Year Captivity, Dead In Crash 'Captive Audience' Summary: Hulu Revisits the Stayner Family - People So, if youre curious about where she might be today, heres what we know. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Miller toldPeople: He was kind of a reckless kid after he came back home he wrecked a couple of cars and I talked to him about being careful, because he could kill himself. Steven returned to Merced to marry and start a family, becoming a champion for the cause ofmissing children until his untimely death at the age of 24 in 1989. The couple became estranged albeit, they were actively trying to fix things. "Captive Audience": Steven Stayner's Short Life Was Marred by - Yahoo Still, Stayner wanted to help his parents and asked that a $250,000 reward for information go to his family, Rinek wrote. 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. If theyre just out on the porch, the door is always open. While working at the Yosemite Lodge, Kenneth Parnell befriended his coworker Ervin Murphy. In fact, he became the subject of the two-part television movie I Know My First Name Is Steven, which aired in 1989. in 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was kidnapped while walking home from school. He sure led a rough life, California Highway Patrol Sgt. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? She added, He was very proud of who he was. As long as I can see them and hear their voices, Im OK. But in September 1989, the family was dealt a terrible tragedy when Steven met with a road accident while on his way back home. He also became a sheriffs deputy in Newhall in Los Angeles County in 2005, Mercury News reported in 2010. Find a Grave He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. However, he was not charged for sexual assault as the prosecutors believed they were 'protecting' Stayner from the social stigma of male sexual abuse. Shortly before his death, Steven had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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. Where is Steven Stayner's Mom Kay Stayner Now? - The Cinemaholic Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. After all, the latter helped a 5-year-old child escape a pedophile as a teenager after enduring years of abuse. The family avoided watching the 10 p.m. news, and any mention of Steven on TV would make their father cry. After convincing the boy his parents did not want him anymore, he changed his name to Dennis Parnell. First Look: New Hulu Docuseries Explores the Stayner Family's - People a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. He told TheSan Jose Mercury Newsthat watching his children play was like having another childhood the childhood I didnt have., Steven was bravely going about reconstructing his life,JK Miller said. Steven Stayner died in 1989. However, he always enrolled the boy in school and often allowed Stayner freedoms that a kidnapper would not traditionally grant a captor. 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. The Famous People reports Parnell then took the boy to a remote cabin near Catheys Valley, California. An FBI Agent Recounts a Repulsive Request by Serial Killer Cary Stayner Returning home, Steven Stayner felt that his parents were still treating him as their seven-year-old child, and had trouble adjusting as he no more had the freedom to smoke, drink, or do whatever he wanted. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. Cos Ive not until about an hour ago and its definitely one for the books. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. As per her testimony during Carys 2002 trial, she was raised to keep her emotions to herself by her father, who insisted that she would otherwise seem crazy like her mother. Distractify is a registered trademark. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". However, the young boy could not take advantage of those opportunities as he was reportedly unaware how to summon help. He said, Whats dying? like so much had already happened to him, what was dying compared to that?. The bronze statue depicts young Timmy looking up at a teenage Steven. READ NEXT: Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021? For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. 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. Steven Stayner Children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. - Vim Buzz We tried to keep quiet and not upset our parents.. He fled on foot along with White, a journey that thrust the two kidnapping survivors into the national spotlight once they got to safety. Copyright 2023 Distractify. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. Years later in interviews, Stayner admitted to intentionally sabotaging the kidnappings. He had a pretty sad life.. Seven-year-old, Steven Stayner lived with his parents, Kay and Delbert and his three sisters and an older brother in the small Californian city of Merced. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. The boy agreed and gave the man his address. 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. We were kind of on our own, Sartell said. Losing perspective? For the abduction, he enlisted the help of nave and simple-minded Ervin Edward Murphy by pretending to be an aspiring minister who needed a young boy to "raise him in a religious-type deal". Getty Images While adjusting to his new life at home, and being bullied in school for the abuse he experienced, Steven also had to deal with. Stayners parents withdrew emotionally after Steven went missing, Rinek wrote. Russells monitored life in New Jersey. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. 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. But her strength is waning now. Steven, then nearly 15, bravely managed to escape with Timothy to a local police station, from which both boys were returned home. On September 17, 1989, he succumbed to head injuries after being involved in a car accident while returning home from work in his motorcycle. 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. Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. According to ABC News, Parnell stopped to make a call from a payphone shortly after Murphy and Steven Stayner got into his car. 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. He was not kept in captivity, and in the following years, was enrolled into a number of schools where Parnell identified himself as his father. The racers relationship with Sarah Lavin, Where is Katherine Russell today? Steven Stayner Missing Childrens Memorial, Saint George and the Dragon Bronze Statue (4ft high by 4ft wide), General Ulysses S. Grant Monument, for West Point, Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Spacesuit Replicas (15 Life Size Statues). Here's what Ashley and Steven Jr. Stayner, who appear in 'Captive Audience,' are up to now. Hulus Captive Audience sheds a light on the Stayner family and how the media can influence the publics perception of a case. Mike Echols, who wrote the manuscript for the series, later published a book with the same title in 1991. While Jody said her husband did blame himself in some ways but ultimately seemed at peace with everything. It was the first day in the 2 1/2-month trial that any members of Stayners immediate family have shown up. The title of the TV series and the book on Steven Stayner, 'I Know My First Name is Steven', was inspired by a line in his official police statement given after being rescued. Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. Steven Stayner became a household name in 1980 when he returned home after being kidnapped about seven years earlier. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had enduredand the two escaped. I dont believe that it was my brother who committed such things, Sartell said as the defense presented his three sisters in an effort to spare his life. 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. Its a story of a happy ending turned rathertwisted. Of course Cynthia Sartell knew him; he was her older sibling. However, as we all know, that turned when pedophile Kenneth Parnell abducted Steven in 1972, and the Stayners allegedly began to neglect their children. Naturally, the media began analyzing the connection between abducted child Steven Stayner and his serial killer brother, Cary Stayner. According to Crime Investigation, the boys hitchhiked more than 40 miles to reach Ukiah, California, where White was abducted from. Thankfully, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Jody Edmondson. His wife, Jody Edmondson, lashed out at Antonio for leaving the scene. Unfortunately, Parnell eventually convinced another teenage boy, named Randall Sean Poorman, to help him kidnap 5-year-old Timothy White. Parnell married 15-year old Patsy Jo Dorton in 1949,[7] had a daughter in 1951, and divorced in 1957. He was a good student, a good artist, and he was very loving. She let go of all the values instilled in her as a child and cried while begging them to spare Carys life. Steven Stayner - Wikipedia He was given a new identity . Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. "I Know My Name is Steven." The Heartbreaking Story of Steven Stayner It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. Today, Ashley is a mom to a young daughter. 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. He also felt more directly responsible. [14] He paid $100 for a birth certificate and had $400 on his person for the completion of the transaction when he was to receive the child on January 3, 2003. I dont think he should be executed because hes sick. But Cary still got the death penalty. Stevens parents, Kay and Delbert, were on a camping trip when they learned of the passing. Over the next few years, he had some trouble adjustingto living with his family. The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. One relative described child sexual abuse as like a family sickness because it had been going on for so many generations. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to pick . Stayner looked forward to raising his children, Ashley and Steven Jr, with Jody. However, she has preferred to stay away from public attention. Thus, sadly, all we know is that Delbert passed away at 79-years-old in his house in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. Both boys had been victims of kidnapping. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. At the time, the concept of therapy was frowned upon, and his father insisted that he didnt need any counseling. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) Powered by WordPress.com VIP. After he failed to find Timmy's parents, he decided to lead the young boy into the police station to get help, as he was not attempting an escape for himself. His older brother Cary was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1999 murders of four women in 2002. But in 1985, when he was 20, he married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson, and they had two children, Ashley and Steven Jr. . If its the last thing I do, Ill nail him if I possibly can. 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. In 1989, Steven was killed in a motorcycle accident, leaving behind a wife and two young children. His family was happy to have him back, but things were different. But he always seemed to get through it no matter what. 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. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. Soon after, Parnell reached there, driving a white Buick, which Stayner got into willingly, along with Murphy, but instead of his home, he was taken to a cabin in nearby Catheys Valley. In the time leading up to Stevens sudden death in 1989, the couple had been estranged but were working towards making things better. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. She produced a sensitive design sketch of Steven leading Timothy by the hand to safety. 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. However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. According to her Facebook page, Ashley currently lives in Atwater, Cali. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. He was spunky. Captive Audience delves into the circumstances surrounding Steven being taken and how he finally escaped, saving a 5-year-old in the process. It was at this point that Stayner decided to escape with White and return the young child to his parents. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Steven Stayner led a short and tragic life. Stayner went on to marry his wife, Jodi Stayner, and have two children. 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. However, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death. 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. He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. [16][17] According to prison officials, Parnell died of natural causes. The brother of convicted murderer Cary Stayner was kidnapped as a young child and was missing for seven years. In the shadow of the Yosemite National Park in California, in the secluded farming town of Merced, the Stayner family resided in a lower-middle-class area classified as Betty Street. 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. The Memorial Committee deliberated long and hard about what to say on the Plaque they had created for the sculptures pedestal base. 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. While both of them are fairly well-known, its for entirely different reasons. 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. He loved his family, his career and boating, especially at Lake Pyramid, the obituary states. Born on April 18, 1965, Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Steven Stayner Children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. April 25, 2022 by John Atsu. The statue tells the story of Steven Stayner, a Merced youth who was abducted in 1972 and Timothy White, the 5-year-old boy he rescued from suffering the same fate. Both Kay and her husband confessed that they were not the best parents even when Steven returned feelings were still never discussed. Dwarfed by his tall andlanky frame, Timmy takes his hand to set out on the dark road from the remote home where thechildren were being held. Where Is Kenneth Parnell, Who Kidnapped Steven Stayner, Now? | True For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. He was a survivor.. She said her father became obsessed with finding the youngster, who was held and sexually abused by a kidnapper for seven years. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. He fell in love. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. Steven with his wife and two children in 1988. Steven's brother, Cary Stayner, confessed to the brutal murders which ultimately brought the Stayner family back into the spotlight. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. She previously attended a military university and served in the U.S. Air Force from 2007 to 2011. It would have been a lot different if this man who hit him stayed. #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. Mathias also helped Parnell in the abduction of another boy who was in the Santa Rosa Boys' Club with Stayner, but the attempt was unsuccessful. 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. Steven Stayner with his parents In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. Steven Jr. was his son, and Ashley was his daughter. Surrounded by endless complainers? Cary Stayner is not just a convicted killer and rapist, but hes also the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. Where is Kidnapping Survivor Timmy White, Steven Stayner, Now? | True He loved his brother, his former calssmate, Jack Bungart, told the news outlet. [3] Kidnapping [ edit] The couple dated for a year before marrying in June 1985. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Its final this time,he said. Being a mother, we assume Kay continues to miss her sons, but likes to keep it private, as made clear on her Facebook account. He spent more than seven years in captivity, routinely abused byPurnell. Stayner dropped out of school and started a drinking habit that strained his relationship with his dad. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. 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. When she took the witness stand Thursday and was asked if she knew Yosemite killer Cary Stayner, his sister began to cry. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. It was also difficult for his parents to adjust to having a teenager after remembering their son as a 7-year-old boy. 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]. After Steven made the miraculous escape and returned home to his parents in Merced, California, he was the center of media attention. Captive Audience: What Happened to Steven Stayner? - POPSUGAR They wanted to truthfully relate what had happened to White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. Many local residents also attended, who never knew theboys but felt moved by the story as it played out in the media across the country.
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