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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. 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. The now 14-year-old Steven decided to escape with White on 2 March 1980 after witnessing the childs suffering. "He literally said, 'I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. "His idea of serenity was to maybe smoke a little pot and to sunbathe naked.". number of children. Cary Staynar tried to protect his younger brother and looked out for him, according to ABC News. He was a child who was being abused. The second man, who was later identified as Kenneth Parnell, offered to give Murphy and Stayner a ride. Steven Gregory Stayner was a well-known kidnapping victim from the United States. Steven Stayner Death: How Carys Stayners Brother Died, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Steven's death, along. Stevens father, Delbert Stayner, struggled in the aftermath of his sons vanishing like everyone else in the family. 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 had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. Parnell died in 2008 while incarcerated. He should have at least gotten involuntary manslaughter. 1 reference. "He was just very well grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through.". They kicked him out of their house twice. 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. Purdy said Cary Stayner always wore a hat. He was in the background always.". Tragically, the Stayner family would be in for another shock a decade later. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. In 1981, he was. Steven Stayner's Childhood Abduction Made Him A Household Name. Then He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. 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. . 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. View Entire Post The driver of the car, an employee of the nearby tomato-packing company, fled the scene and was later found in Tijuana. The kidnapping had a deep impact on Cary Stayner, his childhood friend, Mike Marchese told ABC News in a 1999 interview. Captive Audience: What happened to Steven Stayner and how did he - HITC Steven was never able to open up about the sexual abuse he suffered and get help. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. Sure, Ive seen the excuse about alleged car troubles but it sure didnt stop the guy from fleeing the scene. 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. Like Kay, he urged the jury at Carys trial not to sentence him to death. "It was a sleety, wintery day," Sean Flynn, a journalist who wrote about both Stayner brothers for Esquire, said. "When Steven came home, Cary was kind of put on the back shelf. Surrounded by endless complainers? convicted of kidnapping both boys and sentenced to seven years of state prison time. Steven Stayner was the middle child of five siblings living with their parents in Merced, CA. Steven was 24 years old at the time of death. On September 16, 1989, Stayner was riding his motorcycle on his way home from his job, when he collided with a driver coming out of a nearby migrant labor camp. Former reporter Ted Rowlands said, "Stayner had a new father figure who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist.". Its a story of a happy ending turned rathertwisted. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. Why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? 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. American crime victim who was kidnapped at age seven and held captive by sex offender Kenneth Parnell for seven years. Parnell remained incarcerated until his death in 2008 at theCalifornia Medical Facility, where he died of natural causes. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. While imprisoned for this charge, his second wife filed for divorce. Later, the family also mentioned that the couple would go after any new tip that came by, with their children in tow. It is California's oldest correctional institution and has the largest death row in the . 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. From 2010 to 2014, the number of accident-related . Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. Stayner, the subject of an NBC miniseries in May, lived as the son of his abductor, Kenneth Parnell, a convicted child molester. Stayner was considered a hero for saving White from years of sexual and physical abuse. 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. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell dated a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of time. "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. Thankfully, they were unable to follow through with the kidnapping attempt. Parnell regularly raped him, and by sixth grade, Stayner was used to being beaten, smoking substances, and getting drunk. Steven Stayner, Who Escaped 7-Year Captivity, Dead In Crash When Stayner was 14, he ran away with another kidnapped boy, Timmy White, and went to the police, ABC News reported. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. This poor family! 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. By Mike Moran of the Confessional Podcast : His life with Parnell lacked discipline he'd even been allowed to drink and smoke. 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. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had endured and the two escaped. Accident or not, someone lost their life. He was 76. "Its dark and Timmy can't remember where he lives. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He got on with his life, his sister Cory Stayner told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was not wearing a helmet because someone had stolen it from him two months prior (via the Los Angeles Times). In February 1980, Parnell brought home a 5-year-old White, who, like Stayner, had been walking home from school. On December 4, 1972, seven-year-old Stayner was abducted in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. English Wikipedia. On March 1, 1980, Steven waited until Parnell was at work and then fled with Timothy. 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. Steven was beaten and plied with drugs and liquor while his captors constantly moved around California. Accidental deaths are also on the rise. Overnight, Steven Stayner became a national hero, especially as Kenneth Parnell was arrested the very next day March 2, 1980. However, that happiness was short-lived because he had difficulty adjusting back to life with his family. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. Parnell remained incarcerated until his death in 2008 at the California Medical Facility, where he died of natural causes. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. According to the Los Angeles Times, by 1989 Staynerwas married with two small children and was working at Pizza Hut. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. I always looked very closely in hopes of spotting Steven. On the show, Kay mentioned that Del would often drive around looking for freshly dug ground because he thought Steven was dead. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! They had a daughter, Ashley, who was 3 at the time of her fathers death, and a son, Steven Jr., who was 2. have yall heard of Steven and Cary Stayner? Per the Spokesman-Review, Parnell told Stayner that his parents didn't want him anymore; he was beaten so viciously that he was afraid to run away. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. 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 Pizza Hut shift, according to People. "[2] He claimed to have been married three times, but only one record of his marriage is known. Cary Stayner was just 11 when his 7-year-old brother, Steven, was abducted by a pedophile. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. "Still trying to get a real investigation for the death of my son Aaron Carter," she wrote. However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. Ten years after Stayner's death, the city of Merced . He is now 59 and on death row in San Quentin State Prison, according to his prison records. Timmy White, 5, sits on the lap of Steven Stayner, 14, during a news conference Photo credit: Getty Images - Getty For seven years, as the two moved around Mendocino and Sonoma counties, Stayner was known as Dennis Parnell. Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. But instead of seeking mental health treatment, Stayner "ended up taking refuge" in Yosemite, Rowlands said. Stevens sister, Cory, later said that he never went to therapy or counseling because their father didnt think he needed it. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Steven was walking home from school in Merced, a city in California, when a man handing out religious pamphlets approached him. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. "Merced was the lead police department, and so they really mounted a large effort to search. To begin with the first one is on the cover of the book. 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 Associated Press reported in 2004. "He was kind of a quiet guy.