Kenneth Eugene Parnell (September 26, 1931 January 21, 2008) was an American convicted sex offender, child rapist, and kidnapper infamously known for perpetrating the abductions of 7-year-old Steven Stayner and 5-year-old Timothy White in Merced, California. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. Stayner went on to marry his wife, Jodi Stayner, and have two children. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. White became a Los AngelesCounty sheriffs deputy. Del is devastated too. But before we get into that, lets get to know Stevens two kids: Ashley and Steven Stayner Jr., who are both featured in the documentary. The plaques inscription will serve as a wake-up call for all of us to be ever vigilant in protecting our young people from child abduction. [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. Stayner had a pet dog named Queenie, with whom he formed a close bond, and was permitted to begin drinking and smoking at a young age. Steven Jr. was his son, and Ashley was his daughter. Jody emotionally described how she and Stayner planned to visit their favorite restaurant after he got home. Kay and Delbert had already lost Steven to a motorcycle accident in 1989, so they dreaded losing their other son. In 1980, the same man kidnapped another child, 5 year old Timothy White. On December 4, 1972, Parnell abducted seven-year-old Merced resident Steven Stayner with the help of Edward Ervin Murphy, a co-worker at the Yosemite Lodge, where Parnell worked as a night auditor. 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. Stayner and Timmy hiked to a police station 40 miles away from Kenneths cabin. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. 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. Delbert served as a mechanic at a peach can factory at that point in time, whereas Kay was a wife and mother whom many characterized as cold and distant. 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. It was a sad end to a tragic life,Allen Maxfield, CHP traffic safety officer, said. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. [1] He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. [16][17] According to prison officials, Parnell died of natural causes. Steven refused to reveal the details of his sexual abuse and endured bullying in school for being molested. 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. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. On the show, Kay stated that the couple always planned on having a family. So, on December 4, 1972, Kay was supposed to pick him up from school but had stopped to pick something up from Delbert. Hulus Captive Audience sheds a light on the Stayner family and how the media can influence the publics perception of a case. He loved his family, his career and boating, especially at Lake Pyramid, the obituary states. Losing perspective? which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. He sure led a rough life, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Instead, he tried to make the best of it. In 1999, a proposal to name a park after him was rejected as the officials feared that 'Stayner Park' may point to his brother Cary, who had just confessed to killing four women in Yosemite. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. Timmy White, the boy saved by Steven, learned of his death through his grandfather. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. So, if youre curious about where she might be today, heres what we know. In addition to participating in the abuse of Stayner, she attempted to help Parnell kidnap a boy who was a member of the Santa Rosa Boys' Club. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. It was the first day in the 2 1/2-month trial that any members of Stayners immediate family have shown up. 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. But things began to change when he met Jody Edmondson. 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. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. Assistant Sheriff Strength said Stayner was on the waiting list for a job as a county jail guard.. They wanted to truthfully relate what had happened to Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. It also features his wife, Jody, who talks about her life with him. When she took the witness stand Thursday and was asked if she knew Yosemite killer Cary Stayner, his sister began to cry. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, Opinion: California wants more psychiatric detentions. White went on to have two children with his wife, Dena. We tried to keep quiet and not upset our parents.. He didnt complain. In the 1970s, they constituted Cary and Steven, their three sisters, and their parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner. While he still blamed himself for his abduction, starting a family helped him cope with his past, and he began interacting with child abduction groups and provided advice to children on the topic. Sadness engulfed the community as people mourned a life blighted with tragedy. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. Cary Stayner is not just a convicted killer and rapist, but hes also the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. For seven years he was held captive by a man who routinely abused him. While they never gave up hope, the ordeal took a toll on the whole family. The statue tells the story of Steven Stayner, a Merced youth who was abducted in 1972 andTimothy White, the 5-year-old boy he rescued from suffering the same fate. The Famous People reports Stayner had a difficult time adjusting to returning to his parents' home. children: Ashley Stayner, Steven Stayner Jr. American Men Aries Men Died on: September 17, 1989 Cause of Death: Accident U.S. State: California Childhood & Early Life Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. Thankfully, Steven rebuilt his life after wedding Jody Edmondson. During this time, he had grown very fond of his pet dog Queenie, a Manchester Terrier; Parnells mother has given the dog to Parnell. Adjusting to post-abduction life was no easy task for Steven. He had joined the Mormon Church. He also joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. Born on April 18, 1965, in Merced, California, Steven Gregory Stayner had an older brother named Cary and three sisters. On February 14, 1980, Parnell employed Randall Sean Poorman, a teenage friend of Stayner, to abduct a five-year-old Timothy "Timmy" White in Ukiah, California. He grew up alongside his siblings named; Cynthia Sartell, Cory Stayner, and Cary Stayner. His story is told in the movie I Know My First Name Is Steven. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. Hulus Captive Audience delves into the circumstances surrounding Steven being taken and how he finally escaped, saving a 5-year-old in the process. But adding children to the equation seemed to only make their relationship worse. 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". Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! While both of them are fairly well-known, its for entirely different reasons. After all, the latter helped a 5-year-old child escape a pedophile as a teenager after enduring years of abuse. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. According to SFGate, his friends and coworkers described him as being impulsive and prone to seemingly abrupt and violent fits of rage. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. For eight years, he abused Stayer while posing as his legal guardian and moving around California with him. However, Stayner skillfully sabotaged Kenneths plans. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. The Memorial Committee deliberated long and hard about what to say on the Plaque they had created for the sculptures pedestal base. 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. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Parnell died in 2008 while incarcerated. Although an almost four-year age gap separated the two brothers, with Cary being the eldest of all five siblings, they seemed incredibly close. Edward Murphy, Parnell's accomplice from the Stayner kidnapping, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and paroled after two years. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. ABC 20/20 is digging into the case on a new episode, which airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, July 2, 2021. 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. Stayner told another psychiatrist, Park Dietz, who was hired by the prosecution to evaluate whether he was sane at the time he committed the Yosemite murders, that as a child he worried that the obsessive thoughts he had about holding the neighbor girl against her will somehow caused Steven to be kidnapped. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. 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. But adding children to the equation seemed to only make their relationship worse. Sadly, Stayners triumphant return didnt last long, as he died several years after the daring escape. #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. "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. [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. Surrounded by endless complainers? 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. Steven Stayner with his parents In their four years together, they welcomed daughter Ashley, followed by son Steven Jr. White also died an untimely death earlier this year at the age of 35. As Steven got older and entered puberty, Parnell's sexual interest in Stayner waned and Parnell sought a new boy to "build his family". The racers relationship with Sarah Lavin, Where is Katherine Russell today? However, they ran out of time. Ive never been this angry. Born on April 18, 1965, Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner. 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. Following his rescue, White went on to bravely testify at his kidnappers trial when he was just 6 years old, the New York Times reported in 2010. 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. Steven in order to hopefully save other children from the same tragic fate. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. Stayner looked forward to raising his children, Ashley and Steven Jr, with Jody. Steven Gregory Stayner was an American kidnapping victim whose incident occurred on December 4, 1972. She added, He was very proud of who he was. a Hulu docuseries streaming today, first revisits the 1972 kidnapping of 7-year-old Steven Stayner by convicted child molester Kenneth Parnell. Its a story of a happy ending turned rathertwisted. However, he allowed him to keep the middle name "Gregory" and his original birthdate. After convincing the boy his parents did not want him anymore, he changed his name to Dennis Parnell. Steven had disciplinary issues at school and racked up more than $1000 in traffic fines by the time he was 19 years old. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. They dated for a year and got married in June 1985. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. 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. He barely knew his parents, and his parents scarcely knew the teenager whod returned home. He also felt more directly responsible. Over the years, Parnell had numerous jobs and he and Stayner moved often. By the time Steven returned home, hed spent more than half his life in captivity. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. Steven was quite protective of Ashley and Steven Jr, given what happened to him. READ NEXT: Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021? 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. Bill Balestra said of Stayner, who was . Steven Stayner, then 24, had married and had two children. 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. The rest is spine-chilling history, made famous by exhaustive mediacoverage, books and a film in 1989, I know my name is Steven, based on the book of the samename. However, his brother Cary also suffered throughout the entire ordeal. But she said it wasnt the brother she remembers. The Famous People reports Parnell then took the boy to a remote cabin near Catheys Valley, California. In the time leading up to Stevens sudden death in 1989, the couple had been estranged but were working towards making things better. The bronze statue depicts young Timmy looking up at a teenage Steven. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. 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. He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. Stayner had been driving his new Kawaksaki motorcycle when the driver pulled out in front of him on a rain-soaked highway. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. Hawkins said: She was the one who stayed so strong and calm and collected through that seven-year-ordeal. The media framed Steven as a hero. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. I dont think he should be executed because hes sick. But Cary still got the death penalty. But seven years later, he returned home to his family. When Stayner was 14, he ran away with another kidnapped boy, Timmy White, and went to the police, ABC News reported. 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. He told The San Jose Mercury News that watching his children play was 'like having another childhood - the childhood I didn't have.' "Steven was bravely going about reconstructing his life," JK Miller said. 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]. He was in the background always.". On September 17, 1989, he succumbed to head injuries after being involved in a car accident while returning home from work in his motorcycle. After that time he was in and out of juvenile custody for car theft and arson.[4][5]. But he always seemed to get through it no matter what. At the time, the concept of therapy was frowned upon, and his father insisted that he didnt need any counseling. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. "When Steven came home, Cary was kind of put on the back shelf. Steven Stayner was kidnapped when Cary Stayner was 11, Rinek wrote. Slater was selected from many competing sculptors to sculpt the life size full-figure portraits of Steven Stayner and little Timothy White. 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. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The abductor abused Steven and planned to use the boy to abduct more victims. But in 1980, the Stayners' prayers were answered when Steven returned home after a seven-year disappearance. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? Former reporter Ted Rowlands said, "Stayner had a new father figure who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist.". PEOPLE got a first look at Captive Audience, which explores the Stayner brothers' opposing legacies Steven, who saved an innocent life, and Cary, who took four innocent lives nearly 20 years . Being a mother, we assume Kay continues to miss her sons, but likes to keep it private, as made clear on her Facebook account. Captive Audience delves into the circumstances surrounding Steven being taken and how he finally escaped, saving a 5-year-old in the process. Years after Timmy White was rescued by fellow kidnapping survivor Steven Stayner, he became a sheriff's deputy. He was given a new identity . 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. 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. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to pick . ABCs 20/20: Yosemite Serial Killer, as the title suggests, profiles the tale of the male who carried out four murders in six months near the Yosemite National Park in 1999. He died in his home, according to. He worked with child abduction groups and talked about childrens safety. He died in his home, according to his obituary which features a photo of him in a sheriffs uniform. Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. 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. Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. 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. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. White, despite losing touch with Steven and remembering little about his brief abduction, was a pallbearer at Stayners funeral. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. 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. So, if youre curious about where she might be today, heres what we know. It was at this point that Stayner decided to escape with White and return the young child to his parents. Stayner, 41, faces the death penalty for the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her daughter, Juli, 15, and their Argentine friend Silvina Pelosso, 16, while they were staying at the motel where he. 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. 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. When 14-year-old Steven Stayner turned up at a police station, . 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. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. A report from 2007 placed her in Montana, but beyond that, not much else is known about Jody. Shortly before his death, Steven had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Around the time Steven disappeared, they lived in an area with lots of children. The driver, Antonio Loera, drove off, leaving Stayner helpless on the rain-soaked highway. Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. Parnell had lured the child through use of a deputy sheriff's badge he bought at an army-navy surplus store. 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.
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