Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Find a Grave When Stayner was 14, Parnell kidnaped another boy, 5-year-old Timmy White. But Stayner had issues with readjusting to family life, with a tumultuous teenagehood. Shortly after Steven's death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. 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. Hulus Captive Audience delves into a story that is fascinating and horrifying in equal parts. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. 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. However, he only served three years in prison for that offense. 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. About eight years later, Steven escapeda story that drew significant media attention and was turned into a popular television miniseries, "I Know My First Name Is Steven." But in 1989, Steven died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24. traffic collision. Then, Del served in the US Army for four years until 1957 as a Staff Sergeant. 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. I yelled at him a lot. According to another report, Del was ordered to undergo therapy because he molested his daughters. "Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. For seven years, as the two moved around Mendocino and Sonoma counties, Stayner was known as Dennis Parnell. 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. By Mike Moran of the Confessional Podcast : Steven. Cary was convicted in 1999 of the murders of four women and sentenced to death in 2002. I Know My First Name Is Steven: With Cindy Pickett, John Ashton, Corin Nemec, Luke Edwards. He loved his brother, his former calssmate, Jack Bungart, told the news outlet. convicted of kidnapping both boys and sentenced to seven years of state prison time. The brother of convicted murderer Cary Stayner was kidnapped as a young child and was missing for seven years. However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. In 1989, he tragically died in a motorcycle accident. A year later, he was sentenced to life, which was, at the time, the harshest sentence handed down under the the "three strikes" law. Although Parnell was a convicted child predator, Murphy was described as "simple-minded," and somewhat naive. Accidental deaths are also on the rise. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. Flynn said Satyner had "a couple of nervous breakdowns," one of which was "fairly violent. 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. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had endured and the two escaped. Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of, Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for. Why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? "Kenneth Parnell stops the car and goes to a payphone, he comes back and tells Steven, 'Your parents, I just spoke to them. [10] Cos Ive not until about an hour ago and its definitely one for the books. For years, Parnell traveled around California with Steven. Captive Audience tells Steven Stayner's story after he was kidnapped and abused for seven years. Cary Stayner will forever be known for marring Yosemite's reputation as a peaceful retreat with the brutal murders of four innocent women. This is the story of a seven-year-old boy named Steven Stayner. But they. He married Kay about three years later, and the couple went on to have three daughters and two sons. Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021. Birthday: April 18, 1965. Steven Stayner died in 1989. Parnell was arrested that day,[14] subsequently telling authorities "I wanted a family". It was also difficult for his parents to adjust to having a teenager after remembering their son as a 7-year-old boy. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. Parnell was registered as a sex offender when he lured 7-year-old Stayners into his car as the boy walked home from his elementary school in Merced, California. This includes a 9-year kidnapping and a serial killing pic.twitter.com/WgWQCdDk7h, may queen (@syanarchy) February 19, 2020. In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agents Relentless Pursuit of the Nations Worst Predators. Over the next four years, he worked at Pizza Hut while lecturing about personal safety at schools. One last Steven Stayner, one last Timmy White. ET on ABC, Cary looked out for Steven, according to Cary Stayner's former classmate Jack Bungart. 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). Soon after, he confessed to murdering Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. Flynn said his sexuality was "constantly under attack.". Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. "Its dark and Timmy can't remember where he lives. According to the psychiatrists report, Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, was ordered into therapy for molesting his own daughters. 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. Here is all you want to know, and more! Stayners parents withdrew emotionally after Steven went missing, Rinek wrote. ", Steven also struggled in high school where he was bullied for the tragic abuse he had endured. I never recognized either one of them.". Im not sure there is any direct cause and effect," Flynn said. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. He loved his brother. His parents had different expectations. 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. 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. Ashley Stayner is a self-professed true crime fan. Steven eventually married and had two children. I dont know sometimes if I should have come home. Sean Poorman, Stayner's schoolfriend who abetted Parnell in the White kidnapping, was sentenced to a term in a juvenile work camp. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. On March 1, 1980, in Mendocino County, California, he and Timothy White, another of Parnell's victims, managed to flee. Cary is 60 and remains in prison. However, he only served five years of his sentence. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story,'" Rowlands said. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell convinced Murphy that he was an "aspiring minister" who needed to find a young boy, who he planned to "raise in a religious-type deal.". Stayner recently talked candidly with reporters of his life with Parnell, who alternately molested him and passed him off as his son. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. He was 76. "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. After White had been with Stayner and his captors for 16 days, Stayner realized he needed to save White from the same abuse he had endured (via the Los Angeles Times). Stayner and White were not Parnell's only victims. 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. 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. "Merced was the lead police department, and so they really mounted a large effort to search. Our days would be-- just get on our bikes in the morning and go to the park. The now 14-year-old Steven decided to escape with White on 2 March 1980 after witnessing the childs suffering. When he was 24, he died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident. 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. He was convicted of kidnapping 7-year-old Steven Stayner in 1972 and keeping him . There, they pretended to be ministers and lured the 7-year-old Stayner into the van by telling him, Your parents no longer want you.. Steven Stayner cause of death Teddy April 25, 2022 1 min read Steven Gregory Stayner was born in April 18, 1965 - September 16, 1989 he was a kidnapped victim from the United States. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". The cause of his death is still unknown at this time. Parnell was tried for kidnapping Stayner and White, but not for sexual abuse. Steven Stayner Death: How Carys Stayners Brother Died, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Cary was 11. On July 24, 1999, Cary confessed to killing four women, who had all been guests at the lodge where he was employed. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. The two hitchhiked to Ukiah, California. 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. sibling. 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. After serving in the Army, Del worked at several sawmills and then moved to be employed in the canning industry.