It was dark when they arrived and Timmy could remember where he lived so they went to the police station. Had no interest in girls, had no interest in people, he was just a creepy loner. On February 12, 1999, Carole Sund, 42, her daughter Juli 15, and Silvina Pelosso 16, left their home in Eureka, California to go on vacation in the area near Yosemite National Park in the same state in the United States. Connecticut Serial Killer William Devin Howell Describes The Shockin To the dismay of the Stayner family, the case went cold. Caroles parents, Francis and Carole Carrington, appeared on the Good Morning, America TV show, to ask for the prayers of Americans and their help in locating their daughter and the children. But seven years later in February 1980, Steven miraculously reappeared. He was a good student, a After first flying to San Francisco, where Carole rented a red 1999 Pontiac Gran Prix, they stopped in Stockton, where Juli took part in a cheerleading contest at the University of the Pacific. His attempt was foiled when other people were at the house at the time he was planning to commit the crimes. He remains on Upon examination by the FBI Laboratory, some items have yielded trace evidence. He has been questioned about any involvement. Because of the discovery of Sund's wallet in suburban Modesto, police, and FBI searched "the logical routes in and out of that spot, interviewing homeowners and business owners and others who may have seen them." At the time of the murders, Cary was working as a mechanic at the Cedar Lodge, which is where he met his first three victims Carole Sund, her daughter Juli Sund, and her friend Silvina Pelosso. He had given the FBI details "only the killer would know in such specificity that agents were able to recover evidence confirming his confession. The suspect, Cary Stayner, 37, had been one of the people questioned after the triple killings in February, but, at that time no evidence linked him directly to the crime and he had been released. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. That same day, Stayner allowed himself to be interviewed by a reporter from KNTV. Then on March 25, Juli Sunds body was discovered near Lake Pedro in Tuolumme County. Four hikers visiting Yosemite National Park had been brutally murdered, and Cary Stayner had confessed to the crimes. I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home. Im so proud of the way Carole and Juli lived, and Im so ashamed of Stayner.. He denied any role in the Yosemite slayings. Steven Stayners fame was short-lived. Very seldom did he get into trouble. In 1972, Stayners The boys were still in elementary school when on December 4, 1972, a man named Kenneth Parnell took seven-year-old Stephen, whilst walking home from school on Highway 140. Jeffrey Wayne Keeney, 32, of Modesto. Among other things, the FBI Laboratory has found hairs in vacuum sweepings taken from Room 509 and possibly body fluid stains on a blanket (and) a latent palm print from the window sill. All of its been bad, Delbert Stayner said of his familys life. On Saturday, July 24, FBI agents announced at a press conference that a man was in custody on strong suspicion of murder and that a "significant announcement" would be made shortly. But, says Delbert, puberty-aged Cary endured some emotional hardships because of that incident. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. In 2002, Cary Stayner was convicted of first-degree murder on four counts and sentenced to death. They no longer want you.. He was charged with attempting to purchase a child and attempted child molestation in 2004, that he was sentenced to 25 years to life. | Soon after, he confessed to murdering Carole Sund, Juli Sund, and Silvina Pelosso once in custody. Whites stepfather, Roger Gitlin, said White died April 1, 2010, of an apparent pulmonary embolism. Agents had interviewed Stayner, a handyman at the Cedar Lodge where the tourists had stayed, and later dismissed him as a suspect. Stayner was already serving a life sentence for the murder of Joie Ruth Armstrong. By the end of June, the FBI had reviewed the testimonies and the evidence linked to the suspects in custody. "I've struggled with that issue for the last 24 hours and continue to do so," he confessed. He abandoned the group's rental car with the bodies of Carole and Silvina inside, returning two days later to burn the evidence and retrieve the wallet, which he dumped in Modesto to confuse authorities. "Her mother, sisters, and a family friend had been missing for a month by the time Gina Sund read her poem in front of a thousand or so people who gathered in Modesto," writes Time. He was arrested in May on an unrelated crime charge but was soon released. Her mother had been dating him and he had decided to kill them on Valentines Day. Ken Parnell went back to what he had been doing for years. In a 2003 jailhouse interview with The Chronicle, Parnell admitted that he had tried to buy the boy to experience the "love and respect" that a son has for a father. I went to ask if Cary wanted to talk, reporter Ted Rowlands said. Cary Stayner Today: Where Is He Now in 2021? | Heavy.com Then Carole's wallet turned up in Modesto, which included money and credit cards. ", Stayner's apartment was searched later in the day and the authorities discovered evidence that linked him to Armstrong's murder. Ashley Stayner is a self-professed true crime fan. Shortly after Stevens death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. He received the death penalty for killing four women, three of whom had been staying at the Cedar Lodge, where Stayner was employed as a handyman. "'Deep in my heart I know something my mind does not want to learn,' said Gina,13. They then headed out for Cedar Lodge in El Portal on February 14, which is located on Yosemite's western slope. I want a movie-of-the-week made about my story,'" There was a movie made about his brother, Steven Stayner, and he wanted the same and for the world to take notice. Heroism, tragedy and cold-blooded murder: The Stayner brothers Or certainly, nothing noticed by his colleagues at the motel. Suspect at Yosemite Had Fantasy of Killing Women Stayner Raped 2 Teenagers, Affidavit Says But, as the Hulu doc frames it, the media attention that Steven got after escaping his abductor and also saving Timothy White had a dark side both for Steven and for the rest of his family. He also exhibited some behaviors that made others uncomfortable, including, as he later admitted, exposing himself to his sister's friend. What followed turned out to be one of the most shocking crimes in both National Park and American history, involving a man whose family had already been involved in a notorious crime, literally the two faces of evil. Cary Stayner, also known as The Yosemite Killer, was convicted nearly 20 years ago in the murders of four people in 1999 while he was working as a hotel On July 23, when Cary Stayner was released from custody for his marijuana charge, he quickly packed up and left for Laguna del Sol, a nudist colony, according to The FBI Laboratory has also found possible bodily fluid stains on a bed sheet taken from her residence. He grew up, got married and had two kids. Steven & Cary Stayner: Hero vs Killer Brother - YouTube He told Hartman that his parents "didnt change that much," but his brother and sisters, "they changed a lot. It was the last time the women were seen alive. Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. WebCary Stayner was convicted of the 1999 Cedar Lodge Killings near Yosemite National Park. In this, he calmly reviewed how he strangled 16-year-old Silvina Pelosso in the motel bathtub and how he sexually assaulted Juli Sund for hours before brutally cutting her throat. 'I try to stay strong because I know that's what you'd want your baby to be, but, Mommy, I don't want you to leave me.'". You know what I mean? A Shade Of His Brother - TIME The death-penalty trial of Cary Stayner was moved from Mariposa County to Santa Clara County, CA. Quotes How intended victim of 1999 Yosemite killer views the tragedy He then carried Juli to a vista point near Lake Don Pedro, pledged his love, and then cut her throat as the sun rose. Cary was the ideal son, Kay Stayner revealed to the jury during her elder sons trial for murder. Something was clearly very, very wrong. He is currently in his 60s and still on death row while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. For FBI agent Jeff Rinek, it was the climax of a Cary Stayner confesses to killing four innocent women in 1999: | Then he took action. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. For years, Parnell traveled around California with Steven. FBI Accused Of Botching Yosemite Case / Agency It seemed as though he had a compulsion with trying to get close to women or be sexual with them, but he was unable to develop any sort of interpersonal relationships with any women. The police reckoned that the killer of the three women was someone familiar with the county given the location of the Pontiac. The initial suspicion was that they may have wandered off the main hiking paths and got lost in the park. Special agent Maddock said, "During the last 24 hours, we have developed specific information linking Stayner (also) to the Sund-Pelosso murders.". An FBI Agent Recounts a Repulsive Request by Serial Killer Cary Stayner Stayner said he thought he had gotten away with the earlier crimes, but could not resist the urge to kill Armstrong after he struck up a chance conversation with her. In May 2002, Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1999 murder of Pelosso and the Sunds. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. Cary, the motel handyman and champion underachiever who was arrested at a nudist colony, said in a jailhouse interview that voices told him to kill Carole and Juli Cary Stayner yosemite murders True Crime In his interview, Stayner claimed that hair from his body was left on the bedspread in their motel room, but he returned later and changed the bed. Yosemite Victims Were Raped - CBS News But why doesnt my dad hug me anymore? Cary was 11 years old at the time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school and they quickly snatched him. She was seen that day at the Institute offices and was planning to visit a friend in Sausalito, California, that day but never made it. Alternate Versions Real Crime 1.23M subscribers Join Subscribe 6.7K 562K views 1 year ago Also known as the Yosemite Park Killer, Cary Stayner murdered four women in 1999 The revelation came in a six There, they got a room with a plan to stay for a few days. Some who knew Cary were shocked at his arrest. Cary Stayner went from being the brother of child abductee Steven Stayer to a full-blown serial killer. After the fourth murder, the FBI went looking for Cary Stayner to interview him, but initially as a witness. Cary Stayner, the serial killer convicted in the grisly murders of four women near Yosemite National Park, is born on August 13, 1961. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, See more StrangeOutdoors True Crime Stories, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, https://casefilepodcast.com/case-161-the-yosemite-sightseer-murders-part-1/, https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/stayner-cary.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Stayner, https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944, https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/me-timothy-white10-2010apr10-story.html, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a26040174/cary-stayner-steven-yosemite-murders/, https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/july-25-1999-cary-stayner-arrested-murder-yosemite-60263995, https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-recalls-moment-family-learned-target-1999-yosemite/story?id=60364987, https://www.theunion.com/news/local-news/stayner-sentenced-to-death/, Tagged: The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, Carole Sund yosemite murders, Juli Sund yosemite murders, Silvina Pelosso yosemite murders, Cary Stayner yosemite murders, Yosemite park murders, Joie Ruth Armstrong, Sign up now for a one-time fee for access to over 55 exclusive member articles, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. Although the Merced police department launched a full-fledged investigation at the time of Stevens disappearance, they werent able to find any significant leads. Arrested on an unrelated drug charge, he has been questioned about the Yosemite case. ", Steven Stayner with his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell. "He was spunky. The car was hidden off a spur road where locals dump old refrigerators, cars, and washing machines. How can one family, contain two completely contrasting children? When Steven didnt return from school that afternoon, his parents sounded the alarm. Despite this, he never appeared to behave lewdly nor perversely in public. Latent fingerprints were also been lifted from the interior of Joie Armstrong's truck, which Stayner admits to touching during his encounter with her. At a press conference outside the Stayner house, everyone was smiling, but Cary in his baseball cap wasnt smiling at all. He did feel, however, that the FBI spared nothing to investigate the earlier killings. IMDb She had probably been murdered on the evening of Wednesday, July 21. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. Specifically, the media scrutiny seemed to affect his older brother Cary, who clashed with his brother after his return. "I'm confident we've done everything that could be reasonably done.". On days off he would escape to Laguna Del Sol, a nudist colony in Sacramento County. Steven Stayner was just seven-years-old when he was abducted a few blocks from his home in Merced, He was also angry about how his truck had been searched. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. Unofficially, Jens Sund offered a $250,000 reward for information that would lead to the return of the missing women. Management found him a hard worker and honest. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. Steven told the police what happened to him and Timothy and he was also able to tell them his real name was Steven, not Dennis. Its manager had seen a story on television, recognized Stayner's photo as one of his guests, and notified the FBI. Teresa Kay Gray, 36, of Modesto. Many local residents were convinced that no one person could have created so much horror, "'The logistics of it say it had to involve more than one person, said Letty Carolyn Barry, owner of the Yosemite Rosebud Lodge, west of Cedar Lodge. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "(A witness claimed that) Stayner was angry about authorities seizing his backpack after he was questioned earlier that day. Larwick, who grew up in Tuolumme County near where the bodies of Carole Sund and Silvina Pelosso were found, was jailed on March 16 after he allegedly shot a Modesto police office. The interview was conducted off camera and reported Monday on the late news. He walked naked and and smoked pot, he could find the peace that he so desperately needed. From the Archives: Friends surprised by Cary Stayner's arrest One brother was subjected to just unspeakable horror for years, but by all appearances, he was a happy-go-lucky, jovial kid with a girlfriend. For two weeks, Steven watched Timothy suffer the separation from his family. He had no criminal record and his only encounter with the law was for marijuana use in 1997. By this point, Cary Stayner had a couple of nervous breakdowns. After graduation from Merced (California) High School, Stayner worked as a window installer at a glass company. 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. For four weeks, police, family, and volunteers searched the area in and near Yosemite National Park by helicopter, foot, and skis. And he wanted the same treatment. Silvina Pelossos mother, Raquel, said, I just cannot understand how so many peopledidn't realize that maybe (Stayner) was the man since I heard that he was interviewed some time ago. It was badly decomposed and her throat had been cut. Darrell Gray Stephens, 55, Strange's roommate. On the way to his police interview he confessed to a detective in the car 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. However, given Californias statewide moratorium on capital punishment, it doesnt appear that hell be executed anytime soon the states last execution was held in 2006. | where Stayner was employed as a handyman.