Bettmann/Getty Images Steven Stayner with Timothy White during a press conference following their safe return. Battles/wars. Timothy White was the very definition of recovery. As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. The young man then attempted suicide in 1991, and developed a drug habit. And if I didnt take care of it now, it would just get worse.". 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. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. The group demanded the release of 13 leftist prisoners in exchange for Moro. Mr. Murphy's attorney said that his client was merely ''a nice guy'' duped into helping Mr. Parnell. Parnell died in 2008 while incarcerated. At the time of the incident, Steven was a 7-year-old living with his family in Merced, California. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Moro was held captive for 55 days, and during this period, the Red Brigades issued a total of nine communications that outlined their reasons for kidnapping the hostage. We update our site with news articles and full-length documentaries free of charge, with no registration needed. According to The Famous People, the couple eventually had two children, named Ashley and Steven, Jr. Edward Murphy, Parnell's accomplice from the Stayner kidnapping, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and paroled after two years. Parnell was also losing interest in Steven, who at this point was "too old" for him. Steven was touted as a national hero and even went on Good Morning America in March 1980 with his parents. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. When the kidnapper left, he forgot to lock the large inside door, although the exterior storm door remained locked. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. Here's What to Know About the Convicted Killer (EXCLUSIVE CLIP), Addicted to 'The Dropout'? Other work. By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. He was given a life sentence without parole. Kenneth Parnell is a predator, and his prey is young boys. 7.8K Followers I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. Parnell, along with his friend Edward Ervin Murphy, brought Steven to a cabin in Catheys Valley. Independent The Riddle Of Aldo Moro: Was Italys Establishment Happy To See Him Die? Everything has changed. (Years later, in 2004, while in his 70s, Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life for attempting to buy a 4-year-old boy for $500. Within hours, Steven was in a remote cabin being brainwashed into accepting that Parnell was now his legal guardian, with his parents consent. Its too hard for Stayners parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner, to talk about anymore, Delbert Stayner said this week. The Little Boy Who Had Been Kidnaped Never Found Himself, The Guardian Clinton Grants Full Pardon To Patty Hearst, Wanted In Rome The Kidnapping And Assassination Of Aldo Moro. For the next seven years, Parnell and Steven (who Parnell called Dennis) moved around California while Steven was regularly raped and abused by Parnell. The trusting boy soon got into a car with the man and another male driver, as they promised to drive him home and talk to his Mom about donating some items. What could possibly make their lives get any worse? We want to keep this fellow off the streets.'' She also mentioned that Parnell never called what he was doing "kidnapping." Smarts traumatized sister, Mary Katherine, shared a bedroom with Elizabeth and was fortunate not to be taken on the night of the kidnapping. They also said that the kidnapping could not be prosecuted because of California's three-year statute of limitations. Distractify is a registered trademark. And then one night, on his way home from work, a helmet-less Steven was killed in a hit and run accident on his motorcycle. The 5-year-old cried and begged to be taken home. There are 1200+ professionals named "Edward Murphy", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking down the street in his hometown of Merced, Calif. when a man named Kenneth Parnell lured him into his car under the guise of driving Steven home. It was in February 1980 that Mr. Parnell kidnapped a second youth, 5-year-old Timmy White, officials said. Parnell was tried for kidnapping Stayner and White, but not for sexual abuse. Parnell was caught and sentenced to seven years in prison, for which he only served five. A Mendocino County youth, Sean Poorman, was convicted in Juvenile Court of aiding Mr. Parnell in the second abduction. Just weeks after her return, Smart hiked with her family to the camp where she was held hostage for nine months. Of course, none of these boys were ever abandoned. She weighed just 87 pounds at the time of her arrest, and her IQ had fallen by 18 points during the time she spent with the SLA. Parnell began sexually abusing Stayner almost immediately. This series will also reveal shocking information about Steven's brother Cary, who would later follow not in his brother's footsteps, but something closer to Parnell. Once Parnell was able to get Steven into his car, he told him that his parents no longer wanted him and that Parnell was adopting him. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. When he returned, he told the boy that he called his parents and they said they did not want him anymore. Parnell drove to the tiny town of Ukiah, Calif. where he paid a local high school kid to help him find a younger boy. On February 14, 1980, Parnell abducted five-year-old Timothy White from Ukiah with the help of Sean Poorman, a minor and an acquaintance of Stayner. He did not receive counseling for his ordeal and left school early after cruel kids teased him about being molested. In 2004, Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's three strikes law (one of the few times it was actually useful, and of course later died in 2008. He came upon Joie Armstrong, a 26-year-old naturalist, who was staying at a cabin by herself in Yosemite. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell eventually convinced Stayner that his parents relinquished their rights and that he was granted full legal custody. Parnell wasn't alone. Star Original Captive Audience - A Real American Horror Story aired on Hulu with all 3 episodes available immediately on the release date of April 21, 2022. It was the last time the women were seen alive. 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. First, Cary was the kidnapped kid's brother, then he was the brother of the famous kid whose kidnapping was made into a TV movie. Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 16-year-old Berry was his next victim on April 21, 2003, while 14-year-old DeJesus was his final capture on April 2, 2004. The Famous People reports Stayner had a difficult time adjusting to returning to his parents' home. Parnell served five years of an eight-year sentence. Eventually, the FBI caught Hearst in San Francisco on September 18, 1975, and she was arrested and charged with crimes including bank robbery. She pretended to be asleep and tried to identify the assailant. The sexual abuse continued, and Parnell slowly brainwashed the child and tried to convince him that his parents didnt want him anymore. On December 4, 1972, in Merced, California, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was approached by a man who claimed to be collecting money for his church. Even to this day, the exact location of Moros prison is in dispute. Cary was caught when witnesses identified his 1979 International Scout, which had been parked outside of Joie Armstrong's cabin. After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. Police later acknowledged that they didnt use enough of their resources to search for Knight. Then, in the summer of 1997, Cary began working as a maintenance man at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal, Calif. which was located on Highway 140 leading up to Yosemite. 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]. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. ST. LOUIS No one knew what happened to the boy, no one saw a thing. Much is unknown about how Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby were treated during their abduction. Castros house was demolished on August 7, 2013. Officially, the Red Brigades held him in an apartment in Via Camillo Montalcini in Rome. The terrorists dumped Moros body in the trunk of a red Renault, and it was found in the historic center of Rome. Cary Stayner was born on August 13, 1961, in Merced, California to parents Kay and Delbert Stayner. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. He is best known for his namesake . On March 12, 2003, someone spotted Mitchell walking with a young girl in a veil and sunglasses and alerted the authorities. In another CNN article, Parnell's lawyer, Deborah Levy, felt that his prior convictions weren't relevant to this case as they were over 30 years ago, and he shouldn't be judged for his past mistakes. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. But the transition back to normal life was tough. Steven knew what would happen to Timmy if he didnt act. He got on with his life, his sister, Cory Stayner, of Merced, Calif., said in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They still couldnt locate Hearst, who helped the SLA in further crimes, including the extortion of an estimated $2 million from her father. He also drank, suppressing any true feelings about what had occurred, his sister said. When she answered, a group of armed men and women known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) streamed in, beat up her fianc, and kidnapped Hearst. It was a controversial decision, as psychologists found clear signs of trauma, with one doctor describing her as a low-IQ zombie. Captive Audience is currently streaming on Hulu. Would I have been better off if I didnt?. Although they did visit his house on one occasion, it was for an unrelated incident. On July 22, 1999, the beheaded body of Joie would be found by her cabin. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. At the time, Stayner had been missing for more than seven years. The nation wept over Stevens bravery and resilience, and Parnell was taken into custody. Facebook gives people the power to. After they stopped trying to teach me the fundamentals all over again, it got better. On March 16, 1978, a group of terrorists called the Red Brigades attacked Moros car and killed both of the politicians bodyguards and the three policemen in the car behind him. Back then, the idea of not talking to strangers was pretty foreign, especially in a small town. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. However, a deeply confused Stayner did not use these opportunities to flee. In March 1951, Parnell was arrested for raping a young boy and impersonating a police officer; he was sentenced to four years in prison. The story of Steven's kidnapping goes like this: the young boy was walking home from school one day when he was approached by a man named Edward Ervin Murphy, who said he'd give him a ride home.. View Full Article in Timesmachine , See the article in its original context from. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's residence.) He was only 24 years old. As far as Parnells accomplices through the years; Edward Murphy went to jail for 2 years, and Sean Poorman got a stint in a juvenile detention center. He was shuttled from place to place and enrolled in various schools as Dennis Parnell. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. Also, he forced her to consume alcohol and marijuana while starving her for several days at a time. The police arrested Castro on that day and in court, he pled guilty to 937 of the whopping 977 charges against him. As a result on that day, Knight did not try to escape, but she did scream for help when she spotted the neighbors outside. He was picked up by FBI agents while staying at a nudist colony. There were traces of sand in the socks and pockets (the reason why Moros brother believed he was held near the beach) and traces of vegetables. In January 2003, Parnell was arrested again after trying to coerce his caregiver's sister, Diane Stevens, into buying him a four-year-old boy for $500. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. Speaking with Ted Rowlands of the San Francisco Chronicle, Stayner revealed that he had been harboring fantasies of killing women for about 30 years. [9] Weeks afterward, Stayner escaped Parnell's house with White; he later said he did not want the boy to suffer the abuse that he had endured. Thats because he was able to escape, with. Research in aerospace engineering and reliability engineering. Police arrested the two kidnappers, but Murphy only served two years in prison while, incredibly, Parnell only served five years. It will be up to the judge. However, Mr. Murphy admitted in his testimony that he had attemp ted other kidnappings with Mr. Parnell. Life in a hellish maximum security prison? All three accepted rides from Castro and in each case, he drove the girls to his home, lured them inside, and restrained them in his basement. Back then, the idea of not talking to strangers was pretty foreign, especially in a small town. Birthday: August 13, 1961 ( Leo) Born In: Merced, California 27 24 Serial Killers #41 Criminals #174 Quick Facts Nick Name: The Yosemite (Park) Killer Also Known As: Cary Anthony Stayner Age: 61 Years, 61 Year Old Males Family: father: Kay Stayner mother: Delbert Stayner siblings: Steven Stayner Serial Killers American Men Height: 1.83 m He intentionally sabotaged the efforts. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell dated a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of time. It could be a very long sentence or it could be very short. Instead, he tried to make the best of it. Although Stayner told the younger boy to go inside by himself and tell the officers he had been kidnapped, White refused to leave Stayner's side. Uh oh, Hulu may be trying to come for Netflixs true crime doc crown. Steven would later tell Lori that, "I was not going to let that child go through what I had already been through. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. Though the psychology-battered Steven never tried to escape himself, the thought of another boy going through what he did was too much to handle. 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. One last Steven Stayner, one last Timmy White. However, as they were walking toward Stayner's home, they were approached by another man, who was driving a white Buick. Parnell went on to tell Stayner that his parents couldn't afford to keep him any more, that a judge had given Parnell legal custody of him, and that his new name was "Dennis". At the time of Stayner's kidnapping, Parnell was employed at the Yosemite Lodge, which according to ABC News, was approximately two hours away from Merced. Esquire The True Story of the 1963 Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. The second man, who was later identified as Kenneth Parnell, offered to give Murphy and Stayner a ride. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. Steven, 7, got in the car, where another man waited. By age 24, he still blamed himself in some ways for what had happened, but he seemed finally at peace with it, according to his wife, Jody Stayner. During his captivity, Moro was allowed to write a series of letters (86 in total) to various individuals, including his family and Pope Paul VI. However, his brother Cary also suffered throughout the entire ordeal. Pair Moved From Town to Town. 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 am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". Sean eventually tried to back out, but was threatened into submission. In February 1999, Cary was temporarily laid off during the slower winter months. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. As Steven Stayner was hailed as a national hero, his tormentor Kenneth Parnell was rightfully demonized throughout national media as the public cried out for his blood. That's because he was able to escape, with Just after midnight on the fateful night, Brian Mitchell snuck into Smarts bedroom, held a knife to her throat and told her not to make a sound. Once Steven was home again, attention was on him from every angle. Steven escaped with Timothy and hitchhiked 40 miles to a police station. Offers may be subject to change without notice. /founder of A Support Group for Depression and Anxiety where Eat Cereal. 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. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's . Murphy asked Stayner if his mother would contribute and the young boy said she would. As of the time of this writing, Cary is 60 years old and has been on death row for 20 years. 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