But instead of seeking mental health treatment, Stayner "ended up taking refuge" in Yosemite, Rowlands said. He sexually abused Stayner repeatedly until Stayner fled in 1980 when he was 14. I guess seven years changed him, too. Stayner's brother, Cary, is in San. He had been under hospice care for some time. In 1989, he tragically died in a motorcycle accident. Steven Gregory Stayner was a well-known kidnapping victim from the United States. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In 1972, at the age of 7, Stayner was kidnaped while walking home from school. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. Steven Stayner was the middle child of five siblings living with their parents in Merced, CA. 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. He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. 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. Cary Stayner, shown in this March 2, 1980 photo, is hugged by his mother Kay Stayner outside the Stayner home in Merced County, Calif., on the day Stayner's brother Steven was reunited with his family after being kidnapped for 7 years. His high school girlfriend said he later told her what happened. While Steven was a freshman at Mendocino High School, some 300 miles to the south, his older brother Cary was an upperclassman at Merced High School. On Sept. 16, 1989, Steven, then 24, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on his way home from work. Stayner once told press that he vigilantly watched his kids, and they werent even allowed out on the porch unless they were in sight of him or their mom. [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. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. Stayner and Parnell pretended to be a son and father (via the Lodi News-Sentinel). "He was just very well grounded, for a person that had gone through what he had gone through.". 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.[18]. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story,, a Hulu docuseries that streams today, shows, the two boys bravely testified against Parnell at his trial. Parnell died in 2008 whilst in prison, of natural causes. Timothy White died of a pulmonary embolism in 2010 at the age of 35. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. When Steven didnt make it home from school, his parents sounded the alarm. Cary Anthony Stayner (born August 13, 1961) is an American serial killer and the older brother of kidnapping victim Steven Stayner. Stayner later escaped, taking Timmy with him. However, the jury decided otherwise. Losing perspective? As reported by People, Stayner struck the driver's side of the car at a high rate of speed. 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). When 14-year-old Steven Stayner turned up at a police station, more than seven years after he was kidnapped while walking home from . He sexually abused Stayner repeatedly until Stayner fled in 1980 when he was 14. Leave a Comment / Death-Obituary / By Elon. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Not only was Steven able to explain to police what happened to him and Timothy, he was also able to tell them his real name was Steven, not Dennis. Del died at his home in Winton, California, on April 9, 2013. Im not sure there is any direct cause and effect," Flynn said. When Stayner was 14, Parnell kidnaped another boy, 5-year-old Timmy White. Soon after, he confessed to murdering Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. "His idea of serenity was to maybe smoke a little pot and to sunbathe naked.". The docuseries kicks off with Stevens 1972 kidnapping, and follows his abuse at the hands of Yosemite Lodge worker Kenneth Parnell. Steven Gregory Stayner was born on April 18, 1965 in Merced, California, to Delbert and Kay Stayner. But for the Stayners, this seemingly closed hellish chapter of their lives turned out to be . No other details were immediately available, according to the California Highway Patrol. 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. Parnell posed as Stayner's legal guardian and moved him around the state of California for the next eight years. He was in the background always.". He returns to Merced triumphant. He got on with his life, his sister Cory Stayner told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Stayner and White were not Parnell's only victims. In 1985, Stayner married Jody Edmondson in Atwater, where the two were living with their two children at the time of his death. Parnell was tried for kidnapping Stayner and White, but not for sexual abuse. This poor family! 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. Overnight, Steven Stayner became a national hero, especially as Kenneth Parnell was arrested the very next day March 2, 1980. ", "The first year was kinda hectic," Steven said on GMA in 1983. READ MORE: Tales Of Demons And Gods Chapter 377: The Audience Awaited The New Chapter! Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work the night before the Emmys when he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. ABC 20/20 is digging into the case on a new episode, which airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, July 2, 2021. 0 references. The second man, who was later identified as Kenneth Parnell, offered to give Murphy and Stayner a ride. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". And he was 38 when he brutally tortured and murdered 4 females in Yosemite National Parka dream he wanted to fulfill since the age of 7. He was 79 years old, and from what we can tell, the cause of death has not been made public. 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. The cause was a pulmonary embolism, said his stepfather, Roger Gitlin. Shortly after Steven's death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. Hours after Steven Stayner reported Parnell's crimes, . The boys alerted the police and were finally united with their families. Police first arrested convicted pedophile, Kenneth E. Parnel immediately and went to work tracking down Ervin Murphy according to Lodi News-Sentinel, who had only been involved in the kidnapping before going his own way. It is California's oldest correctional institution and has the largest death row in the . In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agents Relentless Pursuit of the Nations Worst Predators. Kenneth Parnell kidnapped Steven Stayner and Timothy White, abductions that later inspired the 1989 TV movie "I Know My First Name is Steven.". cause of death. If youre wondering what happened to him since then, heres what we know. He reunited with his family and later attended college. Two men pulled up next to Stayner in a car one day, claiming to be ministers collecting money for their church. Parnell worked at a nearby lodge, and on Dec. 4, 1972, he convinced co-worker Ervin Murphy to accompany him into Merced, per ABC News. 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. Convicted sex offender Kenneth Parnell, known for the 1972 kidnapping and seven-year-long confinement of Steven Stayner, died Monday in the state prison hospital at Vacaville . That night, he talked his way into their room under the guise of fixing a leak, and then sexually assaulted both girls and brutally murdered all three. And if I didnt take care of it now, it would just get worse,'" Duke said. But they weren't religious leaders Kenneth E. Parnellwas a convicted pedophile. Steven Stayner died due to head injuries caused by a motorcycle accident 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. So, Steven figures the best thing to do is to take him to the police station," Flynn said. Her head, which had been removed, was found several feet away in the water. He was charged and convicted for kidnapping and false imprisonment, sentenced to seven years in prison. The prosecution successfully argued that sexual aids and pornography found in the apartment, along with Stevens' own testimony, were enough to prove that Parnell's intentions were criminal in nature. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. What was his cause of death? I dont know sometimes if I should have come home. Steven Stayners fame was short-lived. The two brothers of the Stayner family are both famous, both tied to the wonder of Yosemite National Park, and both knew unspeakable horror. 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. 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. Parnell remained incarcerated until his death in 2008 at theCalifornia Medical Facility, where he died of natural causes. He was kidnapped. "It seemed as though he had a compulsion with trying to get close to women or be sexual with them," Rowlands said. In February 1980, Parnell decided to capture a new, younger boy. He was third of five children of his parents and had an elder brother Cary and three sisters. And they searched. Stayner recently talked candidly with reporters of his life with Parnell, who alternately molested him and passed him off as his son. Ten years after Stayner's death, the city of Merced . Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. 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 . "But he was unable to develop any sort of interpersonal relationships with any women.". The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. Steven was beaten and plied with drugs and liquor while his captors constantly moved around California. Date of Death: September 16, 1989. Delbert Stayner Age At The Time Of His Death At the time of Delbert Stayner's death, he was 79 years old. Date Of Death: September 16, 1989 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: White Nationality: American Steven Stayner was born on the 18th of April, 1965. As reported by The Famous People, both boys were reunited with their parents on May 2, 1980. Find a Grave 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. On July 21, 1999, when Stayner saw Joie Armstrong, a 26-year-old naturalist at Yosemite who taught children about nature in the park, "something instantly" changed with him, Rowlands said. Age at Death: 24. "He and Ervin Murphy got into Ken's big, white Buick and drove into Merced.". Parnell began sexually abusing Stayner almost immediately. Mr. White was 5 years old when he was kidnapped in 1980 by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted child molester. Its a story of a happy ending turned rathertwisted. "I think Cary after high school seemed a little lost, like he didnt know where he was going," Bungart said. One last Steven Stayner, one last Timmy White. Then he took matters into his own hands. But tragedy would strike Stayner one last time. Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. But on Sept. 16, 1989, Stayner died in a motorcycle crash. Sentenced to eight years, he served only five before being released, as reported by CNN. Many researchers suspect cancer may overtake heart disease as the leading cause of death in coming years. He eventually got a job as a trainee manager at Pizza Hut in Merced, and spent the rest of the time lecturing about stranger danger at local schools. In the years after Steven vanished, Del spent considerable time looking for anything that would lead him to his son. Morgan Doughty Filed A Lawsuit Against The Murdaugh Family, Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith Claims Alex Murdaugh Made Him A Fall Guy, Buster Murdaugh Testified For The Defense At His Fathers Double Murder Trial, The Subject Of This Netflix True Crime Doc Is Now Guilty Of Murdering His Wife & Son, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. But Steven's return was only the start of the family heartache. 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. Shortly after Stevens death, an uncle with whom Cary Stayner was very close was shot and killed in a home they shared together. However, he was convicted in Utah and was not known as a criminal in California. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. 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.. (Stayners helmet had been stolen two months prior, and he hadnt replaced it.) Parnell was sentenced to 20 months in prison for Steven's. For seven years, as the two moved around Mendocino and Sonoma counties, Stayner was known as Dennis Parnell. You know what I mean? Now I had to compete with a brother and three sisters. I was disappointed however on some of the inconsistencies, misspellings, and grammatical errors. Like Steven, Timothy also died very young. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. However, Timothy could not remember his address, so Stayner took him to a police station instead. Stayner was stolen on December 4, 1972, in Merced, California, by child molester Kenneth Parnell. Stayner died at the Merced Community Medical Center at just 24 years old, in what was sadly one of multiple tragedies for him and his family. He was 79 years old, and from what we can tell, the cause of death has not been made public. By Mike Moran of the Confessional Podcast : Cary Stayner. White became a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy. 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 would not reemerge until 1980, when he fled from Parnell to save another kidnapped boy, Timothy White. Here is all you want to know, and more! Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of, Parnell, a former motel clerk, had already been convicted for. There was a "pall over" Cary, because he was "the kid who had his brother kidnapped," said Bungart. Tragically, Stayner was killed in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in September 1989 while returning from a Pizza Hut shift. FBI agents caught up with Stayner at a nudist colony, where he had fled to after Armstrongs murder. Stayner left a substantial amount of evidence in and around Armstrongs cottage, but police initially started searching for him because his vehicle had been seen near her place and they thought he would be a "natural witness to interview," Rinek said.