Although no physical evidence could connect him to the case, he became the prime suspect in 2019. [21] Pankey had claimed that on the evening of Jonelle's abduction, a rake was used to cover up tracks left in the snow. Its the new home of High Plains Bank in Wiggins. On November 2, 2021, jurors got the case. Last year, jurors were unable to reach verdicts on the kidnapping and murder charges and prosecutors decided to put him on trial again. Law enforcement records describe unrelated run-ins Steven Pankey had with Greeley police. Pankey on Wednesday withdrew his not guilty plea to kidnapping and murder charges in the case to prevent legal issues with his speedy trial rights. Steve Pankey, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering Jonelle, is accused of watching Franklin Middle School children walk home from school in the Weld County Grand Jury's indictment of Pankey. Pankey claimed that he had no idea about Jonelles disappearance as he had left Greeley to visit his parents in California in the early hours of December 21, 1984. Pankey's trial began on Thursday, October 14, 2021, ultimately ending in a mistrial on November 4, 2021, due to a hung jury. I just thought she was a really nice woman who didnt seem to have any ax to grind. Hicks believes this information would have helped explain to the jury where she was coming from, including what her life was like with Pankey, how she came to the decision to go to law enforcement and why that was risky for her to do. Their father began to worry and called police. She wasnt surprised by the results of last years trial and was relieved Pankey remained in jail. During a service, the pastor recited his vision, or "word from the Lord," that Jonelle was going to be found alive and well, which received an immediate response from Pankey. On Aug. 16, 2019, Pankey and Hicks had a phone conversation about closure, specifically that the Matthews familys closure was much different than their closure with their deceased child because they knew who killed him. Charges were filed against him but were later dropped. Heres where Idaho governor candidates stand by CYNTHIA SEWELL, The following appeared in the Idaho Statesman on APRIL 07, 2018 09:59 PM (updated April 9 2018). Over the years, Pankey would continue to seek information from law enforcement by offering information in exchange for immunity and talking about the case in unrelated court filings. Kiszla: One-hit wonders? But Pankey came home late in the afternoon on Dec. 21, 1984, announcing they would go visit his family for Christmas in California a trip Pankey had previously decided against taking. [21] Mogensen said that while there had been sibling rivalry between her and Jonelle in 1984, Jonelle's killing eliminated the possibility for the two siblings to grow closer. Last year, his first trial ended with a hung jury on the kidnapping and murder charges, but he was convicted for false reporting after he admitted to lying to law enforcement about the case during his testimony. He was never elected. Saddam Hussein's forces had previously invaded the sovereign state of Kuwait and the focus of the operation was to remove his Iraqi troops from Kuwait. Critics say theyll make bias worse. "They've got full SWAT gear on," Pankey said in an interview with CBS affiliate KMTV and he said, "they took my laptop, cell phones, they took a bunch of pics ", A year after authorities searched Steve Pankey's home, a grand jury handed down an eight-page indictment against Pankey on October 9, 2020. In October 2021, a year after former Idaho gubernatorial candidate Steven Pankey was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews, he went to trial. Where is Steven Pankey now? The Matthew family didn't know Pankey. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. It was very, very frightening.. Carl Wesley Pankey (1987 - 2008) - Idaho Pankey was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. "It was just me trying to be a big man, be in the case, OK? Add family and friends whose lives he impacted. Her father arrived home at 9:30 PM and found the garage door open, but no one was in the house. But that was a very, very frustrating thing to contend with as a witness.. At the time of her disappearance, Jonelle's father was the principal of Platte Valley Elementary School in Kersey, Colorado.[6]. During that time Hicks also referenced multiple legal filings, unrelated to Jonelle's disappearance and written by Pankey, that gave details about her case. Pankeys verdict was significant for three reasons, Rourke said. She just wanted us to know what she knew.. He never shared that with me. One of Pankeys handwritten documents even said Jonelle was dead before crossing 10th Street in Greeley and that two cops were living within a block of her home. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. He allegedly kept asking for immunity in exchange for knowledge about Jonelles disappearance. Pankey told the newspaper that he did not know Jonelle or the Matthews family and had only heard about them following the disappearance. 00:58. A few days after Jonelles disappearance, Pankey was approached by Hicks father, who worked at a cemetery in Greeley, he told interviewers. They include minor and non-violent allegations, like accusations of creating a nuisance and harassment at a local bank. Jonelle Matthews was a 12-year-old American girl who disappeared near Greeley, Colorado, on December 20, 1984. However, his retrial in 2022 resulted in the jury finding him guilty of not just false reporting but also second-degree kidnapping and first-degree felony murder he was found not guilty of first-degree murder. On Monday morning, a Weld County jury found Steve Pankey the man accused of kidnapping and killing the Greeley 12-year-old in 1984 guilty of second-degree kidnapping with use of a deadly. Jonelle Matthews Murder: Former Governor Candidate Convicted - People As a Weld judge read the verdict finding Pankey, 71, guilty of kidnapping and murdering Jonelle in December 1984, Hicks, his 64-year-old ex-wife, felt neither joy nor sorrow. Her remains were found this week", "Jonelle Renee Matthews (12) Greeley CO, 1984", "Remains ID'd as those of Colorado girl missing 34 years", "Idaho Man Convicted in 1984 Murder of 12-Year-Old Colorado Girl", "After haunting Colorado for three decades, there is new hope in the Jonelle Matthews case", "Jonelle Matthews discovery provides closure for family, but new chapter is only just begun", "Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)COLD CASE FILESJonelle Matthews", "Greeley girl's disappearance still a mystery after 25 years", "Colorado girl's disappearance still a mystery", "Jonelle Matthews disappearance anniversary: Timeline of events", "After 30 Years, They've Found Jonelle Matthews. CBS 48 Hours: Who killed Jonelle Matthews? - Sportskeeda Man Charged With Murder in 1984 Killing of Jonelle Matthews - The New Another trial in the case of Steve Pankey, the 70-year-old man accused of kidnapping and murdering 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in December 1984, wont come for at least another six months as the Colorado Public Defenders Office reviews the case. When 2 or more people share their unique perspectives, On December 20, 1984, Jonelle Matthews vanished from Greeley, Colorado, into thin air. This file is auto-generated */!function(c,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(! Jonelle's sister married and moved out of Colorado. The criminal indictment said that he "intentionally inserted himself in the investigation many times over the years claiming to have knowledge of the crime which grew inconsistent and incriminating over time". Select the next to any field to update. The Matthews friends from church, Russ Ross and his daughter, dropped Jonelle off around 8:15 p.m. and left with an indication that she was safe and sound inside the home. A few weeks after Jonelles remains were found, Pankey called Hicks and brought that up. Pankey's then-defense attorney Anthony Viorst told "48 Hours," "there's no indication that he committed this murder, no indication that he had anything to do with burying the body. Angela Hicks, Pankeys former spouse, took the stand for her second day of testimony Monday morning. "The evidence in this case will prove that the defendant is guilty of murder in the first degree and second-degree kidnapping. Pankey is being represented by the public defender's office after private defense attorney Anthony Viorst withdrew as counsel, citing a lack of time and energy to potentially go through another trial. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Carl's lifetime. Police told her that Pankey not only had come to Sun Valley several times, but he had been to multiple agencies claiming to have information that he wouldnt give away without immunity, according to Hicks. a Pankey repeatedly claimed to have knowledge of the crime and had asked "for immunity in exchange for information". Details on the Broadwater County Sheriff Shooters. She felt she had no choice but to tell her dad he was being too intrusive in her marriage. Steve Pankey found guilty of kidnapping, felony murder in Jonelle Jonelle Matthews: Roundup of Greeley Tribunes reporting on case, Steve Pankey trials. I hope that she found that to be an empowering experience., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), It was very, very frightening: Steve Pankeys ex-wife talks living in fear up until his guilty verdict, Four arrested in connection with shooting outside Aurora mall, Mesa County, health contractor to pay $2 million after 27-year-old dies of epileptic seizures in jail, 14-year-old girl missing from Denver found safe, Driver dies, passenger survives fatal Corvette rollover crash that forced closure of northbound I-225. AncientFaces is a 100% free and family-friendly community to share memories and connect with others to discover more about Uncovering Our Shared Memories: An Introduction to the Community Standards at AncientFaces After hearing testimony from multiple witnesses, Steven Pankey took the stand. As investigators struggled to find answers, they focused initially on Jonelle's father Jim Matthews. Devin Booker sulked. Although it was intimidating and difficult to sit 10 feet away from Pankey and testify against him, Hicks was always told by her father to do the right thing and tell the truth. Harris introduced Pankeys obsession with true crime, and how he even tied it into a science fiction book he wrote, while Hicks remained on the stand for the majority of Monday. Beginning in Hong Kong then spreading to Europe, the crash then hit the United States. BY ANCESTRY.COM. Devin Booker sulked. Steven Dana Pankey took Jonelle Matthews from her family home, 320 43rd Avenue Court, without her consent and against her will on December 20, 1984 between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. 2. The Dow Jones fell 508 points to 1,738.74 (22.61%). Investigators searched the Matthews home, but the only physical evidence they found were shoeprints in the snow that someone had tried to eliminate with a garden rake. In 1984, a 12-year-old girl named Jonelle Matthews went missing in Greeley, Colo. After years of waiting to feel safe with Pankey behind bars, especially after testifying against him in the trials, Hicks is not taking the simple things in life for granted. [18], Excavators installing a pipeline discovered human remains at 4:50 PM on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, near the intersection of County Roads 34.5 and 49 at coordinates .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}401423N 1043609W / 40.239848N 104.602514W / 40.239848; -104.602514, about 15mi (24km) southeast of Jonelle's home. Thats why its so important to That great looking new building in Wiggins? International Center for Unidentified and Missing Persons', "Jonelle Matthews investigation: Chronicling the 34-year search for missing Greeley 12-year-oldThe vivacious 12-year-old disappeared in 1984. He was sentenced Monday afternoon to life in prison with the possibility of parole. UPDATE: Jury finds Steve Pankey guilty, sentences him to life in prison Yet everything changed in July 2019 when excavators installing a pipeline about 15 miles southwest of Jonelles home discovered human remains. Hicks had to pack in a hurry. Jonelles case came to the attention of then-President Ronald Reagan as his administration launched a national effort to find missing children. According to reports, Pankey lived about two miles away from the Matthews home during the time of this incident. Mr. Pankey wanted to be a person of interest Mr. Pankey loves the limelight all of the statements that he has made about his culpability have been, 'I didn't do it.'". When we share what we know, together we discover more. In 2020, a jury went to mistrial because they couldn't agree on if Pankey was guilty. The ride to California was silent, but on the way back to Greeley, Pankey forced Hicks to flip through the radio stations in search of news about Jonelles disappearance. Despite decades of ongoing police work and public interest, Jonelle's case remained cold. First, he said, False prophet, under his breath before standing up and repeating his statement, according to Hicks, who was sitting next to him during this time. Pankey family member is 72. Who is Carl Pankey to you? Born in Idaho Carli lived in Philadelphia and Arizona. However, seeing her sisters face led her to stop questioning Pankey. The judge declared a mistrial on those counts. Nobody ever came to me to ask, Hey, your husbands coming in and saying this, what do you have to say about it?. Yet, as of writing, 71-year-old Steve Pankey is incarcerated at the mixed-security Limon Correctional Facility in Lincoln County, Colorado. 22 birth records, View During the trial, Pankey's ex-wife, Angela . All Rights Reserved. After their divorce, Pankey and Hicks stayed in communication, which included chatting over the phone a few times per year and getting together for dinner at their oldest sons house. [12][13], The disappearance attracted interest from the public, including the president of the United States and members of Congress. His father was a Youth for Christ leader, and Pankey claimed that he came from a family with a long history of homosexuals and hellfire/brimstone Baptists. In 1975, he enlisted with the US army in Denver but was discharged precisely one year later. Critics say theyll make bias worse. Jim Matthews was eventually cleared. Jonelle went missing from her Greeley home on Dec. 20, 1984, after returning from her choir concert to an empty home. One portion of an article said there were signs of foul play at the Matthews home, but details were being withheld from the public, which Hicks noted with, One time Steve was rambling on about the snow being raked outside of Jonelles house.. Pankey, 71, is on trial for the second time for her kidnapping and murder. When it comes to landscape Did you know Your Butcher, Frank has super tasty delicatessen salads? [13] Steven Pankey was 69 years old at the time of his indictment. [13], A few months following Jonelle's disappearance, Pankey attended a church service where a minister claimed that Jonelle would be found safe. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. we begin to show & tell who our loved ones were during particular moments in their lives. (WLBT/Gray News) - A Mississippi family is searching for answers about what happened to their son after his remains were found in three separate places.Attorney Ben Crump is now . Dateline NBC dives into Jonelle Matthews' disappearance, her cause of death, and what happened when her body was found. My heart goes out to the Matthews family, and I am just heartbroken about what happened to Jonelle, Hicks said. 48 Hours: Steve Pankey Wife Angela Hicks & Death Of Son - What Happened?