", Finally, Rinek says hell ask them to write a letter of apology to the victim. For four weeks, police, family, and volunteers searched the area in and near Yosemite National Park by helicopter, foot, and skis. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. They called police when she didnt show up to meet up with them as planned. Caroles charred body was stuffed in the trunk next to Silvinas. I felt he was in pain and suffering, and I felt that what he was doing by telling these stories was a good thing for him and it was a good thing of course for the victims families to know," Rinek said. SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Motel handyman Cary Stayner has confessed to the beheading of a naturalist at Yosemite National Park, the FBI said in an affidavit filed Monday in a federal court in Sacramento. See also. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. You know what I mean? If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. The murder of Armstrong is being pursued in federal court because the killing occurred in a national park. "And I did that almost every clear night from then on until Steve finally came back home. 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. A Voice In The Dark - Esquire ET on ABC. Learn more about merges. Jeffrey Wayne Keeney, 32, of Modesto. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Over the next few weeks, a task force including FBI agents and law enforcers from four surrounding counties, arrested several known sex offenders, drug users, and ex-convicts with a record of violence from within a 75-square-mile area between Modesto and Sonoma. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. Whites stepfather, Roger Gitlin, said White died April 1, 2010, of an apparent pulmonary embolism. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. based on information from your browser. 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. Stayner said to investigators I want you to get a hold of some producers in Los Angeles. Why did you do that?'" Then he took action. Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6753355/joie-ruth-armstrong. Joie Ruth Armstrong had been working for the Yosemite Institute for the past year and had worked on education programs through a partnership with the National Park Service. Not only were the murders particularly unsettling, but the location in which they occurred was also equally unnerving to the public at large. . She nagged them about recycling and using Styrofoam, they said. Murder At Yosemite by Carlton Smith - Ebook | Scribd The car described was known to people in the area as Stayners car, and the FBI began looking for him as a potential witness to interview about Armstrongs murder. Acting on a tip from a caller who was worried about the whereabouts of his friend, Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26, park rangers found her decapitated body on the morning of July 22, 1999. And now so had Joie Armstrong. Cary looked out for Steven, according to Cary Stayner's former classmate Jack Bungart. 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. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Latent fingerprints were also been lifted from the interior of Joie Armstrong's truck, which Stayner admits to touching during his encounter with her. This time, Stayner became a suspect based on a car seen at the scene. They found no sign of the missing woman but did discover footprints, broken saplings, and the trampled evidence of what appeared to be a recent chase through the woods. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. "We needed [him] to be very calm and very thoughtful and to just give us an accounting of everything that happened.". Creepy Stories & Legends About Yosemite - Ranker Rinek said it was important for him to not show judgment or emotion. Armstrong recently climbed to the summit of Mount Shasta and part way up El Capitan in Yosemite. In the water several feet away, they discovered her head, which officials said had been removed from her body. Stayner also is a suspect in the killings of Carole Sund, 42, her 15-year old daughter Julie, and Silvina Pelosso, a 16-year old exchange student from Argentina. Steven got married and had two kids, but sadly died in a motorcycle crash sometime later. On December 4, 1972, at the age of seven, Steven was approached after school by Edward Ervin Murphy, who claimed he was collecting money for the church. Check-out had apparently been done in advance and the keys were left on the room desk. In an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, the FBI said Stayner confessed killing Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26. Cary Stayner had a couple of nervous breakdowns, and though he was eventually brought to a mental health center, he left after a few hours. They said he was cooperative and agreed to talk with them. They decided to take him in again after learning on Friday that he had failed to show up to work at the Cedar Lodge. Eventually, investigators found Armstrong's body near a stream in the woods about a half mile away from the cabin. July 26, 1999. Year should not be greater than current year. The idyllic setting, a grassy meadow dusted with wildflowers and roaming butterflies, contrasts sharply with the grisly details of her death. 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. In his capacity, Stayner performed technical and housekeeping duties, everything from fixing electrical and mechanical breakdowns to delivering extra towels and bedding to guests. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. When he was picked up,. The search team split up into five groups, searching nearby and far afield. The agents bought some time and began questioning Stayner about Armstrong. Now, 26-year-old Joie Ruth Armstrong was missing. Armstrong also spent a year in the Sierra foothills working for the Stanislaus County Office of Education's Outdoor School. Steven Stayner had a new father figure, and it was Kenneth Parnell, who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist. You have the other brother who's left at home. Soon after, Steven Stayner later went to police with Timmy. On days off he would escape to Laguna Del Sol, a nudist colony in Sacramento County. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". "Now, we had been going through, not details, but the emotional impact this had on him. Jens had scheduled to meet them at the San Francisco airport that evening on his way to Arizona, to where the others were to accompany him. Stayner was arrested at a California nudist colony and soon admitted to all four killings, claiming he'd had urges to kill women for thirty years. The California Highway Patrol verified the car's license plate as the Sunds rented vehicle and immediately notified the FBI. "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. In the water several feet away, they discovered her head, which officials said had been removed from her body. Investigators brought a cadaver dog to the area and quickly found Juli Sunds body. Carole Sund's and Pelosso's bodies were found on March 19 in their burned-out rental car on the Sonora Pass highway; Juli Sund's body was found near Don Pedro Reservoir a week later. Woman recalls moment family learned they were target of 1999 Yosemite His distraught parents undertook a veritable quest to find him. Then in July, a teacher at the Yosemite Institute, Joie Ruth Armstrong, went missing. The bodies of Carole Sund and Pelosso were later found burned beyond recognition in the trunk of Carole Sunds rental car. In the backpack, I had a .22 revolver," Stayner is heard saying in an audio recording of his confession to Rinek and Boles. She is remembered as a young woman who had a tremendous enthusiasm for life and a deep desire to give of herself . It is the same garden that her mother, Leslie Armstrong, asked FBI agents to continue watering when they sealed off the property and searched it for evidence after Joie Armstrong's murder. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Rinek testified at Stayners trial and was there for his sentencing. Eventually, the family moved on, but one day, Cary heard on the radio that 14-year-old Steven had escaped from his abductor and was returning home. 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. Darrell Gray Stephens, 55, Strange's roommate. "As soon as it got light (Thursday), we were able to begin mounting a search where her residence is," National Park Service spokesman Kendell Thompson said. And this time I want to hear, 'Tell me what the victim perceived. Ham, who has known Armstrong since she was a red-headed baby, remembered her as a vibrant woman who challenged herself daily. Correspondent Don Knapp contributed to this report, Co-workers say Yosemite suspect not known for violence, FBI arrests motel worker in Yosemite murder, FBI questions man after Yosemite naturalist slain, Slain Yosemite visitors fund offers reward in other death, All 3 missing Yosemite sighteers identified, officials say, Yosemite Online : The Yosemite Association. Cary Stayner worked at Cedar Lodge for two years before he killed guests Carole and Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. Cary was questioned but never charged. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? Juli Sund, one of the earlier victims, was cut so deeply across her throat. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Eventually, investigators found Armstrong's body near a stream in the woods about a half mile away from the cabin. Armstrong led nature tours in Yosemite National Park. By the time Steven was 14, he had been abused and manipulated by Parnell for seven years and Parnell and Steven together realized that Steven was growing up and that he was no longer going to be controlled by Parnell and they would need to find someone else that they could sexually abuse. Steven Stayner died in a motorcycle accident in 1989 at the age of 24, and not long after, Steven and Carys uncle, whom Cary was close with and living with at the time, was killed. Armstrong, a graduate of California State University at Chico, had worked for the institute for two years. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five, less time than he held Steven captive. I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home. Vacuum sweepings were taken from inside Joies house, where Stayner claims to have bound her with duct tape, yielded hair evidence. Perhaps it allowed him to escape from the mundaneness of his own life. The Sund family's worst fears were confirmed when a hiker wandered onto the site of a burned-out red 1999 Pontiac, hidden off Highway 108, in the Stanislaus Forest region on March 18. Steven was a national hero. Park rangers found the body of Joie Ruth Armstrong about 4 miles from Cedar Lodge, where Stayner had worked August 6, 1999 Web posted at: 9:18 a.m. EDT (1318 GMT) He was arrested on March 5 when he allegedly reported to his parole officer with liquor on his breath. Mariposa police arrested Stayner that same day for smoking marijuana and questioned him, but somehow due to a clerical error, he was released from custody overnight, Rinek said. He at some points was shuddering, with crying and tears, but for the purposes of what I wanted him to do," Rinek said. "I remember going out one night after Steve disappeared and wishing on a star that my brother would come back home," Cary reportedly told Mike Echols, author of the book I Know My First Name Is Steven. Steven Stayner helped another child escape from a pedophile, after enduring years of abuse and not wanting to see the child experience the same fate. But by the middle of March, their hopes faded. After a couple of weeks, he upped the sum to $300,000. In a voice that seemed relieved to be unburdened from its depth a long-kept secret, Stayner blurted, "I am guilty. Please try again later. How a nudist colony helped FBI agents find a Yosemite serial killer and July 26, 1999 He was also angry about how his truck had been searched. Marshal from the Fresno County Jail in Fresno, Calif., Aug. 6, 1999 on his way to an arraignment in federal court. By mid-April, those who had been arrested were ordered to testify in front of a grand jury in Fresno, California. Her head was later discovered in a stream - a stream she and her friends used to drink . What were you feeling? Though hundreds of FBI agents, California Highway Patrol officers, and National Park Service rangers had combed Yosemites rugged backcountry with dogs and helicopters for weeks afterward, it was a lone hiker who eventually found them. She also worked at the Yosemite Institute with Kidd, and though the two werent friends, they did know each other. Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26, a German native who grew up in California, was found Thursday near a stream running by the housing area where she lived near Crane Flat in the west end of Yosemite. But instead of seeking mental health treatment, he moved to Yosemite. On July 21, 1999, 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, a park naturalist, was packing for a trip to join friends. Two days later, they took him into custody while he was eating at a clothing optional resort near Sacramento. July 24thCary Stayner is arrested at Laguna Del Sol Nudist Camp. There was a problem getting your location. However, there were warning signs during his younger years. Stayner, 37, was to make an initial court appearance later in the day in connection with the slaying of Joie Ruth Armstrong, whose decapitated body was discovered Thursday. Her decapitated body was discovered Thursday near her home in the. No one at the institute or at the park service would comment Friday morning. She was a vegetarian. I guess in the end, if my familys proud of me, Im okay. 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. But where was Juli? Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Looking into his past, the FBI soon discovered that Staynors own family tragedy had transformed him into a violent predator. No arrests have yet been made in that case and FBI spokesman Nick Rossi said Friday there are no new developments. He had done this before in the past, helped lost hikers find their way, but todays journey would prove to be very different and much more unnerving. Make sure that the file is a photo. The inn staff claimed that when they cleaned the room the next morning, they had detected no evidence of foul play or anything that made them suspicious. Stayner was convicted in both state and federal courts. It was the worst and best moment of my career," Rinek said. Serial killer confessed to his crimes after bonding with FBI agent The Cedar Lodge hired him as a handyman in 1997 and gave him the use of a small apartment on the top floor. The death-penalty trial of Cary Stayner was moved from Mariposa County to Santa Clara County, CA. Former FBI Agent Jeff Rinek recalls the moments Cary Stayner approached 26-year-old Joie Armstrong at her cabin in an area of Yosemite National Park in 1999. Joies white pickup truck was still parked in the driveway when park rangers and police arrived. 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. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). "I dont know how to think of it. She was full of laughter and love, creativity and spunk; she gifted the world with her glowing smile and warm heart. After Hiker Goes Missing Police Discover Bigfoot-Obsessed Culprit Although most of the stains were likely to include Armstrong's blood, Stayner was observed to have a laceration on his hand during his interrogation, and therefore may have been cut and bled during the attack. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. When she did not appear as planned, her would-be host had phoned the park. Cary was 11 years old at the time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. "I've struggled with that issue for the last 24 hours and continue to do so," he confessed. Resend Activation Email. Her slaying was a federal case because her body was found in the national park. The FBI Laboratory has also found possible bodily fluid stains on a bed sheet taken from her residence. The brilliant, bubbly, strawberry-blond naturalist lived with her boyfriend and a second roommate in a cabin near Yosemite. For years, Parnell traveled around California with Steven. Officials there were not available for comment Friday morning. Cary Stayner faces the death penalty for not only the Armstrong murder but the Sund-Pelosso killings as well. 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. Her mother had been dating him and he had decided to kill them on Valentines Day. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. In May 2002, Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1999 murder of Pelosso and the Sunds. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. Handyman Admits to 4 Killings | AP News You can always change this later in your Account settings. Convicted in 1978 for rape and robbery, he was jailed on March 14 for failing to register as a sex offender. Through the media, authorities alerted the public to be on the lookout for Stayner. He did feel, however, that the FBI spared nothing to investigate the earlier killings. Whatever this is that's inside you, you need to get it out. 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. He paid a local kid to ride with him to the town of Ukiah, California and he told to go and find him a boy. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. FBI investigators had compared tire tracks at the crime scene with photographs of Stayners treads and found that it was a perfect match. "[The judge] sentenced Cary to death, and they took him out of the courthouse. She got to spend good time with her child before she was murdered," Ham said. As part of the interview, Rinek said he used his deliberate interrogation technique of getting confessions, which involved making the subject go through the event three times from various perspectives. He loved his brother. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. She was last seen alive Wednesday afternoon, when she left her office at the Yosemite Institute in Yosemite Valley, park spokesman. Movies. 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. Justice Story: Twisted trail of 'Yosemite murders' leads to resort As winter merged into spring in March of 1999, a cloud of terror was hanging over Yosemite National Park. At one point, Stayner told the agents that Armstrong was able to fling herself out of Stayner's moving car and ran away until he was able to catch her. GREAT NEWS! Emotionally, Cary Stayner had a tough time during his childhood. 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. Her head wasn't found until later. Investigators initially detained Steven but soon declared him a hero for escaping and rescuing Timmy. All of sudden, it's here again.". He realizes its not much, but its all he can offer. The Yosemite Institute is a nonprofit group that runs education programs through a partnership with the park service. And then I take that, and that serves as my outline, and we go back again and then I want to hear, 'Tell me what you experienced. But when they found the decapitated body and head of 26-year-old naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong, they were led to one man: 37-year-old handyman Cary Stayner. Police and the FBI initially focused their. He rented a room above the Cedar Lodge and did odd jobs around the hotel. The brothers, four years apart in age, shared a room, but didnt get along, Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. Upon his July 23 release, Stayner returned to the lodge and tried to quickly sell his belongings, police said, before he packed up and left, later arriving at the nudist colony Laguna del Sol, where he began living in a tent. Last week's victim, Joie Ruth Armstrong, was decapitated. There is a problem with your email/password. 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. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. CNN - FBI: Handyman confessed Yosemite murder - July 26, 1999 Compounding the mystery, Carole Sund's wallet had been found on a street in downtown Modesto, California, three days after they had disappeared. In the exclusive, never-before-broadcast audio of Stayners confession, obtained by ABC News, Rinek said you can hear him ask Stayner to "do it again" after having Stayner go through his outline of what happened when he murdered Armstrong. Joie Ruth Armstrong's decapitated body was found in July 1999 close to Yosemite. They lived in the farming town of Merced, California, the Gateway to Yosemite. Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26, a German native who grew up in California, was found Thursday near a stream running by the housing area where she lived near Crane Flat in the west end of Yosemite National Park. Rinek said his wife Lori has been his rock and feels that without the support of his family he wouldnt have been able to deal with this and the other cases he's investigated. Thanks for your help! The police were not without leads, however. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. Parnell and Murphy were driving towards town when Stephen was lured into their vehicle and abducted. Joie Armstrong and her grandmother had grown extremely close since Leslie Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer in April, said family friend Anita Ham. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Some 80 people live in 35 shared units in the area. She and I were neighbors and co-workers at the Headlands Institute in Marin. After several days, the bodies were identified as Carole Sund and Silvina Pelosso through dental records. Thus, his confession has seen police departments all across the region reopen a number of long-dormant murder cases that he may have been involved in. Learn more about managing a memorial . "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. Brady Schwartz, 18, is accused of. Jens couldn't accompany them on this trip because he needed to prepare for an upcoming business trip. Her roommates were away on business, Thompson said. It was then that Steven's nightmare began as Murphy brought him to Kenneth Parnell, a known pedophile. Menu. Cary Stayner kills his fourth victim The day Armstrong disappeared, Cary Stayner was driving his car to Foresta when he saw the young woman. Search above to list available cemeteries. Mr. Stayner said on Monday. 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. Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites. Timothy Lee White, 5, gets a piggyback ride from 14-year-old Steven Stayner at a news conference in Ukiah, California, in 1980, Kenneth Parnell stops the car and goes to a payphone, he comes back and tells Steven, Your parents, I just spoke to them. Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Armstrong spent months with her grandmother as she underwent chemotherapy, Ham said. "It says, 'We had fun with this one.' Cary Stayner became emotional discussing how his brother had been held captive for so long, while his abductor was only sentenced to seven years in prison.