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. He told Hartman that his parents "didnt change that much," but his brother and sisters, "they changed a lot. According to People Magazine, on September 16, 1989, Steven was heading home on his motorcycle from his job delivering pizza when a "car pulled out of the driveway of a migrant-labor camp along the highway." Steven was only 24 but was married with two children: Ashley (3) and Steven Jr. (2). convicted of kidnapping both boys and sentenced to seven years of state prison time. #onthisday pic.twitter.com/eW5ce2QtEm Stayner, 24, was pronounced dead at Merced Community Medical Center shortly after the 5:30 p.m. accident outside a meat company on Santa Fe Avenue between Merced and Atwater, a coroners spokesman said. As Parnell was working the night shift, Stayner fled the home with White in the middle of the night. I always looked very closely in hopes of spotting Steven. On the show, Kay mentioned that Del would often drive around looking for freshly dug ground because he thought Steven was dead. 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. Meanwhile, his captors had renamed Steven as Dennis Parnell and he was enrolled in schools as Parnells son during seven years of abduction and sexual abuse, as reported by the LA Times. He was 79 years old, and from what we can tell, the cause of death has not been made public. "Whatever demons were clamoring around in his head, by being naked, by smoking pot, he could find the peace that he so desperately needed," LaLama said. 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. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. "There was a movie made about Steven Stayner. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. [10] Unfamiliar with the city, Stayner decided the best option was to seek out the local police, who originally considered him a delinquent, until an exhaustive search of missing child posters and a piecemeal interrogation confirmed he was a missing child as well. In a 2000 interview about his 1951 crime, Parnell said he kidnapped and molested the boy because his wife was pregnant and that he "had to find another outlet. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was riding his motorcycle home from work when a car suddenly pulled out of a driveway onto the highway. Although he was. Stayner later escaped, taking Timmy with him. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was walking home from school in Merced, California, when he was approached by a man passing out religious pamphlets. "At some point, Parnell and Steven together realized that Steven was growing up and that he was no longer going to be controlled by Parnell," Lunney said. Stayner had a traumatic childhood involving sexual abuse, the kidnap of his younger brother by a pedophile, and feelings of blame that he could not protect his brother, FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rinek wrote in his book, In the Name of the Children: An FBI Agents Relentless Pursuit of the Nations Worst Predators. Rinek wrote that even though the abuse likely poured fuel on a fire for Stayner to eventually commit murder, it was one that had already begun to smolder before he was sexually abused and before his brother was kidnapped. sibling. When Parnell kidnapped 5-year-old Timothy White that year, Stayner fled on foot along with the kindergartner and then hitchhiked to safety, a journey that thrust the two kidnapping survivors into the national spotlight. While they never gave up hope, the ordeal took a toll on the whole family. Like Steven, Timothy also died very young. Jan. 23, 2008. Thankfully, they were unable to follow through with the kidnapping attempt. Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. At that point Stayner decided to save White from the abuse he had endured and the two escaped. 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. Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life under California's "three strikes" law. In addition to participating in the abuse of Stayner, she attempted to help Parnell kidnap a boy who was a member of the Santa Rosa Boys' Club. 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. Then he took matters into his own hands. "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. Stayner was lured into the vehicle and abducted. Tragically, the Stayner family would be in for another shock a decade later. Steven went on to marry Jody Edmondson in 1985 aged 20 and they welcomed two children, Ashley and Steven Jr, who Stayner was naturally very protective over. "Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. Still, Stayner wanted to help his parents and asked that a $250,000 reward for information go to his family, Rinek wrote. Parnell was convicted of two counts of kidnaping and sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison in February, 1982, after an 18-day trial in Hayward. As he was not wearing a helmet, he suffered massive head trauma, which led to his death less than one hour after the accident occurred. Steven returned to Merced to marry and start a family, becoming a champion for the cause of missing children until his untimely death at the age of 24 in 1989. This is the story of a seven-year-old boy named Steven Stayner. I never recognized either one of them.". ", "He stated that he felt like jumping in a truck, driving it through the shop and killing the boss and killing everybody in the office, and then torching the place," friend Mark Marchese said in 1999. 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. However, none of them panned out. Parnell worked at the Yosemite Lodge, located about two hours away from the Stayner home. So, Steven figures the best thing to do is to take him to the police station," Flynn said. He had three sisters and an older brother, Cary. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. On September 16, 1989, Steven Stayner was driving home from work on a California highway after work one rainy evening and got into a deadly collision with a car that turned in front of him. The fact that Stayners brother was kidnapped by a pedophile and abused for seven years adds an almost unfathomable dimension to the tragedy that enveloped this family. For more information, please see our Steven Stayner's Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Apr 18, 1965 Death Date September 16, 1989 Age of Death 24 years Cause of Death Traffic Collision The Steven Stayner died at the age of 24. "[14], Parnell remained incarcerated until his death, at age 76, on January 21, 2008[15] at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California. Steven's last name is spelt "Staynor" on the cover but is actually spelt "Stayner." The author also states that Steven was missing for 7 years, then later on in the book he says 9 years. He even went before the Ways and Means Committee of the State Assembly to push for a bill that could increase the penalty for kidnapping children. Parnell remained incarcerated until his death in 2008 at the California Medical Facility, where he died of natural causes. He was convicted of kidnapping 7-year-old Steven Stayner in 1972 and keeping him . The contrast between the two brothers is "surreal," Flynn said. "For seven years I have been supposedly an only child. [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. Captive Audience tells Steven Stayner's story after he was kidnapped and abused for seven years. Leave a Comment / Death-Obituary / By Elon. A new Hulu miniseries thoughtfully explores a family's surreal life in the true crime spotlight. 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. According to The Famous People, Parnell also enrolled Stayner in school. Steven was told his new name was Dennis Parnell and was enrolled in school. Kenneth Parnell is most notoriously known for the kidnapping of Steven Stayner, but he was an active child sex predator long before that 1972 abduction. However, Crime Investigation reports Stayner sabotaged Parnell's efforts, as he did not want another boy to suffer through the abuse he had endured. Marshal from the Fresno County Jail in Fresno, Calif., Aug. 6, 1999 on his way to an arraignment in federal court. READ MORE: Tales Of Demons And Gods Chapter 377: The Audience Awaited The New Chapter! Against the odds, he flourished there. They had two kids, Ashley and Steven Jr., who both appear in Captive Audience. ", "The first year was kinda hectic," Steven said on GMA in 1983. Steven Stayner led a short and tragic life. Within days, he's on 'Good Morning America,'" Flynn said. Nobody can hurt him now. Stayner and his wife were high school sweethearts, the article said. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Steven Stayner's grave./Steven Stayner. The harrowing true account of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped by a perverted pseudo-priest and his lackey during the 1970s. He was sentenced to death in 2002 and remains on death row. He also felt more directly responsible. Her father is abduction-victim-turned-hero Steven . A year later, he was sentenced to life, which was, at the time, the harshest sentence handed down under the the "three strikes" law. 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 . The miniseries was released on May 23, 1989, only about four months before he died in a hit-and-run accident. On the afternoon of December 4, 1972, Steven was walking home from school in Merced, a city in California, when a man handing out religious pamphlets approached him. number of children. Delbert Stayner Cause Of Death Delbert Stayner died on 9 April 2013. "His idea of serenity was to maybe smoke a little pot and to sunbathe naked.". In February 1980, Parnell kidnapped his next victim, five-year-old Timothy White. Timmy White, 5, sits on the lap of Steven Stayner, 14, during a news conference Photo credit: Getty Images - Getty Stayners father, Delbert Stayner, was accused of sexually abusing his daughters, and Rinek wrote sexual abuse went back at least five generations in the family. On December 4, 1972, Parnell abducted seven-year-old Merced resident Steven Stayner with the help of Edward Ervin Murphy, a co-worker at the Yosemite Lodge, where Parnell worked as a night auditor. Im not sure there is any direct cause and effect," Flynn said. He retired in 1995 from working at a canning factory in Atwater, California. As he gets older, he realizes that he needs to try to make an escape and get back home. But Stayner had issues with readjusting to family life, with a tumultuous teenagehood. But tragedy would strike Stayner one last time. ABC News reports it was a "sleety, wintery day," and Stayner willingly followed Murphy into Parnell's car, as he expected the man to take him home. He was 79 years old, and from what we can tell, the cause of death has not been made public. "It seemed as though he had a compulsion with trying to get close to women or be sexual with them," Rowlands said. Steven's death, along. "Its dark and Timmy can't remember where he lives. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. When he didnt return home, Stevens parents Delbert and Kay Stayner alerted the authorities but there were no leads. On September 16, 1989, Stayner was riding his motorcycle on his way home from his job, when he collided with a driver coming out of a nearby migrant labor camp. 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 . 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. Stayner recently talked candidly with reporters of his life with Parnell, who alternately molested him and passed him off as his son. 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. Stayner died in 1989 in a motorcycle accident while driving home from work. Find a Grave Flynn said his sexuality was "constantly under attack.". Would love your thoughts, please comment. That's tragic. 1 reference. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell dated a woman named Barbara Mathias for a period of time. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. The cause was a pulmonary embolism, said his stepfather, Roger Gitlin. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He should have at least gotten involuntary manslaughter. After serving in the Army, Del worked at several sawmills and then moved to be employed in the canning industry. His parents had different expectations. Cos Ive not until about an hour ago and its definitely one for the books. Tragically, Steven Stayner was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident at age 24. ", "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. 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. While Steven was grappling with life after his escape, his brother was out of high school with his own troubles. Steven Stayner biography timelines. By that time, Cary Stayner was already having grotesque fantasies, the agent wrote. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.".
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