Require gun training? What Happened During Steve Pankey's Trial For The 1984 Murder Of Jonelle Matthews? He also kept searching for information about Jonelle on the internet and has been reported to make statements that made others believe that he knew Jonelle was dead. To give her that opportunity to get up and say, I get to speak on behalf of Jonelle, but also I get to talk about my own trauma that Ive suffered in my own life at the hands of the same guy, Rourke said. [26] Defense attorney Peter Harris brought up the burning car with Hicks, asking if she knew the make, model or color. My heart goes out to the Matthews family, and I am just heartbroken about what happened to Jonelle, Hicks said. We'll connect you with others who know the person you follow. There is some discussion online at websleuths and reddit that Carl may have changed his name to Carl Kassem Jetson just a few months before his murder (See. After his indictment, Pankey pleaded not guilty to the charges, choosing to take his case to trial while remaining in custody on a $5 million bond. Hicks felt she had to walk on eggshells around Pankey. 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. we begin to show & tell who our loved ones were during particular moments in their lives. Thats why its so important to That great looking new building in Wiggins? The police arrived at 10:15 PM and found footprints in the snow, indicating that someone had been looking in the windows. Steven Dana . The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. After Jonelle's body was found in July 2019, Steve was charged with her 1984 murder. She didnt say, I know he did it. She said, Heres what happened to me back in 1984 that really bothers me.. He was charged with first-degree murder in 2020, following the discovery of Jonelle's body. Before Jonelles disappearance, there were a few allegations against Pankey, namely teenage students who claimed that he maced them and a woman who accused him of rape. Pankey is being represented by the public defenders office after private defense attorney Anthony Viorst withdrew as counsel, citing a lack of time and energy to potentially go through another trial. Details on the Broadwater County Sheriff Shooters. Daily, over 337 million Europeans use the euro. Man Charged With Murder in 1984 Killing of Jonelle Matthews - The New Hicks and her sister, Vanesa Sakulenzkia, who also took the stand Monday, both testified they stood near Carls urn when Pankey approached and kissed it. He said they were planning to leave town the next day for a Christmas visit with family members in Big Bear Lake, California, and had already loaded their car. Distractify is a registered trademark. Select "Add Memory" to share stories and photos. Pankey testified he didnt know Hicks took any of these measures back in the 90s. Critics say theyll make bias worse. [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. Pankeys lies about her father were unforgivable to Hicks because Pankey had already taken away her relationship with her father and removed him from her support system back in the early years of their marriage. Prosecutors said Pankey kept up to date on the case throughout the years even as he moved his family to several states before settling in Idaho where he ran unsuccessfully as a Constitution Party candidate for Idaho governor in 2014 and in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2018, the year that authorities said he was named as a person of interest in the girls death. [9] Jonelle's older sister, Jennifer, got home at 10:00 PM, but had not seen her. A few days after Jonelles disappearance, Pankey was approached by Hicks father, who worked at a cemetery in Greeley, he told interviewers. Hicks plans to pay off her farm in 16 months and sell the business she built to purchase a commercial greenhouse to propagate roses and work on her writings. "[13], Jennifer Mogensen, Jonelle's older sister, said her family experienced "some closure" when they learned that Jonelle was murdered and she considers Pankey's arrest "another gift to our family". Law enforcement questioned Drake, but they said they did not pursue him further because his family provided an alibi for him. According to the forensic report, Matthews cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. This was a tragic end to her story, and was only discovered when her body was found decades after her disappearance. Hicks claimed to have heard Pankey muttering in response, accusing the minister of being a false prophet. In 2020, Steven Pankey, who says he never met Jonelle, was charged with murder after repeatedly making public statements that inserted him into the case, including drawing up a list of persons of. The Weld County Coroners Office used DNA evidence to confirm that the remains were Jonelles. Pankey was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. [15] As recently as 2018, Greeley Police had been re-contacting witnesses and applying the latest forensic advances in their investigation. Pankey told her he needed the money because he wouldnt tell Sun Valley police what they wanted to know about Jonelle Matthews without gaining immunity first. I know thats the way it had to be. The spacious, modern Trevor Reid writes and edits for the Greeley Tribune. The unexpected trip came as a surprise to Hicks because he previously made the decision not to go. Although Pankey never directly knew the Matthews family, his fixation on the church only showed his intent and motive behind the alleged crimes because he was bitter after they excommunicated him, according to prosecutors. 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. 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(! Afterward, Hicks requested Greeley Tribune archives of articles relating to Jonelles case from over the years to give to the police. Carl's immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the Pankey family tree. "The evidence in this case will prove that the defendant is guilty of murder in the first degree and second-degree kidnapping. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 48 Hours: The Kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews chronicles this strange disappearance and charts how and why the police came to accuse Steve Pankey. [5] After decades of marriage to a controlling man, years of worrying he would figure out she spoke with law enforcement about him and testifying in two trials, Hicks finally felt safe. For decades, her devastated family wondered what happened to the sweet 7th grader, whose disappearance cast a pall over Greeley. Since, other sheep have been cloned as well as horses, pigs, deer, and bulls. (Pool photo via CBS4) GREELEY A former longshot . After hearing testimony from multiple witnesses, Steven Pankey took the stand. He ran for sheriff three times, municipal council, lieutenant governor, and even governor - twice. It was around six and a half years later, on December 20, 1984, that Jonelle vanished from her Greeley home. Steve Pankey found guilty of kidnapping, felony murder in Jonelle Walsh asked Weld District Judge Timothy Kerns to set a status hearing in about six months to give the defense time to review the evidence in the case. At the time of Matthews disappearance, Pankey lived just three miles from her familys home and allegedly was a youth pastor at the Matthews church. Hicks and her then-husband, Steve Pankey, along with their young son, had just visited Pankey's family in Big Bear Lake, California, more than 15 hours away. Pankey maintains that hes innocent in the kidnapping and murder of Matthews, but a 2021 jury found otherwise. In September 2019, police obtained a warrant to search Pankeys Twin Falls, Idaho home. Welcome to AncientFaces, a com "Thank you for helping me find my family & friends again so many years after I lost them. 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. I had no knowledge.". He also brought up Pankeys interest in other murder cases, including two cases involving women named Mary Piece and Sarah Johnson. 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). Feb. 17 2023, Published 9:29 a.m. Steve Pankey trial: Ex-wife highlights defendant's fixation on Jonelle Steve Pankey: Where is Jonelle Matthews' Killer Now? He was never elected. Pankeys lawyers said his behavior may have seemed unusual but they argued police did not secure hard evidence against him and failed to clear an alternate suspect who died in 2007. The discoveries made possible by the Hubble have contributed to scientists' understanding of the universe. Greeley Police Commander Roy Smith stated that Pankey "had made repeated efforts to speak with detectives" about the Matthews case, but refused to answer questions when detectives traveled to Twin Falls on August 15, 2019. New pediatric guidelines aim to treat obesity without stigma. Hicks couldnt find her paycheck in her cubby at work, and asked the owner, who was also her and Pankeys landlady. Law enforcement records describe unrelated run-ins Steven Pankey had with Greeley police. Keeler: Avs fans, could we please skip Valeri Nichushkin, Nazem Kadri revisionist history? During that time Hicks also referenced multiple legal filings, unrelated to Jonelle's disappearance and written by Pankey, that gave details about her case. The 22-day trial ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision on the kidnapping and murder charges, though they did convict Pankey of one count of false reporting to authorities. Born in Idaho Carli lived in Philadelphia and Arizona. 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. She described being forced to listen to news accounts about Jonelle's disappearance, and she told jurors about finding a piece of paper in Pankey's trash. Steven Pankey Part 1 - True Crime Family Time The Dow Jones fell 508 points to 1,738.74 (22.61%). [13] Decades later, Pankey provided investigators with documents concerning this trip, which police said contained "false statements and superfluous details". Various other incidents over the years incriminated Pankey in Matthews kidnapping and murder. She said she confronted Pankey about the situation, who responded that he needed the money to pay legal fees. (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 . WELD COUNTY, Colo. The ex-wife of Steve Pankey, the man accused of killing 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in 1984, testified in his murder trial Monday and Tuesday. Last year, jurors were unable to reach verdicts on the kidnapping and murder charges and prosecutors decided to put him on trial again. Pankey then began leaving documents and court paperwork on Hicks desk titled, Angies files. She said he would try to sue everyone from a car dealership to a dentist, but in his pages of documents, there would often be a paragraph or two about Jonelle. I just thought she was a really nice woman who didnt seem to have any ax to grind. Despite the mistrial, she felt both sets of jurors did their best and were attentive. He allegedly kept asking for immunity in exchange for knowledge about Jonelles disappearance. Shortly after the rape charges, Pankey claimed that he was given disturbing information about members of the Sunny View Church of The Nazarene, where he himself was a member. According to attorney Anthony Viorst, the person who killed Jonelle was someone she knew. Steve Pankey testified in October 2021 in his trial for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of Jonelle Matthews in Weld District Court in Greeley. A motions hearing was set for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8. Thats why its so important to That great looking new building in Wiggins? When Angela Hicks took the. That was one of the most difficult parts of testifying for Hicks. Harris argued during cross that Pankeys comment was strange, but it didnt lead to any kind of evidence. In 1997, Gloria Matthews received a letter from Vierra requesting permission to visit Jonelle. I think she obviously had some fears about doing it. Yet, as of writing, 71-year-old Steve Pankey is incarcerated at the mixed-security Limon Correctional Facility in Lincoln County, Colorado. While the search was going on, Steve Pankey, a former Idaho governor candidate, made himself a person of interest by making allegedly incriminating statements and also discussing information about the crime the police had withheld from the public. I was very relieved at that because my dad was just such a good, honest, kind man, and to have Steve use him like that was just horrible for me, Hicks said. 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. [4] Steven Pankey was sentenced to life imprisonment on October 31, 2022, after his arrest in 2020. Without Angela Hicks, Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke said, the suspect in the 1984 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews would have never been arrested, indicted or convicted. Pankey further explained that Sun Valley, a city in Idaho, was persecuting him because he wouldnt give them the information they wanted about the Jonelle case unless he received immunity first. When Cash reached out to Hicks, she said she relayed all the information from Pankeys prior legal fillings, handwritten letters and other documentation. "That's the kind of thing that's happened to Mr. Pankey over the years. He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? He does not believe in gun control of any kind and hoped that all gun laws would be repealed. Fred Smith knows real estate. the average Pankey family member next to their name to remove from the family tree. The public defenders office would then have a week to reply, at which point Kerns would issue an order as quickly as possible. Pankey is serving his sentence at the Bent County Correctional Facility in Las Animas, Colorado. Steve Pankey trial: Closing arguments in Jonelle Matthews case | 9news.com The medical examiner also found out that the cause of death was a single gunshot wound straight to the head. 52 years shorter than The Matthews notified Vierra about what happened and the families became friends. Based on DNA evidence, the Weld County Coroner's Office positively identified the remains as being those of Jonelle Matthews. [13] Steven Pankey was 69 years old at the time of his indictment. I was terrified because I was thinking, What am I going to do if they asked him something? Hicks said. His campaign website said that Pankey has studied criminal justice. Devin Booker sulked. When Pankey came home in the afternoon on Dec. 21, 1984 the day after Jonelles disappearance he announced their family would go visit his family for Christmas in California. If youre intrigued to know more about the accused and where he is today, we have got you covered. Shortly after 8:30 PM, Jonelle answered a phone call and took a message for her father. @48hours. Nearly 38 years after he murdered Jonelle Matthews and buried her body in a field, Steve Pankey was sentenced to life in prison on Monday afternoon. When you share a memory, or just show that you care by interacting with the biography, The selection changes often, but if you love good Buying or selling a home is the largest financial investment most people ever make. Keeler: Avs fans, could we please skip Valeri Nichushkin, Nazem Kadri revisionist history? She called it an endless barrage of nothing real serious.. His formal charge indicted him on five counts related to Jonelles death: murder in the first degree after deliberation, felony murder, second-degree kidnapping, and two related crime of violence charges. 00:58. Jurors found Steve Pankey, 71, guilty of felony murder, second-degree kidnapping and false reporting in the disappearance and death of Jonelle Matthews in 1984, the office of district attorney Michael Rourke said. She wasnt a woman of scorn. He stopped her on news coverage about a 12-year-old who had gone missing from her Greeley home. Along with arguing Pankeys true crime nature, Harris asserted Pankeys interest in Jonelles case, naturally, stemmed from its link to Sunny View Church, particularly Ross and Pastor Jim Christys names being used in the media at the time. Twin Falls man investigated in killing - Pankey ran for governor in 2014. But she did feel relief. Help paint a picture of Carl so that he is always remembered. Angela Hicks, Pankeys former spouse, took the stand for her second day of testimony Monday morning. The retrial of Steven Pankey is scheduled for October 4, 2022. Second trial in Jonelle Matthews murder case set for suspect Steve Pankey [25] The prosecution argued that Pankey's behavior and statements incriminated him in the murder, but Pankey's defense attorney argued that his "obsessive interest" in the case could be attributed to Asperger syndrome. He began digging in the front yard, which Hicks didnt question. Hicks went to discuss the rent situation with Pankey, who responded he used the money on legal fees because the Sun Valley police were persecuting him. Murder of Jonelle Matthews