Wellman said Parnell "was looking for one last hurrah. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. On December 4, 1972, in Merced, California, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was approached by a man who claimed to be collecting money for his church. Hearsts abduction gave the SLA what they craved; media attention. At the age of 35, a pulmonary embolism took the young mans life. Sometimes I blame myself. (Unknown - Unknown) Photos: 2. Cary Stayner (top middle) and Steven Stayner (top right) with the rest of the Stayner family in the 1980s. Parnell went on to tell Stayner that his parents couldn't afford to keep him any more, that a judge had given Parnell legal custody of him, and that his new name was "Dennis". Parnell claimed to have married a third and final time in 1968,[8] but no records were ever found to substantiate this. Alvaro Lojacono and Alessio Casimirri managed to flee to Switzerland and Nicaragua, respectively. Distractify is a registered trademark. And then, stunningly, years later, he was back. ''But I'm anxious about the sentence he'll get,'' she added. When the kidnapper left, he forgot to lock the large inside door, although the exterior storm door remained locked. As of the time of this writing, Cary is 60 years old and has been on death row for 20 years. On December 4, 1972, at the age of seven, Edward Ervin Murphy, who claimed he was collecting money for the church, approached Steven after school. As he grew older, Stayner started to wonder if Parnell was telling the truth about his parents. 7.8K Followers I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. New York Time Magazine 2 Convicted In 72 Kidnapping Of 7-Year-Old California Boy, Los Angeles Times Who Was Steven? Copyright 2023 Distractify. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. And for the next 7 years Steven lived publicly as Parnells son and privately as his object of sexual abuse. Hearst was an obvious kidnap target since she came from a wealthy and nationally recognized family. It was the last time the women were seen alive. Nearly 20 years after that, Steven's older brother Cary would murder four women near Yosemite National Park. He marched her out of the house and into a camp in the forest where his wife, Wanda Barzee, awaited. When Stayner failed to return home from school, his parents contacted authorities immediately. Stayner was taken to Catheys Valley. The boy agreed and gave the man his address. Bettmann/Getty Images Steven Stayner with Timothy White during a press conference following their safe return. Thankfully he stayed in prison this time, until his death a few years later. Seven years for 2 kidnappings, and years of child sexual assault. To spend 7 years obsessing over their kidnapped son, only to watch his life fall apart after his return, and then for him to die once things were finally going well? Everything has changed. Parnell was a master manipulator who had convinced his accomplice, the mentally-slow Ervin Murphy, that he was a religious leader whom God had called upon to spiritually guide a young boy . /founder of A Support Group for Depression and Anxiety where Eat Cereal. There were no cars or trucks to watch for, no sketches of possible kidnappers. Parnell was a master manipulator who had convinced his accomplice, the mentally-slow Ervin Murphy, that he was a religious leader whom God had called upon to spiritually guide a young boy. In brighter news, however, other reports reveal that owing to the strides that have been made in the world of. First, Cary was the kidnapped kid's brother, then he was the brother of the famous kid whose kidnapping was made into a TV movie. As he never had any rules, he rebelled when his parents forbade him from drinking alcohol and smoking. Tragically, his parents sent flyers to schools he had attended, but no one ever recognized him. Because of Stevens heroics Timothy did not have the years and years of abuse to recover from that his savior did. After the charred remains of the victims were found in Yosemite in 1997, police suspected Cary and he eventually came clean, but not before trying to negotiate with authorities to trade his confession for a jail supply ofchild pornography. Its too hard for Stayners parents, Kay and Delbert Stayner, to talk about anymore, Delbert Stayner said this week. I wish I could tell you that Stayners story had a happy ending, but in reality, the poor man met a tragic end. 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 church. A month after the bank robbery, they found an SLA safe house in Los Angeles, and in the ensuing shootout, six SLA members were killed, including their leader DeFreeze. When he returned, he told the boy that he called his parents and they said they did not want him anymore. Jody Stayner, who now lives in Montana, said she doesnt like talking about the past either, but said its important that lessons are learned from the case. Castros house was demolished on August 7, 2013. Parnell and . While working at the Yosemite Lodge, Kenneth Parnell befriended his coworker Ervin Murphy. However, he battled on and was married by the age of 20 with two children. On December 4th, 1972, 7 year old Steven Stayner was walking home from school when he was approached by a man handing out religious pamphlets and soliciting for charity donations. You can say he had a rough life, but it didnt even last long enough to see where it would have gone, Cory Stayner said. Timothy White was the very definition of recovery. (Years later, in 2004, while in his 70s, Parnell was sentenced to 25 years to life for attempting to buy a 4-year-old boy for $500. California. Steven knew what would happen to Timmy if he didnt act. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. On several occasions, Parnell encouraged Stayner to help him lure another boy into the home. By Mike Moran of The Confessional Podcast. The Truth About The Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner, California Department of Corrections/Wikipedia. Edward Ervin Murphy (Unknown - Unknown) How do we create a person's profile? My dad said he didnt need any.. It was a controversial decision, as psychologists found clear signs of trauma, with one doctor describing her as a low-IQ zombie. That man, Ervin Edward Murphy, had been recruited by his co-worker at a Yosemite National Park resort, Kenneth Parnell, to kidnap Stayner. Add These Shows to the Top of Your Watch List, A Fictionalized Telling of 'The Staircase' Is Coming to HBO Max With More Than One Big Name Attached. Four months later, in July 1999, Cary again gave in to his impulse to kill. On December 4, 1972, his seven-year-old younger brother Steven was abducted by Kenneth Parnell and his co-worker Edward Ervin Murphy. In fact he was nabbed in a 2004 sting operation in which he was trying to purchase a 4 year old online. Psychologists attribute Hearsts change in behavior to a phenomenon called Stockholm Syndrome, whereby a hostage starts to feel compassion towards their captors. Steven led Timmy White to the Ukiah police station in March. Also, he forced her to consume alcohol and marijuana while starving her for several days at a time. In no time at all, Timothy was back home with Steven, but this didn't sit right with him. Unfortunately, Parnell eventually convinced another teenage boy, named Randall Sean Poorman, to help him kidnap 5-year-old Timothy White. Of course, the year after Cary graduated is also the year his brother returned home after being kidnapped for seven years, so a lot of the family's focus was rightfully shifted to Steven. Ervin Edward Murphy, 38 years old, a Yosemite National Park janitor, was arrested last night and booked for investigation of assisting in kidnapping the boy, who told the police that a second. The Merced Police Department launched an extensive investigation and search effort. The trusting boy soon got into a car with the man and another male driver, as they promised to drive him home and talk to his Mom about donating some items. On the day of her abduction, Knight was due to appear in court regarding a child custody case revolving around her son, who was at that time in the custody of the state of Ohio. Following his brother's death, History reports Cary worked as a handyman at a lodge near Yosemite National Park. [18], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Youth Abducted Seven Years Ago Goes Home Again", "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Sex Offender Kenneth Parnell Dies in Vacaville", "Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism", "Kenneth Parnell, kidnapper of Steven Stayner, dies at 76", "Kenneth Eugene Parnell, A Notorious Child Molester Dies In Prison", abducted man posing pastor launched-daring-escape, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenneth_Parnell&oldid=1133639900, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 20:40. The Stayner family thought they lost their 7-year-old son, Steven Stayner, when he disappeared in 1972. Remembering Two Famous Kidnap Victims And How Their Story Touched the Hearts Of Many, Scenes Prove That Plants Are Actually Breathing, Unrecyclable Plastic Used To Make Roads With Impressive Results, Burial Ground Of The Midwife Of Jesus Unveils Treasures, Over A Million Dollars Is Thrown In The Trevi Fountain Each Year, And The Money Is Being Used To Feed The Poor. According to ABC News, Parnell stopped to make a call from a payphone shortly after Murphy and Steven Stayner got into his car. Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. As reported by The Famous People, Parnell convinced Murphy that he was an "aspiring minister" who needed to find a young boy, who he planned to "raise in a religious-type deal.". By daybreak the following morning, Parnell had been arrested. He also conscripted Stayner into aiding him in kidnappings, but Stayner had always failed to grab the targeted child to the point Parnell stopped using Stayner as an accomplice, berating him for being an "incompetent". When she failed, he forced Steven to attempt the kidnapping. Parnell then told Stayner that he was now his legal guardian so the boy must call him Dad. He even started calling the child Dennis Gregory Parnell and enrolled him in different schools in California. Mr. Parnell, 50, and a co-defendant, Ervin Murphy, 40, were convicted of taking the Stayner boy into a car in Merced, Calif., Dec. 4, 1972. For the first three murders, Cary plead not guilty by reason of insanity. View David Murphy results in Mesa, AZ including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Prosecutors said that Steven was Mr. Parnell's psychological prisoner. Steven was reunited with his family and became a hero. The terrorists dumped Moros body in the trunk of a red Renault, and it was found in the historic center of Rome. 2 CONVICTED IN '72 KIDNAPPING OF 7-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA BOY, https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/07/us/2-convicted-in-72-kidnapping-of-7-year-old-california-boy.html. Police swooped in and arrested Mitchell and Barzee, and Smart returned home to her family that same day. [6] He escaped from a state institution in Norwalk, but was recaptured. Mr. Poorman was 16 at the time of the kidnapping; he was sent to reform school. Just half a decade later he was out on the streets, and (unsurprisingly) trying to find other kids to abuse. She weighed just 87 pounds at the time of her arrest, and her IQ had fallen by 18 points during the time she spent with the SLA. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. He had been under hospice care for some time.[10]. Anyone can read what you share. The Daily Mail Mastermind Behind The Kidnapping Of Frank Sinatra Jr. History Channel Frank Sinatras Mob Ties and Other Secrets from His FBI File. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Though authorities would later learn that the letter was written by Cary, it was clear at first that he wasn't a suspect. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in 1980, he discovered another ordeal was just beginning. Of course, the families of both boys were overjoyed to be reunited with their sons and Steven Stayner was hailed as a hero. Things eventually got so bad that Mr. Stayner kicked his son out of the house. While driving home from his job at a Pizza Hut on Sept. 16, 1989, his motorcycle collided with a car that pulled in front of him. . Parnells father, Cecil Frederick, died July 31, 1972 in Denver.[3]. Edward Murphy, Parnell's accomplice from the Stayner kidnapping, was sentenced to five years imprisonment and paroled after two years. However, he allowed him to keep the middle name "Gregory" and his original birthdate. Having a family helped, as did Stayners work to prevent the same thing from happening again, his wife said. Smarts traumatized sister, Mary Katherine, shared a bedroom with Elizabeth and was fortunate not to be taken on the night of the kidnapping. 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. . The Stayner family went through a hell most could never imagine. As reported by ABC News, Kenneth Parnell treated Steven Stayner like a son. Both of them pulled up next to Steven and asked if he would donate to the church. So, when a highly publicized kidnapping ends in a heartwarming homecoming, its a pretty big deal. Timothy Whites return home went a lot smoother than Stevens. Lived In Hope Mills NC, Parkton NC. On the morning of the execution, the kidnappers woke Moro up at 6 a.m. and said they were moving him to another location. While investigators were checking into Parnell's past, the 1951 sodomy conviction came to light, although at the time Stayner insisted that Parnell had not sexually abused him.[11]. In February 1980, when Steven was 14 and was being told by Parnell that he was growing too old, according to Newsweek, Parnell came home with a new victim. In speaking to ABC News, Lori said that Steven "had a great personality. Next, Moro was placed in the trunk of the Renault, covered with a red sheet and shot by Moretti. Murphy offered to take the boy to his house, and unfortunately, Stayner agreed. 2. Although Stayner told the younger boy to go inside by himself and tell the officers he had been kidnapped, White refused to leave Stayner's side. Kenneth Parnell, who by the time he raped Steven Stayner, was his father all night. Initially, they wanted the release of various terrorists, but ultimately, they announced that Moro would be released in exchange for only one terrorist. What happened to Cary Stayner, and where is he now? Childhood & Early Life. Kenneth Eugene Parnell was born in Amarillo, Texas[1][2] to Cecil Frederick and Mary Olive (ne Pollard) Parnell, during the region's dust bowl era during the Great Depression. How did he end up on death row? Cary's defense team argued that he suffered from mental illness, in part from the trauma he suffered when Steven was kidnapped. He also has been convicted and jailed for robbery, larceny and abducting and molesting an 8-year-old boy, which occurred just after the birth of his only daughter. Edward Ervin. I dont know sometimes if I should have come home. They initially demanded a ransom of millions of dollars in food donations for her release but soon decided on a better use for their victim. By age 24, he still blamed himself in some ways for what had happened, but he seemed finally at peace with it, according to his wife, Jody Stayner. Parnell always kept himself out of the line of fire. Kenneth Parnell was ultimately convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to steal a child. In 1972, he approached 7-year-old Steven Stayner in his hometown of Merced, Calif. and beckoned the young boy over. A new Hulu documentary series, Captive Audience, looks back at a remarkable story with a terrifying twist, about a family that could best be described as cursed. The second man, who was later identified as Kenneth Parnell, offered to give Murphy and Stayner a ride. Parnell wasn't alone. In 2015, Matthew Muller Kidnapped a Woman for Over 48 Hours but That Was Just the Beginning. A jury in Alameda County Superior Court announced its verdict on the kidnapping charge, and a short time later returned a second guilty verdict on a charge of conspiracy to kidnap. The death sentence? Murphy offered to take the boy home after Steven said his mother would be interested in donating. Parnell and . 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. Deborah Levy said Parnell was "simply interested in raising an abandoned boy." So 16 days after Timmy went missing, Steven bolted with Timmy, and the two hitchhiked 40 miles to a police station in Ukiah, Calif. Ervin Murphy, the man who lured Steven into the car, went on to serve two years of a five-year sentence. 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. Steven was subjected to abuse and manipulation for seven years before he reached the . Parnell was waiting in the car, and so began a seven-year nightmare for young Steven Stayner. Stevens was aware of Parnell's past and cooperated with police in setting up a sting operation that would lead to his arrest. According to The Press Democrat, Kay Stayner said she "never did lose [her] hope" of finding her missing son. Parnell served five years of an eight-year sentence. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". Other work. [9] Weeks afterward, Stayner escaped Parnell's house with White; he later said he did not want the boy to suffer the abuse that he had endured. According to testimony in the case, Mr. Murphy returned to work as a janitor at Yosemite National Park after the kidnapping, and Mr. Parnell and Steven drifted from town to town, finally settling down near Ukiah, Calif. However, Mr. Murphy admitted in his testimony that he had attemp ted other kidnappings with Mr. Parnell. Sean eventually tried to back out, but was threatened into submission. At some point, Steven was a freshman in Mendocino High School where he dated Lori Duke. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The definition of a predator is "an animal that preys on others." However, his sexual abuse of the boy never stopped. They will be sentenced under California's indeterminate sentencing law, which was in effect at the time the crime was committed. He is best known for his namesake Murphy's law, which is said to state, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Born in the Panama Canal Zone in 1918, Murphy was the eldest of five children. One would expect Smarts life to be ruined by such a horrible experience (like Steven Stayner), but remarkably, she has managed to lead a fulfilling life to date. We want to keep this fellow off the streets.'' 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