Bee), Investigators search the torched remains of Carole Sund's rental car for evidence near Sierra Village, Calif., in this March 19, 1999, file photo. Friends and co-workers would say later that he struggled with impulses he didn't understand and was susceptible to fits of rage. But adding children to the equation seemed to only make their relationship worse. She was not a woman; she was a child. ", "There's a lot of things I wish we'd done differently," adds Kay, struggling to decide if they should have done more to protect his privacy. Amid the mayhem, Steven learned to live with the publicity, for better or worse. "He loved Yosemite and in some way, it's sad. Two months later, the police said the murder remained a mystery but also had a very involved story of exactly what they thought happened. Neighbors who remember Steven Stayner's return to his family's home on quiet Bette Street in Merced were astonished that his brother was now a suspect in one, or more, grisly killings. (Heres an interview of Steven Stayner from ABC News in March 1980, one of many conducted around that time.). He bound and duct-taped her before strangling her. In July 1999, Cary Stayner happened upon Joie Ruth Armstrong outside this cabin in Yosemite National Park. It took me so long to move past that and see that these were pretty extraordinary happenings that were mostly coincidentally connected to each other. "One time Cindy (Stayner) and I were outside at night and he exposed himself to us. Cary eventually developed acute paranoia after years of consistent marijuana use, but kept on smoking regardless. Steven Stayner became a household name in 1980 when he returned home after being kidnapped about seven years earlier. It happens to all families, I guess." He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. "This was supposed to be easy for Cary. It seemed like she was alone," he said during his taped confession. Barbara was somehow also hailed as a good guy in the story. In the early '80s, the story of Steven Stayner's childhood abduction and rescue riveted the nation. Steven made friends, had a girlfriend, and briefly played football. This rage is starting to bubble up. Cary Stayner was convicted in both state and federal courts. Before the Stayners became one of the most recognizable names in the true crime genre, they were a modest family based out of Merced, Calif. At the helm were Delbert and Kay Stayner, with three daughters and two sons in tow. Welcome toOBSESSED, in which I provide you a reading list / media consumption list that speaks to my primary hobby: doing obsessive amounts of research into a singular topic or story for no reason. Steven Stayner was 7 years old when he was approached on his way home from school by a Ukiah hotel clerk named Kenneth Parnell. But I also dont forgive him. Carole Sund and Pelosso's bodies were found in the trio's burned-out rental car a month after they were reported missing. Steven Stayner was the third of five children born to Delbert and Kay Stayner in Merced, California. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "This family captured the imagination of the public for decades," newscaster Ted Rowlands, who covered the Stayners throughout his career, recalls in Captive Audience. Kenneth already had an extensive criminal record, including a conviction for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a nine-year-old boy back when he was 19 years old. Speaking in an off-camera jailhouse interview Monday, July 26, 1999, Cary Stayner, a motel handyman at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal, Calif., said he strangled Carole Sund and family friend Silvina Pelosso in their rented cabin at the Lodge and then abandoned the rental car with their bodies inside, returning two days later to burn evidence. Hulu's latest true-crime documentary, "Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story ," traces the nearly unbelievable tale of the Stayner family. "It always seems like when something happens in our family, the media is there.". "It seemed as though he had a compulsion with trying to get close to women or be sexual with them. While his brother was outgoing and popular at Merced High, Cary Stayner was known as more of an introvert. After Cary Stayner's arrest, Lenna said FBI agents contacted her mother. The direction and cinematography also add to the overall impact of the film. Ha! He would later tell the FBI he started imagining killing women and girls when he was just 6 or 7 years old. (CHRIS STEWART/THE CHRONICLE). Lenna, whose daughter is now the age she was when she met Cary Stayner, said she had not returned to Cedar Lodge until last year. "Now it's tainted, [he's] not the pure hero," Ashley says. He was right under everyone's nose. After gaining access to their room -- lying to Carole Sund about a leak in an upstairs room -- Cary Stayner strangled the mother and sexually assaulted and then killed Juli Sund and Pelosso. The film explores the trauma and psychological impact of Stevens abduction and the difficulties he faced trying to adjust to life after his escape. In February of 1999, three women whod been staying at Cedar Lodge while traveling in Yosemite were found murdered: 42-year-old Carole Sund, Caroles fifteen-year-old daughter Juli Sund and their family friend, sixteen-year-old Silvina Pelosso. I'd play basketball with them, hang out with them," said Tim Tatum. Hulu's latest true-crime documentary, "Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story ," traces the nearly unbelievable tale of the Stayner family. Lenna said that at the time, Cary Stayner, in his 30s and handsome, appeared "safe" to her, her mother and younger sister. I loved Cary. I leave my blog address below. He was a cartoonist for The Statesman, the school newspaper. ", "To realize that the monster that did that was your own family, like, that's crazy. Hulus Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, dropped in April, but I didnt notice it until last week, and boy was it captivating! Lenna, who asked that ABC News withhold her last name, said he also taught the two how to dive. Steven's disappearance was a . The bodies of Carole and Silvina were found in their rental car a month later about 50 miles away, and investigators alerted by an anonymous letter that Cary said he wrote found Juli's body near a Don Pedro Reservoir overlook. During this time, Parnell kidnapped a 5-year-old child in Ukiah, California and held him captive for two weeks before Steven Stayner escaped and took the child to the police. A witness had also identified Cary Stayner's vehicle as being on the road where Armstrong lived around the time of the murder, so authorities went searching for him. Before joining the SFGate team, he worked at the San Francisco Examiner, Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? On Valentine's Day 1980, Steven walked out of a Mendocino County cabin with Timmy, carrying the boy when he got tired. He stayed away from most of the other kids.". After Armstrong was reported missing, authorities went to her cabin and found debris -- broken sunglasses as well as a red mechanics hat -- and tire tracks. He was like a happy part of our life. Classmates remember him as shy but a good kid who had holes in his shoes. And while "Captive Audience" focuses mostly on the Stayner family and how Steven's brother Cary grew up to be a serial killer, White's life and story was changed forever by his ordeal. The miniseries was nominated for multiple Golden Globes and multiple Emmys. Steven Stayner reunited with his parents In the early '80s, the story of Steven Stayner's childhood abduction and rescue riveted the nation. She was a young and brilliant femme (probably also queer Ill let yall look at photos and decide), in an overwhelmingly majority white male field and she became an outdoors educator to tell different stories. "He was a good dad, he was a good family man," Jody remembers. She wrote in letters so often how much she deeply loved her life and calling. Kenneth Parnell is shown in a June, 1981 file photo testifying at his trial for the kidnapping of a 5-year boy. On my way home every day Carey would be pulled over to the side of the road next to the Merced River and would be there sun bathing. That's a crazy realization. She also recalled that he always carried a backpack, which authorities described as his "murder kit." (AP Photo by The Modesto It was very, very close.". Kidnapping and Trauma. "He's a nice guy. < Dubs fans picking apart video of possible Poole-Draymond incident, Bay Area preschool teacher suspected of dumping body along road, Bay Area mom influencer found guilty of lying about kidnapping, More rain, 'unseasonably chilly' temperatures coming to Bay Area, 'Horrible': Oakland rapper dumps on Chase Center Warriors fans, Destructive landslide closes historic California institution, 49ers out in full force at Warriors-Kings Game 7, Sold-out Berkeley crowd gets rowdy at country star's concert, Shock, fear as 2 killings in 3 days rock quiet Davis. Steven Stayner was the middle child of a family from Merced, California. Overall, I Know My First Name Is Steven is a must-watch for anyone interested in true crime stories and human resilience in the face of adversity. The total worth of goods stolen from that Salt Lake City store was $50. He was reportedly troubled by Timmy's distress and unwilling to watch an innocent young boy undergo the same abuse he suffered. August 2022: Whats New and Gay on Netflix, Amazon, Peacock, Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+, Apple TV+ and AMC+? He was held by his abductor until he was 14,. It was always with him, like a woman carries a purse," Lenna said. I Know My First Name Is Steven is a heart-wrenching and emotionally charged true crime story that follows the life of Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped at the age of seven and held captive for seven years. Unlike the first three murders, where he left virtually no evidence, he knew that he had left a very easy trail for investigators," Rowlands said. Even as a kid, Parnell allowed Steven to drink and smoke and drive, but Steven also feared Parnell, whod brainwashed him out of attempting an escape. And they do this ritual in particular to honor and acknowledge Joie. Cary Stayner was convicted in the 1999 murders of 42-year-old Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, their 16-year-old family. "We wanted to go back to our normal lives," Steven's younger sister, Cory Stayner, tells the Captive Audience producers. On December 4, 1972, Steven was abducted walking home from school - the beginning of a traumatizing, media-heavy journey for the Stayner family. They shouldn't bother. "The only good part about him being missing," Kay says, "is there was always hope that he would be found.". (Captive Audience utilizes the hours of conversations between the filmmakers and their interviews with Steven and the rest of his family to tell his story.) "He was off. Before he'd driven to the nudist colony, Lenna said, Cary Stayner had gone looking for them but Lenna and her sister were at their grandmother's house. Follow her on twitter and instagram. Friends, they did not give him a ride home! He finally escaped with another boy that Parnell had abducted a 5-year-old named Timmy White. "You know, bad things happen to everybody, but for our family, it's unreal.". Parnell was arrested Friday night, Jan. 3, 2003, in Berkeley, Calif., after allegedly trying to buy a child, said. One December afternoon in 1972, 7-year-old Steven had been walking home in Merced, California, when he was coaxed into a stranger's car with the promise of a ride home. 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Steven Stayner, 14, is flanked by his father, Delbert (left) during a press conference after Steven and a young boy escaped from a sexual predator on Valentine's Day 1980 in Ukiah, Calif. Steven's brave act thrusted him into the national spotlight. Stayner was the third of five children born in Merced, California to Delbert and Kay Stayner. I don't blame my mom at all. Bee), Juli Sund, the teenage daughter of Carole Sund, was sexually assaulted and then driven by Cary Stayner along with the bodies of her mother and friend to a wooded area near the Don Pedro Reservoir. Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? Judge Julie Conger gave Parnell the maximum sentence in Oakland's Alameda County Superior Court. Parnells appeals lawyer explains it like this: There was at the time a strong sense of what they called protecting the victim, he said, though he pointed out that, to his mind, protecting the victim was really a smokescreen for blaming the victim. He smoked cigarettes. Artist's sketch of Cary Stayner breaking down Wednesday, June 13, 2001, during the prelimniary hearing at the Mariposa County Courthouse in Mariposa California . In the background, wearing a baseball cap, is his 18-year-old brother, Cary. Reminding us of her as she lived alone and powerful, under the moon in her bathtub, tending to her body, dreams, desires, and the world around her. Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's 'Captive Audience' Now? He made some money consulting on a TV film written about his horrifying ordeal and got a reward for rescuing the 5-year-old boy. Kyler Alvord leads PEOPLE's politics coverage as a news editor for the brand. The two-hour special airs Friday. Captive America reveals that nearly 40 million people tuned in live to watch the movie's premiere on TV, and the film was later nominated for a Golden Globe and four Emmys. Cary Stayner also wore a hat because he compulsively pulled his hair out. Chronicle photo by Frederic Larson, A photo of Yosemite serial killer Cary Stayner published in the 1979 edition of "El Rodeo," the Merced Union High School yearbook. Now shes an astronomer because of how she fell in love with the stars. On July 21, 1999, 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, a park naturalist, was packing for a trip to join friends. Inside was a Ukiah hotel clerk named Kenneth Parnell, who accosted him about making a donation to a church. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Please visit once. "They got him to a mental health center, but he left. But in 1985, when he was 20, he married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson, and they had two children, Ashley and Steven Jr. Fatherhood seemed to rejuvenate him, and Steven started speaking out as a. On the trip, alumni hike out in the night with foot baths, salts, salves, and nail polish to care for each other halfway through the trek. Steven, knowing Timmy would soon suffer the same abuse hed suffered, decided it was time to plot his escape.