But over the years there was even more strange behavior, moments that, authorities believe add up to circumstantial evidence. However, the grand jury found him guilty for false reporting only as he walks free. How Many Games Are Played In The First Round Of The NHL Playoffs. Pankey said he has great empathy for the Matthews family. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I lived in Greeley, Colorado, from 1973 . Jim Matthews: The Rescue Jonelle Committee made all kinds of things happen. In 2019, Hicks and Pankey also had several phone calls throughout August in which her ex-husband requested her not to speak with police if they reached out about the Matthews case, Hicks said during her time on the stand. Steve Pankey trial: Matthews family denies knowing Pankey The friend, Rochelle Davy, formerly known as Rochelle Baxley, said the car startled and agitated Jonelle. "Always seemed to kind of be the life of the party," Jim Matthews fondly recalled of Jonelle. Wells objected several times in Viorsts direct examination of Daviet, with many of Viorsts questions deemed leading and relying on hearsay evidence. Richard Schlesinger: What made that campaign a dumpster fire? It was Steven Pankey who started talking to just about anyone who would listen, including CBS affiliate KMVT. that told me that I'd been named as a person of interest in this case by Mr. Pankey. For the record, the Constitution Party denies Pankey or anyone else was exorcised at least by them. Greeley Mayor and former police officer John Gates knew Steven Pankey, and says he was not considered a person of interest in the early days when Jonelle first disappeared. The video showed Drake being questioned about his knowledge of the controlled evidence. Hence, justice is yet to be served for Mathews. Republican candidate for Governor in Idaho Steve Pankey ran on being a Trump supporter who espoused traditional core values with a biblical and constitutional perspective. He is now on trial for murdering a 12 year old girl. Idaho Falls news, Rexburg news, Pocatello news, East Idaho news, Idaho news, education news, crime news, good news, business news, entertainment news, Feel Good Friday and more. He doesnt talk much about his mother, but generally gives the impression that he was raised in a very religious family. Pankey went on trial in October 2021. His son was friends with Pankey's son, Mark. Mark Pankey, the first child of Pankey and his ex-wife, Angela Hicks, was called to the stand by Viorst to discuss his fathers behavior and his accounts from his childhood. WebSteve Pankey and Angela Hicks' son, Carl, was murdered in 2008. Then they had another one with the local police. And she later said it was nonconsensual. Its the new home of High Plains Bank in Wiggins. he's a firm adherent to the Ten Commandments, which include thou shalt not kill. Richard Schlesinger: And he was using, what, a garden rake? But as it turns out, when Jonelle vanished in 1984, Pankey lived in Greeley about two miles from the Matthew home. five days before Christmas, Jonelle disappeared from her home. Due to his business buying used cars and parts to sell to customers, Pankey would be in possession of several different cars. At the time, Pankey was a youth minister at Sunny View Church of the Nazarene in Greeley. Viorst said Hicks met with prosecutors and completed multiple interviews with police, but she never talked to him. DA MICHAEL ROURKE: The search for justice for Jonelle begins today. Pankey, 71, is on trial for the second time for her kidnapping and murder. Last year, his first trial ended with a hung jury on the kidnapping and murder charges, but he was convicted for false reporting after he admitted to lying to law enforcement about the case during his testimony. Mayor John Gates: The most strong evidence to me is the way Mr. Pankey conducted himself from the time this happened up until his indictment. STEVE PANKEY ["Unfound" podcast]: In 1977, I was a youth pastor at the church. at their state convention, he claimed that they tried to do an exorcism on him. Gloria was working at a restaurant. All right? Following a lengthy bench conference Tuesday, new evidence was introduced by Miller for a limited purpose that can be considered in regards to other factors, but cannot be considered in Pankeys conviction. There was one occasion where he made comments about how attractive younger girls were at the pool. Pankey said he had brushes with the law in Colorado before Jonelles disappearance that led police to mistrust him. Kelly Werthmann: I think it's, it's her word against his. Nothing. it just seemed really weird that he didn't have a grievance against our local sheriff And so just seemed like he was just running just to run. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: Don't spit in my face. And this week, the authorities announced that Steven D. Pankey, 69, a former Greeley resident who now lives in Idaho, had been indicted on Friday on charges of first Olson questioned how he gained this information from his mother, since he was unaware of anyone who would have told her, and she wasnt close with the Matthews family. And one of the times he ran for governor was a real dumpster fire. And that's why Gates became a prosecution witness. But denied he was obsessed with the news. Pankey said two Greeley detectives came to his condo around Aug. 15 and asked to interview him, but he told them that he would speak to them only if his attorney was present. Pankey said he also has volunteered to take a polygraph test. Before Olson took the stand, he was only given one six-paged police report from his investigation into Drake. Sakulenzki remembers asking who he was talking about when he made the statement. He said she lived across the street from his mothers home, according to Daviets testimony. He testified that in the past he had lied about his knowledge of the case. Hicks confirmed nothing was ever found on their property after law enforcement searched where Pankey was digging in their yard. Gloria Matthews: Everywhere we went I was always looking for her I always had hope that I would find her. This is going to be a godly home.". Anthony Viorst: That's the kind of thing that's happened to Mr. Pankey over the years. I said "I want to talk to you. The other counts were were far more complex than that, in my opinion. Hicks remembers Pankey saying, Do you really think I would hurt her when she looked so much like you?. But Jim Matthews, who joined that same church not long after Pankey left, says there's another commandment Pankey seems to be having trouble with: thou shalt not bear false witness. He faces two first-degree murder charges, two violent crime charges, and one second-degree kidnapping charge. The attorney also told her she had to say what she reported to Olson in their 1989 interview while testifying on Wednesday, to create reasonable doubt in this case. For 23 years, Hicks was married to 71-year-old Steve Pankey, who was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in 1984. Jonelles case dates back to Dec. 20, 1984, when the young girl attended a school choir concert, received a ride home from her friends father and returned to an unoccupied home. Angela Hicks says her then-husband came home and seemingly out of the blue, announced they were leaving on that trip to California and they were leaving quickly. LOCAL NEWS REPORT: A major development to tell you about in a mystery that is more than three decades old. About 9:30 p.m., Jonelles father returned home from his other daughters basketball game to find Jonelle missing. When police arrived, Lowery was still upstairs on the phone with 911. But Pankey used to say he was close friends with the pastor. According to attorney Anthony Viorst, the person who killed Jonelle was someone she knew. She said a very emotional Pankey walked up "48 Hours" interviewed Pankey's attorney Anthony Viorst as he was preparing for trial. vice presidents for enrollment management and and we submit that he never knew where the body was because he didn't do this. One time, I guess their family dog was doing a lot of barking, and it was irritating Steven. Please enter valid email address to continue. Around that same time, Steven Pankey, his young son and his wife, who was pregnant with their second son, also left Greeley. Pankey was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Jonelle in Oct. 2020. Ryan Horsley: He ran under the Constitutional Party. It was December 1984, just days before Christmas, when 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews disappeared from her family home in Greeley, Colorado. Despite 9:30 p.m. being the time Jonelles father arrived home to discover his daughter missing, Viorst indicated Drake could have left earlier than his mother reported. When it comes to landscape Did you know Your Butcher, Frank has super tasty delicatessen salads? Prosecutors have announced they are ready for a new trial, because they still believe Jonelle was killed by Steven Pankey. And she got really concerned when she found a note in the trash. The best home improvement jobs deserve the best materials. In response, Mark testified his father did not change and their relationship remained the same. So, the defense clearly has to prove, yes, he's an admitted liar but he's not lying now. Jim Matthews: We knew that we wanted to give her a dignified burial and I'm not a real emotional person. Mayor John Gates: The jury likely was conflicted on was Mr. Pankey, in fact, someone that kidnapped and murdered Jonelle Matthews? Richard Schlesinger: So, you've really gotta believe these prosecution witnesses to convict this guy. Jennifer Mogensen: I don't know specifics. And then on July 23, 2019, nearly 35 years after Jonelle's disappearance, police finally had that breaking news to share. He also wrote that he feared he might "get the death penalty for revealing the location of" her body. Pankey was home with his family when Jonelle went missing, Viorst said, and he did not own a gun at the time. They describe mostly minor and non-violent allegations, like creating a nuisance and harassment. DA MICHAEL ROURKE [to reporters]: It is with great honor today that we announce that the grand jury indicted an individual named Steven Dana Pankey for the kidnapping and murder of Jonelle Matthews. During her testimony last week, she stated her and Jonelle allegedly saw an orange-red car that agitated and startled her 12-year-old friend. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. Im trying to be transparent, he said. Hicks reported that was the only time she saw that much emotion from Pankey, as he kneeled down to kiss the urn. Pankey, who resided in Idaho in the years leading up to his arrest, was a 33-year-old used car salesman living in Greeley with his then-wife and young son at the time of Jonelle's disappearance. DA ROBERT MILLER: How long were you driving as you flipped stations looking for news stories about Jonelle Matthews? DA MICHAEL ROURKE: The evidence in this case will prove that the defendant is guilty of murder in the first degree and second-degree kidnapping. He was different from others and didnt get along with most people. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. | On January 8, 2022 09:21 PM. STEVEN PANKEY: I wanna back up a little bit. He says Norris Drake, whose mother lived across the street from Jonelle, is the killer. Moroever, the case remained hanging for more than 35 years until the remains of the young girl were discovered in 2019. Pankey says it was lies that led to him being charged with murder, but not his lies; his ex-wife Angela Hicks' lies fueled by her need for revenge. Pankey Name Meaning & Pankey Family History at Ancestry.com He said he won all the trials. Wells argued Al Dominguez, the district attorney of Weld County during that time, previously testified he never touched nor came across Jonelles case. Richard Schlesinger: Would you let us talk to your client? Although, later in life, Pankey started collecting guns, including an older gun given to him by his sister, Teri Barr. Deanna Ross: We rode our bikes a lot around town. Jim Matthews: For the longest time I knew exactly what they were doing, and I respected it. After hiding her panic from Pankey as her mind flooded with his past odd behavior after Jonelle went missing, she decided to go to the Sun Valley police station. ANTHONY VIORST: Norris Drake, Ladies and gentlemen, knew that the footprints were raked. Mayor Gates thinks there's plenty of evidence against Pankey. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I contacted the FBI. When Steven Pankey swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, Gloria and Jim Matthews were hoping to finally get to the truth, about their daughter, Jonelle's, murder. I mean . Viorst asked if Pankeys behavior changed once he became a suspect in the case. WebPankey, 71, is on trial for the 1984 kidnapping and murder of Jonelle Matthews. Steve Pankey For the family of Jonelle Matthews, the news was so devastating they didn't want to discuss it. Kevin Schneider says he met the Pankey family when they first moved to Idaho. Brett Kavanaugh, associate justice of the US's Supreme Court, has been serving in th Former CIA officer Matt Castelli is running for Congress in the NY-21 district. yes, I remember meeting him. The Statesman could not immediately verify that. Kelly Werthmann: To not have that definitive answer It's frustrating. But the most talkative person in this case had yet to be heard from. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: At the time I was married. After hearing testimony from multiple witnesses, Steven Pankey took the stand. His sister believed he shouldnt be partaking in the interviews, and his involvement in this case physically bothers her, she said. At least they did until that night December 20. ANTHONY VIORST: Mr. Pankey does have a mental illness. I had no knowledge," Pankey said. Steve Pankey Who killed Jonelle Matthews? What her suspected killer Steve The search, Pankey said, came about a month after he gave police a DNA sample. In the interview played in court, Olson was the first one to bring up the shoe prints. Daviet further testified that Norris told her about a scenario he thought might have happened to Jonelle. In 2018, Pankey made a second attempt at becoming governor and to no one's surprise, he lost. Viorst claims that he is Jonelle's killer. In total, he said the word rake 11 times, compared to Drake saying it twice, Wells said. Steve Pankey claims that seven days after Jonelle disappeared, his father-in-law a groundskeeper at a Greeley cemetery shared some disturbing information. It may or may not have something to do with the Jonelle Matthews case. I'm telling you everything I know." Though Jonelle was reported missing in 1984, it wasnt until July 23 of this year that her body was found, according to Greeley police. ANTHONY VIORST: He lives in a world of conspiracy, paranoia and low self-esteem. Kevin Schneider: He couldn't take his dad. Hicks said she found torn-up paper about Jonelle in the trash can. Officers told Hicks that Pankey was the one who claimed to have information involving Jonelles disappearance but refused to give the police anything until they gave him immunity, she said. His father was a Youth for Christ leader, and Pankey claimedthat he came from a family with a long history of He lost, but Pankey still wanted to be sheriff somewhere. I remember being afraid. On Monday evening, the courtroom was adjourned and left off with Hicks testifying in tears over her ex-husbands comments about the Jonelle Matthews case. Prosecutors say only the Matthews family, investigators and presumably the killer knew about them. Anthony Viorst: I can't answer that because I can't get into his head but, but I do think it's a combination of sort of obsessive-compulsive behavior and you know, perhaps even mental illness. Steve Packey is currently awaiting trial for her murder. WebPankey and Hicks lose their son In 2002, Hicks and Pankey finalized their divorce, and on July 4, 2008, their son Carl was murdered. Jim Matthews was eventually cleared. Mayor John Gates: Well, I think from a law enforcement perspective, the fact that the case was 37 years old. First published on March 27, 2021 / 11:03 PM. Steve Pankey trial: Ex-wife highlights defendant's fixation The day before the service, Hicks and Vanessa Sakulenzki, Hicks half-sister, were standing near the urn when Pankey approached. She turned herself in to police last Wednesday. Ryan N. Smith is a development producer. WebCommonly after shootings, we hear families of the victims call for more gun control. STEVEN PANKEY: It was just me trying to be a big man, be in the case, OK? Before interviewing Drake on the record, Olson spoke with Drake, and he revealed he had knowledge about raked-over shoe prints in the backyard of the Matthews home the night Jonelle went missing. Once youre accused of something like date rape, youre forever stigmatized, he said. During Statler's testimony, he indicated he received a call from Pankey three weeks after Jonelle's disappearance. On December 20, 1984, a 14-year-old girl, Jonelle Mathews was kidnapped from her home in Colorado, never to return. Jonelle Matthews' mother, father, and sister were the first to testify at the trial for her suspected killer, Steve Pankey. Mayor John Gates: They were confirmed by the coroner to be those of Jonelle Matthews. SUBMIT A CORRECTION EastIdahoNews.com The Pankey family bounced around from state to state for a while. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. Jim Matthews: He was not a youth worker at our church. Steve Pankey, person of interest in Colorado murder cold case He even mentioned them in a 2019 conversation, with investigators. Past statements from the Drake family gave investigators a timeline to Norris Drakes alibi. I am giving you bits and pieces of evidence that hasnt been released, Olson said in the full 1989 interview with Drake, according to Wells. Viorst tried asking Yost about Drakes attraction towards younger girls and comments he had made during their relationship. Her whereabouts remained a mystery for more than 35 years until her remains were discovered in 2019. On October 12, 2020 Steven Pankey was arrested for the nearly 35-year-old kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews. ANTHONY VIORST: Norris Drake had an interest in young girls who had recently reached puberty, exactly what Jonelle was, exactly. ANTHONY VIORST: So that's why there was no struggle, all right? In his testimony, Olson said the case once again went cold, but he never excluded Drake as a suspect once the case was handed over to another person in early 1990. Reward offered as manhunt for Texas shooting suspect reaches "dead end", Louisiana's health care deserts put women, babies at risk, doctors say, How a tall Texan became an unlikely Australian rules football star, Second convoy of U.S. citizens fleeing Khartoum arrives at Port Sudan, ISIS chief killed by Turkey's intelligence agency, Erdogan says, General Mills issues Gold Medal flour recall over salmonella concerns, Investors sue Adidas over Kanye West Yeezy deal, Tornado flips cars, downs trees after touching down in South Florida, Shaquil Barrett's 2-year-old daughter dies in drowning accident. Steve Pankey went the other way after his youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student Jim Matthews recalls arriving home at about 9:30 p.m. and found that his daughter wasn't there. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. DA Michael Rourke: He wasn't a person of interest. And then he buried her and went on with his life. Pankey said he had gone to church with many people who knew Jonelle Matthews family, but he did not. He was called to the scene. As per reports, the 14-year-old was kidnapped and reportedly killed somewhere in Greeley, Colorado. Richard Schlesinger: It's a hell of a way to get the limelight. STEVE PANKEY [Idaho Statesman political ad]: I'm one of the people who wants to represent you. In 1977, when he was 26, he was accused of what he called date rape by a 23-year-old woman he was seeing. Police even reported Pankey offered the same deal to other law enforcement agencies. He told that if his Republicans gain control of the 56-year-old Lord David Frost shocked the British people after his sudden departure from his position as the Brexit minister. Until a man living in Twin Falls Idaho, Steven Pankey, became a person interest. But in reality, there was no sign of Jonelle. Greeley was much smaller then and Pankey was known around town. His girlfriend severely killed him in 2008 in Phoenix. 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. She loves presents. It was December 1984 when 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews vanished from her family's Greeley, Colorado home. KELLY WERTHMANN: Did you kill Jonelle Matthews? Mr. Pankey wanted to be a person of interest. He does. STEVEN PANKEY: So, the truth is that I made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness. As investigators struggled to find answers, they focused initially on Jonelle's father Jim Matthews. PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN [March 7, 1985]: I learned about Jonelle Matthews of Greeley, Colorado. But keep in mind, I'm a 26-year law enforcement veteran. And we just had a very full life. He said he moved to Greeley in 1973. Phoenix New Times Pankey had an interesting next move: he ran for sheriff again. By 2002, the divorce was finalized. WebWhat happened to Steve Pankey son? There were no fingerprints and if there was DNA, law enforcement was still several years from being able to analyze it. After the two-and-a-half hour interview, Drake indicated he would return back to discuss the case more, but he never did. Kelly Werthmann: People were ready. On top of this information, Viorst has constructed an argument that Drake was interested in young girls. Here we have explained his remarkable political journey after serving his country and community as a responsible officer. The detectives then left. Like his father, Pankey also believed in these viewpoints, according to Hicks. Barr testified she was told by an expert that the gun was un-fireable.. Jonelle Mathews left her home on December 20, 1984, and didn't return back ever again. Steve Pankey trial Day 11: Two of Pankeys family members Mayor John Gates: I could see that goin' either way. Steven Dana Pankey was born in 1951 in Ventura, CA. Pankey himself would take the stand. Patti Aronofsky is the senior producer. She said she has been around Pankey only a handful of times, the last time being the memorial service for Carl. Carter and Pankey will begin at Stephens on Sept. 1. But when did he go missing? Steve Pankey was born in 1951 in Ventura, California. He gave the Statesman a copy of the search warrant, signed on Sept. 3 by Idaho Magistrate Judge Calvin Campbell. Anthony Viorst: So, here's what I'll say It's our position that it was divulged by law enforcement. That night, Daviet and her brother Dave were home, while Drake borrowed Daves truck to go to his mothers house. Pankey was found guilty in the murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in Greeley in 1984. He said his mother allegedly said multiple sets of shoe prints, which belonged to kids who came to kidnap Jonelle, were found in the backyard of the home. John Gates knows the evidence is circumstantial, but he believes it is as strong as it is strange. Mayor John Gates: I think that part might've fit into the no-brainer category. And even President Ronald Reagan got involved. They made headlines. Richard Schlesinger: Oh, to cover them up. And on October 13, 2021, a jury was seated and ready to hear the case. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I knew more than I wanted to know, OK. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I told the FBI I want to talk to you. STEVEN PANKEY: In the little jail cubicle before coming up here, I was praying and I was thinking, God, maybe I shouldn't testify Because I'd be just telling more lies. She responded he had visions of grandeur, and it ran in their family. Richard Schlesinger: You'd be the last people to whom something like this would happen, I would think. But Jonelle was far from forgotten. Now, her parents were finally in a courtroom desperate for answers. In 1840 there were 8 Pankey families living in And yet he picks up the phone. They never released the information about the rake. It's believed she's the victim of a kidnapping. Who Is Steven Pankey Son Carl Pankey? Verdict And Update On He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I heard that a girl was missing from Greeley, Colorado. Yost said this attorney was intimidating, and she felt threatened by his statements. Oct. 18When Steve Pankey's son was murdered in 2008, his ex-wife heard him say in front of the urn, "I hope God didn't allow this to happen because of Jonelle Matthews." Angela Hicks, Pankey's former spouse, took the stand for her second day of testimony Monday morning. "48 Hours" tried to get our own interview with Pankey. Drake became noticeably upset by questions regarding the hold-back evidence and said he felt bad because he didnt see anything and he was right there.. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: It would be in the back of my mind about this case so I called the guy who lived next door I just asked, "did they ever resolve that Jonelle Matthews thing?"
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