When she did not appear as planned, her would-be host had phoned the park. . All of its been bad, Delbert Stayner said of his familys life. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? What were you going to do next? Convicted in 1978 for rape and robbery, he was jailed on March 14 for failing to register as a sex offender. Learn more about managing a memorial . Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Armstrong's head was later found near her body. Police and the FBI initially focused their. On days off he would escape to Laguna Del Sol, a nudist colony in Sacramento County. Sandy Cox, whose husband owned the window company where Stayner worked for in Atwater, says, "We've known Cary since he was a little boyIt just doesn't match up. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Hed been living under investigators noses for five months. Four men were considered the main murder suspects in the initial inquiries. On the drive to the FBI field office, Rinek asked Stayner if he was related to Steven Stayner. Getting Started | Contributor Zone . Rangers found her body at about 1 p.m. Thursday near the living quarters she shared with a man and a woman at employee housing units just west of the Crane Flat campground. In the following months, the FBI announced that they believed the people responsible for the murders were in custody. He, along with his three sisters and younger brother Steven, were the children of hard-working, middle-class parents. Steven told the police what happened to him and Timothy and he was also able to tell them his real name was Steven, not Dennis. A Voice In The Dark - Esquire The prosecution team was headed by George Williamson and the defense team was headed by Marcia Morrissey. Her decapitated body was found near a wilderness stream the next day. I do that when I go home to my wife, and I break down and I start crying and I tell her then.". "Thats when I told him, 'You need to go to a doctor, Cary.'" But when they found the decapitated body and head of 26-year-old naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong, they were led to one man: 37-year-old handyman Cary Stayner. "I could not believe what I'd just heard. Maria Ledbetter, 24, of Modesto, an admitted methamphetamine addict and former girlfriend of Dykes, about whom she was questioned extensively. Armstrong, a graduate of California State University at Chico, had worked for the institute for two years. Joies white pickup truck was still parked in the driveway when park rangers and police arrived. Nevertheless, he seems to feel some remorse about what he has done and hopes to sell the rights to the story to Hollywood. She was working for the Yosemite Institute for the past year and had worked on education programs through a partnership with the National Park Service. Not for himself, but so that the royalties can ultimately be used to compensate the victims families. A park official speaking on condition of anonymity said Armstrong had been decapitated, and that as far as he knew, she was clothed. 5-year-old Timothy White walking home from school and they quickly snatched him. Because he was the handyman at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal where the Sund & Pelosso group had stayed before they were murdered, his questioning at that time seems to have been more routine than anything. "Theres a crude map, and the map shows Route 120. On Monday, July 22, the court heard Stayners taped confession, which he had given to FBI agents. He had given the FBI details "only the killer would know in such specificity that agents were able to recover evidence confirming his confession. Investigators searched his truck and confiscated his backpack for examination. It was the last time the women were seen alive. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Its manager had seen a story on television, recognized Stayner's photo as one of his guests, and notified the FBI. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Had no interest in girls, had no interest in people, he was just a creepy loner. "Cary Stayner started launching off into, 'This is going to be my last meal as a free man,'" Rinek recalled. The death-penalty trial of Cary Stayner was moved from Mariposa County to Santa Clara County, CA. Joie Ruth Armstrong's decapitated body was found in July 1999 close to Yosemite. Joie Ruth Armstrong had been working for the Yosemite Institute for the past year and had worked on education programs through a partnership with the National Park Service. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. How Yosemite serial killer chose his fourth victim. Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6753355/joie-ruth-armstrong. One colorful sign decorated with red hearts read "Let Foresta Heal." "Everybody thought it was over with the other case," said a cashier at Cedar Lodge, the El Portal motel-restaurant where Carole Sund, her daughter Juli, and family friend Silvina Pelosso from Argentina were last seen alive in February. Upon release, the FBI warned him not to leave El Portal. Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites. Make sure that the file is a photo. He also struggled in high school where he was bullied for the abuse he had endured. At that time, Steven had been forced to endure sexual abuse by his kidnapper, whom he finally turned in to the police. In the backpack, I had a .22 revolver," Stayner is heard saying in an audio recording of his confession to Rinek and Boles. In an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, the FBI said Stayner confessed killing Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26. See also. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Once the three of them got back to the field office, Stayner was ready to reveal the naked truth. A large search turned up nothing. < Dubs fans picking apart video of possible Poole-Draymond incident, Destructive landslide closes historic California institution, Bay Area mom influencer found guilty of lying about kidnapping, More rain, 'unseasonably chilly' temperatures coming to Bay Area, Horoscope for Monday, 5/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Bay Area preschool teacher suspected of dumping body along road, 49ers out in full force at Warriors-Kings Game 7, Shock, fear as 2 killings in 3 days rock quiet Davis, Sold-out Berkeley crowd gets rowdy at country star's concert, Steph Curry killed off the Kings with a smile, Draymond Green rips Domantas Sabonis: 'Lost a lot of respect', Klay Thompson calls Warriors-Lakers series 'a dream come true'. The grisly find brought the events of the recent disappearance back to the forefront of Kidds mind. ", "Jeff was very empathetic, and he was saying, 'I can already see a change in you. Cary always wore a hat because he was compulsively pulling his hair out. Agents arrived at the scene early on the 19th and upon opening the trunk, investigators found two charred bodies. "With the recovery of the duct tape, and the watch and the knife, which was the murder weapon, now were talking evidence.". Parnell was convicted on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges. Two days later, they took him into custody while he was eating at a clothing optional resort near Sacramento. Joie Armstrong, a NatureBridge educator at Yosemite National Park in 1999, was a bright light to all who knew her. Cary was 11 years old at the time, and deeply upset about his brother's disappearance. "I'm confident we've done everything that could be reasonably done.". By the end of that evening, the FBI felt it had gathered enough evidence to arrest Cary Stayner for murder, Sunday morning, they rushed him to Fresno to officially lodge a complaint, then to Sacramento on Monday where he was put before the courts. At that point, Rinek said he feared Stayner would refuse to continue to confess. Then all of a sudden it's gone. Search above to list available cemeteries. FBI: Suspect confesses to Yosemite beheading - July 26, 1999 - CNN Not only were the murders particularly unsettling, but the location in which they occurred was also equally unnerving to the public at large. FBI: Suspect in naturalist's killing also linked to Yosemite trio The man took a hit off the joint he had been smoking and explained to the ranger and accompanying police officer that his name was Cary Stayner. When it came to the interrogation of Stayner, Rinek said they had to calm him down. Almost immediately, a park employee came forward with information on a blue and white 1979 International Scout that had been parked near Joies house on the night of her disappearance. Stayner spent his downtime by the rivers, getting high and skinny dipping, police said. Ken Parnell went back to what he had been doing for years. She got to spend good time with her child before she was murdered," Ham said. Stayner caught the attention of park rangers again last week after his sport utility vehicle was seen near Armstrong's residence on Wednesday night, an hour after she was last seen there. On July 21, 1999, 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, a park naturalist, was packing for a trip to join friends. On the way to his police interview he confessed to a detective in the car to murdering Joie Armstrong, describing the brutal killing "as if he was reading a soup label," said John Boles, another FBI agent on the case. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. After Hiker Goes Missing Police Discover Bigfoot-Obsessed Culprit, Man Finds Old Buried Chain, His Gut Then Tells Him To Keep Pulling, Homeless Man Sues Burger King For a Million Dollars, Over 3 Months Spent In Jail Without Proof, She Looked Like She Was Pregnant With 30 Puppies, Then Vet Gives Mom The X-Ray, 10-Year-Old Boys Sentenced To Life In Prison After Child Goes Missing, Daughter Wakes Up To Serial Killer Sitting at The End Of Her Bed, Woman In Coma for 3 Weeks Wakes Up To Learn Her Family Pulled the Plug on Her, Missing Alabama Mother Found In The Woods After Sister Discovers Her Car, NFL Star Murders Girlfriend After Heated Argument Then Pulls Trigger on Himself. Looking into his past, the FBI soon discovered that Staynors own family tragedy had transformed him into a violent predator. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Joie Ruth Armstrong - Biography - IMDb But unbeknownst to them, the real killer, Cary Stayner, was still working at Cedar Lodge, living on the premises and was an active member of the community. Chief James Maddock said he himself questioned whether the Bureau could have done anything to prevent Armstrong's killing. Then Carole, Juli, and Silvana arrived and he went off the deep-end. He had no criminal record and his only encounter with the law was for marijuana use in 1997. In the water several feet away, they discovered her head, which officials said had been removed from her body. Stayner, 39, was sentenced in November to life without parole for Armstrong's July 21, 1999, beheading. Serial killer confessed to his crimes after bonding with FBI agent In his interview, Stayner claimed that hair from his body was left on the bedspread in their motel room, but he returned later and changed the bed. "He had a great personality," said Lori Duke, who dated Steven in high school but knew him as Dennis. But where was Juli? Jeff Rinek and John Boles, then FBI agents, responded to the call at Laguna del Sol. He originally was questioned and ruled out as a suspect in those killings. Joie Ruth Armstrong (1972-1999) - Find a Grave Memorial "He successfully binds her with duct tape, and he binds her to the point that all she can pretty much do is walk," said Rinek. Rachel Lou Campbell, 36, of Modesto, was charged in April with stealing checks and credit cards, and converting them into cash and merchandise worth $365,000. The bodies of Carole Sund and Pelosso were later found burned beyond recognition in the trunk of Carole Sunds rental car. He loved his brother. But when they found the decapitated body and head of 26-year-old naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong, they were led to one man: 37-year-old handyman Cary Stayner. The beheaded body of a young naturalist Friday touched off a new murder investigation in the second grisly crime in this busy national park in the past five months. He couldnt believe it. His attempt was foiled when other people were at the house at the time he was planning to commit the crimes. It shows Don Pedro Reservoir, and its about forty miles away from where the car was found.". Brady Schwartz, 18, is accused of. Jens had scheduled to meet them at the San Francisco airport that evening on his way to Arizona, to where the others were to accompany him. Failed to report flower. Eventually, the family moved on, but one day, Cary heard on the radio that 14-year-old Steven had escaped from his abductor and was returning home. As part of the interview, Rinek said he used his deliberate interrogation technique of getting confessions, which involved making the subject go through the event three times from various perspectives. He was absolutely certain it existed and whether he feared or identified with it, the thought of this remarkable cryptid took over his imagination. Acting on a tip from a caller who was worried about the whereabouts of his friend, Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26, park rangers found her decapitated body on the morning of July 22, 1999. He told Hartman that his parents "didnt change that much," but his brother and sisters, "they changed a lot. "As soon as it got light (Thursday), we were able to begin mounting a search where her residence is," National Park Service spokesman Kendell Thompson said. Steven Stayner had a new father figure, and it was Kenneth Parnell, who by day, was his father, and by night, was his rapist. A few months later, Yosemite Institute naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong was also found murdered. It is the same garden that her mother, Leslie Armstrong, asked FBI agents to continue watering when they sealed off the property and searched it for evidence after Joie Armstrong's murder. The police reckoned that the killer of the three women was someone familiar with the county given the location of the Pontiac. "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. "The only time Steve would kill anything like a fish is because we were gonna eat it. On February 15, the ladies hiked into Yosemite National Park on one of the many trails. When Armstrong's friends went to her cabin, which was in an area of the park called Foresta, they found signs of a struggle. The complex is located in a fairly wooded area with a few large meadows. She nagged them about recycling and using Styrofoam, they said. Darrell Gray Stephens, 55, Strange's roommate. Stayner, clad in a red jail jumpsuit, bowed his head but showed no emotion as Judge Hastings sentenced him to death three times, once for each murder, after returning to the courtroom. ", Steven Stayner with his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell. Cary Stayner faces the death penalty for not only the Armstrong murder but the Sund-Pelosso killings as well. Teresa Kay Gray, 36, of Modesto. In the end, Stayner confessed without the promise of child pornography or reward money for his parents. A woman named Lenna learned in 1999 that her mother, her sister and her had nearly been murdered by Cary Stayner. Investigators brought a cadaver dog to the area and quickly found Juli Sunds body. The idyllic setting, a grassy meadow dusted with wildflowers and roaming butterflies, contrasts sharply with the grisly details of her death. The car was hidden off a spur road where locals dump old refrigerators, cars, and washing machines. In the water several feet away, they discovered her head, which officials said had been removed from her body. Ham, who has known Armstrong since she was a red-headed baby, remembered her as a vibrant woman who challenged herself daily. A naturalist with the Yosemite Institute, she was last seen alive leaving her office in Yosemite Valley about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Cary Stayner, a handyman from El Portal, was in custody in Sacramento Tuesday charged with her murder. Stayner failed to show up for work Friday _ his first absence in a year . She was reported missing by a friend in Sausalito about 3 a.m. Thursday when she failed to show up there for a planned visit. Her head wasn't found until later. The hire car company confirmed that Carole had never returned the rented Pontiac, nor told them that they were extending their agreement. She and I were neighbors and co-workers at the Headlands Institute in Marin. "When you hear these snippets, hes going to sound clinical and unemotional, but this is what I asked him to do," Rinek said. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The next day, a tip was called into park rangers about a car spotted near Armstrongs cabin. He had done this before in the past, helped lost hikers find their way, but todays journey would prove to be very different and much more unnerving. Year should not be greater than current year. Juli Sund, one of the earlier victims, was cut so deeply across her throat. cemeteries found in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. On July 21, 1999, 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, a park naturalist, was packing for a trip to join friends. Witnesses reported seeing a blue car parked outside the cabin where the Yosemite Institute naturalist had. Shockingly, Stayner then told Rinek and Boles he had actually planned to kill three other females before he came upon the Sunds and Pelosso. Watch the full story on "20/20" FRIDAY, Jan. 25 at 10 p.m. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but only served five -- less time than he held Steven captive. "And in order to do that, part of doing that is to not be judgmental, not respond when he says things that repulse me, not to show the emotion thats coursing through me. Try again. He rented a room above the Cedar Lodge and did odd jobs around the hotel. There was a dramatic period of silence after Rinek invited Stayner to continue opening up, Rinek said. The search team split up into five groups, searching nearby and far afield. But by the middle of March, their hopes faded. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Stayner was arrested Saturday at a nudist colony near Wilton, California, after someone there heard news reports about the wanted man and called authorities. Against the odds, he flourished there. Cary Stayner was jealous of his brothers fame and their relationship soured after that, as did his relationship with his Steven-obsessed parents. It was one of the most gruesome things the doctor had ever seen. Though hundreds of FBI agents, California Highway Patrol officers, and National Park Service rangers had combed Yosemites rugged backcountry with dogs and helicopters for weeks afterward, it was a lone hiker who eventually found them. 0 cemeteries found in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California, USA. Hastings rejected new defense claims that juror misconduct prevented a fair trial. Six Lives Remembered / Joie Armstrong - SFGATE Murder At Yosemite by Carlton Smith - Anna's Archive I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". I wish I could have controlled myself and not done what I did. Although most of the stains were likely to include Armstrong's blood, Stayner was observed to have a laceration on his hand during his interrogation, and therefore may have been cut and bled during the attack. Stayner back in court today in Yosemite murder - August 6, 1999 - CNN Then in July, a teacher at the Yosemite Institute, Joie Ruth Armstrong, went missing. ", The FBI was reluctant to finger Stayner because, they, and many others, did not believe that Stayner acted by himself, given the brazen killing of the three women in the Cedar Lodge Motel and the disposal of the bodies. The killer had carried her away from the car and cut her throat. Stayner was already serving a life sentence for the murder of Joie Ruth Armstrong. Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. GREAT NEWS! Former FBI agent Jeff Rinek, who used his refined interrogation technique, recalls what he learned from Cary Stayner's confession to killing park naturalist Joie Armstrong in 1999. I was at a girlfriend's house, and I guess it's this girlfriend and her two daughters that were my original intended victims," Stayner told the agents during his interrogation. Parnell, along with Murphy, took Steven to a cabin in Catheys Valley, where he was brainwashed to believe his parents no longer wanted him. At the time Juli Sund's body was found, six days after the discovery of the two other victims, the authorities said only that they had been led to the body by a tip. The car described was known to people in the area as Stayners car, and the FBI began looking for him as a potential witness to interview about Armstrongs murder. I was blessed to have known and loved her. Most experts believe that it would be unlikely for Stayner to have targeted three victims for his first killing, so he probably killed before that. He looked into the ditch where it lay and found something else, the decapitated body of a young woman. "My wife Lori and I, were at our best when were helping people, and we dont necessarily decide who were going to help and who were not going to help.". He also explained that he worked as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge. FBI agents have wondered whether they could have prevented Armstrong's murder by linking Stayner to the three earlier killings. In February 1980, Parnell decided to kidnap a new victim. They lived in the farming town of Merced, California, the Gateway to Yosemite. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. By the end of June, the FBI had reviewed the testimonies and the evidence linked to the suspects in custody. Last week's victim, Joie Ruth Armstrong, was decapitated. She was a vegetarian. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, See more StrangeOutdoors True Crime Stories, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, https://casefilepodcast.com/case-161-the-yosemite-sightseer-murders-part-1/, https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/stayner-cary.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Stayner, https://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-cary-stayner-tale-brothers-horror-heroism/story?id=60529944, https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/me-timothy-white10-2010apr10-story.html, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a26040174/cary-stayner-steven-yosemite-murders/, https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/july-25-1999-cary-stayner-arrested-murder-yosemite-60263995, https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-recalls-moment-family-learned-target-1999-yosemite/story?id=60364987, https://www.theunion.com/news/local-news/stayner-sentenced-to-death/, Tagged: The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, Carole Sund yosemite murders, Juli Sund yosemite murders, Silvina Pelosso yosemite murders, Cary Stayner yosemite murders, Yosemite park murders, Joie Ruth Armstrong, StrangeOutdoors.com Terms of use/Cookie notice/Privacy Policy, Sign up now for a one-time fee for access to over 55 exclusive member articles, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer.
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