On Wednesday, Olson took the stand to explain his involvement in the 1989 investigation into Jonelles disappearance. Deanna Ross: We had sleepovers, birthday parties. STEVEN PANKEY: It was just me trying to be a big man, be in the case, OK? Hicks said Pankey, over the years, would bring up Jonelle or react strangely when others did. 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. Although, later in life, Pankey started collecting guns, including an older gun given to him by his sister, Teri Barr. Ryan N. Smith is a development producer. She found his behavior strange because he never addressed her question, according to Sakulenzki. STEVEN PANKEY A month, three weeks, two months, I don't know, before December. In 1989, they settled in Idaho, but Pankey admits he could not stop thinking about Jonelle. Former gov. candidate a focus in Jonelle Matthews cold case He claimed that he had contact with somebody who had information about Jonelle's disappearance. Pankeys relationship with Christy was not pleasant either, Hicks said. I believe in him, Barr said just before stating she doesnt think her brother is guilty of Jonelles murder. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: Don't spit in my face. Pankey was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Jonelle in Oct. 2020. Fred Smith knows real estate. But Jonelle's family and friends could only attract that kind of attention for so long. Pankey said he has great empathy for the Matthews family. But there was no rest for the Matthews. In a matter of three days, on October 12, 2020, police arrested Pankey for kidnapping and first-degree murder in Jonelle's case. Police won't directly confirm any of that. A politician, Steve Pankey was identified as the prime suspect after the victim's father was ruled out back in 1984. And one of the times he ran for governor was a real dumpster fire. Asked by Miller if there was physical abuse in her relationship with Pankey, Hicks answered yes. 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. Greeley Mayor John Gates was on the witness list. Anthony Viorst: There's no physical evidence whatsoever to connect Mr. Pankey to this crime. On the stand, Olson stated Francis account from the night Jonelle went missing was the only information that led to an open lead in the 1984 case. Viorst and Hicks discussed Pankeys anti-establishment views, believing law enforcement was actively out to get him and having occasional run-ins with the police. Instead, he called a lawyer, according to Olson. It's just he is a strange guy. Their son, Carl, was murdered in Phoenix in 2008. Pankey made an unusual witness in his own defense. Kelly Werthmann interviewed Pankey for CBSDenver over FaceTime. (CBS4) -- A child's disappearance from Greeley in 1984 went cold, until the remains of Jonelle Matthews were found in July 2019. ANTHONY VIORST: Norris Drake had an interest in young girls who had recently reached puberty, exactly what Jonelle was, exactly. She loves presents. Ferdinand Marcos was born in the municipality of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte province, on September 11, 1917. Steve Pankey found guilty in 1984 murder of Jonelle Matthews Jim Matthews: I just kept telling him, I said, "Listen, I'm telling you the truth. STEVEN PANKEY: It was a polite way of flipping them the bird. But in reality, there was no sign of Jonelle. Pankey said he also has volunteered to take a polygraph test. He cannot swear to his accounts, but he remembers the name Pankey and his little foreign car that was burned from the inside. Steve Pankey They planned to leave at 5 a.m. the next day for the drive to Big Bear Lake to visit his parents. He said he won all the trials. Jim Matthews takes the stand in the trial of the man accused of the kidnapping and murder of his 12-year-old daughter Jonelle. As per reports, the 14-year-old was kidnapped and reportedly killed somewhere in Greeley, Colorado. Mayor John Gates: I do. Mr. Pankey loves the limelight all of the statements that he has made about his culpability have been, 'I didn't do it,'" Viorst told "48 hours" correspondent Richard Schlesinger as he prepped for the trial. Richard Schlesinger: I know that you're a politician and not a priest, but did he seem in need of an exorcism? As of Thursday, no criminal charges had been filed. About 9:30 p.m., Jonelles father returned home from his other daughters basketball game to find Jonelle missing. 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 lived in Greeley, Colorado, from 1973 . Richard Schlesinger: Did your son ever see any unusual things at the Pankey house when he was over there? Pankey had an interesting next move: he ran for sheriff again. Once youre accused of something like date rape, youre forever stigmatized, he said. She says that shocked her because Pankey had forbidden radio and television use in their house, about a year earlier. And there was something odd about them. The lack of reports and recordings from the first discussion between Olson and Drake raised concerns with Wells during her cross-examination. Steve Pankey is charged and on trial for her death. However, Olson said he called and left a voicemail after obtaining the first letter. Mitch McConnell is a U.S. Senate Republican Leader. Richard Schlesinger: Was Pankey questioned at all in the early days of this investigation? Kelly Werthmann: To not have that definitive answer It's frustrating. Ryan Horsley: Out of the blue he began, um, purchasing firearms and later found out that Greeley Police Department had been contacting him regarding this murder investigation. Prior to appearing in court Wednesday, Yost informed Viorst she had no desire to testify and felt like she didnt have anything to say that would make a difference in this case. Pankey was seen in what was described by multiple witnesses as an orange-red vehicle over the years. During her testimony, she said she only saw pornography on his computer one time, and only saw women. In all, Pankey attempted seven runs for office. Richard Schlesinger: What made that campaign a dumpster fire? Olsons suspicions arose because this information was referred to as hold-back evidence or controlled evidence, meaning investigators decided not to release it to the media or public as a way to narrow down suspects. They returned to Colorado on Dec. 26, 1984, he said, and heard the news of a missing child on the radio. Mr. Pankey wanted to be a person of interest. WebPankey and Hicks lose their son In 2002, Hicks and Pankey finalized their divorce, and on July 4, 2008, their son Carl was murdered. Pankey was charged Monday morning with child abuse resulting in death and abuse of a corpse in the case. 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. That was just one day after Jonelle disappeared. The defense attorney strived to bring this evidence into Pankeys defense from the testimony of Andrea Yost, the ex-wife of Drakes roommate in 1984 and a woman with whom he developed a romantic relationship. After Pankey left home, she said she was close with him, but they didnt remain in contact. Steven Pankey Part 2 MAYOR JOHN GATES: I was sitting at my desk one day some time back. 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. And she later said it was nonconsensual. 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. 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. Nothing. Along with Mark, Barr was unaware of past gun use by Pankey, but said she gave him the old gun recently. Prosecutors have announced they are ready for a new trial, because they still believe Jonelle was killed by Steven Pankey. STEVE PANKEY [to Werthmann]: If I gave my DNA, that would be kinda like a knockout blow . Kelly Werthmann: He really wanted to make himself clear that he was framed. You know, she always came home. DA MICHAEL ROURKE: The search for justice for Jonelle begins today. 48 Hours: Steve Pankey was arrested for the 1984 murder of Jonelle Mathews. STEVEN PANKEY: I wanna back up a little bit. Count four: making false reports to authorities. Steve Pankey: Where is Jonelle Matthews Killer Now? - The He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? After being charged, he left the position. The day before the service, Hicks and Vanessa Sakulenzki, Hicks half-sister, were standing near the urn when Pankey approached. A group of Greeley residents worked hard to keep Jonelle's story alive. On October 12, 2020 Steven Pankey was arrested for the nearly 35-year-old kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews. Richard Schlesinger: Is that in any way believable to you? Jonelle became one of the first missing children whose photo appeared on milk cartons across America. Pankey was found guilty in the murder of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in Greeley in 1984. to some extent, we're going to just have to face that. And then I'd say other things and he'd say, "well, that's bull nobody's going to buy that.". And had a call from a journalist in Idaho. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. Richard Schlesinger: I'm sorry, did you say an exorcism? His father was a Youth for Christ leader, and Pankey claimedthat he came from a family with a long history of Remember those footprints in the snow that somebody, possibly Jonelle's abductor, tried to conceal using a garden rake? And he calls Detective Jack Stotler and he identifies himself as a ordained Baptist minister. Barr explained what Pankey was like as a kid, claiming her brother had problems, including: Barr admitted to paying for Pankeys bills and seeing a subscription to broadcasts about cold case murders, which Viorst has used as an argument to defend Pankeys obsession in the Jonelle case as part of a larger true crime obsession. Pankey said he had brushes with the law in Colorado before Jonelles disappearance that led police to mistrust him. But boy, just the floodgates opened up for both of us. And then on July 23, 2019, nearly 35 years after Jonelle's disappearance, police finally had that breaking news to share. Pankey said he had gone to church with many people who knew Jonelle Matthews family, but he did not. Investigators searched the Matthews home, but the only physical evidence they found were shoeprints in the snow that someone had tried to eliminate with a garden rake. Gloria was working at a restaurant. He had a friendship with a younger girl, but Yost said she didnt believe there was anything romantic between the two. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. Kevin Schneider: Yes, he did. Jonelle was reported missing from her home in Greeley, north of Denver, on Dec. 20, 1984, after returning from performing a Christmas concert with her classmates, according to the Denver Post. Hicks described their relationship as bitter enemies.. Steve Pankey trial: Ex-wife describes behavior He faces two first-degree murder charges, two violent crime charges, and one second-degree kidnapping charge. 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. The detective said there was very little record of the investigation. DA ROBERT MILLER: He's not someone that has a mental health disorder, he's a master manipulator. Steve Pankey trial Day 5: Pankeys ex-wife calls defense attorney a Steve Pankey Ryan Horsley: Yeah. Steve Pankey was born in 1951 in Ventura, California. That was about 8 p.m. Deanna Ross: Jonelle needed a ride home so she hopped in our truck and we took her home. It builds a really, really strong circumstantial case, in my mind. Deputy District Attorney Lacy Wells asked Sakulenzki about multiple occasions in the past when she reported Pankey to law enforcement, which resulted in an objection from Viorst. The bucket of bizarre means a lot to me. Jim was eventually cleared, leaving no suspects or leads. Anthony Viorst: That's the kind of thing that's happened to Mr. Pankey over the years. Mark said he spent time with his dad at least once per week before his arrest in 2020. She reported seeing Drake sit in his vehicle for a while, as if he was staring at something. That was our sign that she made it inside and everything's fine. And then he buried her and went on with his life. As a child, Mark recalled his father never owning, talking about or shooting guns. Steve Pankey Hicks talked to officers about her husbands behavior and actions after Jonelle went missing, including the fact that he was aware of evidence from the crime scene that was not public knowledge. Just like that, Darla lost her childhood friend. 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. Hicks told Viorst she never had any suspicions of Pankey having a sexual interest in anyone other than adults. In the matter of the burning car, Pankey allegedly told Hicks he knew the car was going to catch on fire, so he moved it to the back property. Before stepping down from the stand, Pankeys sister confirmed she refused to talk about the case with police on April 15. Multiple officers and investigators have confirmed in their testimonies that shoe prints were discovered in the snow of the family home the night Jonelle went missing and that the prints in the back of the home were raked over. But Jonelle was far from forgotten. He was criminally charged, but the charge was later dismissed by prosecutors. When it comes to landscape Did you know Your Butcher, Frank has super tasty delicatessen salads? Mayor John Gates: They were confirmed by the coroner to be those of Jonelle Matthews. He said he was charged over his years in Colorado with as many as 20 other arbitrary misdemeanors, such as battery and harassment by phone, and went to trial multiple times. Carter and Pankey will begin at Stephens on Sept. 1. The selection changes often, but if you love good Buying or selling a home is the largest financial investment most people ever make. He told Yost that virgins have firm breasts, and she said he wrote a song about this topic. Ryan Horsley: He's ran for lieutenant governor once. Anthony Viorst: He was at home that night with his wife and child. He was surprised when they didnt. And even President Ronald Reagan got involved. Pankey was even unaware of the gender and names of her children, according to a statement he made in January 2021, Miller said. DA Michael Rourke: He wasn't a person of interest. He was called to the scene. Richard Schlesinger: Pankey's defense lawyer told me that he thought his client might be mentally ill. You can't let this consume you. At the start of the day, defense attorney Anthony Viorst advised the court the main subject matter for the day would be the introduction of evidence that would tie Norris Drake into the narrative of Jonelles disappearance. Steve Pankey trial Day 11: Two of Pankeys family members One of his cars was also engulfed in flames on their property around that time. It was Steven Pankey who started talking to just about anyone who would listen, including CBS affiliate KMVT. The most Pankey families were found in USA in 1880. 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. In the years after Jonelle disappeared, Drake was arrested on multiple unrelated misdemeanor charges. Tuesday, Hicks testified that a day before his memorial service, she witnessed a bizarre moment. Norris Drake. Viorst began his examination by asking if Pankey had the right to defend himself during this trial, receiving a yes response from Hicks. Great news for one of the cases featured on our podcast: Steve Pankey has been arrested for the 1984 murder of 12-year old Jonelle Matthews!https://t.co/sch2tDfjmy. STEVEN PANKEY: So, the truth is that I made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness. Jim Matthews: For the longest time I knew exactly what they were doing, and I respected it. Richard Schlesinger: Where was he the night Jonelle Matthews disappeared? Drake first became a suspect when the case was dropped on Olsons desk in 1989. Anthony Viorst: It has nothing to do with this case. The friend, Rochelle Davy, formerly known as Rochelle Baxley, said the car startled and agitated Jonelle. 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. He said he has repeatedly told them that he wont speak without his attorney. 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. Its the new home of High Plains Bank in Wiggins. Richard Schlesinger: Why would he interject himself into the case? On top of this information, Viorst has constructed an argument that Drake was interested in young girls. Deanna Ross: We rode our bikes a lot around town. And Viorst had more, based on testimony by a former girlfriend of Drake's. Jordan Kinsey, Elizabeth Caholo and Lauren A. As investigators struggled to find answers, they focused initially on Jonelle's father Jim Matthews. Andersen explained the car was what people in his business referred to as a boyfriend/girlfriend burn, where it was clear the car was burned from the inside by accelerant. Richard Schlesinger: Oh, to cover them up. Past statements from the Drake family gave investigators a timeline to Norris Drakes alibi. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: I want to at least be on record that I talked to you, so I don't get possibly an obstruction of justice charge. His 1980 Toyota Corolla was packed to visit family in California for the Christmas holiday. But just five days before Christmas, Greeley learned it could not hide from evil. Viorst questioned how Drake knew about Jonelles disappearance that morning, with it being unlikely he contacted his mother after leaving her house that night or before coming upstairs the following morning. 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. Also, he was a candidate for a county sheriff in Twin Falls which, once again, wasn't a success story for him. Another family member took the stand to answer similar questions from Viorst, adding in some information about Pankey as a child. Hicks had no recollection of Pankey being away the night Jonelle went missing or that night being different from other nights since her husband would come home anytime between 4-11 p.m. on most days, Hicks told Viorst. Steven Dana Pankey took Jonelle Matthews from her family home, 320 43rd Avenue Court, without her consent and against her will on December 20, 1984 between 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. Jim Matthews: He was not a youth worker at our church. A Don't accuse me . ANGELA HICKS: He said, "get us ready to go. He said he moved to Greeley in 1973. It's a wild sounding story and "48 Hours" can't confirm it or even that he went to the FBI. Drakes account of receiving information came from his mother, according to his interview. WebWhat Happened During Steve Pankeys Trial For The 1984 Murder Of Jonelle Matthews? In this article, we will look at the details of Ferdinand Marcos' first wife, Carmen Ortega, and his children. Sakulenzki confirmed she reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2009 about Pankey, and to the Greeley Police Department in 2019. He also wrote that he feared he might "get the death penalty for revealing the location of" her body. How did he seem to you? KELLY WERTHMANN: Did you kill Jonelle Matthews? Hicks remembered seeing Pankey with a gun three times throughout their relationship: when he worked as a security guard at the job where the two first met, when he did target practice outside their home and when she pawned his gun in 1979. In 1977, when he was 26, he was accused of what he called date rape by a 23-year-old woman he was seeing. Barr did attest to his behavior being unusual when he decided to run for office on multiple occasions, because of his lack of experience. "And one of the things notated in his handwriting on this piece of legal paper was snow outside the Matthews house was raked," she told jurors. at their state convention, he claimed that they tried to do an exorcism on him. The selection changes often, but if you love good Buying or selling a home is the largest financial investment most people ever make. Around that same time, Steven Pankey, his young son and his wife, who was pregnant with their second son, also left Greeley. yes, I remember meeting him. In the video, Viorsts alternative suspect was accused of being the first person to tell different sources about this unknown information not available to the public. STEVEN PANKEY: one lie leads to another. Richard Schlesinger: Did it occur to you that maybe she had run away? Sakulenzki remembers asking who he was talking about when he made the statement. Former political candidate Steve Pankey Pankey depicted this notion of enemies when he made Christy the villain in his fiction writings, according to assistant district attorney Robb Miller. But over the years there was even more strange behavior, moments that, authorities believe add up to circumstantial evidence. Has anyone considered Steve Pankey as The comments made him suspicious given Jonelles disappearance, he said, so he reported them to the FBI rather than to local police. of course, you know, you think that's terrible, but lots of kids go missing, you know. he's a firm adherent to the Ten Commandments, which include thou shalt not kill. They never had conversations about his life, and she said she had to stay out of his business.. Their son, Carl, was murdered in Phoenix in 2008. He spent years insisting he had vital information about what happened to Jonelle Matthews. Steve Pankey's ex-wife describes his behavior in the days 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. But it was intense. The ex-wife of Steve Pankey, the 70-year-old man accused of murdering Jonelle Matthews in 1984, confirmed during the second week of his trial in Weld District Court there was physical abuse present in her relationship with Pankey. In September 2001, Hicks filed for divorce from Pankey. Jonelle Matthews' friends Darla Jentzsch and Deanna Ross remember growing up with Jonelle. My dad waited until he saw her flick on the light. The day before the Over the phone, Pankey said he was a pastor from a Baptist church. Due to his business buying used cars and parts to sell to customers, Pankey would be in possession of several different cars. That's when I started losing it. Ryan Horsley: I think that was his last-ditch effort, honestly. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: At the time I was married. 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. Kelly Werthmann: I think it's, it's her word against his. The detectives then left. Pankey refuted his ex-wife's claim that their trip to California two mornings after Jonelle disappeared was sudden insisting it had long been planned. WebThe Pankey family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. Until a man living in Twin Falls Idaho, Steven Pankey, became a person interest. If Pankey didn't kill Jonelle Matthews, then who did? DA ROBERT MILLER: Describe what happens on December 21 at your house. | On January 8, 2022 09:21 PM. Claire St. Amant is the development producer. 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. But he didn't give up the information. And six weeks after Jonelle's remains were discovered, authorities were at Pankey's front door with a search warrant. Hicks said she found torn-up paper about Jonelle in the trash can. But he said he met with an FBI agent at the Greeley police station shortly after he returned, because he heard from his father-in-law, who worked for a cemetery, that someone had asked about getting rid of a body. And we just had a very full life. 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. But his political ambitions grew, and he became a serial candidate. GREELEY, CO OCTOBER 13: Murder suspect Steven Pankey, right, listens to testimony on the first day of his trial at Weld County District Court on October 13, 2020 in I believed, at the time, he might have involvement, Olson said. Anthony Viorst: I don't like to divulge my defense, you know, on national television but I don't think it's going to be any surprise when I tell you that they've got no motive whatsoever for this crime there's absolutely no indication Mr. Pankey knew this girl knew where she lived had any desire to kill her. But when did he go missing? On those other counts, the actual murder charges, the jury deadlocked and could not come to a unanimous verdict.