They found no sign of the missing woman but did discover footprints, broken saplings, and the trampled evidence of what appeared to be a recent chase through the woods. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). "And I did that almost every clear night from then on until Steve finally came back home. The brothers, four years apart in age, shared a room, but didnt get along, Steven didn't understand the rules that he was now expected to live by. Eugene "Rufus" Dykes, 32, also of Modesto and Larwick's half-brother was arrested in March. "We still weren't sure that he had [murdered the Sunds and Pelosso]. 42-year-old Carole Sund of Eureka, California had been visiting Yosemite with her 15-year-old daughter Juli and Julis 16-year-old friend, Silvina Pelosso, who had been visiting from Argentina. At the time of the murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso, investigators didnt see him as a suspect, and he even opened rooms at the motel for the FBI to gather evidence. Unofficially, Jens Sund offered a $250,000 reward for information that would lead to the return of the missing women. Local police and Yosemite Park Rangers began to search the area where the missing three were last seen. Her decapitated body was discovered Thursday near her home in the. How frightened the girls must have been when he cut their clothes off.. Juli Sund, one of the earlier victims, was cut so deeply across her throat. By mid-April, those who had been arrested were ordered to testify in front of a grand jury in Fresno, California. They said he was cooperative and agreed to talk with them. I wouldnt think that he would think of himself as one, but he is a hero.". GREAT NEWS! This time, Stayner became a suspect based on a car seen at the scene. In an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, the FBI said Stayner confessed killing Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26. Carole and her husband, Jens, 43, owned a realtors business in the Stockton area. Investigators initially detained Steven but soon declared him a hero for escaping and rescuing Timmy. The judge said there was overwhelming evidence against Stayner and that the devastating emotional toll justified execution. I guess in the end, if my familys proud of me, Im okay. Cary Stayner became emotional discussing how his brother had been held captive for so long, while his abductor was only sentenced to seven years in prison. Timothy White, the kidnap victim, was only 35 when he died. Her head was later discovered in a stream - a stream she and her friends used to drink . Looking into his past, the FBI soon discovered that Staynors own family tragedy had transformed him into a violent predator. Former FBI Agent Jeff Rinek recalls the moments Cary Stayner approached 26-year-old Joie Armstrong at her cabin in an area of Yosemite National Park in 1999. FBI investigators had compared tire tracks at the crime scene with photographs of Stayners treads and found that it was a perfect match. Add to your scrapbook. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Even as he awaits his day in court, he seems convinced that there is a malevolent Bigfoot stalking the forests and mountains of Yosemite. Because of the discovery of Sund's wallet in suburban Modesto, police, and FBI searched "the logical routes in and out of that spot, interviewing homeowners and business owners and others who may have seen them." A year later, Uncle Jerry was found dead on the bedroom floor with a shotgun wound in his chest. By the end of June, the FBI had reviewed the testimonies and the evidence linked to the suspects in custody. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Marshal from the Fresno County Jail in Fresno, Calif., Aug. 6, 1999 on his way to an arraignment in federal court. Stayner then detailed the murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. He died in jail in 2008 at the age of 76. The FBI pushed for Strange's arrest, but he denied any part in the triple murders. Because we all, in law enforcement, when we look at somebody whos killed someone else, we think to ourselves at least I do that that face was the last thing our victim saw before they died. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Teresa Kay Gray, 36, of Modesto. After a couple of weeks, he upped the sum to $300,000. However, there were warning signs during his younger years. "'Deep in my heart I know something my mind does not want to learn,' said Gina,13. Maria Ledbetter, 24, of Modesto, an admitted methamphetamine addict and former girlfriend of Dykes, about whom she was questioned extensively. She also had been a field instructor for the institute's sister organization, the Headlands Institute, in Marin County. They were looking for the missing red 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the women. Still, the Bureau intensified its search, recruiting the use of more high-tech equipment and air support. By Friday, July 23rd, Stayner, in the meantime, had disappeared from the area, by the time agents came to arrest him. Ham, who has known. More than a thousand leads, they confessed, produced nothing. They finally caught up with him at the Laguna Del Sol nudist colony, which he frequently visited. 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. ET on ABC. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The inn staff claimed that when they cleaned the room the next morning, they had detected no evidence of foul play or anything that made them suspicious. Soon enough, Park rangers spotted the vehicle parked near the Merced River Canyon, right outside the entrance to the park. In mid-July of 2002, the trial began in Judge Thomas C. Hastings courtroom. It was dark when they arrived and Timmy could remember where he lived so they went to the police station. Despite the natural beauty of that part of the world, the murders revived a long-dormant fear about our national parks; they were no longer safe. He originally was questioned and ruled out as a suspect in those killings. There is a problem with your email/password. The two hitchhiked to Ukiah, California. It was both heartbreaking and a joy to walk through the green cabin with white trim that so brightly reflected the 26-year-old naturalist's life, one family friend said. He, along with his three sisters and younger brother Steven, were the children of hard-working, middle-class parents. 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. ", Finally, Rinek says hell ask them to write a letter of apology to the victim. Stayner's father, Delbert, admitted that he thinks son Cary may have suffered a trauma at age 11, when younger brother Steven, then seven, was abducted in 1972, disappearing for eight years. The hire car company confirmed that Carole had never returned the rented Pontiac, nor told them that they were extending their agreement. Unfortunately, those three girls had been found brutally murdered a month later, and the memory was still fresh in Dr. Kidds mind. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. Kenneth"Soldier" Stewart, 24, a former cellmate of Dykes who was charged with attempted murder. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. The issue of whether his confession was coerced seemed to be resolved when on July 24, the court heard the recorded demands that Stayner made to the FBI agents that he wanted to be satisfied before he would give them his confession. Stayner said to investigators I want you to get a hold of some producers in Los Angeles. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. During that summer, Stayner killed again. Timothy Lee White, 5, gets a piggyback ride from 14-year-old Steven Stayner at a news conference in Ukiah, California, in 1980, Kenneth Parnell stops the car and goes to a payphone, he comes back and tells Steven, Your parents, I just spoke to them. Despite this, he never appeared to behave lewdly nor perversely in public. One colorful sign decorated with red hearts read "Let Foresta Heal." Both boys were reunited with their families shortly after arriving at the police station. Stevens homecoming made him a celebrity. Cary Stayner kills his fourth victim The day Armstrong disappeared, Cary Stayner was driving his car to Foresta when he saw the young woman. Armstrong spent months with her grandmother as she underwent chemotherapy, Ham said. This browser does not support getting your location. He was known to take refuge in nearby Yosemite, where hed drive up and get lost in nature. He became obsessed with the legendary half-man, half-ape and talked about it all the time. He couldnt believe it. A large search turned up nothing. "See the good that comes out of evil sometimes. It was buried in the underbrush near the Don Pedro Reservoir, a few miles away from the logging trail where the car had been found. The next day, a tip was called into park rangers about a car spotted near Armstrong's cabin. ). He was arrested on March 5 when he allegedly reported to his parole officer with liquor on his breath. Try again later. At that time, the Bureau stated that, while no one had yet been charged, it felt that those responsible for killing the three women at Yosemite were already behind bars. Something was clearly very, very wrong. A few years later, Carl had a bit of a nervous breakdown and moved further into the wilderness. Try again later. Armstrong's body was found nearby. 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. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. He also explained that he worked as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge. On July 22ndher body is found. Special agent Maddock said, "During the last 24 hours, we have developed specific information linking Stayner (also) to the Sund-Pelosso murders.". Ham and Skalitzky described Joie Armstrong as an adventurous environmentalist. In the following months, the FBI announced that they believed the people responsible for the murders were in custody. 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. 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. Upon his July 23 release, Stayner returned to the lodge and tried to quickly sell his belongings, police said, before he packed up and left, later arriving at the nudist colony Laguna del Sol, where he began living in a tent. Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Thus, his confession has seen police departments all across the region reopen a number of long-dormant murder cases that he may have been involved in. You know, hung out with him, played with him.. I did murder Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong None of the women were sexually abused in any way.". Had no interest in girls, had no interest in people, he was just a creepy loner. I was the oldest and all that. Angelia Dale, who testified before the federal grand jury. On February 12, 1999, Carole Sund, 42, her daughter Juli 15, and Silvina Pelosso 16, left their home in Eureka, California to go on vacation in the area near Yosemite National Park in the same state in the United States. The murder of Armstrong is being pursued in federal court because the killing occurred in a national park. "Cary Stayner started launching off into, 'This is going to be my last meal as a free man,'" Rinek recalled. Getting Started | Contributor Zone . 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. Drag images here or select from your computer for Joie Ruth Armstrong memorial. She nagged them about recycling and using Styrofoam, they said. Try again later. Police found her car in front of her cabin, packed for the trip. "That house had her prints all over it," said family friend Ken Skalitzky of Atlanta, who had known Joie Armstrong since she was a baby. Little does he realize, the true monster was him all along. "It becomes clear to me that he's just this big emotionless monster, and Joie comes across as heroic 'cause she was a fighter. "The girl I was seeing and her daughters were my original intended targets.". The search team split up into five groups, searching nearby and far afield. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal. "I could not believe what I'd just heard. Steven Stayner testifies about his abduction in 1972 by Kenneth Parnell and his seven years in captivity in this 1981 photo. Jeff Rinek, a former FBI agent, is the author of "In the Name of the Children," a true-crime account of the cases he has investigated during his career with the FBI, including the Cary Stayner case. The killer had carried her away from the car and cut her throat. Except for the Bigfoot thing, the likable, handsome man seemed perfectly ordinary. The Sund family's worst fears were confirmed when a hiker wandered onto the site of a burned-out red 1999 Pontiac, hidden off Highway 108, in the Stanislaus Forest region on March 18. 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. At one point, Stayner told the agents that Armstrong was able to fling herself out of Stayner's moving car and ran away until he was able to catch her. . Rinek recalled the moment Stayner took them to where he disposed of evidence in both murder cases. Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6753355/joie-ruth-armstrong. Joie Ruth Armstrong. In 1997, Stayner got a job as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge, seven miles from the gate of the national park, where he worked for 2 years before the murders.. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. When Steven Stayner was 14, Parnell got a local kid to help him kidnap another child, 5-year-old Timmy White. He had talked his way into the room under the guise of fixing a leak, and then sexually assaulted both girls and brutally murdered Carole Lund and Silvina Pelosso in the room. 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. A few months later, Yosemite Institute naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong was also found murdered. 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. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Then, in the summer of 1999, Joie Armstrong, a 26-year-old woman running educational programs at Yosemite for children, was reported missing by her friends and later found decapitated in the park. Please enter your email and password to sign in. I wish I could have controlled myself and not done what I did. Stayner failed to show up for work Friday _ his first absence in a year . I never did tell anybody about it, but I remember wishing on a star that my little brother would come back home. And this time I want to hear, 'Tell me what the victim perceived. 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. 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. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. In the water several feet away, they discovered her head, which officials said had been removed from her body. After first flying to San Francisco, where Carole rented a red 1999 Pontiac Gran Prix, they stopped in Stockton, where Juli took part in a cheerleading contest at the University of the Pacific. On Good Morning America in March 1980, Steven shared with host David Hartman that it felt "great" to be home. Steven Stayner died in a motorcycle accident in 1989 at the age of 24, and not long after, Steven and Carys uncle, whom Cary was close with and living with at the time, was killed. Darrell Gray Stephens, 55, Strange's roommate. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. 'I try to stay strong because I know that's what you'd want your baby to be, but, Mommy, I don't want you to leave me.'". Things to do in Napa Valley during Bottlerock, plus hotels, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). I thought you might like to see a memorial for Joie Ruth Armstrong I found on Findagrave.com. Im just horrified when I think of what happened in that room, what my daughter felt when she realized she was in serious trouble, said Carole Carrington as she asked the judge to sentence Stayner to death. A family had vanished into the dark, unsettled wilderness without a trace and then been violently killed by a wild woodsman. "When you hear these snippets, hes going to sound clinical and unemotional, but this is what I asked him to do," Rinek said. He rented a room above the Cedar Lodge and did odd jobs around the hotel. I was blessed to have known and loved her. Billy Joe Strange, 39, an El Portal parolee who worked at the Cedar Lodge lounge and restaurant, where the murdered women were last seen. Rinek said his wife Lori has been his rock and feels that without the support of his family he wouldnt have been able to deal with this and the other cases he's investigated. "Its difficult for me to picture what Cary has done and knowing Steve because their personalities are completely opposite," Duke, Stevens former girlfriend, said. In February 1980, Parnell decided to kidnap a new victim. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. "Now, we had been going through, not details, but the emotional impact this had on him. Failed to delete memorial. Cary Stayner was a native Californian who had lived outside of Yosemite most of his life. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Michael "Mick" Larwick, 42, of Modesto, part of a vagabond group of methamphetamine drug users and friends centered in the Modesto area. The California Highway Patrol verified the car's license plate as the Sunds rented vehicle and immediately notified the FBI. Thats not your everyday request, and he said not just a couple, three to four images," said Boles. Why did you do that? Arrested on an unrelated drug charge, he has been questioned about the Yosemite case. Please try again later. Steven Stayners fame was short-lived. The other Sund children believed their mother and sister Juli would be returned. Then Carole's wallet turned up in Modesto, which included money and credit cards. For four weeks, police, family, and volunteers searched the area in and near Yosemite National Park by helicopter, foot, and skis. Witnesses reported seeing a blue car parked outside the cabin where the Yosemite Institute naturalist had. "I'd been gone for most of the day off the property. She is remembered as a young woman who had a tremendous enthusiasm for life and a deep desire to give of herself . His mother became cold and distant towards her children and the father was openly devastated by the loss of his favorite son. Things to do in Napa Valley during Bottlerock, plus hotels, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Latent fingerprints were also been lifted from the interior of Joie Armstrong's truck, which Stayner admits to touching during his encounter with her. After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. All of sudden, it's here again.". Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites. "He has entrusted in me the gift of his confession, and it is my obligation to show him that Im worthy of it," Rinek said. "[The judge] sentenced Cary to death, and they took him out of the courthouse. "We needed [him] to be very calm and very thoughtful and to just give us an accounting of everything that happened.". The next day, in the same place, the police found twenty-six-year-old Joie Armstrong's headless body half underwater in a creek. On February 15, the ladies hiked into Yosemite National Park on one of the many trails. She had probably been murdered on the evening of Wednesday, July 21. Hastings rejected new defense claims that juror misconduct prevented a fair trial. According to Special Agent Christopher Hopkins , both the FBI's Evidence Response Team and the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office collected items of potential interest from Room 509 at the Cedar Lodge Motel, the room in which Stayner sexually assaulted Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso and murdered both Carole Sund and Silvina. Rinek believes that was an attempt by Stayner to control what the agents were thinking of him. In the fall of 1997, Stayner, then in his 30s, took refuge in Yosemite, where he landed his job as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge. Stayner was convicted in both state and federal courts. Joie Ruth Armstrong was one of my dearest friends. "She fulfilled her dreams at an early age," Ham said. "Theres a crude map, and the map shows Route 120. It was badly decomposed and her throat had been cut. Joie Ruth Armstrong, 26, was found Thursday near a stream.