On December 4, 1972, in Merced, California, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was approached by a man who claimed to be collecting money for his church. Steven was subjected to abuse and manipulation for seven years before he reached the . Pair Moved From Town to Town. Id ask myself, Mom and Dad, where the hell are you? It somehow reinforced the lie that Parnell told me they didnt want me, Stayner told the magazine. The FBI launched an intensive manhunt to find Hearst and shut down the SLA. Prosecutors said that Steven was Mr. Parnell's psychological prisoner. Unfortunately, the entire incident was part of an elaborate plan to kidnap the boy. The two men are to return to court Feb. 3 for presentation of a probation report to the judge, in preparation for sentencing. Stayner eventually began drinking more heavily, dropped out of high school, and left his parents' home. Mr. Parnell was convicted in the White case earlier this year and sentenced to seven years in prison. Then, in the summer of 1997, Cary began working as a maintenance man at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal, Calif. which was located on Highway 140 leading up to Yosemite. Once Steven was home again, attention was on him from every angle. Steven led a daring escape in the dead of night, miles from civilization, determined to get Timothy home. Timmy White testified in that trial; the Stayner family still keeps in contact with White.). Having a family helped, as did Stayners work to prevent the same thing from happening again, his wife said. Speaking with Ted Rowlands of the San Francisco Chronicle, Stayner revealed that he had been harboring fantasies of killing women for about 30 years. Steven was reunited with his family and became a hero. Just weeks after her return, Smart hiked with her family to the camp where she was held hostage for nine months. Not only because she was the daughter of media mogul, William Randolph Hearst, but also because of the events that followed her abduction. He struggled with alcohol as he used it to cover the trauma he felt. Stayner died in 1989 of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.[12]. Parnell and . He also has been convicted and jailed for robbery, larceny and abducting and molesting an 8-year-old boy, which occurred just after the birth of his only daughter. Unfortunately, ABC News reports authorities were eventually forced to admit "there was just nothing there." The man, Ervin Edward Murphy, was an associate of pedophile Kenneth Parnell. Prior to publication, the manuscript served as the basis for the 1989 TV miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven (also known as The Missing Years), with Arliss Howard as Parnell. It was the case of Steven Stayner, who escaped from his abductor after the man took another child. Jody Stayner, who now lives in Montana, said she doesnt like talking about the past either, but said its important that lessons are learned from the case. Hearsts abduction gave the SLA what they craved; media attention. So, when a highly publicized kidnapping ends in a heartwarming homecoming, its a pretty big deal. He was well-regarded and did good work, which is why no one minded that, in his spare time, Cary liked to sunbathe nude in spots along the Merced River where locals frequented. The Daily Mail Mastermind Behind The Kidnapping Of Frank Sinatra Jr. History Channel Frank Sinatras Mob Ties and Other Secrets from His FBI File. Also, he forced her to consume alcohol and marijuana while starving her for several days at a time. The Stayner family thought they lost their 7-year-old son, Steven Stayner, when he disappeared in 1972. Steven's parents were devastated by their son's disappearance and the lack of witnesses or any evidence in the case. In fact he was nabbed in a 2004 sting operation in which he was trying to purchase a 4 year old online. Parnell drove to the tiny town of Ukiah, Calif. where he paid a local high school kid to help him find a younger boy. He brought along his friend and co-worker, Edward Ervin Murphy. But the transition back to normal life was tough. well, until the worst bout of luck ever, came upon the once joyfully reunited. Kenneth Eugene Parnell was born in Amarillo, Texas[1][2] to Cecil Frederick and Mary Olive (ne Pollard) Parnell, during the region's dust bowl era during the Great Depression. He was teased in school over the sexual abuse he endured, so much so that he eventually dropped out. In 1985, at the age of 20, Stayner married 17-year-old Jody Edmondson. They also said that the kidnapping could not be prosecuted because of California's three-year statute of limitations. Police arrested the two kidnappers, but Murphy only served two years in prison while, incredibly, Parnell only served five years. Just after midnight on the fateful night, Brian Mitchell snuck into Smarts bedroom, held a knife to her throat and told her not to make a sound. Follow More from Medium Daniel Ganninger in Fact World The Wonderful World of Completely Random Facts. I told you this was a depressing one guys, hope I didnt ruin your day. He was is training to become a security officer, had joined the church, and volunteered his time to help others who had gone through similar traumas. According to a missing person file released by the FBIs National Crime Information Center (NCIC), there were a total of 89,637 active missing person records as of December 31, 2020; 34 percent of the records were of juveniles under the age of 18. Barbara Mathias, Parnell's girlfriend who lived with him and Stayner for some time, was never charged with any violation and cooperated with authorities in Parnell's trials. Tragically, his parents sent flyers to schools he had attended, but no one ever recognized him. In 1972, he disturbingly managed to enlist his help in the abduction of a young boy. Parnell then told Stayner that he was now his legal guardian so the boy must call him Dad. He even started calling the child Dennis Gregory Parnell and enrolled him in different schools in California. The story of Steven's kidnapping goes like this: the young boy was walking home from school one day when he was approached by a man named Edward Ervin Murphy, who said he'd give him a ride home.. Edward Ervin. On December 4, 1972, in Merced, California, 7-year-old Steven Stayner was approached by a man who claimed to be collecting money for his church. It was even revealed that he had been arrested years prior for abusing another young boy. Back then, the idea of not talking to strangers was pretty foreign, especially in a small town. He befriended a co-worker named Ervin Murphy to assist him in the abduction. They will be sentenced under California's indeterminate sentencing law, which was in effect at the time the crime was committed. Parnell began sexually abusing Stayner almost immediately. Although Stayner told the younger boy to go inside by himself and tell the officers he had been kidnapped, White refused to leave Stayner's side. Who Kidnapped Steven Stayner? After attending high school in New Jersey, he went to the . Kenneth Parnell is a predator, and his prey is young boys. [8] Parnell denied in that same interview having been sexually abused himself, although Mike Echols' book I Know My First Name Is Steven states that he was indeed molested at the age of 13 by a boarder in a rooming house that his mother owned in Bakersfield. Stayner had a pet dog named Queenie, with whom he formed a close bond, and was permitted to begin drinking and smoking at a young age. Timothy White was the very definition of recovery. Within a week after taking Steven, Parnell told the boy that his new name was Dennis and convinced him to start calling Parnell dad. Anyone can read what you share. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Thankfully, they were unable to follow through with the kidnapping attempt. They called the police, who searched the house and found the other two women. (Parnell's cabin was, unbeknownst to Stayner, located only several hundred feet from his maternal grandfather's . People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. According to Knight, Castro impregnated her five times but the beatings she sustained resulted in miscarriages on all but one occasion where Knight managed to resuscitate the baby. It's probably best to start with his brother's abduction. Murphy offered to take the boy home after Steven said his mother would be interested in donating. Sean Poorman, Stayner's schoolfriend who abetted Parnell in the White kidnapping, was sentenced to a term in a juvenile work camp. Seven years later, after escaping his captor, he returned home. It was later learned that Stevens family had sent fliers about their missing son to some of the schools he attended. Timothy Whites return home went a lot smoother than Stevens. The police arrested Castro on that day and in court, he pled guilty to 937 of the whopping 977 charges against him. Ervin Edward Murphy, 38 years old, a Yosemite National Park janitor, was arrested last night and booked for investigation of assisting in kidnapping the boy, who told the police that a second. Parnell wasn't alone. And everybody needs to hear that.. Parnell was waiting in the car, and so began a seven-year nightmare for young Steven Stayner. It was the last time the women were seen alive. He marched her out of the house and into a camp in the forest where his wife, Wanda Barzee, awaited. In February 1999, Cary was temporarily laid off during the slower winter months. On December 4, 1972, he was walking home from a highway when he was approached by Ervin Murphy and his associate, Kenneth Parnell. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. President Jimmy Carter commuted her prison term in 1979, so she served just 22 months. Finally, Barzee was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. At the time of Stayner's kidnapping, Parnell was employed at the Yosemite Lodge, which according to ABC News, was approximately two hours away from Merced. In March of that year, Carole Sund, her daughter Julie, and Julie's friend Silvina Pelosso disappeared from the Cedar Lodge. Their other son becoming a serial killer. [18], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Youth Abducted Seven Years Ago Goes Home Again", "Alleged attempt to buy child leads to arrest of kidnapper", "Sex Offender Kenneth Parnell Dies in Vacaville", "Steven and Cary Stayner: The tale of two brothers' horror and heroism", "Kenneth Parnell, kidnapper of Steven Stayner, dies at 76", "Kenneth Eugene Parnell, A Notorious Child Molester Dies In Prison", abducted man posing pastor launched-daring-escape, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenneth_Parnell&oldid=1133639900, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 20:40. MERCED, Calif., March 15 (AP)--A second man has been arrested in connection with the 1972 abduction of Steven Stayner. According to The Famous People, Murphy offered to walk Stayner home, as he wanted to ask his mother for a donation. Born in Missouri, USA on Dec 23 to Betty Yvonne White. As Steven aged and began to question what hed been told about his parents, he would scan newspapers and television reports to see if they were looking for him, according to a 1984 article in Newsweek. ''But I'm anxious about the sentence he'll get,'' she added. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. In the trial, psychiatrists testified that Mr. Parnell had had a disturbed childhood, attempted suicide at least twice and was the victim of a homosexual rape at the age of 13. When the kidnapper left, he forgot to lock the large inside door, although the exterior storm door remained locked. The best result we found for your search is Ronald E Murphy age 80+ in Appleton, WI in the Erb Park neighborhood. In addition to the molestation, Stayner later claimed that Parnell's attitude altered from severe beatings to sometimes "spoiling" him. The boy attended school under the name Dennis Parnell. Everything has changed. It will be up to the judge. Cedar Lodge, 9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318, And then, stunningly, years later, he was back. You could see that he wanted to play and be with kids and be normal.". As reported by The Famous People, Parnell eventually convinced Stayner that his parents relinquished their rights and that he was granted full legal custody. And soon Steven had a new little brother in Parnells sick scheme, 7 year old Timothy White. He is best known for his namesake Murphy's law, which is said to state, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Born in the Panama Canal Zone in 1918, Murphy was the eldest of five children. 2 CONVICTED IN '72 KIDNAPPING OF 7-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA BOY, https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/07/us/2-convicted-in-72-kidnapping-of-7-year-old-california-boy.html. Officially, the Red Brigades held him in an apartment in Via Camillo Montalcini in Rome. Facebook gives people the power to. Stayner lived as Parnell's "son" for seven years, during which he was repeatedly sexually abused. Kenneth Parnell died on January 21, 2008, in the state prison hospital in Vacaville, Calif. where he had been incarcerated since 2004. As a result on that day, Knight did not try to escape, but she did scream for help when she spotted the neighbors outside. Both of them pulled up next to Steven and asked if he would donate to the church. . Stayner waited until Parnell had gone to his night shift job as a clerk at a local motel on March 1, 1980 and, carrying White on his back, hitchhiked 40 miles to Ukiah. Murphy. Ervin Murphy, who aided in Steven's abduction but, according to Echolls' book, insisted that he really thought Parnell was a minister and never thought he'd hurt a little boy, was also. Eventually, the police identified the man as Brian Mitchell and featured his picture on an episode of Americas Most Wanted in February 2003. Cary didnt grieve too hard for this though, as he claims the uncle was molesting him. I dont know sometimes if I should have come home. During this time, Steven was in and out of school but miraculously always did well while he was there. It isnt inconceivable that Hearst had been brainwashed, yet with no evidence of mental illness, there was little chance of the heiress escaping jail time. Murphy offered to take the boy home, but Kenneth Parnell instead brought him to him. In Berrys case, police treated her as a runaway until a week after the kidnapping, when a man called her mother and said that he had her daughter. What happened during those seven years and where is Kenneth Parnell now? After Steven said his mother would be interested in donating, Murphy offered to take the boy home. After two days, Parnell told Steven that his parents didn't want him anymore and that Parnell was going to adopt him. The terrorists dumped Moros body in the trunk of a red Renault, and it was found in the historic center of Rome. And this final part, youre not going to believe. In brighter news, however, other reports reveal that owing to the strides that have been made in the world of. Prior to his kidnapping of Stayner, The Famous People reports Parnell had at least two criminal convictions, including armed robbery and the sexual abuse of a young boy. But he was pretty messed up and he never got any counseling. But no one ever recognized him. He was spunky. Also known as E Murphy, L Ervin. He was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sex and died in prison. As Steven Stayner got older, Kenneth Parnell began planning to kidnap another, younger, boy. He was shuttled from place to place and enrolled in various schools as Dennis Parnell. I couldnt see Timmy suffer, Stayner said. In addition to participating in the abuse of Stayner, she attempted to help Parnell kidnap a boy who was a member of the Santa Rosa Boys' Club. Thats because he was able to escape, with. I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr. (January 11, 1918 - July 17, 1990 [1]) was an American aerospace engineer who worked on safety-critical systems. Includes Address (7) Phone (3) Email (2) See Results. (Years later, in 2004, while in his. Sean eventually tried to back out, but was threatened into submission. Join Facebook to connect with Edward Ervin and others you may know. Nearly 20 years after that, Steven's older brother Cary would murder four women near Yosemite National Park. He had attempted another kidnapping with his mistress Barbara Mathias, but that failed to go to plan. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. In addition to believing his parents no longer wanted him, The Famous People reports Stayner was simply unsure how to get out of the situation he was in. At around 9 p.m. on February 4, 1974, there was a knock on Hearsts apartment door. At 20, he married and went on to have two children. She pretended to be asleep and tried to identify the assailant. Murphy was. But after he and a fellow victim escaped in 1980, he discovered another ordeal was just beginning. He was convicted of both kidnappings and served five years of his seven-year prison sentence. In speaking to ABC News, Lori said that Steven "had a great personality. Steven Stayners life ended not long after it seemed it was finally coming together. And sadly, the emotionally invested are let down most of the time, as very few children abducted by predators return home alive. Five-year-old Timmy White cried and asked to go home. Steven knew what would happen to Timmy if he didnt act. Mr. Parnell, 50, and a co-defendant, Ervin Murphy, 40, were convicted of taking the Stayner boy into a car in Merced, Calif., Dec. 4, 1972. When Steven was 14 years old, Parnell began to lose interest in him because he was getting "too old." Knight, Berry, and DeJesus were all kidnapped by Ariel Castro in Cleveland, Ohio from August 2002 to April 2004. Trigger Warning: The following gets really, really sad, and involves subjects dealing with sexual abuse, and a lot of other awful things. Other work. Unfortunately, the driver was actually a middle-aged pedophile named Kenneth Parnell. Parnell and . Thus, they said, the kidnapping continued until the youth returned home last year. 2. Obviously the two couldn't stay in one place for very long, so Parnell moved them around Mendocino County in California. He also conscripted Stayner into aiding him in kidnappings, but Stayner had always failed to grab the targeted child to the point Parnell stopped using Stayner as an accomplice, berating him for being an "incompetent". Timothy even forgave his teenage kidnapper, a repentant Sean Poorman who Timothy felt had been manipulated by Parnell. On December 4, 1972, Parnell abducted seven-year-old Merced resident Steven Stayner with the help of Edward Ervin Murphy, a co-worker at the Yosemite Lodge, where Parnell worked as a night auditor. 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