In 1999, by the time he was just 12 years old, on January 1st, the Euro became the new official single currency of the eurozone. Jurors found Steve Pankey, 71, guilty of felony murder, second-degree kidnapping and false reporting in the disappearance and death of Jonelle Matthews in 1984, the office of district attorney Michael Rourke said. She said she confronted Pankey about the situation, who responded that he needed the money to pay legal fees. The ride to California was silent, but on the way back to Greeley, Pankey forced Hicks to flip through the radio stations in search of news about Jonelles disappearance. Her death was then ruled a homicide. However, seeing her sisters face led her to stop questioning Pankey. ", Steven Pankey told KTVB News he remembers where he was the night Jonelle Matthews disappeared. His formal charge indicted him on five counts related to Jonelles death: murder in the first degree after deliberation, felony murder, second-degree kidnapping, and two related crime of violence charges. While sitting in the parking lot, she read him every story upon his request. While the search was ongoing, he moved to Oklahoma and then to Idaho, where he ran twice for governor in 2014 and 2018. The spacious, modern Trevor Reid writes and edits for the Greeley Tribune. And I couldnt make sense of the car being on fire, but you also couldnt talk to him. Pankeys lies about her father were unforgivable to Hicks because Pankey had already taken away her relationship with her father and removed him from her support system back in the early years of their marriage. The 12-year-old was missing for more than three decades. She wasnt a woman of scorn. Require gun training? Hicks claimed to have heard Pankey muttering in response, accusing the minister of being a false prophet. Pankey repeatedly claimed to have knowledge of the crime and had asked "for immunity in exchange for information". She stated that Pankey listened to the radio for news about Jonelles disappearance on the drive home and forced her to read him news from newspapers on the same topic. Gates told "48 Hours.". Jonelle's shoes and shawl were near a heater in the family room, a place she often sat. Jonelle went missing from her Greeley home on Dec. 20, 1984, after returning from her choir concert to an empty home. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Jonelle Matthews, 12, disappeared from her Greeley, Colorado, home on December 20, 1984. She felt it was in Gods hands after she showed up and told the truth twice. At the time, Greeley police started investigating Pankey after he and Cash shared a phone call about the case that made Cash suspicious of the defendant. In the 1980s, Pankey prohibited Hicks from driving, reading newspapers, watching TV or listening to music. [4] Steven Pankey was sentenced to life imprisonment on October 31, 2022, after his arrest in 2020. 22 birth records, View The Weld County Coroners Office used DNA evidence to confirm that the remains were Jonelles. What am I going to do? [13], A few months following Jonelle's disappearance, Pankey attended a church service where a minister claimed that Jonelle would be found safe. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The defense filed a couple of motions that were briefly discussed Wednesday, including one regarding the release of juror information and another objecting to expanded media coverage, which was granted to certain media companies over the course of the trial to allow photographs, video and audio recordings. When you share a memory, or just show that you care by interacting with the biography, Steve Pankey trial, Day 6: Ex-wife testifies about relationship with The Matthews notified Vierra about what happened and the families became friends. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. Distractify is a registered trademark. UPDATE: Jury finds Steve Pankey guilty, sentences him to life in prison