(CBS4) -- A child's disappearance from Greeley in 1984 went cold, until the remains of Jonelle Matthews were found in July 2019. STEVEN PANKEY: It was a polite way of flipping them the bird. During her testimony, she said she only saw pornography on his computer one time, and only saw women. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: He told me that a cop had contacted him and said that he had a body he wanted to be buried. I never met Jonelle, I never met her family, I didnt know she existed or disappeared until Wednesday, Dec. 26 (1984), Pankey said. WebThe Pankey family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. John Gates knows the evidence is circumstantial, but he believes it is as strong as it is strange. She said a very emotional Pankey walked up And he said, no, not to his knowledge. Hes my brother, and I love him, she said with a smile. 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. But police clearly think it's more than that and seem to be looking closely at Pankey's past possibly including a case from 1977, when a 26-year-old Pankey was charged with sexually assaulting a woman he met in church. 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. Miller confronted Barr about her statements of loving her brother and believing he didnt commit murder through questioning their closeness. Sakulenzki was the last to testify Tuesday. But denied he was obsessed with the news. Since Jonelles disappearance, Pankey said, investigators have asked multiple times to talk to him about her. And then I'd say other things and he'd say, "well, that's bull nobody's going to buy that.". This timeline indicated the family was watching The Cosby Show from 7-9 p.m. Olson testified he checked the TV guide and confirmed the times match up with the statements. Once back in Greeley, she says Pankey drove right past their house, straight to the grocery store, where he made her buy the local papers and search for news about Jonelle. ANGELA HICKS: He wanted me to read each article out loud to him. Mayor John Gates: I think that part might've fit into the no-brainer category. It may or may not have something to do with the Jonelle Matthews case.". STEVEN PANKEY: In the little jail cubicle before coming up here, I was praying and I was thinking, God, maybe I shouldn't testify Because I'd be just telling more lies. In 2020, Steven Pankey, who says he never met Jonelle, was charged with murder after repeatedly making public statements that inserted him into the case, including drawing up a list of persons of interest with his own name on it. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. And I think my jaw probably hit my desk, and I said, "What?". Before stepping down from the stand, Pankeys sister confirmed she refused to talk about the case with police on April 15. The search, Pankey said, came about a month after he gave police a DNA sample. five days before Christmas, Jonelle disappeared from her home. Mayor John Gates: They were confirmed by the coroner to be those of Jonelle Matthews. STEVE PANKEY [to KMVT]: They searched this place, they took my laptop . Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. Police won't directly confirm any of that. Drake responded he had only seen her a few times and he most likely heard his mother make a comment about her being a mature girl for her age.. Most of his reports were lost when files switched over to a computer filing program at the Greeley Police Department, including the search warrant and most of the interviews other than Drakes. Ryan Horsley:It just seemed strange. And furthermore, Viorst told the jury that Pankey wasn't the only person who knew about those raked footprints. Pankeys father believed a womans place was in the home, women had to obey her husband and other more traditional ideas of marriage. Due to his business buying used cars and parts to sell to customers, Pankey would be in possession of several different cars. Barr did attest to his behavior being unusual when he decided to run for office on multiple occasions, because of his lack of experience. She says that shocked her because Pankey had forbidden radio and television use in their house, about a year earlier. He faces two first-degree murder charges, two violent crime charges, and one second-degree kidnapping charge. "48 Hours" tried to get our own interview with Pankey. Owner of Andersens Sales & Salvage for 62 years, Kenny Andersen took the stand to testify about a customer who was causing problems at his establishment in the mid-1980s. The detective said there was very little record of the investigation. Hicks also stated in her testimony that Pankey banned radio, TV and news from their household around the time Jonelle went missing. Pankeys youngest son, Carl, a 20-year-old college student, was shot and killed by his girlfriend in 2008 in Phoenix. As of Thursday, no criminal charges had been filed. But just five days before Christmas, Greeley learned it could not hide from evil. Hicks said she found torn-up paper about Jonelle in the trash can. 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. Tuesday, Hicks testified that a day before his memorial service, she witnessed a bizarre moment. They never released the information about the rake. She turned herself in to police last Wednesday. Angela Hicks says her then-husband came home and seemingly out of the blue, announced they were leaving on that trip to California and they were leaving quickly. Jim Matthews: For the longest time I knew exactly what they were doing, and I respected it. But he didn't give up the information. Doreen Schechter is the producer-editor. Like his father, Pankey also believed in these viewpoints, according to Hicks. yes, I remember meeting him. "It began as a series of lies, and it got bigger and bigger over the years," Pankey told the jury. Kelly Werthmann: There were no signs of a struggle inside the Matthews home he could've been someone that Jonelle had either seen before She might've willingly opened the door, let him in; might've willingly gone with him if he had said "something happened to your family, come with me.". His sister believed he shouldnt be partaking in the interviews, and his involvement in this case physically bothers her, she said. STEVEN PANKEY: I had never imagined Angie would be as big a liar as I am. 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. Ferdinand Marcos was born in the municipality of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte province, on September 11, 1917. Pankey made an unusual witness in his own defense. Because Norris Drake got her to leave the house. At trial, Viorst told the jury that Pankey was a true-crime junkie. Kelly Werthmann: He really wanted to make himself clear that he was framed. He maintains the sex was consensual. Hicks reported that was the only time she saw that much emotion from Pankey, as he kneeled down to kiss the urn. Richard Schlesinger: Is that in any way believable to you? STEVE PANKEY [to Werthmann]: If I gave my DNA, that would be kinda like a knockout blow . Anthony Viorst: Well, here's what I'll say, Richard. In her testimony, Hicks said she was unsure if the car functioned. It builds a really, really strong circumstantial case, in my mind. / CBS News, [This story previously aired on January 8, 2022. STEVEN PANKEY: That's the first time I heard that there was a missing child. LOCAL NEWS REPORT: Jonelle Matthews will turn 13 in two weeks. The red-orange car was allegedly seen by Jonelle and her friend on the bus heading back from the choir concert on Dec. 20, 1984. After hearing testimony from multiple witnesses, Steven Pankey took the stand. Pankeys eldest son has no recollection of this ban and remembers watching TV with his parents, he said during his short time on the stand. The friend, Rochelle Davy, formerly known as Rochelle Baxley, said the car startled and agitated Jonelle. And two days later they were back. Anthony Viorst: He was at home that night with his wife and child. It's believed she's the victim of a kidnapping. They had to wait a little more than two years until October 2021, for this moment: opening statements in the trial of Steven Pankey. ANGELA HICKS: And one of the things notated in his handwriting on this piece of legal paper was snow outside the Matthews house was raked. Although, later in life, Pankey started collecting guns, including an older gun given to him by his sister, Teri Barr. | On January 8, 2022 09:21 PM. He's had periodic sort of spats with people because he is an irascible, prickly guy. Viorst asked if Pankey was ever unfaithful. For Pankey, it might have started getting a little hot under the limelight, if you will, when the state's star witness, Angela Hicks, took the stand. 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. This is going to be a godly home.". As a follow up, investigators interviewed people including Drake, his mother, his sister, his first wife, possibly his first wifes father, Connie Daviet, who was his roommates sister, Dave Daviet, who was Drakes roommate, and Yost. Kelly Werthmann is a reporter and anchor for Denver's CBS station, KCNC. (Courtesy of Angela Hicks) 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. Mayor John Gates: I remember that night like it was yesterday. Right off the bat, Barr, Pankeys sister who is four years younger than the 70-year-old suspect, identified Pankey. Pankey said he had a bad relationship with Greeley authorities afterward. BOISE, Idaho Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate Steve Pankey is again claiming he's innocent. Over the phone, Pankey said he was a pastor from a Baptist church. He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? Jonelle Matthews' mother, father, and sister were the first to testify at the trial for her suspected killer, Steve Pankey. "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. In a four-hour episode of the "Unfound" podcast recorded in November 2019, Pankey claims he was dating his accuser. A crew digging a pipeline in a remote stretch of land just southeast of Greeley had discovered human remains with a gunshot wound to the head. It's exhausting. Or was he one that just surrounded himself with strange, bizarre behavior for years? Alleged Chinese spy, Christine Lee's son worked for MP Barry Gardiner and they are not related biologically. Greeley was much smaller then and Pankey was known around town. On top of this information, Viorst has constructed an argument that Drake was interested in young girls. Police stopped investigating him when his mother told them Drake was still with her in her house at the time Jonelle is believed to have disappeared. We just had a big group of friends. Pankey's defense offered a different theory. With no real evidence of what happened to the 12-year-old, the case went cold. It's a case that has haunted the small Colorado city of Greeley. 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I had no knowledge," Pankey said. The first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous And there was something odd about them. She reported seeing Drake sit in his vehicle for a while, as if he was staring at something. 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. Jordan Kinsey, Elizabeth Caholo and Lauren A. But as it turns out, when Jonelle vanished in 1984, Pankey lived in Greeley about two miles from the Matthew home. Wells objected several times in Viorsts direct examination of Daviet, with many of Viorsts questions deemed leading and relying on hearsay evidence. On July 23, 2019, the remains of Jonelle Matthews were discovered by an excavation crew digging a pipeline in a rural area southeast of Greeley, Colorado. "Always seemed to kind of be the life of the party," Jim Matthews fondly recalled of Jonelle. Brett Kavanaugh, associate justice of the US's Supreme Court, has been serving in th Former CIA officer Matt Castelli is running for Congress in the NY-21 district. The trial for Steve Pankey, the 70-year-old man accused of kidnapping and murdering 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews in December 1984, began Wednesday with opening statements addressing his obsession with her case, his Aspergers condition and his confessions to involvement and knowledge surrounding her disappearance. A group of Greeley residents worked hard to keep Jonelle's story alive. Pankey depicted this notion of enemies when he made Christy the villain in his fiction writings, according to assistant district attorney Robb Miller. Pankey was a secretive man during their marriage, Hicks said. Ryan Horsley: He's ran for lieutenant governor once. STEVE PANKEY ["Unfound" podcast]: In 1977, I was a youth pastor at the church. In all, Pankey attempted seven runs for office. Mayor John Gates: It's not to me, ah, Richard. During the process of forming a file, Hicks was asked to write comments on newspaper stories and give them to the department. of course, you know, you think that's terrible, but lots of kids go missing, you know. They were found just outside the house. Viorst said Hicks met with prosecutors and completed multiple interviews with police, but she never talked to him. His girlfriend severely killed him in 2008 in Phoenix. The trial took place but the verdict came in the favor of the politician. As per reports, the 14-year-old was kidnapped and reportedly killed somewhere in Greeley, Colorado. Pankey said he has great empathy for the Matthews family. During her testimony, she said Pankey talked about how the snow was raked outside of the Matthews home. At least they did until that night December 20. Mark told Viorst he had no recollection of a red-orange car, which multiple people testified seeing Pankey drive, including Hicks. In addition to appearing in Weld District Court, Yost stated she had to go to court in North Carolina. His 1980 Toyota Corolla was packed to visit family in California for the Christmas holiday. Andersen said he remembers the car being reddish, but he could not swear to this statement either. The bucket of bizarre means a lot to me. Ryan Horsley says that's when Pankey started collecting guns. In 1989, they settled in Idaho, but Pankey admits he could not stop thinking about Jonelle. The big thing in policing now is DNA. Pankey said he left Greeley in 1987 and hasnt been back to Colorado since. I have nothing to hide.. Of course, the prosecution also has Pankey's own words. On November 2, 2021, the jurors got the case. I mean . Drake became noticeably upset by questions regarding the hold-back evidence and said he felt bad because he didnt see anything and he was right there.. And I had a 5-year-old son. JUDGE TIMOTHY KERNS: Has the jury reached a unanimous verdict on count number four? WebPankey and Hicks lose their son In 2002, Hicks and Pankey finalized their divorce, and on July 4, 2008, their son Carl was murdered. Count four: making false reports to authorities. His father was a Youth for Christ leader, and Pankey claimedthat he came from a family with a long history of The only physical evidence were those footprints in the fresh snow. He also wrote that he feared he might "get the death penalty for revealing the location of" her body. Mayor John Gates: My assignment that night was going around the neighborhood, knocking on doors asking them if they had seen or heard anything suspicious that evening. In another jaw-dropping move, in that same letter Pankey also named himself as a person of interest, while still insisting he's innocent. And this week, the authorities announced that Steven D. Pankey, 69, a former Greeley resident who now lives in Idaho, had been indicted on Friday on charges of first But apparently Pankey knew. Jim Matthews: I just kept telling him, I said, "Listen, I'm telling you the truth. One time, I guess their family dog was doing a lot of barking, and it was irritating Steven.