1 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,921 Speaker 1: School of Humans. Helen Got Murder Line actively investigates cold 2 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,361 Speaker 1: case murders in an effort to raise public awareness invite 3 00:00:55,401 --> 00:00:58,761 Speaker 1: witnesses to come forward and present evidence that could potentially 4 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,961 Speaker 1: be further investigated by law enforcement. While we value insights 5 00:01:03,001 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: from family and community members, their statements should not be 6 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,961 Speaker 1: considered evidence and point to the challenges of verifying facts 7 00:01:10,041 --> 00:01:14,041 Speaker 1: inherent in cold cases. We remind listeners that everyone has 8 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 9 00:01:17,961 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply 10 00:01:21,041 --> 00:01:23,601 Speaker 1: that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime 11 00:01:24,121 --> 00:01:28,521 Speaker 1: is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening. 12 00:01:30,681 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 2: On December twentieth, nineteen eighty four, twelve year old Janelle 13 00:01:34,481 --> 00:01:37,281 Speaker 2: Matthews spent the evening singing her heart out at a 14 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:42,401 Speaker 2: Christmas choir concert in her hometown of Greeley, Colorado, a 15 00:01:42,481 --> 00:01:46,801 Speaker 2: residential suburb about fifty miles away from Denver. The concert 16 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,081 Speaker 2: was held at Intro West Bank of Denver, and Janelle, 17 00:01:50,121 --> 00:01:52,521 Speaker 2: who was in the seventh grade, was part of the 18 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:57,961 Speaker 2: Franklin Middle School choir. Janelle was outspoken and opinionated. Friends 19 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,241 Speaker 2: and families say that she loved performing. After the concert, 20 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,401 Speaker 2: Janelle caught a ride home with her friend Deanna and 21 00:02:05,441 --> 00:02:09,761 Speaker 2: Diana's father. They arrived back at Janelle's house, where she 22 00:02:09,841 --> 00:02:12,761 Speaker 2: lived with her father, Jim, her mother Gloria, and her 23 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 2: sixteen year old sister Jennifer, shortly after. 24 00:02:15,601 --> 00:02:17,201 Speaker 3: Eight fifteen pm. 25 00:02:17,641 --> 00:02:21,921 Speaker 2: It was already dark outside, and Janelle had a routine. 26 00:02:22,041 --> 00:02:24,481 Speaker 2: The garage door had been left half open for her 27 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 2: to walk into, and then once she got in, she 28 00:02:27,881 --> 00:02:30,361 Speaker 2: would flick the light twice to let Diana and her 29 00:02:30,401 --> 00:02:34,561 Speaker 2: dad Russell know that she'd gotten home safely. So Janelle 30 00:02:34,601 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: went into the garage, and then Deanna and her dad 31 00:02:37,281 --> 00:02:42,601 Speaker 2: saw the light come on, so they drove away. Janelle's father, 32 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,281 Speaker 2: Jim Matthews, who was the principal at Platte Valley Elementary School, 33 00:02:46,481 --> 00:02:49,641 Speaker 2: got home about an hour later, around nine thirty pm. 34 00:02:50,201 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: He had been at Janelle's sister Jennifer's basketball game at 35 00:02:53,681 --> 00:02:59,201 Speaker 2: her high school. He and Jennifer rode home separately. Janelle's mother, Gloria, 36 00:02:59,441 --> 00:03:01,881 Speaker 2: had gone to visit her sick father in Los Angeles, 37 00:03:02,201 --> 00:03:02,921 Speaker 2: so she was out of. 38 00:03:02,921 --> 00:03:03,561 Speaker 3: Town that night. 39 00:03:04,721 --> 00:03:08,001 Speaker 2: When Jim got home, he saw Janelle's clothes were scattered 40 00:03:08,001 --> 00:03:11,161 Speaker 2: around the pantyhose that she'd warned to the concert were 41 00:03:11,241 --> 00:03:14,041 Speaker 2: draped over a couch, her shoes were on the floor 42 00:03:14,041 --> 00:03:16,881 Speaker 2: of the living room, and the space heater was pulled 43 00:03:16,961 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 2: close to where she normally sat, near an easy chair 44 00:03:20,321 --> 00:03:23,561 Speaker 2: that was close to the TV. Her family later told 45 00:03:23,601 --> 00:03:26,841 Speaker 2: police this was Janelle's routine after she got home. She 46 00:03:26,881 --> 00:03:29,561 Speaker 2: would pull the space heater close to the chair and 47 00:03:29,641 --> 00:03:34,241 Speaker 2: watch TV, and the TV was turned on. All signs 48 00:03:34,281 --> 00:03:37,721 Speaker 2: pointed to Janelle's settling in for a cozy night, but 49 00:03:37,881 --> 00:03:39,041 Speaker 2: Jim couldn't find her. 50 00:03:39,601 --> 00:03:41,441 Speaker 3: It looked like she had come home. 51 00:03:42,041 --> 00:03:44,441 Speaker 2: Nothing appeared to be out of place, There were no 52 00:03:44,561 --> 00:03:47,481 Speaker 2: signs of forced entry or a struggle, and nothing had 53 00:03:47,481 --> 00:03:48,521 Speaker 2: been taken from the house. 54 00:03:50,081 --> 00:03:50,881 Speaker 3: There were more. 55 00:03:50,721 --> 00:03:54,801 Speaker 2: Clues in the kitchen that seemed to point to Janelle's timeline. 56 00:03:54,841 --> 00:03:59,041 Speaker 2: Shortly after eight thirty pm, Janelle answered the phone, and 57 00:03:59,081 --> 00:04:01,401 Speaker 2: a note on the blackboard in the kitchen that was 58 00:04:01,481 --> 00:04:05,001 Speaker 2: used for phone messages showed that a substitute teacher at 59 00:04:05,041 --> 00:04:07,841 Speaker 2: the school had called with a message for Janelle's dad. 60 00:04:08,761 --> 00:04:12,881 Speaker 2: Janelle wrote that message on the board, so at first, 61 00:04:13,001 --> 00:04:16,001 Speaker 2: given all this, Jim thought maybe Janelle had run out 62 00:04:16,001 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: to do something else or see a friend. Jennifer, Janelle's sister, 63 00:04:20,001 --> 00:04:23,001 Speaker 2: came home at around ten pm from her game. There 64 00:04:23,081 --> 00:04:27,401 Speaker 2: was still no sign of Janelle. Concern Jim called his pastor, 65 00:04:27,681 --> 00:04:30,681 Speaker 2: who suggested that he call the police. So he did, 66 00:04:30,841 --> 00:04:34,681 Speaker 2: and he said Janelle was missing. Janelle was in the 67 00:04:34,681 --> 00:04:38,841 Speaker 2: seventh grade. She disappeared just days before her thirteenth birthday. 68 00:04:39,481 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: Her parents described her as a loving child. She was 69 00:04:42,841 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: super in balld in school and sports, including basketball. Deanna 70 00:04:48,241 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 2: later told Dateline that Janelle was in a great mood 71 00:04:51,081 --> 00:04:53,681 Speaker 2: that night on the ride home. She was looking forward 72 00:04:53,721 --> 00:04:56,041 Speaker 2: to the last day of school the next day, Friday, 73 00:04:56,601 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 2: and to exchanging gifts with her friends. She was also 74 00:04:59,961 --> 00:05:03,281 Speaker 2: looking forward to the upcoming two week Christmas holiday. There 75 00:05:03,361 --> 00:05:05,801 Speaker 2: was zero's sign that night that she would leave her 76 00:05:05,841 --> 00:05:11,681 Speaker 2: house for any reason or go away voluntarily. Police showed 77 00:05:11,761 --> 00:05:13,601 Speaker 2: up at the Matthews house at. 78 00:05:13,441 --> 00:05:14,801 Speaker 3: Ten fifteen pm. 79 00:05:15,121 --> 00:05:19,641 Speaker 2: They immediately started canvassing the neighborhood, and they immediately announced 80 00:05:19,641 --> 00:05:23,241 Speaker 2: to the community they believed that Janelle had been kidnapped 81 00:05:23,241 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: from her home. Her parents left her presence unwrapped and 82 00:05:28,161 --> 00:05:31,801 Speaker 2: under the tree in case she came home, but she 83 00:05:31,961 --> 00:05:37,001 Speaker 2: never came home to open them. Janelle vanished and there 84 00:05:37,041 --> 00:05:44,401 Speaker 2: was no sign of her until thirty years later. I'm 85 00:05:44,481 --> 00:05:47,561 Speaker 2: Catherine Townsend. Over the past seven years of making my 86 00:05:47,601 --> 00:05:50,841 Speaker 2: true crime podcast, Helen Gone, I've learned that there's no 87 00:05:50,921 --> 00:05:54,321 Speaker 2: such thing as a small town where murder never happens. 88 00:05:54,961 --> 00:05:57,681 Speaker 2: I have received hundreds of messages from people all around 89 00:05:57,721 --> 00:06:00,601 Speaker 2: the country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's 90 00:06:00,601 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 2: affected them, their families, and their communities. If you have 91 00:06:05,001 --> 00:06:07,081 Speaker 2: a case you'd like me and my team to look into, 92 00:06:07,841 --> 00:06:09,801 Speaker 2: you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone 93 00:06:09,881 --> 00:06:13,401 Speaker 2: Murder Line at six seven eight seven four four six 94 00:06:13,561 --> 00:06:17,161 Speaker 2: one four five. That's six seven eight seven four four 95 00:06:17,481 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: six one four five, or you can send us a 96 00:06:20,801 --> 00:06:22,761 Speaker 2: message on Instagram at. 97 00:06:22,801 --> 00:06:23,721 Speaker 3: Helen Gone Pod. 98 00:06:24,601 --> 00:07:10,601 Speaker 2: This is Helen Gone Murder Line. When police got to 99 00:07:10,641 --> 00:07:13,761 Speaker 2: the Matthews house and searched it, they had very little 100 00:07:13,761 --> 00:07:17,401 Speaker 2: to go on. There were no fingerprints found and no 101 00:07:17,441 --> 00:07:22,161 Speaker 2: stranger DNA. Of course, DNA testing possibilities in nineteen eighty 102 00:07:22,161 --> 00:07:25,401 Speaker 2: four were very different than they are today, and no 103 00:07:25,481 --> 00:07:28,401 Speaker 2: one in the quiet, safe neighborhood had heard anything out 104 00:07:28,441 --> 00:07:31,841 Speaker 2: of the ordinary. Again, there was no obvious sign of 105 00:07:31,841 --> 00:07:35,241 Speaker 2: a struggle in the home, but police did notice a 106 00:07:35,321 --> 00:07:39,561 Speaker 2: few small things that seemed out of place. First of all, 107 00:07:39,721 --> 00:07:43,521 Speaker 2: the garage door was open, which Janelle's father, Jim, said 108 00:07:43,761 --> 00:07:46,641 Speaker 2: should not have been. Janelle should have shut it after 109 00:07:46,681 --> 00:07:50,321 Speaker 2: she came into the house. That was part of her routine. 110 00:07:50,401 --> 00:07:53,241 Speaker 2: Then there were the footprints in the snow in the 111 00:07:53,281 --> 00:07:55,961 Speaker 2: front of the house that led police to believe that 112 00:07:56,081 --> 00:08:00,721 Speaker 2: someone might be looking through the windows. Over the years, 113 00:08:00,761 --> 00:08:03,401 Speaker 2: there has been a lot of discussion about those footprints. 114 00:08:03,961 --> 00:08:07,641 Speaker 2: The Dateline episode about this case is actually called Footprints 115 00:08:07,641 --> 00:08:10,841 Speaker 2: in the Snow. The footprints were too big to be 116 00:08:10,961 --> 00:08:15,401 Speaker 2: Janelle's and they were recent. It had snowed several hours earlier. 117 00:08:15,561 --> 00:08:17,441 Speaker 2: This was the time of year where it was snowing 118 00:08:17,481 --> 00:08:22,401 Speaker 2: pretty much every day, so these were fresh prints. Police 119 00:08:22,641 --> 00:08:25,841 Speaker 2: later determined that the footprints were a single set from 120 00:08:25,881 --> 00:08:29,161 Speaker 2: one person, a mail with an estimated foot size of 121 00:08:29,281 --> 00:08:32,441 Speaker 2: nine to eleven. There was something else that was odd 122 00:08:32,481 --> 00:08:36,361 Speaker 2: about the footprints. Jim had a rake in his garage 123 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,401 Speaker 2: and it looked like someone had raked over the prince, 124 00:08:39,721 --> 00:08:42,961 Speaker 2: presumably to try to get rid of them. Police did 125 00:08:43,001 --> 00:08:45,841 Speaker 2: not share it with the public immediately, but it's a 126 00:08:45,881 --> 00:08:50,761 Speaker 2: detail that will become very important later. Police of course 127 00:08:50,841 --> 00:08:54,041 Speaker 2: turned their attention to those closest to Janelle, and naturally 128 00:08:54,401 --> 00:08:59,361 Speaker 2: to relationships between family members, including between Janelle and Jim Matthews. 129 00:09:00,201 --> 00:09:03,521 Speaker 2: They gave Janelle's father a light detector test and questioned 130 00:09:03,601 --> 00:09:08,041 Speaker 2: him thoroughly. Jim later told Dateline he understood that police 131 00:09:08,081 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 2: had to question him, but he admitted the whole ordeal 132 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,601 Speaker 2: was painful and that he eventually became frustrated with the 133 00:09:14,641 --> 00:09:18,961 Speaker 2: process because he had been completely forthcoming. Jim Matthews was 134 00:09:19,001 --> 00:09:26,241 Speaker 2: cleared by police. Janelle was adopted, since she had been 135 00:09:26,241 --> 00:09:29,161 Speaker 2: adopted when she was six weeks old by Gloria and Jim. 136 00:09:29,401 --> 00:09:33,041 Speaker 2: Police also secretly put her birth mother, who was at 137 00:09:33,041 --> 00:09:35,680 Speaker 2: the time living in Los Angeles, under surveillance for a 138 00:09:35,721 --> 00:09:40,281 Speaker 2: period of time. They had to consider all possibilities, including 139 00:09:40,361 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 2: parental kidnapping, but Janelle's mother was quickly cleared as well. 140 00:09:47,521 --> 00:09:50,881 Speaker 2: There was a massive man hunt, first by law enforcement 141 00:09:50,961 --> 00:09:54,961 Speaker 2: and later by six hundred volunteers who scoured all parts 142 00:09:55,041 --> 00:09:58,041 Speaker 2: of Well County, but they found no sign of Janelle. 143 00:09:59,041 --> 00:10:03,001 Speaker 2: According to the Greenwood's Commonwealth, Janelle's picture was featured on 144 00:10:03,041 --> 00:10:05,441 Speaker 2: a milk carton and she was mentioned in news stories 145 00:10:05,441 --> 00:10:09,121 Speaker 2: with other kidnap victims. Including Adam Walsh and Florida and 146 00:10:09,201 --> 00:10:12,401 Speaker 2: Aton Pates in New York City. But Janelle's case was 147 00:10:12,441 --> 00:10:15,161 Speaker 2: a little bit different because she had been home getting 148 00:10:15,201 --> 00:10:18,961 Speaker 2: comfortable when she was taken. Who would have been bold 149 00:10:19,041 --> 00:10:21,281 Speaker 2: enough to take her out of her home like that? 150 00:10:22,401 --> 00:10:25,721 Speaker 2: Since there were no signs of forest entry, police did 151 00:10:25,801 --> 00:10:29,761 Speaker 2: wonder did Janelle know her abductor or maybe could she 152 00:10:29,841 --> 00:10:33,001 Speaker 2: have been familiar with them? Was there a reason why 153 00:10:33,041 --> 00:10:37,001 Speaker 2: she let them in or were they already inside the 154 00:10:37,001 --> 00:10:41,321 Speaker 2: garage when she came home, lying there in wait? Was 155 00:10:41,361 --> 00:10:44,641 Speaker 2: this a crime of opportunity or could someone have been 156 00:10:44,681 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 2: stalking the twelve year old. The case quickly garnered a 157 00:10:48,721 --> 00:10:52,121 Speaker 2: lot of media attention. CBS News reported that one of 158 00:10:52,121 --> 00:10:54,921 Speaker 2: the first investigators on the scene was a twenty seven 159 00:10:54,961 --> 00:10:58,761 Speaker 2: year old police officer named John Gates. He was one 160 00:10:58,761 --> 00:11:03,001 Speaker 2: of the first officers to canvass the neighborhood. Later, John 161 00:11:03,081 --> 00:11:08,041 Speaker 2: Gates became mayor of Greeley. Janelle's bizarre abduction touched the 162 00:11:08,081 --> 00:11:12,881 Speaker 2: whole town. In twenty nineteen, he told the Colorado Sun quote, 163 00:11:13,121 --> 00:11:15,841 Speaker 2: it was all hands on deck the minute I walked 164 00:11:15,841 --> 00:11:18,601 Speaker 2: into their home. I thought that this was probably not 165 00:11:18,801 --> 00:11:21,361 Speaker 2: a runaway. We walked around the neighborhood. 166 00:11:21,521 --> 00:11:24,761 Speaker 3: It was dark. Nobody in that neighborhood saw anything. 167 00:11:25,201 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: It wasn't long before we started thinking this was probably 168 00:11:28,681 --> 00:11:33,041 Speaker 2: not going to end well, end quote. For a long time, 169 00:11:33,121 --> 00:11:36,721 Speaker 2: the case went cold, months and then years went by. 170 00:11:38,081 --> 00:11:41,521 Speaker 2: In nineteen ninety four, ten years after Janelle vanished, she 171 00:11:41,681 --> 00:11:46,161 Speaker 2: was declared legally dead. Then another heartbreaking twist in the 172 00:11:46,161 --> 00:11:51,041 Speaker 2: case happened. In nineteen ninety seven, Janelle's mother, Gloria Matthews, 173 00:11:51,161 --> 00:11:54,161 Speaker 2: received a letter from Janelle's birth mother, who had used 174 00:11:54,161 --> 00:11:58,641 Speaker 2: a search consultant to track her biological daughter down. Janelle's 175 00:11:58,641 --> 00:12:02,401 Speaker 2: birth mother had no idea that Janelle was missing or 176 00:12:02,441 --> 00:12:05,721 Speaker 2: that she had been put under surveillance by police years earlier, 177 00:12:06,481 --> 00:12:09,681 Speaker 2: so now Gloria had to break the news to Janelle's 178 00:12:09,681 --> 00:12:13,921 Speaker 2: birth mother about what had happened to her. Jim and 179 00:12:14,001 --> 00:12:17,761 Speaker 2: Gloria eventually moved away from the area. They were missionaries 180 00:12:17,801 --> 00:12:20,601 Speaker 2: in the Philippines for a while, then they moved to Seattle. 181 00:12:21,041 --> 00:12:25,481 Speaker 2: Eventually they retired in Costa Rica. But people in Greeley 182 00:12:25,641 --> 00:12:30,161 Speaker 2: never forgot Janelle's case and the strange circumstances, the footprints 183 00:12:30,161 --> 00:12:32,801 Speaker 2: in the snow, the open garage, the lack of evidence, 184 00:12:33,481 --> 00:12:36,321 Speaker 2: but other than a cherry tree being planted in front 185 00:12:36,321 --> 00:12:39,241 Speaker 2: of Janelle's middle school in her honor and local news 186 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,321 Speaker 2: covering the case on big anniversaries, there just. 187 00:12:42,441 --> 00:12:43,441 Speaker 3: Wasn't much movement. 188 00:12:44,521 --> 00:12:49,521 Speaker 2: But then in twenty nineteen, over thirty years after Janelle's disappearance, 189 00:12:49,761 --> 00:12:53,681 Speaker 2: seemingly out of nowhere, there was a massive break in 190 00:12:53,721 --> 00:13:06,721 Speaker 2: the case. On July twenty third, twenty eighteen, a crew 191 00:13:06,921 --> 00:13:07,481 Speaker 2: working on. 192 00:13:07,441 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 3: An oil pipeline in a rural. 193 00:13:09,201 --> 00:13:12,601 Speaker 2: Area southeast of Greeley, about fifteen miles from the Matthew's 194 00:13:12,681 --> 00:13:17,201 Speaker 2: former family home, found human remains, including a skull with 195 00:13:17,241 --> 00:13:21,161 Speaker 2: braces on its teeth and part of a jawbone. Police 196 00:13:21,241 --> 00:13:24,041 Speaker 2: stated a few days later that the Weld County Corner's 197 00:13:24,081 --> 00:13:28,321 Speaker 2: Office had identified the remains as being Janelle Matthews. Police 198 00:13:28,361 --> 00:13:31,361 Speaker 2: also announced they found traces of red and blue fabric 199 00:13:31,441 --> 00:13:34,041 Speaker 2: near the remains, so it appeared as. 200 00:13:33,961 --> 00:13:36,841 Speaker 3: Though Janelle was still wearing the same thing that she. 201 00:13:36,801 --> 00:13:39,441 Speaker 2: Had been wearing the night of the Christmas concert, a 202 00:13:39,521 --> 00:13:43,681 Speaker 2: dark gray skirt, red blouse, and graceweater. The evidence pointed 203 00:13:43,681 --> 00:13:47,161 Speaker 2: to Janelle being abducted and killed the same night she 204 00:13:47,241 --> 00:13:51,081 Speaker 2: was taken. I cannot begin to imagine how her family 205 00:13:51,161 --> 00:13:54,041 Speaker 2: must have felt. But often family members say it's a 206 00:13:54,081 --> 00:13:56,801 Speaker 2: bag of mixed emotions. There's the part of you hoping 207 00:13:56,841 --> 00:13:59,241 Speaker 2: your family member could still be out there and may 208 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,921 Speaker 2: one day return, but then also the horrific reality kicks in. 209 00:14:05,721 --> 00:14:09,761 Speaker 2: Janelle's sister, Jennifer, talked to the Associated Press in twenty nineteen. 210 00:14:10,561 --> 00:14:13,961 Speaker 2: She described finding her sister's body after all that time 211 00:14:14,121 --> 00:14:17,361 Speaker 2: as a miracle. Back in the day in the eighties, 212 00:14:17,681 --> 00:14:19,761 Speaker 2: the area where the pipeline was dug was just a 213 00:14:19,801 --> 00:14:23,081 Speaker 2: big deserted field in the middle of nowhere. The land 214 00:14:23,161 --> 00:14:25,761 Speaker 2: was bought in nineteen seventy four, but was there for 215 00:14:25,921 --> 00:14:31,201 Speaker 2: years totally undeveloped. Jennifer told the Associated Press quote, if 216 00:14:31,201 --> 00:14:32,961 Speaker 2: it would have been Doug one foot to. 217 00:14:32,961 --> 00:14:35,441 Speaker 3: The left or to the right, she would not have 218 00:14:35,481 --> 00:14:36,921 Speaker 3: been found. End quote. 219 00:14:37,841 --> 00:14:41,721 Speaker 2: Police confirmed very few details at the time, and when 220 00:14:41,761 --> 00:14:44,681 Speaker 2: they did release the autopsy report to LOFE local news channels, 221 00:14:44,681 --> 00:14:48,321 Speaker 2: it was heavily redacted, but they did state that the 222 00:14:48,361 --> 00:14:52,001 Speaker 2: fabric match the plaid skirt, blouse and sweater vest Janelle 223 00:14:52,001 --> 00:14:55,881 Speaker 2: wore on the night of the Christmas concert. Eventually, they 224 00:14:55,921 --> 00:14:59,481 Speaker 2: stated Janelle's cause of death was a gunshot wound to 225 00:14:59,521 --> 00:14:59,881 Speaker 2: the head. 226 00:15:00,361 --> 00:15:01,961 Speaker 3: Manner of death was homicide. 227 00:15:03,561 --> 00:15:07,401 Speaker 2: Janelle's family finally had an answer. They knew that she 228 00:15:07,441 --> 00:15:10,561 Speaker 2: had been murdered. She had been killed almost certainly on 229 00:15:10,681 --> 00:15:12,681 Speaker 2: the same night that she was taken from her home. 230 00:15:13,401 --> 00:15:17,081 Speaker 2: Now they needed to find Janelle's killer, and it didn't 231 00:15:17,121 --> 00:15:20,321 Speaker 2: take long for police to focus on a suspect, a 232 00:15:20,441 --> 00:15:24,721 Speaker 2: man named Steve Panky. Steve Panky's name had apparently come 233 00:15:24,801 --> 00:15:28,001 Speaker 2: up early in the investigation. He had written a series 234 00:15:28,081 --> 00:15:32,601 Speaker 2: of bizarre letters to the District Attorney's office. In those letters, 235 00:15:32,641 --> 00:15:36,601 Speaker 2: he claimed to have information about Janelle's case. Eventually, the 236 00:15:36,681 --> 00:15:40,801 Speaker 2: DA's office started returning the letters to him unopened. Steve 237 00:15:41,001 --> 00:15:44,801 Speaker 2: Pankey appeared to be kind of a strange character. By 238 00:15:44,841 --> 00:15:48,121 Speaker 2: his own admission, he lied a lot. He later testified 239 00:15:48,121 --> 00:15:50,681 Speaker 2: that he made a lot of stuff up, and the 240 00:15:50,761 --> 00:15:54,441 Speaker 2: Matthews family said back in twenty nineteen, they had never 241 00:15:54,481 --> 00:15:56,641 Speaker 2: heard that name before. They had no idea who this 242 00:15:56,681 --> 00:16:01,641 Speaker 2: guy was. On September fourth, twenty nineteen, police traveled to 243 00:16:01,761 --> 00:16:05,161 Speaker 2: Twin Falls, Idaho, to where Steve Panky was living. They 244 00:16:05,201 --> 00:16:09,121 Speaker 2: executed a search warrant on his condominium. It was reported 245 00:16:09,161 --> 00:16:12,081 Speaker 2: early on that Steve Panky had a tenuous connection to 246 00:16:12,121 --> 00:16:14,801 Speaker 2: the Matthews family, that he was a neighbor of theirs, 247 00:16:14,921 --> 00:16:16,961 Speaker 2: and that at some point he was a youth pastor 248 00:16:17,001 --> 00:16:20,841 Speaker 2: at their church, and he had inserted himself into the 249 00:16:20,881 --> 00:16:26,521 Speaker 2: investigation multiple times. Greeley Police Commander Roy Smith announced that 250 00:16:26,601 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 2: Steve Panky had made repeated attempts to speak to detectives 251 00:16:30,121 --> 00:16:34,401 Speaker 2: about Janelle's abduction, but then when police traveled to Idaho 252 00:16:34,521 --> 00:16:39,001 Speaker 2: and tried to question Steve, he refused to answer their questions. 253 00:16:40,361 --> 00:16:44,081 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty four, Steve Panky lived in Greeley. At 254 00:16:44,081 --> 00:16:46,641 Speaker 2: that time, he was thirty three years old. He was 255 00:16:46,721 --> 00:16:49,921 Speaker 2: married with a five year old son. He and his 256 00:16:50,001 --> 00:16:53,321 Speaker 2: wife lived about two miles away from Janelle and her family. 257 00:16:53,881 --> 00:16:58,481 Speaker 2: At one point. Steve actually ran for governor unsuccessfully twice 258 00:16:58,641 --> 00:17:02,281 Speaker 2: in Idaho as a writing candidate in the twenty fourteen 259 00:17:02,361 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 2: and twenty eighteen elections. Both times he lost by a 260 00:17:06,521 --> 00:17:11,001 Speaker 2: large margin. He only ever got slightly over one percent. 261 00:17:10,721 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 3: Of the vote. 262 00:17:12,161 --> 00:17:15,081 Speaker 2: Steve Pankey was in the Army. He moved to Greeley 263 00:17:15,161 --> 00:17:20,041 Speaker 2: in nineteen seventy three. Steve was a very religious man. 264 00:17:20,521 --> 00:17:23,881 Speaker 2: He was a member of the Sunnyview Church of the Nazarene. 265 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:28,281 Speaker 2: This was the same church that Janelle and her family 266 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 2: were members of, but Steve and Janelle's family did not 267 00:17:32,001 --> 00:17:36,161 Speaker 2: attend that church at the same time. He testified later 268 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:38,801 Speaker 2: that he served some of the functions of the youth pastor, 269 00:17:39,161 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 2: like teaching Sunday school, but church officials told police Steve 270 00:17:43,241 --> 00:17:44,921 Speaker 2: was more like a janitor at the church. 271 00:17:46,441 --> 00:17:48,241 Speaker 3: Steve always seemed. 272 00:17:47,881 --> 00:17:50,401 Speaker 2: To have an answer for why his stories didn't match. 273 00:17:50,921 --> 00:17:53,441 Speaker 2: He clarified in court that even though he wasn't the 274 00:17:53,521 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 2: official youth pastor, he did do janitorial work. He was 275 00:17:57,241 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 2: performing a lot of those functions. Later, Steve testified he 276 00:18:01,481 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 2: was asked to lead the church. He admitted he developed 277 00:18:04,601 --> 00:18:07,521 Speaker 2: a hatred for that church and some of the church officials, 278 00:18:07,961 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 2: and he testified that that hatred was kind of the 279 00:18:11,001 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 2: reason he became fixated on Janelle's case in the first place. 280 00:18:14,801 --> 00:18:16,761 Speaker 2: He believed that there was some kind of a link 281 00:18:16,761 --> 00:18:21,521 Speaker 2: between Janelle's disappearance and that church. Steve Pankey did have 282 00:18:21,561 --> 00:18:25,561 Speaker 2: a criminal record. In nineteen seventy seven, he told the 283 00:18:25,601 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 2: Sun newspaper that he was accused of date raping a 284 00:18:28,121 --> 00:18:31,001 Speaker 2: piano player at the church, but he said that he 285 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,601 Speaker 2: was cleared after he took a polygraph test. Steve said 286 00:18:34,641 --> 00:18:37,241 Speaker 2: that after that he was asked to lead the church, 287 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,161 Speaker 2: the Suny Viewed Church of the Nazarene, the same church 288 00:18:41,281 --> 00:18:44,481 Speaker 2: that Janelle's family later attended. So a lot of the 289 00:18:44,561 --> 00:18:48,881 Speaker 2: rumors about Steve being the Matthew's neighbor and attending the same. 290 00:18:48,801 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 3: Church really weren't true. 291 00:18:50,601 --> 00:18:53,241 Speaker 2: He lived a couple of miles away and they did 292 00:18:53,281 --> 00:18:56,481 Speaker 2: not attend the same church at the same time. Steve 293 00:18:56,561 --> 00:18:59,161 Speaker 2: married his wife Angela in nineteen seventy eight. Their son, 294 00:18:59,241 --> 00:19:02,881 Speaker 2: Mark was born in nineteen seventy nine. Over the years, 295 00:19:03,001 --> 00:19:05,961 Speaker 2: Steve Panky was also hit with a lot of lawsuits, 296 00:19:06,361 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 2: both civil and criminal. He seemed to get into conflicts 297 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,281 Speaker 2: with a lot of different people, and he also made 298 00:19:12,321 --> 00:19:15,241 Speaker 2: a lot of contradictory statements. So when you listen to 299 00:19:15,281 --> 00:19:19,281 Speaker 2: Steve Panky talk, it's hard to separate fantasy from reality 300 00:19:19,321 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: at times. The case against Steve Pankey seems to be 301 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,601 Speaker 2: largely based on statements he made about Janelle's case and 302 00:19:27,801 --> 00:19:32,281 Speaker 2: his alleged obsession with it. Steve Panky also told police 303 00:19:32,321 --> 00:19:35,241 Speaker 2: that he had a connection to Russell Ross, Diana's dad, 304 00:19:35,681 --> 00:19:38,561 Speaker 2: the person who dropped Janelle off at her home on 305 00:19:38,641 --> 00:19:39,161 Speaker 2: the last. 306 00:19:39,041 --> 00:19:39,921 Speaker 3: Night that she was alive. 307 00:19:40,681 --> 00:19:42,801 Speaker 2: Steve said that in the seventies they worked at the 308 00:19:42,801 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 2: same seven Up Boss company. Steve was trying to start 309 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,201 Speaker 2: a union at the company, and he claimed that he 310 00:19:48,401 --> 00:19:51,201 Speaker 2: and Russell got into an argument over that and that 311 00:19:51,281 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 2: Russell physically assaulted him. In addition to sending letters to 312 00:19:55,201 --> 00:19:58,441 Speaker 2: the DA over the years, Steve Panky also talked to 313 00:19:58,441 --> 00:20:02,041 Speaker 2: the press. He did an interview with the Idaho Statesman 314 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 2: in September of twenty nineteen, and by that time he 315 00:20:05,641 --> 00:20:08,121 Speaker 2: had completely changed his story. 316 00:20:08,201 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 3: In that interview, he claimed that he did not know 317 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:12,561 Speaker 3: Janelle or her family. 318 00:20:13,521 --> 00:20:17,241 Speaker 2: When he talked to detectives in twenty nineteen, he told 319 00:20:17,281 --> 00:20:19,641 Speaker 2: them that he had a lawyer and would not talk 320 00:20:19,681 --> 00:20:23,521 Speaker 2: to them without making a deal. So a big question 321 00:20:23,601 --> 00:20:27,321 Speaker 2: that came out during this investigation was what did Steve 322 00:20:27,361 --> 00:20:31,881 Speaker 2: Panky know and when did he know it. His ex wife, Angela, 323 00:20:31,961 --> 00:20:35,801 Speaker 2: told police that Steve was obsessed with Janelle's case ever 324 00:20:35,881 --> 00:20:40,241 Speaker 2: since she disappeared. Law enforcement stated they did not believe 325 00:20:40,281 --> 00:20:42,521 Speaker 2: that Steve Panky owned a gun at the time of 326 00:20:42,561 --> 00:20:45,801 Speaker 2: Janelle's abduction, and on the night of the abduction, he 327 00:20:45,881 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 2: had an alibi. He told police that he was at 328 00:20:48,641 --> 00:20:52,241 Speaker 2: home with his wife and children, but Steve and his 329 00:20:52,281 --> 00:20:55,281 Speaker 2: family did leave town on the morning of December twenty first, 330 00:20:55,401 --> 00:20:59,681 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty four, the morning after Janelle was abducted. Steve 331 00:20:59,761 --> 00:21:02,801 Speaker 2: told investigators that on that day, he, his wife, and 332 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,201 Speaker 2: his child took a family Christmas trip to Big Bear 333 00:21:05,281 --> 00:21:08,201 Speaker 2: Lake in California, and that they stayed there with his 334 00:21:08,241 --> 00:21:13,041 Speaker 2: family until December twenty sixth. Steve's ex wife, Angela Hicks, 335 00:21:13,481 --> 00:21:16,321 Speaker 2: ended up becoming a star witness in the case against him. 336 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,921 Speaker 2: Angela told investigators that over the years, Steve had made 337 00:21:20,961 --> 00:21:24,561 Speaker 2: a lot of statements implying that he had inside information 338 00:21:24,761 --> 00:21:29,601 Speaker 2: about Janelle's kidnapping. In two thousand and eight, Steve Panky's 339 00:21:29,681 --> 00:21:34,401 Speaker 2: son was murdered. After that, Angela told police that at 340 00:21:34,441 --> 00:21:38,681 Speaker 2: their son's funeral, she heard him say, quote, I hope 341 00:21:38,721 --> 00:21:41,641 Speaker 2: God didn't allow this to happen because of Janelle Matthews 342 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 2: end quote. According to the criminal indictment, police believed that 343 00:21:47,681 --> 00:21:51,921 Speaker 2: Steve quote intentionally inserted himself in the investigation many times 344 00:21:51,961 --> 00:21:54,721 Speaker 2: over the years, claiming to have knowledge of the crime, 345 00:21:55,161 --> 00:22:00,521 Speaker 2: which grew inconsistent and incriminating overtime end quote. Police also 346 00:22:00,601 --> 00:22:05,321 Speaker 2: pointed out Steve knew about the rake, which they found suspicious. 347 00:22:05,361 --> 00:22:08,401 Speaker 2: Angela said when she and Steve were driving home from 348 00:22:08,401 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 2: that trip to the lake on December twenty sixth, that Steve, 349 00:22:11,721 --> 00:22:15,121 Speaker 2: who didn't normally allow radio or TV inside their home, 350 00:22:15,561 --> 00:22:18,561 Speaker 2: suddenly turned on the news and was listening obsessively to 351 00:22:18,641 --> 00:22:22,641 Speaker 2: the coverage of Janelle's disappearance, and according to the indictment, 352 00:22:23,041 --> 00:22:25,921 Speaker 2: Angela claimed that after they got home from that trip, 353 00:22:26,441 --> 00:22:30,521 Speaker 2: Steve started digging in their yard. Over the years, Steve 354 00:22:30,601 --> 00:22:32,521 Speaker 2: gave many interviews about the case. 355 00:22:32,321 --> 00:22:33,801 Speaker 3: Including one with The Times. 356 00:22:34,361 --> 00:22:37,361 Speaker 2: In that interview, he said he believed he was being 357 00:22:37,441 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 2: framed because he was a celibate homosexual. The evidence against 358 00:22:43,241 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 2: Steve was entirely circumstantial. Police had no physical evidence. Steve 359 00:22:49,681 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 2: Pankey told local reporters that he had given police a 360 00:22:53,201 --> 00:22:56,481 Speaker 2: DNA sample, but the Greeley Police told Fox thirty one 361 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,801 Speaker 2: that they never even made a request to obtain Steve's DNA, 362 00:23:00,441 --> 00:23:04,361 Speaker 2: so they said that statement was false. With Steve Panky, 363 00:23:04,401 --> 00:23:07,321 Speaker 2: it's hard to tell which parts of the story are true. 364 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,041 Speaker 2: He said in court that Angela was simply bitter and 365 00:23:11,121 --> 00:23:15,401 Speaker 2: making up a lot of lies. According to an indictment, 366 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 2: Steve Panky looked up the details of Janelle's case electronically 367 00:23:19,761 --> 00:23:23,481 Speaker 2: hundreds of times, but it's really hard to say. Was 368 00:23:23,521 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 2: that because he had a role in Janelle's disappearance or 369 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,761 Speaker 2: because he was a true crime fan. Later it was 370 00:23:29,801 --> 00:23:34,281 Speaker 2: reported Steve followed several true crime podcasts, So could he 371 00:23:34,361 --> 00:23:37,401 Speaker 2: have gotten the details about the case from online reports 372 00:23:38,281 --> 00:23:43,161 Speaker 2: or did he definitely know information only known to police. 373 00:23:43,241 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 2: Another thing that made police believe Steve Panky might have 374 00:23:46,641 --> 00:23:50,561 Speaker 2: had a role in Janelle's death was the rake. Apparently 375 00:23:50,641 --> 00:23:52,521 Speaker 2: he had mentioned the rape, the one that was used 376 00:23:52,561 --> 00:23:54,481 Speaker 2: to cover the footprints in the snow outside of. 377 00:23:54,441 --> 00:23:55,241 Speaker 3: The Matthews House. 378 00:23:56,121 --> 00:23:59,481 Speaker 2: Now, police state that no one knew about the rake 379 00:23:59,561 --> 00:24:03,361 Speaker 2: at the time when Steve mentioned it. Police also pointed 380 00:24:03,401 --> 00:24:05,801 Speaker 2: to details of a letter that Steve wrote to law 381 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: enforcement in twenty thirteen. It read, quote, about a week 382 00:24:10,121 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 2: after the fact, I realized a blanket or comforter or 383 00:24:13,401 --> 00:24:17,961 Speaker 2: a quilt also disappeared from the Matthews house. Some experiences 384 00:24:18,041 --> 00:24:25,001 Speaker 2: are hard to forget end quote. Apparently, police believe this 385 00:24:25,121 --> 00:24:28,601 Speaker 2: could refer to the fact that Janelle's remains were found 386 00:24:28,881 --> 00:24:34,921 Speaker 2: wrapped in a bedsheet. On October ninth, twenty twenty, a 387 00:24:34,921 --> 00:24:40,120 Speaker 2: grand jury indicted Steve Panky on charges of kidnapping and murder. 388 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 2: Steve's trial started in October of twenty twenty one. He 389 00:24:50,721 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 2: took the stand in his own defense. At times, he 390 00:24:53,561 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 2: rambled for a long time to answer the questions. Steve 391 00:24:56,961 --> 00:25:00,601 Speaker 2: described himself as a fantasist and a liar. He admitted that, 392 00:25:01,241 --> 00:25:05,241 Speaker 2: but again he completely denied any involvement in Janelle's kidnapping 393 00:25:05,241 --> 00:25:09,201 Speaker 2: and murder. Steve's ex wife, Angela Hicks, was a major 394 00:25:09,281 --> 00:25:12,801 Speaker 2: part of the prosecution's case. She talked about that trip 395 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,521 Speaker 2: that their family took on December first, nineteen eighty four, 396 00:25:15,601 --> 00:25:16,201 Speaker 2: to Big Bear. 397 00:25:16,921 --> 00:25:18,921 Speaker 3: She testified the trip was unplanned. 398 00:25:19,361 --> 00:25:22,521 Speaker 2: She said Steve basically rushed in and told her on 399 00:25:22,601 --> 00:25:25,001 Speaker 2: December twentieth they were packing up and leaving for Big 400 00:25:25,001 --> 00:25:28,321 Speaker 2: Bear for Christmas and they needed to leave pretty much immediately. 401 00:25:29,281 --> 00:25:32,681 Speaker 2: Steve completely denied this. He said the trip was planned 402 00:25:32,721 --> 00:25:35,721 Speaker 2: well in advance. It was not last minute or spontaneous. 403 00:25:36,881 --> 00:25:39,521 Speaker 2: Steve said that Angela was lying about him because she 404 00:25:39,601 --> 00:25:43,121 Speaker 2: was angry and bitter. He talked about their relationship, how 405 00:25:43,161 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 2: Angela was virgin when they met. He said he had 406 00:25:46,001 --> 00:25:49,121 Speaker 2: basically been pressured by a youth group pastor to marry her, 407 00:25:49,481 --> 00:25:51,241 Speaker 2: to do what he thought was the right thing at 408 00:25:51,281 --> 00:25:54,201 Speaker 2: the time. He said he and Angela had never had 409 00:25:54,201 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 2: a good relationship. Steve said he believed that Angela was 410 00:25:58,201 --> 00:26:01,041 Speaker 2: lying after all this time in order to get some 411 00:26:01,201 --> 00:26:05,401 Speaker 2: kind of revenge against him. Steve gave details that ran 412 00:26:05,521 --> 00:26:10,321 Speaker 2: contrary to Angela's testimony about that Christmas trip. He testified 413 00:26:10,361 --> 00:26:13,281 Speaker 2: that three weeks or a month before the trip, he 414 00:26:13,441 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 2: worked out with his parents that he would drive to 415 00:26:16,041 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 2: California to where they lived. Steve testified he and his 416 00:26:20,201 --> 00:26:22,281 Speaker 2: family were having serious financial. 417 00:26:21,961 --> 00:26:22,961 Speaker 3: Issues at that time. 418 00:26:23,401 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 2: He said they couldn't even afford to feed their dogs 419 00:26:25,681 --> 00:26:28,481 Speaker 2: they had to leave them at the pound. So before 420 00:26:28,561 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 2: the trip, he said, he arranged to have his dad 421 00:26:31,401 --> 00:26:34,561 Speaker 2: mail them to credit cards so that he could finance 422 00:26:34,561 --> 00:26:38,321 Speaker 2: the trip. He pointed out all of this planning took time. 423 00:26:39,161 --> 00:26:41,721 Speaker 2: Steve stated he got the gas credit card in the 424 00:26:41,721 --> 00:26:44,521 Speaker 2: mail on December twentieth. He said to use the car 425 00:26:44,641 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 2: to put gas in his car at a local gas station. 426 00:26:47,401 --> 00:26:49,441 Speaker 2: He bought a six pack of pepsi so he would 427 00:26:49,441 --> 00:26:52,441 Speaker 2: have something to drink on the road. Steve said that 428 00:26:52,521 --> 00:26:55,041 Speaker 2: on the night of December twentieth, he and Angela put 429 00:26:55,041 --> 00:26:58,281 Speaker 2: their son to bed early because they planned on getting 430 00:26:58,321 --> 00:27:01,241 Speaker 2: up at dawn to drive to Big Bear. Steve said 431 00:27:01,281 --> 00:27:04,321 Speaker 2: he remembered looking out for weather conditions. He was worried 432 00:27:04,321 --> 00:27:07,801 Speaker 2: about snow falling through the evening. He wasn't worried about 433 00:27:07,801 --> 00:27:10,201 Speaker 2: the highways, but he was worried they might get blocked 434 00:27:10,201 --> 00:27:14,641 Speaker 2: into their driveway. Steve said Angela had already packed the car. 435 00:27:15,001 --> 00:27:17,521 Speaker 2: They got up at around four or five am. They 436 00:27:17,601 --> 00:27:20,481 Speaker 2: drove to Big Bear. He said they drove straight through 437 00:27:20,521 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 2: on the twenty first, stayed at his parents' house, and 438 00:27:23,401 --> 00:27:27,441 Speaker 2: then came home on December twenty sixth. Steve Panky said 439 00:27:27,561 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 2: he never went to Janelle Matthews's home. In fact, he 440 00:27:31,721 --> 00:27:34,321 Speaker 2: said he had no idea where she even lived. He 441 00:27:34,361 --> 00:27:38,001 Speaker 2: said he had never laid a hand on her. When 442 00:27:38,001 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 2: he was asked about being obsessed with Janelle's case, he 443 00:27:41,481 --> 00:27:44,721 Speaker 2: admitted he did listen to and fall details of the 444 00:27:44,721 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 2: case like a lot of other people. Steve said he 445 00:27:47,401 --> 00:27:50,281 Speaker 2: did remember listening to the radio on the car ride 446 00:27:50,321 --> 00:27:53,121 Speaker 2: back to Greeley, but he said that was just a coincidence. 447 00:27:53,121 --> 00:27:55,721 Speaker 2: When they drove into Colorado. The news report came on 448 00:27:56,041 --> 00:27:59,041 Speaker 2: about a missing thirteen year old girl in their area. 449 00:27:59,401 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 2: Of course he was interested. Steve was asked about Angela's testimony, 450 00:28:04,801 --> 00:28:06,841 Speaker 2: the part where she said that after they got back 451 00:28:06,881 --> 00:28:09,641 Speaker 2: home from the Big Bear trip, he started digging in 452 00:28:09,681 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 2: their yard. Steve denied ever digging in the yard. He 453 00:28:13,641 --> 00:28:15,881 Speaker 2: said they got home late at night, it was around 454 00:28:15,921 --> 00:28:18,681 Speaker 2: eleven pm. He said, they put their son to bed 455 00:28:18,761 --> 00:28:23,321 Speaker 2: and went to bed themselves. Steve admitted that he had 456 00:28:23,401 --> 00:28:25,721 Speaker 2: started what he called a series of lies. 457 00:28:26,281 --> 00:28:27,841 Speaker 3: He talked about. 458 00:28:27,601 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 2: Some of the information being tied to the people who 459 00:28:30,441 --> 00:28:32,201 Speaker 2: worked at the Sony of you Nazarene church. 460 00:28:32,721 --> 00:28:34,881 Speaker 3: He said he hated them, and he admitted he. 461 00:28:34,881 --> 00:28:38,161 Speaker 2: Had a personal grudge against Russell Ross, Deirdre's father, but 462 00:28:38,241 --> 00:28:41,681 Speaker 2: he never really gave a satisfactory explanation for why he 463 00:28:41,761 --> 00:28:46,361 Speaker 2: started all these lies. Finally, he was asked how he 464 00:28:46,481 --> 00:28:48,281 Speaker 2: knew about the footprints in the snow. 465 00:28:49,241 --> 00:28:51,241 Speaker 3: Steve Pankey stated. 466 00:28:50,881 --> 00:28:53,721 Speaker 2: That it was Detective Lockwood, an investigator on the case, 467 00:28:53,841 --> 00:28:56,361 Speaker 2: who told him in nineteen ninety two or nineteen ninety 468 00:28:56,401 --> 00:29:00,041 Speaker 2: three that there were footprints in the snow, footprints that 469 00:29:00,121 --> 00:29:00,801 Speaker 2: had been raped. 470 00:29:01,721 --> 00:29:02,881 Speaker 3: He testified that. 471 00:29:02,921 --> 00:29:07,161 Speaker 2: He did later sometime in the nineties, tell his wife 472 00:29:07,201 --> 00:29:10,881 Speaker 2: about the footprints in the rake, but he emphasized he 473 00:29:10,881 --> 00:29:13,601 Speaker 2: heard it from the police, not the other way around. 474 00:29:14,761 --> 00:29:18,361 Speaker 2: So you had two very different descriptions of Steve Pankey 475 00:29:18,441 --> 00:29:22,561 Speaker 2: being presented in court. Prosecutors called him a master manipulator. 476 00:29:23,001 --> 00:29:27,881 Speaker 2: His attorney claimed he was a mentally ill fantasist. Steve's 477 00:29:27,921 --> 00:29:31,761 Speaker 2: lawyers also pointed to an alternative suspect, a man named 478 00:29:31,801 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 2: Norris Drake. Noris Drake had been questioned by police. His 479 00:29:37,361 --> 00:29:39,841 Speaker 2: mother and sister lived right across the street from the 480 00:29:39,841 --> 00:29:43,721 Speaker 2: Matthews home, and he was there at his mom's house 481 00:29:43,801 --> 00:29:47,641 Speaker 2: on the night when Janelle went missing. According to court testimony, 482 00:29:48,081 --> 00:29:50,321 Speaker 2: his mother said that he was in the house the 483 00:29:50,361 --> 00:29:53,841 Speaker 2: whole time that night. She was his alibi. But according 484 00:29:53,921 --> 00:29:57,761 Speaker 2: to what Steve's attorney said, there was evidence that Norris 485 00:29:57,801 --> 00:30:01,121 Speaker 2: allegedly went missing for several hours on the night Janelle 486 00:30:01,161 --> 00:30:04,041 Speaker 2: went missing, but and it's not clear why from what 487 00:30:04,121 --> 00:30:07,681 Speaker 2: came out in court, police didn't take the lead any further. 488 00:30:08,601 --> 00:30:12,961 Speaker 2: Police also talked to Norris's girlfriend. She told police that 489 00:30:13,001 --> 00:30:15,601 Speaker 2: Norris had an interest in young women who had just 490 00:30:15,721 --> 00:30:21,121 Speaker 2: reached puberty. Steve's attorney stated in court that Norris made 491 00:30:21,161 --> 00:30:25,521 Speaker 2: statements about how Janelle had matured and talked about how 492 00:30:25,601 --> 00:30:29,761 Speaker 2: Norris's ex girlfriend had said Norris had an unusual interest 493 00:30:29,881 --> 00:30:34,561 Speaker 2: in young girls. Norris also had a criminal record involving 494 00:30:34,601 --> 00:30:37,841 Speaker 2: theft and drug charges. Apparently he had stolen some personal 495 00:30:37,881 --> 00:30:41,121 Speaker 2: property from his roommate, so the defense's theory was that 496 00:30:41,201 --> 00:30:43,721 Speaker 2: Norris could have either gone in through the open garage 497 00:30:43,921 --> 00:30:47,041 Speaker 2: door or possibly all the way into the house. The 498 00:30:47,081 --> 00:30:50,521 Speaker 2: attorneys said the motives could have been theft or sexual assault, 499 00:30:51,321 --> 00:30:53,921 Speaker 2: and that it's possible that things got out of control. 500 00:30:55,081 --> 00:30:58,481 Speaker 2: Steve's attorney stated Steve wasn't the only one who knew 501 00:30:58,481 --> 00:31:01,881 Speaker 2: about that rake in those footprints. He said Norris Drake 502 00:31:02,041 --> 00:31:05,401 Speaker 2: also mentioned the knowledge of a rake to police. Well 503 00:31:05,481 --> 00:31:09,121 Speaker 2: District attorney Michael Rohrer said that the statements by Noris 504 00:31:09,201 --> 00:31:12,721 Speaker 2: Drake were taken out of context. He said Norris had 505 00:31:12,721 --> 00:31:14,641 Speaker 2: found out about the rake because he lived across the 506 00:31:14,681 --> 00:31:17,121 Speaker 2: street and his mom had been talking about it, and 507 00:31:17,441 --> 00:31:20,321 Speaker 2: the DA also said Norris had made statements about the 508 00:31:20,401 --> 00:31:24,041 Speaker 2: rake that weren't accurate, including that the rake was used 509 00:31:24,041 --> 00:31:28,881 Speaker 2: to hide multiple sets of footprints from juveniles. Again, there 510 00:31:28,961 --> 00:31:31,921 Speaker 2: was only one set of footprints found, with a shoe 511 00:31:32,001 --> 00:31:36,321 Speaker 2: size of nine to eleven. Police never found a match 512 00:31:36,401 --> 00:31:41,561 Speaker 2: to those prints. Steve Pankey's murder trial started on October thirteenth, 513 00:31:41,641 --> 00:31:45,521 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one. On November four, twenty twenty one, the 514 00:31:45,601 --> 00:31:47,761 Speaker 2: jury announced they could not reach a verdict on the 515 00:31:47,841 --> 00:31:49,121 Speaker 2: murder and kidnapping charges. 516 00:31:50,041 --> 00:31:51,801 Speaker 3: They did vote to convict. 517 00:31:51,441 --> 00:31:55,561 Speaker 2: Steve on one misdemeanor count of making false statements to police. 518 00:31:55,601 --> 00:31:59,001 Speaker 2: The defense argued that Steve displayed signs of mental illness 519 00:31:59,161 --> 00:32:02,201 Speaker 2: and that his obsessive interest in the case happened because, 520 00:32:02,601 --> 00:32:07,001 Speaker 2: according to his attorney, he had Asperger's syndrome. Steve's second 521 00:32:07,001 --> 00:32:10,561 Speaker 2: trial started in October of twenty twenty two. At the 522 00:32:10,641 --> 00:32:13,761 Speaker 2: end of the second trial, Steve Pankey was found guilty 523 00:32:13,841 --> 00:32:17,761 Speaker 2: of felony murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to life 524 00:32:17,761 --> 00:32:20,841 Speaker 2: in prison with the possibility of parole after twenty years. 525 00:32:21,321 --> 00:32:23,641 Speaker 2: But Steve Panky was seventy one years old at the 526 00:32:23,641 --> 00:32:27,081 Speaker 2: time of conviction, so for him this is almost certainly 527 00:32:27,241 --> 00:32:32,041 Speaker 2: a life sentence. Janelle Matthew's family has said they are 528 00:32:32,121 --> 00:32:36,201 Speaker 2: relieved to have finally found some kind of closure. According 529 00:32:36,241 --> 00:32:38,281 Speaker 2: to The New York Times once the trial was over, 530 00:32:38,721 --> 00:32:41,921 Speaker 2: Janelle's mom, Gloria said, quote, I just want to cry. 531 00:32:42,361 --> 00:32:45,841 Speaker 2: I cannot forgive him for how he killed Janelle. God 532 00:32:46,001 --> 00:32:48,641 Speaker 2: is the only one who can forgive evil, and this 533 00:32:48,921 --> 00:32:49,401 Speaker 2: is evil. 534 00:32:49,721 --> 00:32:50,201 Speaker 3: End quote. 535 00:32:51,121 --> 00:32:54,081 Speaker 2: Steve Panky stated for the record that he was innocent 536 00:32:54,481 --> 00:32:58,681 Speaker 2: and that this was not justice for Janelle. So Janelle's 537 00:32:58,681 --> 00:33:02,961 Speaker 2: case is officially closed, but a lot of people still 538 00:33:03,001 --> 00:33:08,001 Speaker 2: wonder did Steve Pankey really kidnap and kill Janelle? Yes, 539 00:33:08,121 --> 00:33:12,361 Speaker 2: his behavior was suspicious, but it's also totally circumstantial, and 540 00:33:12,361 --> 00:33:15,281 Speaker 2: there's not even any evidence that he ever met anyone 541 00:33:15,321 --> 00:33:18,881 Speaker 2: in the Matthews family, including Janelle. A lot of the 542 00:33:18,921 --> 00:33:22,001 Speaker 2: early headlines about potential connections are, in my opinion, a 543 00:33:22,001 --> 00:33:25,521 Speaker 2: little misleading. They talk about the fact that Janelle and 544 00:33:25,561 --> 00:33:28,041 Speaker 2: Steve were neighbors and that Steve was a youth pastor 545 00:33:28,081 --> 00:33:31,001 Speaker 2: at the family church. Of course, when I dug deeper, 546 00:33:31,041 --> 00:33:33,761 Speaker 2: I found out the neighbors meant miles away, and that 547 00:33:33,801 --> 00:33:36,401 Speaker 2: they didn't even attend the same church at the same time. 548 00:33:37,361 --> 00:33:41,881 Speaker 2: And it's still never really explained how or why Steve 549 00:33:41,921 --> 00:33:44,721 Speaker 2: Panky would be at Janelle's house that night and be 550 00:33:44,801 --> 00:33:48,001 Speaker 2: able to kidnap her, drive the body miles away and 551 00:33:48,041 --> 00:33:51,241 Speaker 2: dispose of it. There's no DNA and no evidence that 552 00:33:51,281 --> 00:33:54,401 Speaker 2: police even ever asked for it. And as for the 553 00:33:54,441 --> 00:33:58,321 Speaker 2: other potential suspect mentioned in court, Noris Drake died in 554 00:33:58,321 --> 00:34:02,041 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven. But among everything else, all the 555 00:34:02,081 --> 00:34:05,201 Speaker 2: strange facts of this case, I keep going. 556 00:34:05,001 --> 00:34:05,841 Speaker 3: Back to the beginning. 557 00:34:06,401 --> 00:34:10,761 Speaker 2: I keep thinking about the open garage door. Deanna and 558 00:34:10,801 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 2: her dad said that the garage door was open when 559 00:34:13,121 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 2: Janelle got home. All evidence points to Janelle coming into 560 00:34:16,641 --> 00:34:19,720 Speaker 2: her house, taking off her stockings, pulling up that space heater, 561 00:34:20,161 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 2: and getting comfortable, snuggling in for a night at TV. 562 00:34:23,681 --> 00:34:25,841 Speaker 2: At some point she answered the phone, she took the 563 00:34:25,881 --> 00:34:29,361 Speaker 2: message for her dad, and then presumably between around eight 564 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:32,240 Speaker 2: thirty when she took the call and nine thirty pm 565 00:34:32,281 --> 00:34:34,561 Speaker 2: when her dad got home, someone. 566 00:34:34,281 --> 00:34:35,401 Speaker 3: Came into that house. 567 00:34:36,241 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 2: Could the intruder have been Norris or someone else who 568 00:34:39,601 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 2: was waiting in the garage when she got home. Was 569 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,841 Speaker 2: it someone who looked at her through the windows of 570 00:34:44,881 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 2: that house and saw an opportunity to attack? And then 571 00:34:49,761 --> 00:34:53,281 Speaker 2: there are those footprints in the snow, footprints that police 572 00:34:53,321 --> 00:34:56,601 Speaker 2: say were partially raked away by the rake that was 573 00:34:56,641 --> 00:35:00,321 Speaker 2: in the family garage. In my opinion, that points to 574 00:35:00,361 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 2: someone spending some time in that garage, at least long 575 00:35:03,721 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 2: enough to see the rake there and grab it. This, 576 00:35:06,761 --> 00:35:09,921 Speaker 2: in my opinion, points to a crime of opportunity rather 577 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:13,321 Speaker 2: than something that was pre planned. So I find myself 578 00:35:13,361 --> 00:35:18,281 Speaker 2: wondering who crept into that dark garage and will we 579 00:35:18,401 --> 00:35:23,681 Speaker 2: ever know for sure? I'm Catherine Townsend. This is Helen 580 00:35:23,761 --> 00:35:29,201 Speaker 2: Gone Murder Line. Helen Gone Murder Line is a production of. 581 00:35:29,121 --> 00:35:31,121 Speaker 3: School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. 582 00:35:31,521 --> 00:35:34,721 Speaker 2: It's written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced 583 00:35:34,801 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: by Etily's Perez Special thanks to Amy Tuggs for her 584 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:43,201 Speaker 2: research assistance and James Wheaton for legal review. Noah Camera 585 00:35:43,321 --> 00:35:46,361 Speaker 2: mixed in score this episode. Our theme song is by 586 00:35:46,401 --> 00:35:50,681 Speaker 2: Ben Sale. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and 587 00:35:50,881 --> 00:35:51,641 Speaker 2: LC Crowley. 588 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 3: Listen to Helen. 589 00:35:53,201 --> 00:35:55,921 Speaker 2: Gone ad free by subscribing to the iHeart True Crime 590 00:35:55,921 --> 00:35:59,520 Speaker 2: Plus channel on Apple Podcasts. If you were interested in 591 00:35:59,561 --> 00:36:02,641 Speaker 2: seeing documents and materials from the case, you can follow 592 00:36:02,681 --> 00:36:03,321 Speaker 2: the show on. 593 00:36:03,241 --> 00:36:05,440 Speaker 3: Instagram at Helen Gonepod. 594 00:36:06,201 --> 00:36:07,921 Speaker 2: If you have a case, you'd let me and my 595 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,281 Speaker 2: team to look into You can reach out to us 596 00:36:10,361 --> 00:36:12,681 Speaker 2: at our Helen Gone Murder line at six seven eight 597 00:36:12,841 --> 00:36:16,401 Speaker 2: seven four four six one four five. 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