Steve Pankey was arrested in Idaho on Monday and charged with kidnapping and murdering 12 years old boy Jonelle Matthews.
He is a suspect but the heat has not been confirmed by a trial or jury. On the evening of December 20, 1984, Jonelle was performing a holiday concert at IntraWest Bank of Denver.
Investigators in the incident had previously identified Pankey, the former candidate for the governor of Idaho, as the person involved in Matthew’s murder in 2018.
Wikipedia: Who Is Steve Pankey?
Steve Pankey was a former candidate for governor of Idaho, as a person of interest in the case. In 2020, he was held at the Ada County jail in Idaho on a fugitive warrant out of Colorado.
Greeley Police Chief said, “For over three decades, the disappearance of Jonelle Matthews has left our community with unanswered questions.” “Some of these questions are starting to be answered.”
“I trust this new development helps the Matthews family, their friends, and our community to receive some closure and healing from this horrific crime.”
In an interview in December 2019, Pankey told CBS4 Reporter Kelly Wertmann that he had nothing to do with her death. But investigators said he made several statements, over the course of time stating his involvement in the crime.
Jonelle Matthew’s murder case has been featured on the Wikipedia page. Her disappearance became the interest of the nation. Investigators mentioned Pankey intentionally got involved in the investigation many times over the years.
Jonelle Matthews Murder Suspect And Trial Verdict
Jonelle Matthews was a twelve years old American girl who disappeared near Greeley, Colorado on December 20, 1984. A construction worker found her remains, on July 24, 2019.
She was born at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California on February 9, 1972, to 13-year-old Terri Vierra. Greeley Police Department announced that Steven, a former Greeley resident who ran for governor in Idaho in 2014 and 2018.
On October 13, 2020, Pankey was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in Jonelle’s death. Steven Pankey was 69 years old at the time of his indictment.
Is Steve Pankey In Jail?
Steve Pankey was accused of killing Jonelle Matthews in 1984. The jury found him guilty on a charge of false reporting. The jury deciding the fate of Pankey couldn’t reach a consensus on teh most serious counts.
However, he was convicted on a charge of false reporting. Pankey’s statement pointed to him as a killer, while the defense argued the case lacked evidence.
The lack of evidence said Pankey’s “obsessive interest” didn’t make him a killer. A mistrial was declared for courts one, two, and three. He remains in jail, after a judge’s ruling on bond in the murder of Jonelle Matthews.