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Girl's remains found 35 years after her disappearance

Jonelle Matthews vanished from her home after performing at a Christmas concert on Dec. 20, 1984.

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by Anonymousreply 95May 7, 2021 9:24 AM

Amaturos

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by Anonymousreply 1July 27, 2019 5:58 AM

Was she a great big fat person?

by Anonymousreply 2July 27, 2019 6:26 AM

it's a well written article

by Anonymousreply 3July 27, 2019 6:46 AM

Very poignant. Her skull still had braces on it's teeth and they found the tattered remnants of the clothing she was wearing in that Christmas video.

by Anonymousreply 4July 27, 2019 6:53 AM

Her father was a suspect. Parents now live in Costa Rica.

by Anonymousreply 5July 27, 2019 7:19 AM

That’s one of the best articles I’ve read about a breaking news story.

by Anonymousreply 6July 27, 2019 7:26 AM

Her father had a rock solid alibi. He was a a basketball game with his other daughter when Jonelle disappeared.

by Anonymousreply 7July 27, 2019 7:29 AM

[quote] Her father had a rock solid alibi. He was a a basketball game with his other daughter when Jonelle disappeared.

I don't think that was stated in the linked article (OP's post). I didn't mean to falsely accuse the father. How sad and tragic to have a child missing for decades. Understandable that the town would no longer feel the same and that they'd want to move to somewhere happier.

by Anonymousreply 8July 27, 2019 8:38 PM

Glad they found her remains. Missing persons stories that never get any closure seem heart breaking to me.

by Anonymousreply 9July 28, 2019 4:24 AM

Was someone waiting for her in the house when she came home from the concert? Had someone been stalking her and knew when to strike? Did Jonelle stumble into a robbery at her house?

Terrifying

by Anonymousreply 10July 28, 2019 4:39 AM

Possibly someone who was driving past when they saw the girl get dropped off at a dark house. Possibly an interrupted burglary. Her shoes and shawl were in the house so she'd taken them off when she came in, turned on the tv and .....someone was in a bedroom looking for cash or jewelry and couldn't get out without her seeing them. He or they decided to kill her and maybe assaulted her beforehand.

Do people steal tvs anymore? It used to be burglars stole tvs, stereo speakers, etc. In suburbs the main tv was a piece of furniture in the living room, but portable tvs in bedrooms were stealable and when wall units became popular people bought non-cabinet tvs. TVs are kind of huge to steal without being noticed nowadays..

by Anonymousreply 11July 28, 2019 5:45 AM

Remains found in an oil field in Colorado? Wonder where Chris Watts was that evening?

by Anonymousreply 12July 28, 2019 5:46 AM

It's great that she was found after so long! I hope she is doing ok and can move on from all this. 🙏🙏

by Anonymousreply 13July 28, 2019 5:52 AM

I wonder if they can get some DNA from the remains?

by Anonymousreply 14July 28, 2019 5:57 AM

Of the perpetrator, I mean.

by Anonymousreply 15July 28, 2019 5:58 AM

There were footprints in the snow circling the house. Creepy!

by Anonymousreply 16July 28, 2019 9:47 AM

Chris Watts was but a fetus. He wasn't even hot yet.

by Anonymousreply 17July 28, 2019 9:53 AM

If it wasn’t a transient, but someone from the town, my guess is the father of girl that dropped Joelle off that night.

He would have known he dropped her off at an empty house.

Where was her mother, by the way? At the game with her dad and oldest daughter?

No one was attending Joelle’s Christmas concert?

by Anonymousreply 18July 28, 2019 4:00 PM

The mother was out of town.

by Anonymousreply 19July 28, 2019 5:08 PM

[quote]No one was attending Joelle’s Christmas concert

Suicide to “show them?”

by Anonymousreply 20July 28, 2019 5:22 PM

The mother was on her way to the airport to take care of a sick relative in another state

by Anonymousreply 21July 28, 2019 5:24 PM

Of course he's a Republican.

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by Anonymousreply 22October 15, 2020 12:40 PM

What about the three missing women from Springfield, Missouri? I am German and this case has fascinated me ever since.

by Anonymousreply 23October 15, 2020 12:50 PM

And, never was, R17.

by Anonymousreply 24October 15, 2020 12:55 PM

Just watched Law & Order rerun in which a missing child's remains were found after 30 years. Always the family or the relative or the family's friend, isn't it?

by Anonymousreply 25October 15, 2020 1:01 PM

People are saying it’s a well written article, but the first thing that jumped out to me was the words “who retired” printed as “whore tired.”

by Anonymousreply 26October 15, 2020 1:09 PM

This is so incredibly sad. Can't imagine the horror this poor girl felt. And a MILLION children go missing every year in the US alone?! That's beyond horrifying. Why don't the "pro-life" warriors who always think of the children do something about that horror?

Oh right, they're probably the ones doing the abductions.

by Anonymousreply 27October 15, 2020 1:09 PM

I literally was just typing that r26! What happened to editors?

by Anonymousreply 28October 15, 2020 1:11 PM

What was his connection to Jonelle, besides living two miles from her house? I wonder how he came into contact with her in the first place.

by Anonymousreply 29October 15, 2020 1:15 PM

Incredible story. I hope her family gets justice.

by Anonymousreply 30October 15, 2020 1:16 PM

He probably just saw Jonelle and decided to rape and murder her. That's what BTK did, one of his victims was chosen when he saw her picking up her mail.

by Anonymousreply 31October 15, 2020 1:19 PM

Having a child go missing has to be the worst thing imaginable. When I first started ebay in 2000 there was a male seller who had an About me page. On it he said his 17 year old daughter went to the movies and they never saw her again. She was a straight A student, had never been in any kind of trouble, had a good relationship with her parents and siblings. Once a year on the anniversary of her disappearance he would update whether any info had been found. On the 5 year anniversary he posted that he and his wife had given up any hope of ever seeing her again and presumed she was dead. Reading his posts were heart wrenching. I lost track of him after that so don't know if they ever found her.

by Anonymousreply 32October 15, 2020 1:23 PM

[quote] And a MILLION children go missing every year in the US alone?!

Not accurate and it’s not millions. Of the thousands of kids that go missing each year, most are found alive within hours of the missing report. The report was either erroneous, the kid wasn’t actually missing, was a runaway, or it’s a custody issue. Only a handful are actual abductions and an even smaller number are stranger abductions.

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by Anonymousreply 33October 15, 2020 1:26 PM

Parents must have such guilt that other things were more important than attending their daughters Christmas play.

by Anonymousreply 34October 15, 2020 1:26 PM

What selection of Christmas songs were on her iPod?

by Anonymousreply 35October 15, 2020 1:32 PM

R35, it would have been a Walkman.

by Anonymousreply 36October 15, 2020 1:35 PM

What’s a Walkman?

by Anonymousreply 37October 15, 2020 1:56 PM

If only our Christmas had turned out so well.

by Anonymousreply 38October 15, 2020 2:16 PM

[quote]What about the three missing women from Springfield, Missouri? I am German and this case has fascinated me ever since.

That's the most baffling missing persons case I've ever heard of. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it will ever be solved.

by Anonymousreply 39October 15, 2020 3:32 PM

[quote]Matthews’ parents, Jim and Gloria, whore tired to Costa Rica

¡Ay, caramba!

by Anonymousreply 40October 15, 2020 3:35 PM

And it's even sadder to learn that she was an adopted daughter. Maybe she wandered off into the place she died.

by Anonymousreply 41October 15, 2020 4:22 PM

Clearly, the druggie brother was behind the Springfield Three.

by Anonymousreply 42October 15, 2020 4:26 PM

Suspect arrested...

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by Anonymousreply 43October 15, 2020 4:32 PM

R43, wow!!!! Some story! I never expected such a swift arrest. But it seems this guy wanted to be caught. He did so many things to point a finger at himself that he probably felt guilty. Hope he rots.

by Anonymousreply 44October 15, 2020 4:46 PM

My father-in-law was missing for 2 months before his body was found. Amongst the hardest things we’ve ever gone through. Infinite scenarios, false hopes, the sense that there’s more to be done, half assed conspiracy theories from mostly well intentioned people, constant dread, the blindsiding resolution, the delayed grief.

I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

by Anonymousreply 45October 15, 2020 5:14 PM

Finally, the closure for the family.

by Anonymousreply 46October 15, 2020 5:20 PM

No r42 it wasn't him.

by Anonymousreply 47October 15, 2020 5:31 PM

The dad was attending his real daughter's basketball game while the adopted one had to fend for herself.

by Anonymousreply 48October 16, 2020 6:12 AM

Sadly, Jonelle's biological mother tracked down the family only to find out her daughter had been missing for several years.

by Anonymousreply 49October 16, 2020 7:36 AM

[quote]R26 People are saying it’s a well written article, but the first thing that jumped out to me was the words “who retired” printed as “whore tired.”

But who amongst us has not been “whore tired” (or even hog tied) at some time?

by Anonymousreply 50October 16, 2020 8:12 AM

From r43 article:

[quote]In early 1985, Pankey began muttering “false prophet” during a church service when the minister announced Jonelle would be found safe and returned home, Hicks said. The indictment states he grew increasingly agitated and had to be removed by parishioners.

But he didn’t become a “person of interest “ to the police until 2019.

Huh.

by Anonymousreply 51October 16, 2020 8:20 AM

Many times the police have their suspicions, but they need evidence to make an arrest.

Now they can lay her to rest. Poor kid.

by Anonymousreply 52October 16, 2020 8:24 AM

Pankey was a Patreon supporter of a podcast that covered Jonelle's case. He must have been obsessed with reliving the crime.

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by Anonymousreply 53October 17, 2020 3:47 AM

[quote]whore tired

God dammit, I’m exhausted!

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by Anonymousreply 54October 17, 2020 5:00 AM

Yes according to wiki the suspect arrested was a youth pastor at the church Jonelle’s family attended.

by Anonymousreply 55October 17, 2020 5:28 AM

No whore worth their salt hasn’t been whore tired.

by Anonymousreply 56October 17, 2020 5:31 AM

Steven Pankey, 69, arrested & charged w/1st degree murder.

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by Anonymousreply 57October 17, 2020 6:21 AM

[quote] STEVE IS A CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE AND ARDENT DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION.

Don’t vote for Steve.

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by Anonymousreply 58October 17, 2020 6:24 AM

There’s no tired like Whore Tired.

by Anonymousreply 59October 17, 2020 7:25 AM

This doesn’t preclude the father. He could have been an accomplice for all we know.

by Anonymousreply 60October 17, 2020 7:30 AM

"Matthews’ parents, Jim and Gloria, whore tired to Costa Rica"

%me2

by Anonymousreply 61October 17, 2020 7:51 AM

I read about this story in People magazine years ago. I'm glad there is an end to this story. Poor girl.

by Anonymousreply 62October 17, 2020 7:51 AM

Always the “youth pastors” ...

by Anonymousreply 63October 17, 2020 1:11 PM

Why did Pankey get rid of his dogs?

by Anonymousreply 64October 17, 2020 1:30 PM

[quote]I hope she is doing ok and can move on from all this.

Uh, she dayd.

by Anonymousreply 65October 17, 2020 1:44 PM

People can’t steal smart TVs. The TV is like a computer and police would be able to pull up registration info and location.

by Anonymousreply 66October 17, 2020 1:46 PM

Say what?

TVs don’t have GPS.

by Anonymousreply 67October 17, 2020 1:57 PM

Hanky Pankey!

by Anonymousreply 68October 17, 2020 2:09 PM

[quote] Steve's criminal justice studies included the study of people who acted without a conscience. Could the news media be a study in people who act without a conscience? ​ He's a Republican globalist conspiracy nut with a degree in criminology. Like a lot of Republicans, his accusations against the news media et al sound like projection.

by Anonymousreply 69October 17, 2020 2:15 PM

I grew up in Wyoming, about 90 minutes from Greeley, and I remember this case well. Very sad.

by Anonymousreply 70October 17, 2020 2:48 PM

[quote] Just watched Law & Order rerun in which a missing child's remains were found after 30 years. Always the family or the relative or the family's friend, isn't it?

Or a small foreign faction.

by Anonymousreply 71October 17, 2020 2:54 PM

My late mom was a physician who worked in the juvenile courts. She told me it is somewhat common for adoptive parents to adopt for the wrong reasons....one I recall was essentially keeping up with the joneses. I won’t burden you all with some of the horrors she shared.

by Anonymousreply 72October 17, 2020 4:10 PM

The wiki said the arrested suspect shared info about a rake having been used to cover snow footprints that wasn’t made public...good policing here that got 5heir guy albeit decades later.

by Anonymousreply 73October 17, 2020 4:13 PM

Their suspect also may have known that the mom was out of town and dad at other kids basketball game too since they went to that church where he “pastored.”

by Anonymousreply 74October 17, 2020 4:16 PM

"She told me it is somewhat common for adoptive parents to adopt for the wrong reasons..."

What about political ambitions?

by Anonymousreply 75October 17, 2020 4:34 PM

Was this case featured on Unsolved Mysteries or some similar show? I remember it vaguely.

by Anonymousreply 76October 17, 2020 5:04 PM

I'm fascinated with missing people's cases. Some of them are creepy and mind boggling. It's especially interesting now in October as Halloween is only a couple of weeks away.

by Anonymousreply 77October 17, 2020 5:19 PM

[quote]She told me it is somewhat common for adoptive parents to adopt for the wrong reasons...

What about political ambitions?

by Anonymousreply 78October 17, 2020 6:13 PM

The murdered girl was adopted by both parents? (I.e., not a product of the mom's or dad's previous relationships.) Why couldn't one parent attend her Christmas concert and the other parent attend the other daughter's sports event? Seems very sad.

I hate to just judge on looks alone, but Steven Pankey looks like a POS. Yes, he's 69, but his face is *deeply* etched and furrowed. I hope he was haunted every single day of his life, knowing he murdered this young girl.

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by Anonymousreply 79October 17, 2020 8:03 PM

I can remember as a kid when this case happened, and I grew up in Chicago. It had a TON of press. It’s terrible.

by Anonymousreply 80October 17, 2020 8:30 PM

At one point he was negotiating with police when he just claimed to have info about someone else who did it and wanted immunity

by Anonymousreply 81October 17, 2020 8:36 PM

Why the fuck did it take so long to arrest him?

by Anonymousreply 82October 17, 2020 8:42 PM

R72, could you please give some examples of wrong reasons ro adopt? Excluding the obvious sexual abuse motivation, what else could there be? Genuinely curious.

by Anonymousreply 83October 17, 2020 9:01 PM

^i recall my doc mom saying sometimes pressure from family to have kids or even wanting to have kids cuz other family members did...how bout those twos women who annihilated the whole fam with 5 adopted kids recently

by Anonymousreply 84October 17, 2020 9:28 PM

It’s a setup! Pankey is a celibate homosexual and claims he’s being framed because of his sexuality 😂😂😂😂😂

Death penalty please.

by Anonymousreply 85October 17, 2020 9:35 PM

R67 they have mac addresses.

by Anonymousreply 86October 17, 2020 9:53 PM

[quote] [R72], could you please give some examples of wrong reasons ro adopt? Excluding the obvious sexual abuse motivation, what else could there be? Genuinely curious.

YouTuber Myka Stauffer would be an example. She and her husband had several bio children but also adopted a child (boy) from China who is autistic (Stauffer knew about the disability and was apparently seeking out a child who had a disability). Stauffer featured the boy in multiple YouTube videos and her channel, apparently, blew up with "subscribers." Anyway, earlier this year, she and husband "re-homed" the boy. The criticism was that she used the boy for YouTube popularity, then kicked him to the curb when his known disability became a problem for her and her husband.

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by Anonymousreply 87October 17, 2020 10:00 PM

Oh god, that was horrible, R87. Hope the child is doing okay away from that psycho couple.

by Anonymousreply 88October 17, 2020 10:07 PM

R83

Another wrong reason to adopt is to save children for Jesus. There was good indication that Hana Williams and her adopted brother were adopted for that reason.

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by Anonymousreply 89October 17, 2020 10:33 PM

Sadists hiding behind Christianity, R89!

by Anonymousreply 90October 17, 2020 10:37 PM

Everyone is an asshole

by Anonymousreply 91October 17, 2020 11:04 PM

[quote] R67 they have mac addresses.

Fancy.

Mine only has mac and cheese.

by Anonymousreply 92October 18, 2020 12:39 AM

TV listings for Dec. 20,1984. Jonelle would have been watching The Cosby Show.

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by Anonymousreply 93October 18, 2020 7:13 AM

Just watched the 48 Hours episode on this case.

The suspect is such a freeakin' weirdo.

by Anonymousreply 94May 7, 2021 9:18 AM

r41 she died of a gunshot wound to the head

by Anonymousreply 95May 7, 2021 9:24 AM
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