Found Deceased CO - Jonelle Matthews, 12, Greeley, 20 Dec 1984 *arrest 2020*

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Unidentified and Missing People Facebook post about an hour ago. One of the comments is a link to this thread.

Unidentified And Missing People

Jonelle Matthews' remains were found last month after 34-years
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GREELEY, #Colorado — Greeley police investigating the 1984 disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews say they searched the Idaho home of Steve Pankey. Investigators called the former Idaho gubernatorial candidate a person of interest.

Pankey ran for governor of Idaho in 2014, as a Constitution Party candidate, according to the Idaho Statesman. He also ran in the 2018 Republican primary, the paper reported.

Pankey and his former wife lived about two miles away from Matthews’ home in Greeley when she was reported missing, according to the Statesman.

Greeley police said Pankey made repeated efforts to speak with detectives throughout this investigation, but when detectives went to Twin Falls, Idaho, on Aug. 15 to speak with Pankey, he refused to speak with them.

The Greeley Police Department said detectives were able to obtain a warrant and searched Pankey’s residence on Sept. 4, with the Twin Falls Sheriff’s Office and the Twin Falls Police Department.

According to the warrant, officers were able to seize computers and electronic devices, “any and all computer programs or software used in the operation of the computer,” as well as diaries, letters, email and other documents.

Pankey told the Statesman he willingly gave a DNA sample for testing.

“At no point in time was a request made by law enforcement to obtain Steve Pankey’s DNA,” the Greeley Police Department stated. “Pankey remains a person of interest in the murder investigation of Jonelle Matthews.”

Construction crews found Matthews’ remains in rural Weld County in July.

After singing in a holiday concert at her middle school on Dec. 20, 1984, Jonelle was taken home by a friend and the friend’s father. She was last seen at 8 p.m., entering the ranch-style home where she lived with her father, Jim; mother, Gloria; and sister.

Their father arrived home from Jennifer’s basketball game about an hour after Jonelle but found an empty house, The Greeley Tribune reported. Their mother had left earlier that day to visit family in another state, according to Jonelle’s older sister, Jennifer Mogensen.

Despite an intense search that started that night, no one was ever arrested.

Last month, Morgenson said she hopes the killer is still alive and can be tracked down using advanced DNA technology.

“This is meant to happen,” she said. “And if there’s any DNA … it’s showtime.”
 
He was born in Ventura, CA (as mentioned in his About section)
His CA birth record: FamilySearch

He currently lives in Twin Falls, ID.
Public address records show past addresses in
Greeley, CO
Portland, OR
Shoshone, ID
Ketchm, ID
Big Bear Lake, California
Mcallen, Texas
Phoenix, Arizona

FamilySearch
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FamilySearch
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FamilySearch
FamilySearch
Any young girls missing from those areas?? This dude is a creep. Thinking his pattern of behavior and cockiness at LE, no other crime he has done has stuck. He is overconfident.
 
Any young girls missing from those areas?? This dude is a creep. Thinking his pattern of behavior and cockiness at LE, no other crime he has done has stuck. He is overconfident.

It's hard to tell the accurate dates he lived in some places. The dates for some seem to overlap in the public records. In 2010 when he ran for Lt Gov of Idaho he said he was a "Real Estate Investor". I wonder if he maintains houses in more than one state?
 
Does the poi have children that would have been around her age? I wonder if he was at the concert or the ball game that night.

his "youngest son" was 20 in 2008 so he may have... maybe a little younger...

In his YouTube “interview” he states his son was 5 years old at the time. The son was murdered in 2008 by his (sons) girlfriend.

Just noting that he had two sons (one was murdered) according to this MSM: Candidate Profile-Steven Dana Pankey

If my math is right, the son that was murdered (the younger one) was not yet born when Jonelle disappeared. It would have been his firstborn/oldest son that he mentions in the interview as being 5 the year Jonelle disappeared.

MOO
 
Go to this link: Colorado Criminal Records | StateRecords.org

Put in SP's first name, last name and put "Greeley" as the city. Then, search. The report takes some time to build - it's scanning various records.

You'll get two records with the exact first and last names. You want the one for the 68-year old. You'll see the cities listed underneath the name.

If you want reports, that will cost you. I just checked the places SP lived.

Thank you!
 
Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in the kidnapping and disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews after her skeletal remains were found in an oil field

Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews | Daily Mail Online

I wonder what the probable cause to get the search warrant is.

I’m just posting this article so people like me who live outside the U.S can get the info on the case. Some U.S news websites are blocked in Europe because of the new regulations on data protection.
 
Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in the kidnapping and disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews after her skeletal remains were found in an oil field

Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews | Daily Mail Online

I wonder what the probable cause to get the search warrant is.

I’m just posting this article so people like me who live outside the U.S can get the info on the case. Some U.S news websites are blocked in Europe because of the new regulations on data protection.

I snagged the 4-page search warrant, and saved it to Google Drive.

SP_Warrant_JM.pdf

Please try this link. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else.

ETA: Removed names; replaced with initials.
 
Last edited:
Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in the kidnapping and disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews after her skeletal remains were found in an oil field

Former Idaho governor candidate is a 'person of interest' in kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews | Daily Mail Online

I wonder what the probable cause to get the search warrant is.

I’m just posting this article so people like me who live outside the U.S can get the info on the case. Some U.S news websites are blocked in Europe because of the new regulations on data protection.

The probable cause must be significant to obtain a search warrant to cross state lines.

Is the FBI involved yet?
 
I snagged the 4-page search warrant, and saved it to Google Drive.

SP_Warrant_JM.pdf

Please try this link. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else.

ETA: Removed names; replaced with initials.

Thank you so much for doing this and for posting it. They are possibly looking for a trophy from Jonelle that was kept along with other evidence.
 
Thank you so much for doing this and for posting it. They are possibly looking for a trophy from Jonelle that was kept along with other evidence.
Hmm a lot of computer related items in this warrant - do they think he had pictures or kept track of the case? Computers were way different in the 80’s -what could they be looking for ? jMO
 
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