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

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If we're going to go with <modsnip> as the killer, I'm beginning to think that the story about his father in law is a cooked up story and/or a mental episode. Nothing about that story makes any sense.
 
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Steven Dana Pankey, who was arrested earlier this month in connection with the 1984 murder of Jonelle Matthews, is scheduled to make his first court appearance in the case Friday.

Pankey, 69, has an appearance on arrest warrant scheduled 8:30 a.m. Friday. The court will read the charges on which was Pankey indicted, which include first-degree murder after deliberation, first-degree felony murder and second-degree kidnapping, as well as sentence enhancers for using a weapon in the commission of a violent crime.

At 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, Pankey arrived at the Weld County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

Pankey noted he intentionally inserted himself into the investigation into Matthews’ disappearance over the years, claiming to have knowledge of the crime that became incriminating over time. He also discussed a piece of evidence previously withheld from the public: a rake was used to hide shoe impressions in the snow the night Jonelle went missing.

Pankey is accused of taking Jonelle from her home the night of Dec. 20, 1984, before Jonelle’s father arrived home. Pankey was armed with a firearm and shot Jonelle during the course of the kidnapping, according to the indictment.
 
Niner said:
and he is finally in the court site.

Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
10/30/20
8:30 AM 30M PANKEY, STEVEN Appearance on Arrest Warrant D622020CR1866 Weld County Division 11

link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
Click to expand...

Good Morning!

This is good news. Hoping we learn more at tomorrow's appearance.

JMVHO.
 
Cat01 said:
Sw


swedish sleuth...no nothing you did. No worries

The news reports state the equipment used to unearth her body was scraping 8-10 inches of debris with each pass. That article mentions a hole the circumference of a basketball hoop. It is not clear, was that the hole she was buried in? Like she would have been standing up in a hole over 5 feet deep?. I would have to believe if that’s the case, an auger could have been used. Or did someone just clear out an area that wide when the photo was taken? Can anyone verify how she was found buried?

Digging a hole that night would be extremely difficult, but I concede possible. Based on the temperature in the days prior I believe the ground to be frozen at the depth of at least 8 inches to a foot. That’s just my opinion. There is my auger theory...but with a shovel in the dark on a cold night in the middle of an open field, that’s quite a feat.

I tend to think the crime was premeditated. Jonelle was home alone for one hour...if...the timeline is to be believed. What are the odds a child predator just happened along at that time? Which leads me to believe that the hole was dug prior to the abduction. She could have been buried there after the night of the abduction too I suppose. But this doesn’t seem likely. Pankey drove to California at 5 am the following morning.

My sister in law has experience counseling sex offenders in Greeley. She said it is highly unlikely for someone to murder a 12 years old girl and not have any priors involving children and it would be just as unlikely they would be able to control the urge to reoffend. I don’t think this was a sexually motivated crime.

So....what was Pankey’s motive? What would cause a man to shoot an innocent girl in the head?
Click to expand...


Looked at augers online (wasn’t too familiar). Very portable, gasoline or battery, probably 1984 would be gasoline. Looked at one 6 inches wide 31 inches long. Can get at rental place. Stick that in ground maybe four times next to each other, I would think it would loosen soil enough to clear out with shovel. Do it again at bottom you’d have a pretty good hole.
Could be possible......
 
I really do hope it is Pankey. I definitely find it so much easier to hate him than anyone else. But after 35 years we owe it to Jonelle to get it right. None of us locals want to wrongfully convict a nut job with a litigious past.

So when I question things, it’s not to argue, it’s that we need to be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt because this just isn’t some project to us. He is going to stand trial and it needs to be a fair trial, so when the prison door slams our community can finally have peace with good consciences.

My parents issued a warning NOT to EVER answer the door when home alone. My friends all had similar rules. On very few occasions did that doorbell ring but I honestly got scared when it did. Especially at night. Even if I had a friend over, if the doorbell rang we would freeze and just look at each each other. Could it have just like you say it happened... yes but while it seems so easy for some to envision this...it’s not quite so easy for me and my friends who grew up here to accept this so easily.

It wasn’t like Greeley was Mayberry at the time. Our parents still checked our Halloween candy for razors and even us latchkey kids had parents that laid down rules for when we were home alone. While it wasn’t out of the ordinary to catch a ride from a friend’s parent, the scenario would play out more like...go call so and so. If her parents say it’s ok for you to catch a ride then you can go. It would be out of the ordinary for a parent to send their kid off not knowing how they were getting home.

I never thought about a scenario where Pankey would hate Ross. Pankey was awarded $25k in 1980 because of a lawsuit Pankey won. Ross was the loser in that battle. To add insult to injury Ross was made out to be an abusive manager too.

Pankey was arrested 12/19/. Pankey had a delinquent payment owed to the bank therefore they refused to allow him to withdraw around $1200 until the debt was paid. Apparently Pankey pitched a fit at the bank and he was arrested and released the same day. Do you think that Pankey blamed Ross for him getting arrested at the bank?

I can see Gates and Ross being angry. They may have felt publicly humiliated by the town clown. I can understand why Gates would be looking for any reason to put Pankey away and if he did, he never got any charges to stick, which may have infuriated him more.

But why do you think Pankey had it out for Ross?

Do you think Pankey was stalking Ross for 4 years and Ross never noticed?
 
Cat01 said:
Sw


swedish sleuth...no nothing you did. No worries

The news reports state the equipment used to unearth her body was scraping 8-10 inches of debris with each pass. That article mentions a hole the circumference of a basketball hoop. It is not clear, was that the hole she was buried in? Like she would have been standing up in a hole over 5 feet deep?. I would have to believe if that’s the case, an auger could have been used. Or did someone just clear out an area that wide when the photo was taken? Can anyone verify how she was found buried?

Digging a hole that night would be extremely difficult, but I concede possible. Based on the temperature in the days prior I believe the ground to be frozen at the depth of at least 8 inches to a foot. That’s just my opinion. There is my auger theory...but with a shovel in the dark on a cold night in the middle of an open field, that’s quite a feat.

I tend to think the crime was premeditated. Jonelle was home alone for one hour...if...the timeline is to be believed. What are the odds a child predator just happened along at that time? Which leads me to believe that the hole was dug prior to the abduction. She could have been buried there after the night of the abduction too I suppose. But this doesn’t seem likely. Pankey drove to California at 5 am the following morning.

My sister in law has experience counseling sex offenders in Greeley. She said it is highly unlikely for someone to murder a 12 years old girl and not have any priors involving children and it would be just as unlikely they would be able to control the urge to reoffend. I don’t think this was a sexually motivated crime.

So....what was Pankey’s motive? What would cause a man to shoot an innocent girl in the head?
Click to expand...


Looked at augers online (wasn’t too familiar). Very portable, gasoline or battery, probably 1984 would be gasoline. Looked at one 6 inches wide 31 inches long. Can get at rental place. Stick that in ground maybe four times next to each other, I would think it would loosen soil enough to clear out with shovel. Do it again at bottom you’d have a pretty good hole.
Could be possible......
Cat01 said:
I really do hope it is Pankey. I definitely find it so much easier to hate him than anyone else. But after 35 years we owe it to Jonelle to get it right. None of us locals want to wrongfully convict a nut job with a litigious past.

So when I question things, it’s not to argue, it’s that we need to be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt because this just isn’t some project to us. He is going to stand trial and it needs to be a fair trial, so when the prison door slams our community can finally have peace with good consciences.

My parents issued a warning NOT to EVER answer the door when home alone. My friends all had similar rules. On very few occasions did that doorbell ring but I honestly got scared when it did. Especially at night. Even if I had a friend over, if the doorbell rang we would freeze and just look at each each other. Could it have just like you say it happened... yes but while it seems so easy for some to envision this...it’s not quite so easy for me and my friends who grew up here to accept this so easily.

It wasn’t like Greeley was Mayberry at the time. Our parents still checked our Halloween candy for razors and even us latchkey kids had parents that laid down rules for when we were home alone. While it wasn’t out of the ordinary to catch a ride from a friend’s parent, the scenario would play out more like...go call so and so. If her parents say it’s ok for you to catch a ride then you can go. It would be out of the ordinary for a parent to send their kid off not knowing how they were getting home.

I never thought about a scenario where Pankey would hate Ross. Pankey was awarded $25k in 1980 because of a lawsuit Pankey won. Ross was the loser in that battle. To add insult to injury Ross was made out to be an abusive manager too.

Pankey was arrested 12/19/. Pankey had a delinquent payment owed to the bank therefore they refused to allow him to withdraw around $1200 until the debt was paid. Apparently Pankey pitched a fit at the bank and he was arrested and released the same day. Do you think that Pankey blamed Ross for him getting arrested at the bank?

I can see Gates and Ross being angry. They may have felt publicly humiliated by the town clown. I can understand why Gates would be looking for any reason to put Pankey away and if he did, he never got any charges to stick, which may have infuriated him more.

But why do you think Pankey had it out for Ross?

Do you think Pankey was stalking Ross for 4 years and Ross never noticed?
Click to expand...

I would be lying if I said I believed SP was guilty without doubt on my part. Everything presented did not convince me. If I was on the jury and the only evidence presented is what we have so far I do not think I could convict. Just hoping there’s more and LE got this right!

In 1984 I lived in same subdivision as Jonelle and we never answered door at night. If fact I would always back car in garage so I could see if someone came around the corner.
<modsnip>

I do think there might have been some bad blood between SP and Ross, on both parts even after SP winning lawsuit. Do I think he continuously stalked Ross, no I do not.
It never once entered my mind that SP blamed Ross for bank incident. To me the bank incident is an example of SP acting erratically during this time frame.

If Gates and Ross tried to set SP up for this I would think it was after Jonelle disappeared. Reason being SP inserted himself into this.

Never would I want SP to be convicted of Jonelle’s kidnapping and murder if he’s innocent. That’s not getting justice for Jonelle.
 
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Cat01 said:
I really do hope it is Pankey. I definitely find it so much easier to hate him than anyone else. But after 35 years we owe it to Jonelle to get it right. None of us locals want to wrongfully convict a nut job with a litigious past.

So when I question things, it’s not to argue, it’s that we need to be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt because this just isn’t some project to us. He is going to stand trial and it needs to be a fair trial, so when the prison door slams our community can finally have peace with good consciences.

My parents issued a warning NOT to EVER answer the door when home alone. My friends all had similar rules. On very few occasions did that doorbell ring but I honestly got scared when it did. Especially at night. Even if I had a friend over, if the doorbell rang we would freeze and just look at each each other. Could it have just like you say it happened... yes but while it seems so easy for some to envision this...it’s not quite so easy for me and my friends who grew up here to accept this so easily.

It wasn’t like Greeley was Mayberry at the time. Our parents still checked our Halloween candy for razors and even us latchkey kids had parents that laid down rules for when we were home alone. While it wasn’t out of the ordinary to catch a ride from a friend’s parent, the scenario would play out more like...go call so and so. If her parents say it’s ok for you to catch a ride then you can go. It would be out of the ordinary for a parent to send their kid off not knowing how they were getting home.

I never thought about a scenario where Pankey would hate Ross. Pankey was awarded $25k in 1980 because of a lawsuit Pankey won. Ross was the loser in that battle. To add insult to injury Ross was made out to be an abusive manager too.

Pankey was arrested 12/19/. Pankey had a delinquent payment owed to the bank therefore they refused to allow him to withdraw around $1200 until the debt was paid. Apparently Pankey pitched a fit at the bank and he was arrested and released the same day. Do you think that Pankey blamed Ross for him getting arrested at the bank?

I can see Gates and Ross being angry. They may have felt publicly humiliated by the town clown. I can understand why Gates would be looking for any reason to put Pankey away and if he did, he never got any charges to stick, which may have infuriated him more.

But why do you think Pankey had it out for Ross?

Do you think Pankey was stalking Ross for 4 years and Ross never noticed?
Click to expand...

Ref why I think Pankey had it out for Ross..
From what I’ve heard and read SP doesn’t seem like the type to let anything go. Look at incident with his aunt and how many times he called her. How about the trailer park incident.

I’m really interested LE statement SP was watching kids at Franklin. Was he watching kids or watching Jonelle. It could tie into the concert.
 
<modsnip> has a long history of holding grudges. His self published book is a prime example. It's basically a 93 page hit job on everyone who's ever slighted him in any way. So, as to Ross, it's mere speculation on my part. <modsnip> was institutionalized as a kid, and IMO has a history of mental breakdowns. With the incident at the bank, I think that could've led to another mental breakdown. That he would direct it specifically at Ross, is again, speculation on my part. However, he has reason for holding a grudge, so it holds some possibility. The main reason for this line of thinking, is the fact that Ross dropped off Jonelle. It lines up with the timelines and it gives motive to the crime. I in no way say this is THE scenario that happened, but a possibility to consider.

To the field briefly, a couple additional things to consider... on Dec 20, 1984, sunset was at 4:28pm. The high temperature was 32F. By 5pm, it would be completely dark. He would have time to dig a hole in advance and still show up at the choir concert to follow Ross. It also would be warmer than what would at 10pm or later. Not that this would make the ground easier to dig into, but it would be easier on the body to dig said hole. (the low temperature was 0F. Low temps usually hit around 4am.

That's all I got for additional considerations.
 
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Swedish Sleuth said:
Ref why I think Pankey had it out for Ross..
From what I’ve heard and read SP doesn’t seem like the type to let anything go. Look at incident with his aunt and how many times he called her. How about the trailer park incident.

I’m really interested LE statement SP was watching kids at Franklin. Was he watching kids or watching Jonelle. It could tie into the

Let’s say Pankey was stalking Ross that day. Let’s say he was watching the choir concert on tv. He’d have had to know the bus was taking the kids back to Franklin and drive there with his gun. Noticed Jonelle getting into the car. Followed Ross to the Matthews house. Made a split decision to abduct Jonelle. Knocks on her door not knowing who else was there so he could frame Ross? After he abducts a girl whom he doesn’t know, he shoots her as she is more than likely looking directly at him. Then drives out to a field 30 minutes away and digs a 5 foot hole in the ground in 10 degree weather and happens to have a shovel with him too? Or an auger?

I am not surprised Pankey was following this case. Ross, a person he knew, was mentioned. We are all following the case.

I was not surprised to read Pankey went to the authorities in Ft Collins 2 weeks after Jonelle went missing. I think he made up the business about his father in law to cast a shadow over Ross, Branham and Gates and to insert himself in the case. Why didn’t they investigate Pankey then?? Or did they? Surely if they did we would know if and when he went to CA, the details about the car etc.

I am on the edge about the ex wife. I am having a difficult time establishing her credibility. If she was gullible enough to let Pankey convince her to marry him, would she be just as gullible to let the police talk her into telling them what they want to hear about something that happened 35 years ago? Pankey is strange. I think we all agree. Who would marry a man like that? Perhaps someone a bit strange too? Do you all believe her and why?
Click to expand...
 
Cat01 said:
Why do you believe Pankey had a grudge against Ross? Ross didn’t care for Pankey, it’s not hard to see why, and had altercations in the late 70’ at church and the work place. But I am not aware of any altercations between the two after 1980. What am I missing?
Click to expand...

Just what sbcjester21 said. SP claims Ross assaulted him. They somehow ran into each other at Kmart and got in argument, enough that police were called and SP cited. I believe that was in 1982 so still some issues between them.
 
Swedish Sleuth said:
Just what sbcjester21 said. SP claims Ross assaulted him. They somehow ran into each other at Kmart and got in argument, enough that police were called and SP cited. I believe that was in 1982 so still some issues between them.
Click to expand...

I think his Aunt said he harassed her for a year. That was in 1984 I believe. Other family said he harassed them for a year, the same family that took him in and he tried to rape (her words) female juvenile who lived there. I believe this too 1984.
 
I’m looking for a good reason to convict Pankey. It’s going to be folks around Greeley on that jury. We don’t want our LE(I’m getting the lingo ) or prosecution to look like fools and either Pankey or someone else get away with this.

I see that there were in fact issues between the two after 1980. Thank you for that clarification.

Pankey is an agitator and he has a talent for provoking people, that’s no secret around here. I can understand why Ross would have given Pankey a lickin. The man presses everyone’s buttons.

I’m struggling to believe Pankey killed Jonelle in order to frame Ross. I don’t think he is smart enough to pull it off. His past behavior doesn’t indicate he is that calculating, clever or capable.
Whoever did it had to have known her circumstances that night. There was only an hour timeframe to abduct her.

The video was chilling but very informative. I don’t think Can you answer this question for me please?
Would it be possible for her to be standing in the hole, looking up at the shooter. The shooter aims the gun right in the middle of her forehead. If she turned her head away to the right and looked slightly downward could the gun go off center to the left side and downward to fit the pattern? I just don’t think she would look straight on if a gun was pointed at her. And would that prevent blood from getting all over the assailant?
 
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Swedish Sleuth said:
Sorry- long wait
Click to expand...
I’m struggling to believe Pankey killed Jonelle in order to frame Ross. I don’t think he is smart enough to pull it off. His past behavior doesn’t indicate he is that calculating, clever or capable.
Whoever did it had to have known her circumstances that night. There was only an hour timeframe to abduct her. I really need more to put my mind at ease.

The video was chilling but it was really informative. I am wonder if sbcjester21 can answer this question for me please?
Would it be possible for her to be standing in the hole, looking up at the shooter. The shooter aims the gun right in the middle of her forehead. If she turned her head away to the right and looked slightly downward could the gun go off center to the left side and downward to fit the pattern? I just don’t think she would look straight on if a gun was pointed at her. And would that prevent blood from getting all over the assailant?
 
Cat01 said:
Would it be possible for her to be standing in the hole, looking up at the shooter. The shooter aims the gun right in the middle of her forehead. If she turned her head away to the right and looked slightly downward could the gun go off center to the left side and downward to fit the pattern? I just don’t think she would look straight on if a gun was pointed at her. And would that prevent blood from getting all over the assailant?
Click to expand...

That's more or less what I was trying to show. It was difficult of course with not having an actual grave and doing a really half-***ed greenscreen. But yes, at the proper depth and angle, it would work and no blood should get on the shooter. She would collapse and he'd fill the hole with dirt. However, I'm not really leaning towards this idea. I just put it out there as a realistic possibility. Regardless of who the killer is, I think the backseat of the car is probably the most likely of scenarios. It requires the least amount of planning, and it's also the least heartless of the 3 options.

Also, I just looked the temps for after he got back from CA.
Dec 26: 58/14
Dec 27: 46/23
Dec 28: 60/25

So much better weather for burying a body, plus he'd have to get her in the ground somewhat soon because of the smell.
 
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