The Untold Story Of Steven Stayner

Kenneth Eugene Parnell, who was born on September 26, 1931, gained notoriety as an American sex offender, convicted kidnapper, and child rapist. 

 

He is known for the abduction of two young boys in Merced, California: Steven Stayner, who was 7 years old at the time, and Timothy White, who was 5 years old.

 

In 1972, just three weeks before Christmas, the life of 7-year-old Steven Stayner was forever altered. He had been living a peaceful life in the suburban town of Merced, California, until one ordinary Monday when he was walking home from school. 

 

It was on this day that he was abducted by a stranger from Texas who would hold him captive for seven years.

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During the 1950s, Parnell had already been incarcerated for raping a child and impersonating a police officer. He later secured a job at a resort located within Yosemite National Park, where he attempted to persuade Ervin Edward Murphy to help him pursue a career in ministry. 

 

In 1972, he convinced Murphy to assist him in the abduction of a young boy.

 

On December 4th, the abductors tricked Stayner into entering Parnell's car under the guise of giving him a ride home. 

 

Once in captivity, Stayner was subjected to sexual assault in a secluded cabin situated in Catheys Valley. Despite the opportunity to escape, Stayner chose to attend local schools under an alias due to his fear of attempting to flee. 

 

As he grew older, Parnell instructed him to assist in the abduction of another individual when he could no longer serve his purpose.

The Abduction of Steven Stayner

 

Born on April 18, 1965, in Merced, California, Steven Gregory Stayner was the eldest of four siblings. He had a younger brother named Cary and three sisters. 

 

Despite being raised by Delbert and Kay Stayner with great care amidst almond groves and peach orchards, the family resided in the rural farming town of Merced.

 

 

Located two hours away from Merced, Kenneth Eugene Parnell was employed at Yosemite Lodge during the time of his criminal activities. 

 

By 1972, he had already begun formulating a plan to abduct a young boy and had enlisted the help of Ervin Murphy in his efforts to find a child to "raise religiously." On December 4th, Parnell and Murphy traveled to Merced in a white Buick, distributing religious pamphlets to children as a guise for their true intentions.

 

To carry out their plan, Murphy approached Stayner, claiming to work for the church, and asked if his family had any items they could donate.

 

The young boy confirmed that they did, and agreed to accompany Murphy. Upon arriving at their destination, Parnell informed Stayner that his parents no longer wanted him. 

 

Parnell then stopped at a payphone along Highway 140 and pretended to call Stayner's parents, only to return and inform him that they did not want him back.

 

Upon realizing that Stayner had not returned home from school, his parents promptly notified the Merced Police Department. 

 

Despite their best efforts, the authorities were unable to locate the missing child. On December 17th, Stayner was brought to Parnell's cabin, where he was subjected to the first of many instances of sexual abuse.

 

As Steven Stayner remained in captivity, Parnell's mistreatment of him continued to escalate. In addition to the ongoing sexual abuse, Parnell falsely informed the young boy that his parents were no longer financially able to care for all five of their children. 

 

He claimed that Stayner had been placed under his legal custody and would be known as "Dennis Gregory Parnell," while still retaining his middle name.

 

Although Catheys Valley in Mariposa County was only a short distance from Merced, investigators were unable to find any leads and were at a loss as to where to begin their search. Meanwhile, Parnell enrolled Stayner in Steele Lane Elementary School under the guise of being the boy's father, just a few weeks after he had gone missing.

 

Despite receiving slightly more freedom to move about, Stayner was still a young child and unable to contemplate the idea of escaping from captivity. 

 

Parnell relocated them to various locations, including Santa Rosa in Sonoma County and Comptche in Mendocino County, where Stayner remained imprisoned and subjected to abuse, not just by Parnell, but by others as well.

 

 

Stayner received a Manchester Terrier from Parnell, which he named Queenie, while he was still adapting to his new life and struggling with alcohol abuse.

 

Parnell's behavior did not change, and he continued to invite a woman named Barbara Mathias to live with them. Mathias would then freely subject 11-year-old Stayner to abuse.

 

As Stayner grew older, Parnell's twisted desires led him to seek a younger victim. He urged Stayner to help him find one, but the boy refused to comply. 

 

However, Parnell's depravity reached its peak on February 14, 1980, when he exploited Stayner and his classmate Randall Sean Poorman to kidnap a five-year-old girl, whom he later murdered.

Parnell's cabin

 

After seven years, Steven Stayner gets away.

 

Two weeks had passed since Timothy White was abducted from the streets of Ukiah in Mendocino County when the emotional cries of the boy moved Stayner to take action. Despite having been given the freedom to come and go by Parnell, Stayner decided to defy him and help Timothy escape.

 

On March 1, 1980, the worst nightmare of the kidnapper, Parnell, came true. Two of his victims, including Stayner, left the cabin while he was on duty as a security guard. 

 

Stayner managed to hitchhike with White for 40 miles and found a way to return him to Ukiah. Although he told the police everything, at first, he struggled to find the right words.

 

"I know my first name is Steven," he said.

 

Despite the veracity of Stayner's allegations, Parnell was never prosecuted for sexually abusing him due to jurisdictional and statute of limitations issues. 

 

Parnell was arrested on March 2, 1980, and convicted of the two kidnappings in 1981. He received a seven-year prison sentence but was released after serving only five years.

 

Upon reuniting with his family, Stayner's emotional state was strained and he began to rely on alcohol as a coping mechanism for his trauma.

 

Despite being celebrated by the media as a national hero, Stayner's drinking continued to escalate and he eventually dropped out of school. He did find some happiness in marrying Jody Edmonson in 1985 and having two children, but his inner turmoil persisted.

 

After settling in Merced, Steven Stayner took a job at a pizza place and used some of the $30,000 he received from the movie rights to his story to buy a 1989 Kawasaki EX-500. 

However, on September 16, 1989, while riding his motorcycle home, he was hit by a 1976 Plymouth Volare, which fled the scene. Sadly, Stayner sustained fatal head injuries and passed away as a result of the accident.

 

 

After his death, Steven Stayner was buried next to his grandparents in Merced District Cemetery. His funeral was attended by 450 people, and Timothy White, whom he had rescued from Parnell's captivity, was one of the pallbearers. 

 

However, tragedy struck the family again when Steven's older brother, Cary Stayner, was found guilty of killing four women in Yosemite in 1999, which was a devastating blow.

 

Kenneth Parnell was convicted in 2004 for attempting to purchase a child for sexual purposes and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He remained in prison until his death.

 

 

From Victim to Hero: The Untold Story of Steven Stayner

From Victim to Hero compellingly shares the selfless heroic nightmare of Steven Stayner; educating parents on issues they must know and be aware of. Steven's story inspires and exemplifies the goodness and strength within the human spirit. The trauma experienced by the family is shared, giving insight of the impact on the marriage, children, and friends. Whether in abuse or abduction, From Victim to Hero portrays the grooming, lying and strategies used by predators to convince and coerce their victims into compliance. 

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