When a family’s daughter went missing, there was mystery and sadness.
Police found Jonelle Matthews’ remains and her killer decades later.
Who was Jonelle Matthews?
Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old from Greeley, Colorado, was born on February 9, 1972.
In Santa Barbara, California, she was born to Terri Vierra, a 13-year-old young mother.
Gloria and Jim Matthews adopted Jonelle in March of that same year.
She participated in the choir at her middle school and attended their local church with her family.
On December 20, 1984, Jonelle disappeared after performing with her school choir and arriving home.
She borrowed a car from a classmate the night she vanished while her father, Jim, was watching her older sister play basketball.
Jonelle came home alone because her mother had left town to visit family, and she was never seen again.
Local officials looked into the situation, but they turned up no leads, therefore Jonelle’s case of being missing was closed.
How she was killed
She was formally pronounced dead in 1994, and her family arranged a memorial service in her honour.
On July 24, 2019, a crew of construction workers discovered Jonelle’s remains after uncovering her body while putting in a new pipeline.
Jim and Gloria Matthews said to 9News after learning of the development in their daughter’s case: “Closure is crucial. to be able to move on and honour her life while also knowing that we located her remains and what happened to them.
“We want to celebrate by giving her honor and dignity because she definitely didn’t have that and so we want to do that this time.”
On October 31, 2022, Steven Pankey was found guilty of the charges brought against him for Jonelle’s homicide, charges which include:
- Felony murder
- Second-degree kidnapping
- False reporting in the disappearance
He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and his earliest parole date is scheduled for 2042.
Pankey remains incarcerated at Bent County Correctional Facility.
