The murder of Jonelle Matthews
Greeley, Weld County, Colorado · 1984
Overview
Jonelle Matthews, 12, sang with her Greeley middle school's honor choir at a Christmas concert on December 20, 1984, and was dropped at her home about 8 p.m. by a friend and the friend's father. When her father got home about an hour and a half later the front door was open, her shoes were by a chair and her stockings on the couch, and there was no sign of a struggle. President Reagan spoke of her the following spring and her face went onto milk cartons; nobody was ever arrested. On July 23, 2019, a crew digging an oil pipeline in rural Weld County turned up human remains that dental records identified as Jonelle. She had been shot in the head. Within weeks Greeley police travelled to Idaho to see Steve Pankey, a former neighbor from her family's church who had talked about the case to courts and police for years, had once asked for immunity, and knew that a rake had been used to wipe out footprints in the snow, a detail police had never released. His former wife told a grand jury he had taken her on an unexpected trip to California two days after Jonelle vanished and dug in the yard when they got home. He was indicted in October 2020. A first trial ended in a hung jury in November 2021, with a conviction only for false reporting. On October 31, 2022, a second Weld County jury convicted him of felony murder and second-degree kidnapping, and he was sentenced the same day to life with parole possible after 20 years.
How it was solved
There was no DNA and no physical evidence tying anyone to Jonelle Matthews. What solved the case was the discovery of her body, which turned a 34-year-old abduction into a homicide with a cause of death, combined with a file of statements that one man had been making for decades. At 4:50 p.m. on July 23, 2019, crews excavating for a pipeline in rural Weld County uncovered bones; the skull and jaw were largely intact and dental records confirmed the identification two days later. The autopsy showed a gunshot wound to the head. Greeley police had already been looking at Steven Pankey, who had lived about two miles from the Matthews home and attended the same church, and who had, by investigators' account, made a series of statements to courts and law enforcement in the 2000s and 2010s indicating involvement and showing intimate knowledge of the crime, including that a rake from the Matthews home had been used to erase shoe prints in the snow, a detail the Greeley police had held back for years. He had also claimed to have information and asked for immunity, and sent police an alibi document containing false details. In August 2019 detectives went to Twin Falls, Idaho, where he refused to talk; in September police searched his condominium and named him a person of interest. A grand jury took up the case in August 2020. Pankey's former wife testified that two days after Jonelle vanished he had taken the family on an unexpected trip to California, listened uncharacteristically to the radio for news of the disappearance on the way home, made her read newspaper articles about it, began digging in the yard, and that a car on the property burned and was sent to a salvage yard. At his son's funeral in 2008 she heard him say he hoped God had not allowed it because of Jonelle Matthews. The indictment came on October 9, 2020, and he was arrested at his home in Meridian, Idaho, three days later. District Attorney Michael Rourke told the first jury plainly that there was no DNA evidence; that jury hung on murder and kidnapping. The second convicted him of felony murder and kidnapping on his own words and his former wife's.
Sources
- Steve Pankey once again on trial for 1984 murder of Jonelle Matthews (October 2022)
“On Dec. 20, 1984, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews sang in a concert and was dropped at home by a friend and the friend's father.”
- Jonelle Matthews discovery provides closure for family, but new chapter is only just begun (August 18, 2019)
“If they were digging five feet to one side or the other, they never would have found her.”
- Remains of Colorado 12-year-old missing since 1984 unearthed by oil pipeline crew (July 2019)
“Jonelle's shoes were discarded next to a chair and her stockings were tossed on the couch.”
- Remains of girl who vanished in 1984 found in rural Colorado (July 25, 2019)
“Crews in rural Weld County working on a pipeline found what appeared to be human remains on Tuesday.”
- Remains ID'd as those of Colorado girl missing 34 years (July 26, 2019)
“The Tribune reported Wednesday that workers were constructing a new pipeline when they discovered bones Tuesday night.”
- Colorado police say remains found of girl missing since 1984 (July 25, 2019)
“Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams said his deputies were treating the recovery of the remains as a homicide investigation.”
- Steve Pankey, Person Of Interest In Jonelle Matthews Case, Hopes Girl's Killer Is Found (December 20, 2019)
“I keep reiterating that I didn't know she existed or disappeared until six days after”
- Idaho man charged in killing of Colorado girl, 12, who vanished in 1984 (October 14, 2020)
“I hope God didn't allow this to happen because of Jonelle Matthews.”
- Man indicted on murder, kidnapping charges in connection with 1984 murder of Jonelle Matthews (October 13, 2020)
“He lived about 2 miles from Matthews' home in December 1984.”
- Former Idaho governor candidate indicted in girl's 1984 killing (October 2020)
“Pankey had watched children from the Jonelle's middle school walk home, according to charging documents.”
- Steve Pankey Arrested In 1984 Murder Of Jonelle Matthews From Greeley (October 13, 2020)
“For over three decades, the disappearance of Jonelle Matthews has left our community with many unanswered questions.”
- Murder trial begins for Steve Pankey in 1984 death of Jonelle Matthews (October 2021)
“District Attorney Michael Rourke explained there is no DNA evidence linking Steve Pankey to Jonelle Matthews.”
- Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks on murder, kidnapping charges in Colorado girl's death (November 2021)
“Pankey was convicted on one count of false reporting to authorities, which is a misdemeanor.”
- Steven Pankey convicted of kidnapping, felony murder in Jonelle Matthews' 1984 disappearance (October 31, 2022)
“No direct physical evidence linked Pankey to Matthews' disappearance.”
- Jury finds Steven Pankey guilty of felony murder, kidnapping in Jonelle Matthews cold case (October 31, 2022)
“I am a Christian. I will be in heaven. I am innocent and this is not justice for Jonelle,”
- Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate convicted of killing Colorado girl, 12, who vanished in 1984 (October 31, 2022)
“Her picture was printed on milk cartons across the United States as part of a project by the National Child Safety Council.”
- Steve Pankey found guilty in 1984 murder of Jonelle Matthews in second trial (October 31, 2022)
“Pankey was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.”
- Failed Idaho governor candidate convicted in cold case death of missing Colorado girl, Jonelle Matthews (October 31, 2022)
“Pankey emerged as a suspect after Matthew's body was discovered in 2019.”
- Murder of Jonelle Matthews
“There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry.”