Bio

Cary A. Stayner was born on August 13, 1961, in Merced, California. He grew up in a family that faced significant challenges. Cary had a younger brother named Steven who was kidnapped in 1972 when Cary was just 11 years old. Steven was taken by Kenneth Parnell and held captive for over seven years. During this time, Cary later reported feeling neglected as his parents were consumed with grief over Steven's abduction.

The family experienced a major change when Steven escaped and returned home in 1980. This event attracted considerable media attention, including a book and a TV movie titled "I Know My First Name is Steven." Despite the joy of Steven’s return, the family continued to face hardship. In 1989, Steven tragically died in a motorcycle accident. The following year, Cary's uncle, with whom he was living, was murdered, adding to the trauma Cary experienced in his life.

Cary claimed that when he was 11 years old, he was molested by an uncle, which further complicated his childhood. He struggled with mental health issues, including an attempt at suicide in 1991. In 1997, Cary was arrested for possession of marijuana and methamphetamine, but the charges were dropped. That same year, he found work as a handyman at the Cedar Lodge in El Portal, California, near Yosemite National Park.

Murder Story

In February 1999, Cary Stayner murdered four women near Yosemite National Park in California. His first victims were Carole Sund, her daughter Juli Sund, and their friend Silvina Pelosso. After luring Carole and the girls into their motel room, Stayner bound them and then killed them. He stuffed Carole and Silvina’s bodies into the trunk of a rental car, which he later burned in order to hide the evidence.

After killing the three women, Stayner sent an anonymous note to the police with a map indicating the location of Juli Sund's body, which he had hidden after killing her as well. Her body was found in March 1999.

Later that July, Stayner murdered Joie Ruth Armstrong, a naturalist in the park where he worked. He brutally attacked her at her cabin and decapitated her. The details of these crimes shocked the authorities and the public.

Stayner was eventually arrested after investigators linked him to the murders through evidence found in his vehicle and personal belongings. During interrogation, he confessed to killing all four women. He claimed he had fantasized about murder since childhood and detailed the murders during police interviews.

Following his arrest, Cary Stayner was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death in 2002. He remains on death row in California.