This episode was made possible by boost mobile. Making the switch to boost gives you more a super reliable network for Free Samson, Galaxy phones and four lines for just twenty four, dollars per line per month with unlimited gigs for data talk and text the limited time offer was applies last offers and covered, not global everywhere. Each free phone requires port in additional terms, and conditions may apply. Is it boosts mobile dot com or your nearest retailer for details? Let's be honest, only a car and is a pretty big deal and you worked hard to make those things reality They deserve the best coverage. So if you don't the right, insurance, bilby waste

your time and your money, take it for me. That is a true crime, so give them the best coverage with your own personal state farm agent. Who knows what you need when you meet it talk to an agent at eight hundred state farm or state farm, not come today, high crime, junkies, I'm your host, Ashley flowers! I'm bread- and you guys, we are here Christmas and all because we know that Ukraine, Junkies Emily, but your fix. So instead of taking the we got, we decided to bring you an extra special Christmas episode because we all know evil does not take time off around the holidays and there is still a Christmas killer

out there needing to be caught five days before Christmas in nineteen, eighty four Dunno Matthews insisted on going to school, despite the fact that she'd been pretty

sick, like the two days before and had to stay home, though she had miss. Those days was a begging, her mom to let her go for a couple of reasons, one she had handmaids and Christmas gift for friends that she really wanted to give to them and to that night was a Christmas cancer that she wanted so badly to perform at. So genetic parents agreed to let her go to school and participate in the concept, but with one condition. After the concert you go home and rest, which was an ideal because general sister Jennifer had a basketball game that night that she wanted to go to, but you'd have to cut our losses. Two out of three ain't, bad right, so Jeanette goes to school. That day she sees her friend goes to class. Does all of the wonderful things a seventh greater dies? Then she goes home to get ready for her Christmas concert. Now today, there was a little more hustle and bustle around the Matthews House than normal, because, along with the Christmas concert and Jennifer's basketball game, that

I dunno mom Gloria was taking a lead flight from Colorado where they live to wear her parents lived in California ass, her father had been really sex ass. She was gonna, go spend some time with them so that evening everyone's like getting their stuff together, do now and her dad Jim say by two mom and Jennifer actually wasn't home, I'm pretty sure she actually stayed after school for became instead of coming home, It's just an own, dad, they say bite a mom. They get into the car, go grab a bite to eat before Jim drops. To now back off at her middle scolds is Franklin Middle School and basically there's a bus there. That was taking all of the kids we're in this choir to a local bank. For this Christmas contact now done, reposed reported that she was doing a concert at a nursing home, but other reports find out from the Colorado sign. The Greeley Tribune all say that it was at a bank which I corroborated with a video released by police, or she was doing the concert at a bank that night took it now, because her mom was out of town and her dad way.

Two Jennifer's basketball game. No one from generals family was actually able to attend the concert that night. So when Jim said by regional and pulled out of the school parking lot. He had no of knowing that that would be the last time he would ever see his little girl again according to a project done by the Colorado State universities, advanced reporting class, when the cancer was over genetic followed one of her friends in Indiana ROS out to her car, where DNS dad was waiting to pick her up and so now? Ass dns doubt Russ if he could like give her ride home, which he agreed to was the plan along to give her right from what I can tell it seems like Ross wasn't planning on giving her right. He just agreed together one when she when ran up to the car after a concert, so she didn't have any sort of plan on how to get home. I mean, I guess not, which I guess it seems weird today but this kind of, like a small town, Greeley Colorado in nineteen. Eighty four, like I'll just cut you write home with a friends, but probably

very normal thing to do so. Rest drives do now to her place and ass she's getting out of the car. He makes note of something something that maybe didn't make him outright. Worry in that moment, but something that was strange enough, that it stuck in his mind according to an hour. Calm down, repose written by Kirk Mitchell, the garage door of the family home was open now just as he's making like note of this genetic flicks on the light inside indicating that she made it in safe and so Russ Indiana drive away. Now, dunno was dropped off some time between eight and eight thirty, p m, and we know she was definitely home by eight thirty, because around this time someone calls the home phone, and you know answers now. This calls from a teacher a local elementary school and genetic dad was actually the principle at that school. So this teacher was calling to let Jim know that they were sick and wouldn't be into work tomorrow. So Jim we need to get coverage for their class, now

Jim still isn't home from the basketball game. At this point, so genetic jobs down like a little no leaves it violates the family message Board, which is by the phone and some time either before or after the call genetic like kicked off her shoes gotten cosy in the living room. They had the tv on she turned on little space. Heater like put her slippers ready to really just settle in for the night and we for her forgotten sister to get home. But something would happen in the short power between when Jenelle took that phone message from a teacher and when her dad pulled up to the house at nine hundred and thirty, when Jim pulls up to the house, he notices the same thing. Rusted MIKE Peters of the Greeley Tribune reported that the garage door was still open when Jim gets inside. He kind of calls out virgin Alex's Hey Journal, but the house. It is kind of extra quiet, he doesn't get anywhere

spawns and it's almost too quiet for his vivacious and spunky preteen have been home like Jeanette had a big? in reality, and you knew if she was there so when Jim peaks into the living room- tell that she was just there like she's, got her whole little set out. The heaters turn on the pillows right there in front of the tv like right as she would normally be posted up. So Jim just kind of assumed that genetic had may be run across the street may be to a neighbour, she's gonna be right back, so he decides to go wraps and Christmas presents and wait for her he'd sieges I'll come in the door any minute now, but minutes went by and genetic didn't come home a half hour after Jim got home Jennifer made at home from her basket game. Oh, I guess I kind of assume that shit on home with her dad. No, I couldn't find much detail on why, but I think that, because it's kind of unimportant like when I played sports like I would offer day after either you're in a shower or your hanging out your friends, your enemy, like it's totally different. So I don't let's see where we are, and she was sixteen. I didn't see

anything but her having a car, but it's totally impossible. She could at Durban herself, so she gets home at like ten and by this I'm Jim is very worried. He asked Jennifer Chanel was with her like hoping, maybe so how she got into the game, even though her parents told her she couldn't go, but Jennifer hasn't seen her sister all night, and I can imagine that this is when panic starts to set in four jam and he didn't know what to do at first. Like nothing, bad happened, nothing could happen right like he had to be over reacting, but where is genetic? So I read another art often the Greeley Tribune written by a guy named Joe Moiling, and he said that the first person, Jim called, wasn't the police. It was actually his pastor. Tat seemed like an Joyce well not really for Jim, so James Christie was, the pastor was actually one of his closest friends at that time, not just here.

Faster. So I mean you, one hundred percent texted me ones when you thought Joshua's messing, so I got a very general so any he called his past her friend to say like this was happening. What should I do and I'm sure he was home? for some kind of reassurance, like oh everything's in we find you're overreacting, but James didn't think Jim was over reacting. He told him, you should call the police and you should call them now. Within fifteen minutes, police arrive at the Matthews Home and there are concerned to the tv room looks as though she had just been there. There was that pillow there is that base heat or just like Jim described and a pair of slippers were missing and genetic shoes were there in the house. Along with that notes, They knew she made it home to a place where she should have been safe, but then somehow just vanished well and for her shoes to be there, but her slippers to be missing like they have to be. Assuming that something happens on the hops Erin. I would ever dank theology

I just walked outside without her shoes, winter exactly and know there is something else that was left behind in the tv room, but there are contradicting reports on what that was. So at the Denver Post said that there were stockings left on the couch, and the Greeley Tribunal said that a shawl was left behind near the space heater. Now all of them- articles that I found mentioned one or the other. So I dont know if it's possible that both were found owned, or if it was just one thing and it keeps getting mixed Adam and there's really no clarity on what they mean by stockings like are those Sox are those tights. Now on web sluice, there was a commenter who said that her stockings and underwear were left behind, but I couldn't corroborate that from any legitimate new sources so I'd like I don't they

can assume that under was there. We just have some kind of stockings and I think what people often insinuate is that because her stockings were there may be, there were some kind of sexual assault, but I again have never heard that yeah I mean the person. That's insinuating. Sexual assault is the motive, but if all we stockings, like if they're just like legit eighties, tides like I, would propose off immediately look at all my guide seem like to this day, like eight I kind of like tightly to the second I get home, they come so whatever kinds of stockings these were laid. It was stockings at all police. Take note of and start looking around for any clues. Now, the only things of interest ever spoken about publicly were footprints around the home and in the back yard, and possibly a missing

gas can now as more and more police arrived at the Matthews home and concern for genetic grew, a phone call came in. That would be extremely hard for Jim to take. Some time between midnight and one, a m Gloria had finally landed and arrived at her parents home in California, so she called home to let Jim know that she had made it safely, but jib wasn't it. Sounding tired or wound down like she expected. Something was wrong as soon as Jim answer that phone Jim explained to her what was going on that police had come by. They had no idea where dunno was, but she had come home from the concert and Gloria told the Greeley Tribune that in that moment she knew something was wrong because of how Lee and dark it was. When two now was reported missing, a formal surge didn't really get under way until the next

morning according to the gender pose, the FBI was brought in right away and they started looking everywhere for two now and talking to everyone. She knew she was twelve going on thirteen at the time. So a lot of the questions they were king revolved around whether or not you now would have willingly taken off on her own, but everyone in her life said there's just no way. It wasn't a possibility that should be considered, and it was a sentiment that reconfirmed what police already thought again, who leave home in their slippers with the space heater on and doesn't take anything with them slowly a reward. Fine began to mount a started just like five thousand dollars, but continually growing as people within the community tried to support the Matthews family in

early days of the investigation without any sign of Janelle and little to no physical evidence. Only to persons of interest were on police's radar. The first was Jim Matthews to know that their suspicions of Jim, I think, we're based on a couple of key factors, and one is purely statistics, the Polly Klaas Foundation and Nick Mick, both state. That's the if a child goes missing, it's more likely as a result of something done by a family member rather than a stranger and the only family member to have last seen her to have possibly been in the home. With her was Jim and it didn't help that Jim wasn't acting the way that police expected him too, he was just too calm throughout the whole thing, so they kept an eye on him over the next few months, just watching him looking into him and while looking into him and the family as a whole, they stumbled across their second

Person of interest generals, mother Gloria, no, not Gloria police, learn that genetic had actually been adopted as an infant after having Jennifer Jim inglorious struggle, to get pregnant again, so they decided to open them home to another child any now at the time, living in California, and there was this agency out of the Angeles that place to now with the family. So she added not knowing she was adopted. Like is not like, this was a big seek gray, but She had never had any contact with her biological mother who police learn had given birth to know when you just thirteen years old, but police kind of wonder like maybe this woman came looking for genetic like again, statistically it often Parents who are involved in the disappearance, and now they have like possibly another set of parents to be looking at so really the tube born there. Radar at this point are Jim and the biological mother and they're watching them both now for months, Wall police

watching them. Christmas came and went. Journals presents were still sitting under the tree still raft slowly one thousand, eight hundred and eighty four turn into one thousand nine hundred and eighty five, the investigation. Now the Matthews were more distraught than ever, but they were getting support from unlikely places. The daily sentinel reported that just a couple of weeks into the investigation, the father of another missing girl, actually came to help fifteen year old, Beth Miller had appeared the year before in eighty three, she was out for a run near her. Idaho Springs, Colorado, home and just never returned so best. Dad knew all too well the payment, Matthews were enduring and what an uphill battle it was to try and locate a missing kid. How far is really from Idaho Springs, like only thinking that they can be connected, so I looked into this a little. The two cities are just about an hour and a half drive from one another, but from what

I can tell there hasn't been any formal connection between these two cases and the girls didn't have any kind of like things in common or common connections, common people so Really think Beth Miller's dad just came out to show support for the family and to help them navigate the confusing and overwhelming waters that they were now in both or anyone knew it was a February ninth, which would have been generals. Thirteenth birthday, with still no sign of her on,

birthday. A massive search was conducted, one that the Denver posed called be largest, angrily, history and included six hundred volunteers, but nothing was reportedly found generals parents at a time of press in those first few minds and they passed out thousands of fires trying to get as many people as possible to see generals pictured, Gennaros, even one of the earliest cases, of a missing child to be featured on a milk hearted. But all of this was getting them no closer to do now, and it was becoming apparent to her family that police were still focusing on Jim and generals Biome on now they watched her by a mom for six months day in and day out, following her tracing her steps. But after six months they were competent in ruling her out as assessing

they said she had nothing to do with the disappearance and nothing in the last six months led them to believe that she had any kind of connection to general. Did she know she was a suspect like at all like? I know, you said that she had never had contact which now, but I'm kind of wandering fists was like her first introduction to general and her family was just like finding out that her biological daughter was missing. So. I dont believe that she had any knowledge at the time the police were watching her for the entire six months that they were surveys heard they never actually approached her or they didn't try to ever let onto the fact that she was being watched and Emily kind. Muddy waters right, like I don't know the exact reason for this. I dont know if legally they couldn't make the connection or if they were trying to just handle this situation very delicately by choice,

I mean either way her Bio mom had no idea that they were watching her and no idea that her daughter was even a missing person at the time in those same six months that they were watching her. They were also leaning hard on Jim, according the Greeley Tribune. Jim was administered polygraph by the FBI and the result, as far as I know, we're net released, but a month after this first polygraph, they ask him to take another, and this is. Jim told Joam Wayland that he started to get mad. He was basically a listen. I get why you had to look at me. I was happy to Why operate like? I even get why you looked at me and like didn't like me, because I

did we are like. I was very com. I didn't act. How you want like I was trying to keep it together, see you guys could do your job, but I met the point. We're like I'm over. It now stop looking at me and go find who actually took my daughter, but there were no other suspect, no leads that they could follow until the middle of nineteen. Eighty five, when something shocking was discovered, How could you please? I wanted to take a quick break from our episode to make sure you heard the big announcement we made last week, Audio Chuck the brand new investigative podcast launching in January, and you are not going to want to miss a second of this twelve part series. The new show called Counter clock is about the twenty two years. Unresolved murder of Denise Johnson in North Carolina. Note. The circus

Mrs around this case are so bizarre. You guys Denise was attacked in her home when her room was unexplainable gone she's gap multiple times, mostly in the neck and the chest and then left on her for new. But Dan her killer tried to cover up the scene with a here, but not like a normal fire, like now anyway, you would normally set one and where they set, the fire will have your head spinning. This case was we more than I could tackle, so I have partnered with an investigative journalists to host the show and uncover the truth about what happened to Denise. This podcast has been two years in the making Henry Clock has uncovered new leads, we tracked down old suspects and you'll get to hear never before heard interviews with those clothes to the case, even the ones who didn't want it to be found. We have a bit. The trail over the podcast on the crime junkie, you two page, if you haven't already seen it, make sure you go check it out

to get a good idea of the story and what to expect and now go subscribed to counter clock wherever you get your podcast, that's counter, all one word and we're gonna be Dropping the first two episodes on January, sixteenth, so don't mess it now back to our show. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Greeley police were contacted by the Well County Sheriff's office now really was in old counties. This is a local agency. They would have been very familiar with, but the Well County Sheriff Harold Andrews tells Greeley police hey. I have a piece of scalp over here we what yeah scouts He says its human and it has medium Lang, Dark Brown, hair on it and he knew Jeanette had had dark brown hair, and he said I think, maybe you should come check this out.

In relation to that missing person case you guys have, and naturally, everyone's like kind of shock and like, of course asking all the important questions like. Where did you find this? When did you find this? How did you find an sheriff? Andrews tells him well. This piece is really small, like maybe an inch or two in diameter, and it was brought to this farm house by the farm dog who had found it somewhere, and people called us when they realise like what it was so the greatly pleased okay like this is how you got it. Did this just happened like when did this happen and the sheriffs has? No, you didn't just happen. It happened two months ago he's been sitting on this information for two months has he never worked a missing persons case in his entire life. That is awful here I don't know what kind of cases he's worked, but the sea ass. You class reported that Andrews waited to tell anyone about this because he said he was trying to verify that it was actually

human, and he didn't want to worry anyone before then so I ve everyone's trying to do their best job, but but, like time is critical like it would have been great like check this out early on. Maybe Greeley police has connections or could have like done this testing faster, whatever they did in two months to figure that it was human it a long time so when Greeley police finally get possession of that scalp, they send it off to the FBI for analysis, but things like this take time a lot of time. The Matthews family wouldn't get results from that testing for months, but in October Eighty five, the results do come back now. I don't know what testing was done exactly like. We know just from the time that it probably wasn't dna. This is one thousand nine hundred and eighty five, so my best guess is that they were doing some kind of hair analysis testing. But ultimately the result

on whether or not this scout belong to. You came back as inconclusive, and the next thing they do is heartbreaking to me when they couldn't make any conclusive determinations about this through testing. They asked Gloria to actually look at this to see. If the hair was like her daughter, so she had to go and she had to view it. She had to touch the hare, knowing that this could be all that was left of her youngest daughter, but Gloria said that the hare didn't feel right. It wasn't her daughters Gloria made this determination. In November of nineteen eighty five and the one year anniversary of genetic disappearance was approaching. The family was going to have to spend another Christmas with part of their family missing after that first year, Gloria. Eventually gave away tunnels Christmas presents and it was really starting to feel more final. General might never come home, and even

worse than that they might never know where she is or what happened on that night back in nineteen. Eighty four one year turned into two and five and it would be a years before there was a new lead in the investigation and the new lead came from five hundred miles away and they he. Ninety two Greeley police get a call from a department in South Dakota and they tell them and has been arrested and in his home they found a bunch of newspaper clippings of a bunch of missing children, and one of them was too now so police looked into this extensively, but this man seemingly had no, action to do now or her family, and they found out that he was nowhere near Greeley at the time of her disappearance so eight years, and they just got another dead, end

Finally in ninety ninety four ten years after journals disappearance, her family had her legally declared dead, knew this brought with it some closure. The family was able to have a little ceremony. They had a place, they could visit her if they wanted to, but she wasn't actually there just two years after- she was declared dead. The Matthews family got another shock when they received a letter in the meal, not from someone claiming to know about the case, but rather the letter came from journals, birth, mom and according to the Washington Post, she to finally meet you now, which is something Gloria New Dunno had always wanted. But now it was too late. Gloria had to make contact with the woman and tell her the circumstances of what had happened. Oh my gosh, like as someone who was it after has adopted. Kids like I cannot imagine like having that conversation. Even if something happened to make its biological family and they had wanted to reach out

and that wasn't personally, like that alone, be heartbreaking by two being adoptive mom and be trusted with someone else's kids and then have to have that conversation with them. Saying like I know that you put your daughter in my hands and she's, not here like that. I literally about to creating stop talking about it yeah. It was super hard for Gloria, but something that she knew she had to do. Yeah, of course, now more time passes for the family and, like so many cases, generals goes cold and gets overshot, do the years by bigger cases, like example, Germany, Ramsay in Colorado, like many people eventually like didn't know the case. Unless you lived in really like everyone outside of her hometown, never even knew her name, but the Matthews could never forget. They thought about you. Now, every single

day, even as their lives moved on and they moved away from Greeley Colorado like they would never be able to forget her or what happened now over the thirty year time span following denials disappearance. The feeling moved around a lot and lived even overseas, like I know they spent some time in the Philippines and eventually Gloria and Jim retired, to Costa Rica Glory and Jim said that they had. To the realization long before it had been thirty years that they probably would never get answers, but it was their faith that kept them and you know, bread, I'm not like overly religious, but there is particular story that Gloria told Joe Moiling that broke my heart. She said about six months in she was just driving along. She was praying for genetic return and as she drove she said this quote, I always and my prayers with Lord. You know that

going to give you all the honour and the glory. If we find you now, the next instant he's asking me, will you give me all of the honour and the glory. If you never find her that hit me so hard, I started following right there on thirty Fifth Avenue and ten street at the time, you're not ready to give up its just still so close end quote so. For thirty years, Gloria was still living in those words that she heard. What? If you never find her now little things would spark hope. Over the years in two thousand, fourteen remains were found in Greeley, and everyone speculated that it could be general. But it was quickly ruled out, and there was a brief time when a girl came forward claiming to be too now, but it was quickly again determined that it wasn't her and they're all

little pings of hope that come and go and how quickly daddy, but the most hope came in two thousand eighteen. When the Greeley police make a shocking announcement, they are taking a fresh look at the case. They are going to get an active again and start exploring all possible leads. They said and it seemed incredibly promising at the time because again in that Joam Oil, an article on the Greeley Tribune, he wrote quote thanks to new evidence, police think there are people in the can unity or the surrounding area who might have information about tunnels, disappearance that wasn't previously share with law enforcement. End quote and the article went on to say that the investigators were focusing in actual hard on the concert that general performed at before she disappeared now. In conjunction with making this statement. Police also released video from that concert that shows Chanel the day that she went missing and were aiming to send this. You tell me what you notice most

bout this video, okay, so pretty normal Christmas concert, they're just it's a pretty normal she's, very, like a red shirt Gallagher. So this videos released by the police and they actually like circle like who she is. We can like spot her yeah she's ring a red shirt. A blue jumper, but what's really bothering me is that the camera is focused on her the entire time right, like she is centred in the frame whole time now there was no information about this video release, so we don't know who took it like where the police got it from and it's totally possible that may be. They cropped it down. So we could see her better, but its super we're right, definite

now. There is also a lot of speculation online that in this video, which, by the way, will have a link to the Greeley police, Facebook page where you can find this video for yourself are beyond the website, but there's a lot of speculation that at one point in the club, people think that she's looking at someone and like makes a face and I'll be totally honest. I don't see it, but for those who do the question becomes? Who is she looking out since none of her family was there Well- and I mean you said it like it's a super small town- I would think that she would know a lot of people their yeah. I agree. I guess I don't even see it at all, but I dont read much into all of this, but I get why they want to look at it. I mean all these years later. I think a couple of things have become very clear: to police, like number one Juno know, was a doktor. She just walk off number two. It wasn't

a family member? I mean at this point years and years and years later they ve ruled out her dad they ruled out her Bio mom and, most importantly, I think the person to have either known or been watching. Jeanette like they only had one hour window. How did they know that her mom was gone and her dance sister were gone, like were they the one to open a grudge door? If so, how so police make it clear to the public bear looking for someone local, or at least some one, who was local back in nineteen, eighty four and it not likely we're onto something like any day now they were going Make an announcement that they'd cracked the case, but then after this announcement in December, two thousand and eighteen, nothing happened. No arrests, no big announcements. So once again the Matthews had to come to grips with the fact that answers

may never come even with all the fresh eyes in the world on the investigation and all the people who cared it just wasn't coming together. Gloria continued to lean on her face and she and Jim tried to cherish the daughter that they still had and after living in Costa Rica. For some time they decided to move back to the states specifically to the state of Washington or Jennifer, was living because they wanted to be close to her. But just a couple of days before they listed their house, foresail Gloria in Jim got the call that they thought was never coming General had been found. This episode was made possible by simply say in some states the week after Christmas sees the heaviest caseload for police, Greekan, so every single year during the holidays, because families are travelling and burglaries know that people have expensive gifts lying around. No, it's crazy about this is that

we one in five homes have homes, security, probably cause most companies. Don't make it easy it. Can you really difficult to news? There are these long term contracts full of all these these and these astronomical monthly fees, but simply safe is my choice for homes, security, its comprehensive professional home security at a fair price, and right now is the best time of the year to get simply safe security system. My listeners get a free security, camera, plus a huge discount on your security system, just visit simply safe dot com, slash crying junkie to get it ray camera plus simply saves holiday savings. This offer is, for a limited time only and its ending soon so visit, simply safe dot com, slash crime junkie today that simply safety account slash growing junkie now back to the ship.

After over thirty years, the Matthews knew that finding genetic wasn't going to be finding her alive, but this is more than they thought they would ever get they. Finally, had their daughter back and properly lay her to rest. Now. Denials means had been found purely by luck or or whatever you want to call it. In July, two thousand nineteen workers attempting to dig in oil pipeline were the ones to actually find her remains and her remains were not too far deep in the middle of this field, in the middle of nowhere now they're partially covered in deteriorating clothing that matched what you know had been wearing at that Christmas concert the night that she disappeared, where it was this that she was found so

like this big open field, and it was about eighteen miles, south of Greeley according to the Colorado sign. Oh so I pretty close to her home right right, so finding her was obviously an incredible leap forward in this investigation and by September, two thousand nineteen just two months after finding her police would go from having an absolutely ice cold case to naming publicly a person of interest. In September they named a mayor, That the Matthews family says they'd never heard of Steve Panky, who is this skyward

come round. Will what we learn from police is that steed panky had put himself right in polices sites, but not just after her body was found. He had inserted himself into the investigation with in weeks of Juno going missing and, according to an article from Fox Denver police say that through the years panky made multiple efforts to reach contact police. What was an angle like? Why was he contacting the police at all? So this is where things get kind of bonkers. Are you ready for this so police make this announcement about Steve being a person of interest, and so Steve does like a press tour and gives a couple of videotaped interviews and interviews footprint as well, where he explains why police are looking at him and his connection to the case, and they.

Are. We heard now keep in mind. Police have announced him as a person of interest, but he tells the Idaho statesmen that police consider him assess back so he's only when naming himself a suspect. Now I think the most informative interview he did was with Cavy TB. It's this. Team, one minute long, video and we're gonna linked to that video honor I say if you and watch the whole thing and usually like I give you all the highlights and if not how two percent necessary, but I'm gonna need you all to go wash this and tell me what you think, because there is so much to unpack here. So here is what Steve tells them about how he first any kind police, and why he's on the radar? He says that he never met the Matthews family in his whole life, ever knew them never knew too now, even though they re just minutes away from one another on the I dunno went missing. Steve says that he was at home with his then wife and son. Now

and he looked a couple of miles away from her so from his front door to her open garage, or it would only have been like a four minutes I've or maybe, like a twenty two thirty men walk baby faster if you're walking fast. So he says, he's at his home and without being asked anything about his car. He makes a point to talk about how his cars parked in the driveway, and it's just like pact to the boy ram with staff because they are planning on leaving the next morning to go visit his parents for Christmas. I don't like that at all, and it actually kind of brings me back to part of the story that we tell our life show like. Why is the car important? Are you telling us? It was full because you're trying to put like it in our minds that it couldn't have been used for anything over if you're going to spiral on everything he says this is gonna, be a four hour episode my hand, how I M telling you there's a lot of weird stuff in here, so he's on that night. The twentieth he's home and but you know the cars back to the brim and the driveway, and he does

to look out of his window to see the snowfall coming down because he said that he was worried that he might not be able to get out if there's too much. No, because they just have the guts to we'll drive part. So he's looking out his window and he says that a car which he assumed to be from like the sheriff's office, though I think in some places he set his unmarked. This car pulls into his property. With the lights on anything so himself. Oh another arbitrary charge is coming my way, I'm sorry what it's a weird thing to think, but he says multiple times throughout his interview that he had dislike, sordid pass with a grin. Police and all these local law enforcement agencies for that matter? When talking about his troubles at the police, he says quote: I have a gay background which really doesn't make sense.

Right away. But if you watch the whole video like he talks way later about how he had this relative, who was gay and killed in police custody like back in the forties or something so, I think he's kind of insinuating that police didn't at least like when he was a growing up like didn't, take well to homosexuality and, like there was this like stigma. There was this prejudice, but here's the thing like he didn't have problems with police because of his quote gave background like he puts it. He had a sordid history with police because he kept running with the law. So, while working as a youth pastor at a local church, he was accused of rape, and this was back in the seventies and the charges did eventually end up being dropped, but he lost his position in the church over it. In this interview he tried to explain it away in his explanation to me. Like a

but almost more problematic? He says he was sleeping with this woman. She got pregnant. She went overseas to England, had an abortion and then comes back and he says he's super peasant her, because she did that without asking his permission, and he says that when she came back they had sex one more time and then after they had sex, he runs like go. Tell the church about where abortion is they're, both very heavily involved in this church. So in his mind he says this is why she accuses me of rate wait a minute. I think there is so much to unpack in just like that. One paragraph No, I'm telling you this interview is reason I mean even in One story there's like some very clear, massage any emotional extortion with like a touch of hypocrisy, but this is an all. So, in addition to this allegation, there were other charges against him for harassment and according to Steve, there were like twenty separate incidents where he had

ends with the law and he says most were dropped. A couple went to jury trials and he says that he one every single case. Do you know anything else about the harassment charges like? Is there like a defined victim profile. Now, so I dont know any it all I do know again. This is all from his interview that one of the harassment charges that went to trial was brought by his aunt, and she said that he was leaving her Grassy phone calls and another harassment charge was from a man who Steve describes, as quote, he was a friend of mine, I'll just put it that way,. So I don't know how to fully like read between the lines here. But the point is he's not a squeaky clean do like he had some run ins with the law. So in his mind, when he's looking out this window to see the snowfall and his car that he thinks is like a sheriff deputy pulled into his driveway, he thinks they're coming for him, which wasn't background or no background, as law enforcement. I think it's a weird thing to sing. Like I don't know, I haven't been the target of police scrutiny.

Knock on wood, but, like it's almost Christmas car pulls India driveway. Your first thought is that police are coming for you yeah, like not. Maybe your neighbors ringing cookies over something super innocent or even just someone like took a wrong turn in this, like turning around in your driveway, but whoever was in the car. He says parks, therefore, a little bed their lights around the house then turn around and leave now when he's telling the story he may the note again like when he's talking, but this car coming in and out of the his proper He makes no again about how his cars there in his car is packed the max now he says he I think any more of the car and went inside. Then him and his family got up the next morning super early at like three or four in the morning and left town. So he says they dry Silence, there's no radio on, so he wouldn't have heard any reports of general being missing that night. He says it wasn't until they all returned to Colorado on the twenty six that he first heard generals name on the radio and this when he first learned that she's missing, but even then

said it didn't like ring any bells for him. He just made a note of it. Then, the next day on the twenty seventh he said his father in law came over a father in law that, according to Steve, he is not on speaking terms with at the time. But this father in law comes to his house and he decides to speak to him on this day and of all the things he could say. He tells him and off the wall story. Steve says that his father in law, who is a grounds keeper at a cemetery, tells him miss. He says a cop came to him and said that he had a body that need to be buried in a casket and that it would look bad for Steve, so Steve says in his first reaction.

To ask his father in law, if he's wearing a wire for police and why he doesn't really explain why he is mine went there, but he said he didn't know what was going on and they get all of it felt fishing you, but his father in law would sandy more and then just left, and this is where, like a conspiracy, kind of starts to build instincts mind. He says it was the police who are responsible. So he calls his lawyer to find out what he should do, but his lawyers out of the country for a short time so after he can't get a whole this lawyer. He decides that he wants to search his own property, particularly close to where he had seen those headlights, the knight of the twentieth, but he ends up finding nothing eventually, his lawyer got back to him and advised him to go to the police with whatever information he had and Steve said in this interview he was super worried that if he didn't tell police his story that he would basically be charged with obstruction, which I don't

like that's what his lawyer advised him or why he thought that. But he says that's the reason he decides to call the FBI. He said I called the FBI because I don't want your Greeley police like we have such a sort of history, but I wonder call them and tell them this story that my Father in law told me. So the FBI takes a statement from him about this story, but they also asking other questions. I mean it's weird stories, they're trying to learn more about Steve about his past. Like could he have any connection too general, and it turns out that the church that he was a youth pastor at will the same one journals family eventually went to, but it seems like based started attending after he had already left. But there's another loose connection to two now Steve had a sordid history with Russ the dad who dropped off personnel the night that she went missing, Russen Steve had worked together and had actually gone to court over some work related stuff. Ok, but that's him

a pretty loose connection. No, I totally agree whatever reason. Police think Steve Panky is a person of interest, for I don't think it has to do with the church or with ruts. Now, after this, Mitchell Interview with the FBI. Steve says that he doesn't have much interaction with the cops he says he never talk to them, while the cops say that Steve reached out multiple times over the years trying to make contact eventually Stephen his feeling move away from Colorado and they end up in item oh, where he joined a latter day, saints church. Now this is the mid nineties. At this point, and Steve tells this story again: totally unprompted and its water fails to speak. Go like he said that when he joined the church and got baptize, the Bishop asked him. If there's We think that he wanted to confess anything. Maybe that's wait heavy on him over the years and he says well, there was this girl that went Miss

in Colorado. When I was living there, she disappeared, and I had this weird conversation Father in law about it and it's always bothered me And this is like ninety two, ninety three, according to him at this point, so he's asked if, in his life there has been, anything that weighs heavy on his conscious and mind you, we talked about kind of assorted path like lots of legal run, ends a woman whose accused him of rape and what ways most on him is like an off handed, Laurie from a guy who's now deceased about a girl who went missing in your hometown ten years ago, I mean- I guess it something stick with me. If I had a conversation like that, I'm, u listen! I believe that it would stick with me too, but our lives are every vanilla and we're obsessed with stories like this now granted- I mean this was a big case in a small town. So I'm sure it would stick with anyone and Steve tries to say as much. He basically says it was in the town had never had anything like this happen. It was all that was talked about

here's. The thing, though, when he tries to like make this sentiment, he messes up bad. I got a copy of the news. Per and the general masses thing was all over it and was the only murder in the area that was at tat time disappearance at that time. That was talked about. So I went what I did is the very next week, the only murder in the area at the time murder. Now he corrected himself and we do know now ain't you at the point of these doing this interview. We do know that she was murdered, but when he's talking about this he's like telling the story in the context well, things were in eighty four. No one knew it was a murderer than you. Would I him to say disappearance of your talking about how things are

hold it and how you remember the town reacting in nineteen. Eighty four the really isn't, a ton more that happens until December two thousand and eighteen, when the case gets like rejuvenated by police- and he says this is really when he has the most contact with them again as after December, two thousand eighteen in April, the case seem to be picking up steam and remember. This is before you now have ever been found. Police were tracking down,

Steve's family members there looking at him before they know that is the murdered by season when it's still a missing person there, tracking on Steve's family and according to Steve and his interview, police called his aunt's home and he talks to her and her husband and they tell them that Steve's name is all over the casefile. Now, after talking to family, Steve says that police eventually come to visit him, and he says he willingly talks to police that he even gives them a dna sample. He offered to take a polygraph to take a voice stress test and he says he's the one that actually orange police to collect dna because he said listen. This is how it's all getting solved. They are getting Salva DNA like this at home. In a clear, my name help I mean it's been thirty four years I mean after her body being out. There are like there's, probably not that much dna to be found right, yeah, but here's the thing. I think it's kind of a moot point, because the Colorado son has reported that police say a dna collection,

never happened? Why lie about it? I don't know, but Asher tunnels body was discovered. The he gets turned up unseen panky and in early September his Idaho town Home was served with a search warrant and it's kind of interesting what was on it like. I have a copy of the warrant and I'll put that on our blog posts, basically they're. Looking for all things did which seems pretty standard. Your phones, computers, like any kind of story right. I imagine there looking for like a history of him, maybe looking up her case, any kind of communications maybe even illegal images on the computer, it doesn't say, but it says the worn is served in connection with a kidnapping and a homicide, but they also space vaguely call out in the warrant that they're looking for it like diaries, journals, notes, anything like that, So are we thinking that if he had something to do with it, he was maybe like writing about it. I have no idea so to give you a little bit of perspective. It was just a week or two after

serve this warrant that they end up announcing that steel panky is a personal interest, so I would assume that maybe they found something that would maybe help build a case as a whole so like ruling him out like if you found nothing, it seems like kind of surprising thing, to announce a person of interest when you didn't find anything, but here's the catch. This all went down in September, two thousand nineteen everyone's just been like holding their breath sense, because nothing has happened, Steve Panky has only been named a person of interest. The only person who has ever called him a suspect has been himself. He swears. He had nothing to do with it. In the interview I saw. He actually implies again that perhaps police were involved like any its super of using a kind of makes like reference it s like these powerful people that were connected in that local church. The basically saying there's some big conspiracy. So did they ever search the house but he originally that, like the one near generals House, so I dont know if they ever search the entire.

Your of the whole? Maybe it's been a long time, but I know that they did dig up like three spots on the property, but they didn't tell press if they found anything when they did that. So we are all just waiting. It was miracle that general had been found. Her sister Jennifer told you Socio press that gone so many other ways if they would have dug a one foot, the right one foot to the left. Her disappearance would still be a mystery to this day, but it night, we know Jeanette was murdered. Now we just need, another little miracle to help police prove who murdered her, We need a miracle or maybe a deal a deal. What do you mean in that interview with K tv beam? The rapporteur asked Steve, you know, there's someone who appears to

the EU that is commenting on some of the newspaper articles about this case, and he brings up to comment specifically and one of the comments made by this person who looks like Steve, said quote without a deal. This may never be resolved. So the rapporteur asked him about this and he admits it was him. You are always looks as if those who commented on a few stories on why right grew attribute story as well as of another rid the comments. One of the commerce was coarse, morph, whitewash, more young and another comment was without a deal. Dismayed results right work. What did you mean

you mean by without a deal. This may never be resolved just just that without a deal it, it may never be resolved. What kind of deal would you be looking well, not necessarily for me, so we are left to our police still working on building a case or could it be time to make a deal to finally get justice version now and catch Smith Killer. If you have any formation that may be helpful in this case. Contact the Greeley police tip line at nine hundred and seventy three hundred and fifty one five hundred and ten.

Zero. We will have that number and aligned to the really police site, along with pictures from his case and sources that we use all our website crimes and he podcast dot com and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Come to give advice. May No, we will actually not be back next week with the new episode since we brought you want for Christmas. We are going to take some time off in years to be with our family, but we'll be back. You have sex with a brand new episode around right now for a wonderful profit of the month.

Crying junkie is an audio chuck production. So what do you think Chuck deal proof o K Ashley. So today I M going to tell you a little bit about a puppet named quartet. Not ok and coordinate is a boxer mix who kind about bounce around a few different humane societies in Virginia. She was actually adopted twice before our list, Megan adopt an irish which is just so sad, the first time she was returned because she was allowed to stay in the home that originally adopted. Her do too, like the landlords disapproval and the second time the family soon welcomed a new baby. So court was just too much for them to keep and they brought her back

again and when Megan and her boyfriend first met court on at a humane society. She was the only dog in the kennels, not barking, and just apsley going nuts. They were in college they just moved into a new apartment building, and there like, we could do a quiet dog and ask to take her into the play room where she immediately brightened around throwing toys herself to her, and they knew autonomy was the perfect profit for them and since that day, internet in sixteen Cortina has been adventuring with them non up, we ve gone from Virginia to Washington DC. Both the Carolinas, unlike honestly, all of the North EAST Coast, including New York City for them Macy's Thanksgiving Day seventeen court on has an all sorts of amazingly fun. Things were done that I might add, by the way, I feel like this dog is more well travel than some humans. I know oh wait till you here she is gone

a major League baseball game hike to the Adirondacks Rhonda Ridge Mountains, gone to. Niagara falls like seriously. We were travel Ban MIA even how there now all settled in Montreal, Quebec and Megan said that this year has been a little bit tough, because right around her fifth birthday, they discover that she had amassed cell tumor and they decided to throw her a huge birthday party at her favorite place in Montreal. The doggie cafe where she had her very own birthday cake that she devoured and a few weeks after her birthday, she had her big surgery. In may to help her tumor removed and even though it was super super scary, Cortina has been recovery. Just by really literally holding my breath this whole time. No, she spent all summer kayaking swim.

And even running with Megan a few times while she was training for a marathon and Megan said right now, they're just settling in for another snowy wintering backed I'm so That was a great. I thought you were to bring you down on Christmas. Ono never never a, but I do want to brag on you a little bit and crime junkie Youtube, really cool without even telling me I did. You got hooked up with India, and we are going to talk a lot, they send you a great. Thank you email for those. Are you don't know turkey is now sponsoring a candle at inhumane and they sent us a thank you note and

Who did some information about the proper who is living in the country he pod cast? Can all good good prize? I hope we can get this poppy adopted me too and honestly. I didn't even really play on this when I picked quota, but we are going to talk about hot low, who is adaptable, inhumane and he is also a boxer mix all and he was also adopted twice for landing back at indeed, human just like Cortina and he came into you mean when he was a puppy and he had a completely mangled leg and he actually spent like weeks in medical care and recovery. But he's doing amazingly now he's super silly and loves to just like explode with

g and that's one of the reasons that he got brought back one time the family had another dog. They brought him back, because these are bad, Pablo and other dog just played all the time, and it was too much for them to handle which, like that's all I want in life, is to play with proper sake. I think sweet and inhumane said that you Pablo future. Families should know that, like he is ready to live his oldest life and they're, looking for an adopter with an active lifestyle filled with fun toys, positive training sessions and, of course, all of the cut off so guys. We're gonna put a picture of Pablo upon our website. He is the swedish lightest criticism, hobble, frankness, forever home Pablo, given only court We love you and thank you for everything you guys are doing over it into humane. We love you guys merry Christmas,

thanks to simply say for being us, answer of crime junkie and making today's episode possible.