>> WE DROPPED JONELLE OFF.
>> Reporter: AND YOU AND YOUR DAD WENT HOME?
>> WE WENT HOME. >> Reporter: IMAGINE HER BEING
TAKEN FROM HER HOME. >> TAKEN
SHE MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED >> I GET A CALL WE HAVE A
MISSING CHILD. >> SHE HAD COME HOME, TAKEN OFF
HER COAT JUST LIKE SHE WAS JUST GOING TO SETTLE DOWN AND
WATCH TV >> IT WAS TRULY BAFFLING
>> NO SIGNS OF STRUGGLE. NOTHING MISSING IN THE HOUSE
>> THERE WERE SHOE PRINTS FOUND AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
>> DOORS ARE GETTING LOCKED. PARENTS WERE WARNING CHILDREN.
IT REALLY ROCKED THIS COMMUNITY. >> EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO LIVED
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDED TO BE TRACKED DOWN
I KNOW YOU DID GO OVER TO JONELLE THAT NIGHT
>> ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOT. >> THEY DID NOT HAVE PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE ALL LEADS WERE GOING DEAD.
>> I'VE GOT INFORMATION YOU WANT, AND YOU CAN"T HAVE IT.
>> THIS MIGHT REALLY MIGHT BE SOMETHING.
>> Reporter: PRETTY DRAMATIC STUFF.
>> VERY DRAMATIC STUFF >> UNFORGIVABLE.
HOW CAN YOU FORGIVE EVIL >> A CHILD KIDNAPPED
A TOWN HAUNTED A KILLER TAUNTING DETECTIVES
SEE HOW THEY CAUGHT HIM AT LAST. I"M LESTER HOLT, AND THIS IS
"DATELINE. HERE"S DENNIS MURPHY WITH
"FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE PLACE
WHERE HE LEFT HER, THIS WINDSWEPT SCRUFF OF LAND
I ALMOST FEEL LIKE WE"RE ON SACRED GROUND OR SOMETHING, I
MEAN, WITH ALL OF THIS PRAIRIE OUT HERE
WAY OFF THE PAVED ROAD NOWHERE.
>> IT"S ENDLESS. >> Reporter: YEAH.
>> GETTING RID OF A BODY OUT HERE IS EXTREMELY EASY
>> Reporter: AND THERE, FOR PASSING DECADES OF WINTER SNOW
AND SUMMER HEAT, SHE LAY ABANDONED, ALONE
BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. >> PART OF THIS STORY TOUCHES SO
DEEPLY ON THAT FEAR THAT WE ALL HAVE AS PARENTS, THAT THERE'LL
BE A MOMENT WHERE WE WON"T BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR CHILD.
>> Reporter: AND THE NEARBY TOWN WAS PARALYZED IN OH-MY-GOD FEAR
FROM THAT VERY FIRST MOMENT WHEN WORD PASSED -- JONELLE MATTHEWS
HAD GONE MISSING >> HE SAYS, "GLO, I DON"T KNOW
HOW TO TELL THIS TO YOU, BUT WE CAN"T FIND JONELLE."
>> I KNEW THE LONGER IT GOES ON, THE LESS CHANCE THAT WE WOULD
FIND HER ALIVE >> Reporter: AND NO ONE EVER
QUITE FORGOT THE NIGHT GREELEY LOST ITS INNOCENCE
>> IT'LL NEVER BE OVER JONELLE IS ALWAYS THERE.
JONELLE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A STORY THAT YOU HAVE TO TELL.
>> Reporter: IT WAS JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DECEMBER 20th, 1984,
IN SMALL TOWN GREELEY, COLORADO. BACK THEN, GREELEY WAS A COW
TOWN ON COLORADO'S EASTERN PRAIRIE, A QUIET PLACE TO SET
DOWN ROOTS AND RAISE A FAMILY. >> GREELEY WAS
50,000 APPROXIMATELY AT THAT TIME
NOW IT"S ABOUT 125,000, 130,000. BUT TO ME IT WAS KIN
OF AN IDEAL MIDWEST TOWN, SMALL MIDWEST TOWN, GOOD PLACE TO
RAISE KIDS, GOOD SCHOOLS >> Reporter: JIM MATTHEWS MOVED
HERE FROM CALIFORNIA WITH HIS WIFE, GLORIA, AND TWO DAUGHTERS,
JONELLE AND JENNIFER YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING
TALKING TO YOUR PARENTS, I HAD THIS KIND OF PICTURE OF GREELEY,
COLORADO, LIKE THE OLD TV SHOWS FROM THE '50s --
>> I"D SAY THAT'S -- >> Reporter: -- GROWING UP,
JENNIFER >> -- EXACTLY RIGHT.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE AND PLAYING WITH
MY FRIENDS AND COMING HOME BY DARK AND JUST ENJOYING LIFE.
>> Reporter: THAT DECEMBER, 1984, GLORIA DECIDED TO TAKE A
TRIP BACK TO THE WEST COAST TO VISIT HER EXTENDED FAMILY.
THAT MEANT SHE WOULD MISS CHRISTMAS DAY IN GREELEY
>> YOU KNOW, JONELLE SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
ABOUT CHRISTMAS? AND GLORIA TOLD HER, YOU KNOW,
"WE'LL JUST WAIT ANOTHER DAY AND MOM WILL BE BACK ON THE 26th AND
WE'LL CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. BUT EVEN WITH GLORIA AWAY IN THE
DAYS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS, JIM WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE THE
MOST OF THE SEASON FOR HIS DAUGHTERS.
JENNIFER WAS 16 THEN, JONELLE 12
AND WHAT DID JONELLE IN PARTICULAR THINK ABOUT CHRISTMAS
COMING AROUND? >> SHE LOVED CHRISTMAS
SHE LIKED TO MAKE PRESENTS FOR HER FRIENDS.
>> SHE LIKED TO GET PRESENTS >> AND SHE LIKED TO GET
PRESENTS YEAH, WHO DOESN'T?
>> SHE WAS EXCITED FOR THE GIFTS AND JUST EVERYTHING ABOUT
CHRISTMAS. AND THE SONGS.
>> Reporter: DEANNA ROSS WAS JONELLE'S CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND,
AND THEY SANG TOGETHER IN THE SCHOOL'S HONOR CHOIR
THEY'D BOTH BEEN REHEARSING HARD FOR THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT THAT
NIGHT OF DECEMBER 20th IT WAS THE LAST BIG EVENT BEFORE
SCHOOL ENDED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THAT'S JONELLE, RIGHT THERE IN
THE MIDDLE DID JONELLE ENJOY IT
>> SHE LOVED THAT, YES >> Reporter: THAT WAS REALLY HER
SWEET SPOT, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.
>> Reporter: JIM MATTHEWS WAS JUGGLING THE SCHEDULES OF BOTH
DAUGHTERS THAT EVENING FIRST HE DROPPED JONELLE OFF AND
THEN WENT TO WATCH JENNIFER'S BASKETBALL GAME.
HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT BACK IN TIME TO TAKE JONELLE HOME
IS JONELLE STUCK WITHOUT A RIDE? DID SHE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
SHE'S GONNA GET HOME >> NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I THINK SHE HAD A RIDE FIGURED OUT, UM, BUT I THINK SHE CAME
WITH US AT THE LAST MINUTE >> Reporter: JONELLE HOPPED IN A
PICK-UP WITH DEANNA AND HER DAD, RUSS ROSS.
WHEN THEY PULLED UP TO THE MATTHEWS' HOME AT ABOUT
8:30 P.M., NOTHING SEEMED OUT OF THE ORDINARY
JONELLE RAN INTO THE HOUSE THROUGH THE GARAGE AND GAVE HER
SECRET SIGNAL. >> SHE WENT INSIDE AND FLICKED
THE LIGHT ON AND OFF TO LET US KNOW THAT SHE'S INSIDE
AND THEN ME AND MY DAD LEFT. >> Reporter: THAT WAS THE OKAY
SIGNAL, HUH? >> YEAH, THE OKAY SIGNAL
>> Reporter: DEANNA AND HER DAD DROVE AWAY
JIM ARRIVED HOME FROM JENNIFER'S BASKETBALL GAME AT 9:30, ABOUT
AN HOUR AFTER JONELLE. 30 MINUTES LATER, JENNIFER
ARRIVED HOME >> I CAME HOME AROUND 10:00, AND
MY DAD HAD ASKED, "DO YOU KNOW WHERE JONELLE IS?"
AND I SAID, "NO. SHE USUALLY CAME HOME AND WOULD
WATCH TV AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS ABOUT NOT BEING WHERE
SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE BACK
OF YOUR NECK TELLING YOU, ANYTHING
>> JUST THAT THIS WAS NOT RIGHT. SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
>> Reporter: SO JIM CALLED THE LAST PERSON HE THOUGHT HAD SEEN
JONELLE -- RUSS ROSS >> I CALLED RUSS, AND I SAID,
"RUSS, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT JONELLE?
HE SAYS, "YEAH." HE SAID, "I BROUGHT HER HOME,
AND I WATCHED HER WALK IN. THE GARAGE DOOR WAS OPEN."
AND HE SAID SHE WALKED INTO THE GARAGE AREA AND USED THAT DOOR
TO ENTER THE HOUSE AND THEN SHE FLICKED THE LIGHTS
ON AND OFF TO SAY THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
>> Reporter: JIM KNEW IMMEDIATELY SOMETHING WAS AWRY
THE GARAGE DOOR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OPEN.
>> IT WAS NOT OPEN WHEN WE LEFT. >> Reporter: ONE THING WAS
TERRIFYINGLY CLEAR 12-YEAR-OLD JONELLE MATTHEWS WAS
NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. BUT IN THAT GARAGE, CLUES ABOUT
WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER WERE
REMEMBERS VIVIDLY BEING STARTLED AWAKE BY HER FATHER IN THE DEAD
OF NIGHT THAT DECEMBER 20, 1984. >> I REMEMBER FEELING KIND OF
LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND NOT REALLY IT
REGISTERING WITH ME, WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
>> Reporter: WHAT HER FATHER WAS SAYING DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
HER BEST FRIEND, JONELLE MATTHEWS, MISSING?
BUT THE TWO GIRLS HAD JUST PERFORMED IN THEIR SCHOOL'S
CHRISTMAS CONCERT HOURS BEFORE? DEANNA'S DAD HAD DRIVEN THEM
HOME YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO TELL
HIM. THE LAST YOU'VE SEEN HER -
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: -- THAT WAS HER
GOING INTO THE HOUSE >> YES
>> Reporter: BACK AT THE MATTHEW'S HOUSE, LATE AS IT WAS,
HER FATHER JIM CONTINUED TO CALL AROUND TO SEE IF ANYONE KNEW
WHERE JONELLE WAS. NO ONE DID
>> SO, NOW I'M STARTING TO REALLY BE CONCERNED.
>> Reporter: FINALLY, HE CALLED THE POLICE.
OFFICERS FROM THE GREELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED QUICKLY
>> THEY CAME RIGHT AWAY WHEN MY DAD HAD CALLED.
AND WAKING ME UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO FINGERPRINT MY
ROOM >> Reporter: OH.
HOW AWFUL FOR YOU. >> IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU
WANTED TO HAVE DONE SO THAT THEY COULD FIND JONELLE
>> Reporter: POLICE SCOURED EVERY INCH OF THE HOUSE AS JIM
AND JENNIFER STOOD BY IN SILENCE.
AND THEIR HOME WAS RARELY SILENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE
EBULLIENT AND SOMETIMES CHEEKY JONELLE WAS AROUND
>> Reporter: BOSSY >> CORRECT
>> Reporter: SASSY >> YES, JUST OPINIONATED.
SHE WAS SWEET AND HAD A TENDER HEART.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT BECAUSE I WAS JUST ROLLING MY EYES TO THE
OTHER MORE DRAMATIC ACTIONS THAT SHE WOULD DO
>> I'LL TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT JONELLE.
IT WAS A SUNDAY NIGHT AND SHE WANTED SOMETHING AND I SAID, NO,
JONELLE. SHE STOMPS OUT THE ROOM.
SHE COMES BACK A FEW MINUTES LATER AND SHE ASKS ME THE SAME
QUESTION. AND BY THAT TIME, I WAS GETTING
ANGRY. I SAID NO, JONELLE.
AND SHE STOMPS OUT THE ROOM AND SHE SAYS SUFFER THE LITTLE
CHILDREN AND FORBID THEM NOT >> Reporter: DEANNA SAYS JONELLE
JUST LOVED MUSIC AND BROUGHT ANY SITUATION TO LIFE.
WHAT DID SHE LIKE? WHAT LITTLE GIRL THINGS DID SHE
HAVE? SHE HAD BOY BAND POSTERS ON HER
WALL OR -- >> OH, DEFINITELY.
ONE THAT STICKS OUT IS MENUDO. SHE LOVED MENUDO
>> Reporter: BUT NOW, IN THAT HOUSE CRAWLING WITH POLICE,
THERE WAS NO MUSIC, JUST WORRY THE CLUES WERE MEAGER AT BEST.
JONELLE HAD LEFT HER STOCKINGS ON THE COUCH.
AND SHE'D WRITTEN A NOTE FOR HER DAD TO RETURN A CALL TO ONE OF
HIS EMPLOYEES. POLICE FOUND NO SIGNS OF
STRUGGLE, BUT THE SHOES JONELLE HAD WORN TO THE CONCERT THAT
EVENING WERE INSIDE THE HOUSE AND NONE OF HER OTHER SHOES WERE
MISSING. PERHAPS A SIGN, POLICE
SPECULATED, THAT JONELLE DIDN'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WILLINGLY.
AS DAWN BROKE WITH STILL NO TRACE OF JONELLE, THE GREELEY
POLICE DEPARTMENT DISPATCHED MORE OFFICERS TO THE SCENE
>> I WAS CALLED OUT, UH, I DON"T KNOW, 4, 5:00 IN THE MORNING
>> Reporter: JOHN GATES WAS A GREELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE BACK IN 1984 NOW, HE"S THE MAYOR OF GREELEY
>> THERE"S A GIRL THAT'S BEEN MISSING NOW SINCE LAST NIGHT
THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SEVERAL OPTIONS.
OF COURSE, YOU"RE HOPING IT'S A GIRL THAT'S RUN AWAY
>> Reporter: YES >> OR MAYBE WITH A FRIEND THAT
DIDN'T COMMUNICATE THAT TO HER PARENTS.
>> Reporter: BY THE EARLY MORNING, POLICE HAD FANNED OUT
ACROSS GREELEY TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD SEEN JONELLE OR KNEW WHERE
SHE MIGHT BE GATES AND HIS PARTNER MOVED
METHODICALLY, ON FOOT, THROUGH THE SNOW
>> WE KNOCKED ON ALL THE DOORS THAT WE COULD.
>> Reporter: YOU'RE A CANVASSER. >> CORRECT
>> Reporter: PATROL OFFICER KEITH OLSON WAS CALLED TO THE
SCENE TOO. THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DOES
IT LOOK TO YOUR EYES MORE OR LESS THE SAME?
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IRONIC IS IT LOOKS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME.
WE HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF, UH, WEATHER.
THE -- THE SNOW IS COVERING THE LAWNS.
>> Reporter: OLSON WAS TOLD TO CHECK OUT A NEW AND POSSIBLY
IMPORTANT CLUE, UNIDENTIFIED SHOE PRINTS IN THE SNOW LEADING
TO ONE OF THE WINDOWS AT THE MATTHEWS' HOUSE.
>> WE DON"T HAVE A LOT OF FACTS, BUT THERE WERE SHOE PRINTS FOUND
AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE AS IF SOMEONE WAS LOOKING INTO
THE WINDOWS. >> Reporter: SO THERE'S THE
SIGN, MAYBE OF FOUL PLAY - >> RIGHT
>> Reporter: -- BUT YOU DON"T KNOW
>> AND ALSO, THAT SAME SHOE PRINT IS FOUND WALKING THROUGH
THE GREASE OF THE TWO-CAR GARAGE WALKING TOWARDS A RAKE
>> Reporter: AND OLSON AND OTHERS NOTICED AN ODD DETAIL
ABOUT THAT RAKE. IT HAD BEEN USED TO RAKE OVER
THE SHOE PRINTS -- AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD TRIED TO COVER THEM
UP INVESTIGATORS DECIDED TO KEEP
THAT INFORMATION CLOSE TO THE VEST, SO AS NOT TO TIP OFF THE
POSSIBLE PERPETRATOR >> THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SHOE PRINTS, THE RAKED-OUT SHOE PRINTS, UH, THE FACT HER SHOES
WERE -- WERE FOUND IN THE HOUSE, WAS INFORMATION NOT RELEASED TO
THE PRESS. >> Reporter: LATER THAT MORNING,
DETECTIVE GATES HEADED DOWN THE STREET TO JONELLE'S MIDDLE
SCHOOL TO SEE IF HE COULD LEARN ANYTHING NEW FROM JONELLE'S
FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES >> YOU ASK THE OBVIOUS
QUESTIONS. HAS -- HAS SHE BEEN TROUBLED?
IS THERE -- WOULD THERE BEEN ANY INDICATORS
>> Reporter: DID YOU GET ANY RED FLAGS ABOUT JONELLE?
>> UM, NONE WHATSOEVER >> Reporter: SHE HAD NO FRIENDS
SHE WAS GOING TO RUN OFF WITH OR -
>> NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. IF MY SISTER WERE TO HAVE RUN
AWAY, SHE WOULD HAVE LEFT A NOTE, BEEN DRAMATIC ABOUT IT,
AND NOT DONE IT FIVE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
THAT WAS A BIG HOLIDAY FOR JONELLE.
SHE HAD PRESENTS TO GIVE TO HER FRIENDS THE NEXT DAY FOR THE
HOLIDAYS RUNNING AWAY AT CHRISTMAS TIME
PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON HER RADAR.
>> Reporter: YOU WOULD SAY IT'D BE OUT OF CHARACTER FOR HER.
>> CORRECT >> Reporter: WHEN JONELLE'S MOM
GLORIA CALLED TO CHECK IN FROM CALIFORNIA, JIM GAVE HER THE
HORRIBLE NEWS. >> HE SAYS, "GLO, I DON"T KNOW
HOW TO TELL THIS TO YOU, BUT WE CAN'T FIND JONELLE."
I MEAN, RIGHT AWAY, I FELT SICK TO MY STOMACH.
>> Reporter: GLORIA MADE PLANS TO TRAVEL HOME RIGHT AWAY.
MEANWHILE, AS INVESTIGATORS RANG DOORBELLS IN GREELEY, FINDING
NOTHING, THEIR GAZE BEGAN TO TURN BACK TO WHERE THE
INVESTIGATION STARTED. >> IN THIS SITUATION IT'S NOT
UNCOMMON FOR A PARENT TO BE INVOLVED
>> Reporter: IS THAT WHY JIM MATTHEWS BECAME A SUSPECT?
>> Reporter: AS CHRISTMAS DAY DAWNED IN GREELEY, THE MATTHEWS
HOME WAS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY QUIET.
THERE WERE NO JOYFUL OUTBURSTS AS 12-YEAR-OLD JONELLE UNWRAPPED
HER PRESENTS THEY SAT UNOPENED BENEATH THE
CHRISTMAS TREE AND HER CONTAGIOUS ENTHUSIASM HAD BEEN
REPLACED BY A DARK, UNSPOKEN FEAR
HAD JONELLE BEEN KIDNAPPED OR WORSE?
THIS HAS TO BE JUST UNREAL FOR YOU.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO ONE ANOTHER >> WE JUST EMBRACE AND, YOU
KNOW, TRYING TO THINK POSITIVELY THAT SHE'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW,
TURN UP. BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN
ARE? >> Reporter: YOU SEARCH FOR THEM
24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. AND THAT'S WHAT THE FAMILY, THE
POLICE, AND THE PEOPLE OF GREELEY MOBILIZED TO DO.
>> STILL HAVE HOPE THAT SHE'LL BE FOUND AND THAT SHE'LL BE
FOUND SAFELY AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO START
GEARING UP OUR EFFORTS IN TWO OR THREE MAJOR CHANNELS TO GET THE
WORD OUT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SPOT HER.
WE HAD A COUNTYWIDE SEARCH THAT THE POLICE AND A COUPLE OF OUR
BOARD MEMBERS IN OUR CHURCH ORGANIZED AND COORDINATED PEOPLE
FOR THIS SEARCH. >> THE PEOPLE OF GREELEY ARE
LIKE SALT OF THE EARTH, AND THEY PUT THEIR NEEDS ASIDE TO TAKE
CARE OF THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S HUMBLING TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THIS.
>> Reporter: FAMILY FRIEND EILEEN HUFF WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO
RUSHED TO THE FAMILY'S SIDE. WHAT COULD YOU READ IN THEIR
FACES ON WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TO YOU?
>> YOU KNOW, GLORIA AND JIM, THROUGH ALL OF THIS, HAVE BEEN
THE MOST GRACIOUS, KIND, LOVING PEOPLE
AND THAT'S WHO THEY ARE. AND THEY WOULD SHARE, HONESTLY,
HOW THEY FELT. WE WANTED SO MUCH TO ALLEVIATE
THAT PAIN TO DO SOMETHING TO BRING HER HOME
>> Reporter: AS THE INVESTIGATION WAS TAKING SHAPE,
POLICE FOCUSED ON THE MAN WHO HAD BROUGHT JONELLE HOME THAT
NIGHT -- DEANNA'S DAD, RUSS ROSS.
DETECTIVES TREATED HIM FIRST AS A WITNESS, BUT ABOUT A MONTH
AFTER JONELLE DISAPPEARED, THEY BROUGHT HIM IN FOR SOME TOUGH
QUESTIONING. DEANNA REMEMBERS HOW IT STARTED
TO TAKE A TOLL ON HIM. >> IT BOTHERED HIM
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW HE
FELT, AND HE WAS FULLY COOPERATIVE.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHY -- WHY THEY HAD TO QUESTION HIM THE WAY THEY
DID. >> Reporter: HE WAS THE LAST
ADULT KNOWN TO HAVE SEEN HER >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Reporter: MEANWHILE, THE GREELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD
FOUND LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE SO THEY SHARPENED THEIR FOCUS ON
THOSE CLOSEST TO JONELLE IS THIS A STATISTICAL TEMPLATE
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? START WITH A FAMILY, BECAUSE
STATISTICALLY, THAT OFTEN TURNS OUT TO BE WHO HAS THE ANSWERS TO
THIS THING >> THAT'S ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF
YOUR MIND. BUT IN THIS CASE, IT WASN'T SOME
TEMPLATE IT WAS -- THERE WAS THESE
OUTWARD SIGNS. >> Reporter: ESPECIALLY,
INVESTIGATORS THOUGHT, WITH JONELLE'S FATHER, JIM.
HE TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE DIDN'T NOTICE RIGHT AWAY THAT JONELLE
WAS MISSING. HE SHOUTED HELLO WHEN HE GOT
HOME, BUT DIDN'T MAKE MUCH OF IT WHEN JONELLE DIDN'T ANSWER AND
PROCEEDED TO WRAP A PRESENT BEFORE CHECKING ON HER
CURIOUSLY, ONCE HE CALLED JONELLE'S FRIENDS AND REALIZED
NO ONE KNEW WHERE HIS DAUGHTER WAS, JIM DID NOT IMMEDIATELY
CALL THE POLICE. FIRST HE CALLED HIS PASTOR
>> SO THIS DISAPPEARANCE OF JONELLE IS NOT REALLY ON POLICE
RADAR UNTIL SOMETIME AROUND 11:00, AFTER 11:00
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE HAD NO IDEA UNTIL HE MADE THE
INITIAL CALL >> Reporter: THEN, THE NEXT
MORNING, WITH POLICE SWARMING HIS HOUSE, JIM DID SOMETHING
ELSE THAT SEEMED ODD >> HE WENT DRIVING AROUND FOR
FOUR HOURS OF UNACCOUNTED TIME >> Reporter: THIS IS AFTER HIS
DAUGHTER HAS GONE MISSING? >> YES
>> Reporter: BUT WHAT REALLY PIQUED DETECTIVE OLSEN'S
INTEREST WAS JIM'S STOIC BEHAVIOR
>> HE DIDN'T SHOW A LOT OF EMOTIONS
>> Reporter: DOES THAT MATTER, AFFECT, DEMEANOR
>> IT SHOULDN'T, BUT IT DOES >> Reporter: AND HE WASN'T
SHOWING YOU WHAT YOU"D EXPECT TO SEE?
>> RIGHT I MEAN, HE"S NOT SHOWING HOW I
WOULD REACT IF MY DAUGHTER IS MISSING.
I'D BE HAMMERING ON THE TABLE -- I WANT THIS -- THESE EFFORTS
DONE AND WE HAVE A PERSON WHO IS
DISCONNECTED FROM THE CASE >> Reporter: POLICE HAD NOT
FOUND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT INDICATED JIM HAD SOMETHING TO
DO WITH JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE. AND NONE OF HIS BOOTS MATCHED
THOSE RAKED FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
BUT THAT DIDN'T RULE HIM OUT AS A PERSON OF INTEREST
HE KNOWS WHERE THE RAKE IS IN THE GARAGE
>> HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THE RAKE IS.
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DID THIS FOR SOME
REASON CHOSE TO GO GET THE RAKE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND THEN
RETURN IT TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION
>> Reporter: NOT JUST THROW IT DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT. SO THERE ARE ALL THESE QUESTIONS
AND JUST CONFUSION >> Reporter: THREE DAYS AFTER
JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE, THE FBI JOINED THE INVESTIGATION
THEY THOUGHT A LIE DETECTOR TEST MIGHT PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AND
ASKED JIM MATTHEWS TO TAKE ONE SO HE DID -- AND FAILED IT
>> THE RELEVANT QUESTIONS WERE, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO
YOUR DAUGHTER," OR, "DO YOU KNOW THE WHEREABOUTS OF JONELLE
MATTHEWS?" THE FBI -- WE'RE ASSUMING
THEY'RE SOME OF THE BEST POLYGRAPHERS IN THE NATION
THEY SAY HE'S DECEPTIVE. >> Reporter: OF COURSE,
POLYGRAPHS ARE REALLY JUST USED FOR GUIDANCE
YOU CAN'T ADMIT THEM IN COURT, I DON'T THINK.
>> CORRECT >> Reporter: BUT WHEN A GUY
FLUNKS ON THE CRITICAL QUESTIONS, WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU
AS THE INVESTIGATOR? >> THAT'S A LEAD THAT NEEDS TO
BE FOLLOWED UP ON. >> Reporter: INVESTIGATOR WERE
GOING TO DO MORE THAN FOLLOW UP. THEY WERE ABOUT TO PUT THE HEAT
>> Reporter: TIME, FOR THOSE COMING OF AGE IN GREELEY DURING
THE EARLY 1980s, WAS MEASURED DIFFERENTLY.
THERE WAS GREELEY BEFORE JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE AND
GREELEY AFTER. >> THIS MISSING KID HYSTERIA WAS
GRIPPING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT IT HADN'T REALLY
HIT GREELEY UNTIL THIS AND EVERYONE WAS KEEPING THEIR
CURTAINS SHUT. THEY WERE LOCKING THEIR DOORS.
THERE WERE PARENTS THAT WERE COORDINATING WHO'S WATCHING
WHICH CHILD. >> Reporter: JOURNALIST
ASHLEY FANTZ, WHO HAS A WELL KNOWN PODCAST ON THE CASE, FELT
IT WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT IN THE LIFE OF THIS SMALL CITY.
>> THE KIDS THAT I TALKED TO, WHO ARE, OF COURSE, ADULTS NOW,
SAID THAT IT COMPLETELY CHANGED THEIR CHILDHOODS
THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO GO TO THE PLAYGROUNDS BY
THEMSELVES THEY COULD NO LONGER WALK TO
SCHOOL ALONE AND IT WAS TRAUMATIZING FOR
EVERYONE >> I THINK, BASED ON ALL THE
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, THE CHILD'S BEEN
KIDNAPPED. >> Reporter: REMINDERS OF THE
MYSTERY THAT HAUNTED GREELEY WERE EVERYWHERE, EVEN AT THE
BREAKFAST TABLE. MILK CARTONS WITH THE FACES OF
MISSING CHILDREN FIRST APPEARED IN DECEMBER 1984, THE MONTH
JONELLE WENT MISSING A FEW MONTHS LATER, SHE BECAME
ONE OF THOSE FACES HERSELF I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IS GOING ON
WITH YOU IN THIS PERIOD. >> FOR BOTH OF US, THAT'S WHERE
OUR FAITH TOOK OVER. >> Reporter: AS JIM AND GLORIA'S
EXPECTATION TO REUNITE WITH THEIR DAUGHTER SLOWLY DWINDLED,
THEY IMMERSED THEMSELVES IN PRAYER
IT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY KNEW HOW TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE
>> AS CHRISTIANS, WE EXPECT GOD TO ANSWER PRAYER
>> Reporter: JONELLE HAD CERTAINLY BEEN JUST THAT, AN
ANSWER TO A PRAYER AFTER GLORIA HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO
THEIR OLDER DAUGHTER JENNIFER, SHE WANTED ANOTHER CHILD BUT
FOUND OUT SHE COULDN'T GET PREGNANT AGAIN
>> AND WE THOUGHT THERE WERE SO MANY BABIES TO BE ADOPTED.
>> Reporter: IT'S A VERY GENEROUS THING TO DO
ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER, THE ADOPTION SERVICE CALLED.
AND THERE SHE WAS, ANOTHER DAUGHTER, JONELLE.
>> AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST SAW JONELLE, I PUT MY FINGER
DOWN CLOSE TO HER, AND SHE GRABBED IT WITH HER HAND
AND I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT HOW STRONG SHE WAS FOR -
>> 3 WEEKS 3 WEEKS.
>> Reporter: 12 YEARS LATER, THAT PRESENT FROM HEAVEN WAS
GONE GLORIA, I'M THINKING YOU HAVE TO
BE HUNGRY FOR INFORMATION FROM THE AUTHORITIES.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
DO YOU HAVE ANY LEADS? DID YOU STAY ON THE POLICE
>> NO, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. I JUST -
>> YEAH, WE JUST -- YEAH, WE JUST LET THE POLICE DO THEIR
THING. I MEAN, THEY'RE THE
PROFESSIONALS. >> Reporter: BUT JIM KNEW THAT
MIGHT BLOW BACK ON HIM POLICE HADN'T STOPPED WONDERING
ABOUT HIS BEHAVIOR AND DEMEANOR THE DAY AFTER JONELLE WENT
MISSING. >> I THINK IN MOST CASES, YOU
HAVE TO ASSUME THAT SOMEONE CLOSE TO THE VICTIM MIGHT HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED. SO IT WAS PRO FORMA THAT HE
BECAME A SUSPECT >> Reporter: JIM SAYS HE
EXPECTED THE POLICE SCRUTINY, EVEN WELCOMED IT
AFTER ALL, HE HAD NOTHING TO HIDE
THAT CALL TO HIS PASTOR INVESTIGATORS WONDERED ABOUT,
THE ONE HE MADE BEFORE HE CALLED POLICE TO REPORT JONELLE
MISSING? WELL, IT WAS SIMPLY A FATHER
OVERCOME WITH ANXIETY AND LOOKING TO HIS SPIRITUAL MENTOR
FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO NEXT. >> I DECIDED TO CALL MY PASTOR
WHO WAS -- I WAS VERY CLOSE TO AND REALLY RESPECTED AND TOLD
HIM WHAT HAPPENED. AND HE SAID, "JIM, I WOULDN'T
MESS AROUND WITH THIS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD CALL THE
POLICE." >> Reporter: WHEN THE FBI GOT
INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION, JIM SAYS HE COOPERATED FULLY
BUT HE WASN'T PREPARED FOR HIS VOLUNTARY POLYGRAPH TO TURN INTO
A FULL ON "YOU DID IT" KIND OF GRILLING
>> THE FBI AGENT WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO CONFESS.
AND I CAN'T READ A POLYGRAPH I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
POLYGRAPHS AND HE WOULD TELL ME THAT I WAS
LYING, AND HE WOULD SAY, "LOOK AT THE POLYGRAPH," AND SAY,
"YOU"RE LYING HERE YOU'RE LYING HERE.
WELL, I KNEW I WASN'T LYING. >> Reporter: POLICE HAD COMPARED
HIS BOOTS TO THE FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
THEY WENT THROUGH HIS CAR WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB AND FOUND
NOTHING. SO JIM WAS ANNOYED WHEN, TWO
MONTHS AFTER THE FBI POLYGRAPH, GREELEY PD ASKED HIM TO TAKE
ANOTHER LIE DETECTOR TEST. >> THEY WERE KIND OF GIVING ME
KIND OF THE SAME THING THAT THE FBI GAVE ME, THAT KIND OF
GETTING ME -- TRY TO CONFESS >> Reporter: THAT REPEAT TACTIC
WAS APPARENTLY TOO MUCH FOR JIM. HE LOST HIS PATIENCE WITH
INVESTIGATORS AND LOST THE LOW-KEY DEMEANOR THAT HAD SO
BOTHERED THEM. >> ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU DIDN'T
ABDUCT YOUR DAUGHTER >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ARE YOU SURE? >> AND I'M TELLING YOU I DON'T
KNOW WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS. I'M TELLING YOU --
>> WHO DID IT? WHO DID IT THEN?
BE SITTING HERE? >> I DON'T KNOW.
TELL ME. >> I -- I DO NOT KNOW WHERE SHE
IS OR WHO TOOK HER THAT'S IT.
>> ARE YOU SURE? >> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY SURE. I DON'T WANT TO RAISE MY VOICE
AND GET EMOTIONAL. BUT THAT'S NOT MY STYLE.
BUT I WILL >> Reporter: ONCE AGAIN, HE WAS
TOLD HE HAD FLUNKED THE LIE DETECTOR
THAT'S WHEN JIM SAYS HE"D HAD ENOUGH
>> I JUST GOT TIRED OF BEING THE MAIN SUSPECT
AND I JUST SAID, "LISTEN, I HAVE DONE" -- I GOT MAD
"I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE COOPERATIVE WITH YOU.
I'VE TOLD YOU THE TRUTH EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I'M FED UP WITH THIS." >> Reporter: BUT NO MATTER WHAT
JIM TOLD INVESTIGATORS, HE COULD NOT SHAKE THEIR SUSPICION.
AND SOON IT SEEMED EVERYONE IN GREELEY KNEW HE WAS A SUSPECT,
INCLUDING CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND EILEEN HUFF.
>> I HEARD VIA PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, "OH,
HE'S -- HE WAS THE GUILTY PARTY.
AND I JUST THOUGHT, "IF YOU ONLY KNEW JIM MATTHEWS, HE'D BE THE
LAST PERSON YOU'D THINK. >> Reporter: EILEEN THOUGHT THAT
THE ONLY WAY TO PUT ALL THE SUSPICIONS TO REST WAS TO FIND
JONELLE, HOPEFULLY ALIVE AND SO SHE CAME UP WITH AN
AUDACIOUS PLAN AND THIS IS THE WHITE HOUSE
SWITCHBOARD. HELLO.
>> YES >> Reporter: HOW CAN I DIRECT
YOUR CALL? >> YES
>> Reporter: BY FEBRUARY 1985, SEVERAL MONTHS HAD PASSED
WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT LEADS IN THE JONELLE MATTHEWS CASE.
BUT EILEEN HUFF WAS DETERMINED NOT TO LET THE CASE TURN COLD.
SO SHE AND SEVERAL OTHER FRIENDS OF JIM AND GLORIA'S FORMED A
GROUP CALLED "RESCUE JONELLE." WHAT YOU GOT THERE, EILEEN
>> UM, THESE WERE POSTERS FROM BACK IN 1984 AND '85 SHOWING
JONELLE AT THE CHOIR CONCERT >> Reporter: THEY DIDN'T JUST
PUT UP FLYERS AROUND TOWN, OR EVEN LIMIT THEM TO COLORADO.
THEY SENT THEM TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND TO AMERICAN EMBASSIES ALL OVER THE WORLD
SO YOU'RE THINKING EILEEN WAS WHAT -- LET'S KEEP HER PICTURE
IN FRONT OF PEOPLE LET'S SEE THE NAME AND MAYBE
SOMETHING GOOD WILL COME OF IT >> WELL, MY FEELING WAS SOMEONE
SOMEWHERE IS GOING TO SEE HER PICTURE, KNOW THE STORY OF WHAT
HAPPENED TO JONELLE, AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND HER, AND WE'RE
GOING TO FIND HER ALIVE. >> Reporter: THEY ALSO KNEW
FLYERS WEREN'T ENOUGH. TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY
COULD, THEY PLANNED TO GET JONELLE'S FACE ON TV
SO THEY STARTED WORKING THE PHONES, FIRST TO REGIONAL, THEN
NATIONAL NEWS AND TALK SHOWS, ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I JUST KEPT GOING AFTER IT
>> Reporter: SOMEHOW EILEEN GOT ONE OF PRESIDENT REAGAN'S
ADVISORS ON THE LINE AND PERSUADED THEM TO MAKE SURE THE
PRESIDENT MENTIONED JONELLE WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF
MISSING CHILDREN IN AN UPCOMING TV ADDRESS
>> AMERICAN CHILDREN DISAPPEAR FROM THEIR HOMES OR
NEIGHBORHOODS EVERY YEAR CAUSING, AS WE CAN ALL
UNDERSTAND, HEARTBREAKING ANGUISH.
FOR EXAMPLE, I LEARNED ABOUT JONELLE MATTHEWS OF GREELEY,
COLORADO, WHO WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED A HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY
WITH HER FAMILY JUST LAST MONTH. BUT FIVE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
JONELLE DISAPPEARED FROM HER HOME
>> Reporter: EILEEN'S PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION
HAD ACHIEVED SOMETHING REMARKABLE
AND NOW THE PHONES AT THE GREELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT
WOULDN'T STOP RINGING. THEIR TIP LINE WAS FLOODED WITH
MORE THAN A THOUSAND LEADS >> IT WAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF
TIPS AND SO THE POLICE WERE JUST
TRYING THEIR BEST TO HANDLE ALL OF THEM.
THIS IS A REALLY TINY POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK IN THE
EARLY '80s, AND THEY WERE CHASING THINGS DOWN.
BUT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL TURNED OUT TO BE DEAD.
>> Reporter: THE MATTHEWS FAMILY, THE WHOLE CITY OF
GREELEY, WAITED DESPERATELY FOR A BREAK IN THE CASE.
THEY WAITED A MONTH, A YEAR, THEN TWO
>> THERE IS A SOMBER, MAYBE DARK CLOUD OVER CHRISTMAS, ESPECIALLY
FOR MY FAMILY. AND I JUST REMEMBER ASKING MY
MOM, "IS IT ALWAYS GONNA TO BE THIS WAY?"
AND SHE, AT THE TIME, WAS LIKE, "YES."
>> Reporter: THE CASE LANGUISHED
THEN, IN 1989, ALMOST 5 YEARS SINCE JONELLE DISAPPEARED INTO
THIN AIR, KEITH OLSON, NOW A DETECTIVE, WAS ASSIGNED TO TAKE
ANOTHER LOOK ONE REPORT HE HAD NEVER SEEN
BEFORE RAISED THE DETECTIVE'S EYEBROWS
AND IT WASN'T ABOUT JIM MATTHEWS
>> ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, DURING THE NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASS, HAD
KNOCKED ON THE DOOR OF THE NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE
STREET FROM THE MATTHEWS FRANCIS DRAKE WAS LIVING THERE
AND, UH, FRANCIS DRAKE TOLD THE OFFICER THAT, UH, HER SON HAD
BEEN VISITING THAT NIGHT AND THAT HE MAY HAVE SAW SOMETHING
>> Reporter: AND HIS NAME IS WHAT
>> NORRIS DRAKE. >> Reporter: A POSSIBLE WITNESS?
TO OLSON'S ASTONISHMENT, NO ONE HAD BOTHERED TO CONTACT DRAKE OR
FOLLOW UP WITH HIS MOTHER. SO OVER YOUR SHOULDER HERE,
THAT -- THE GREEN EXTERIOR, THAT WAS JONELLE MATTHEWS'S HOUSE
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE OLSON
SHOWED US JUST HOW CLOSE DRAKE'S HOUSE WAS TO JONELLE'S
OH, IT IS DIRECTLY ACROSS. IF YOU WANTED TO KEEP EYES ON
THE COMINGS AND GOINGS AT THE MATTHEWS' HOUSE, THAT'S A PRETTY
GOOD VANTAGE POINT >> AND HIS MOTHER SAID THAT WHEN
HE LEFT THAT EVENING, AROUND 9:00, 9:15 OR SO, HE SITS IN HIS
VEHICLE FOR A WHILE -- FOR A WHILE, AS IF HE'S WATCHING
SOMETHING. >> Reporter: THAT WAS EXACTLY
THE TIME FRAME IN WHICH INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATED THAT
JONELLE HAD DISAPPEARED AND BEFORE JIM MATTHEWS RETURNED
HOME AT ABOUT 9:30 SO JUST WHO WAS NORRIS DRAKE
WHAT THE DETECTIVE FOUND MADE HIM WONDER WHY THE INITIAL
INVESTIGATORS NEVER CONTACTED HIM OR TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT
HIM. AT THE TIME OF JONELLE'S
DISAPPEARANCE, DRAKE WAS UNEMPLOYED, STRUGGLING WITH DRUG
AND ALCOHOL ADDICTIONS AND STAYING AT THE HOUSE OF HIS BEST
FRIEND, A MAN NAMED DAVE WHEN THE DETECTIVE INTERVIEWED
DRAKE'S EX-GIRLFRIEND, SHE TOLD HIM THAT DRAKE HAD A PROPENSITY
FOR VIOLENCE >> HE HAD BEATEN HER UP.
HE HAD BROKE INTO HER HOUSE AFTER THEY SPLIT UP.
HE WAS CURRENTLY ON PROBATION FOR -- FOR BURGLARY AND ASSAULT
ON HER >> Reporter: THAT PUTS HIM RIGHT
IN THE THEORETICAL FRAME, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
>> YES HE HAD TOLD HER THAT, "IF I KILL
YOU, NO ONE WILL EVER FIND YOUR BODY."
HE HAD TOLD HER HOW HE WOULD, UH, CONCEAL HIS -- HIS
FOOTPRINTS, AND EVEN SHOWED HER HOW TO CONCEAL, UH, FOOTPRINTS
IN THE MOUNTAINS BY USING A TREE BRANCH TO WIPE OUT THE SHOE
PRINTS SO ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOING,
"WOW." >> Reporter: BUT THAT WASN'T
ALL. HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND TOLD DETECTIVE
OLSON THAT DRAKE HAD A FETISH FOR PRE-TEENS, ESPECIALLY FOR
YOUNG GIRLS WHO LOOKED A LITTLE BIT OLDER, LIKE JONELLE.
>> HE TELLS HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME THAT HE'S OBSESSED
WITH, UH, YOUNG WOMEN, CHILDREN, THAT ARE -- ARE JUST DEVELOPING
INTO WOMEN >> Reporter: OLSON COULD NOT
FIND ANYTHING ON THE BOOKS ABOUT DRAKE'S ALLEGED ADOLESCENT
OBSESSION, BUT HE SAYS ANOTHER WOMAN WHO HAD HUNG OUT WITH
DRAKE AS A YOUNG TEENAGER TOLD HIM A SIMILAR STORY.
AND NO ONE KNEW WHERE NORRIS DRAKE HAD BEEN FOR
SEVERAL CRITICAL HOURS ON THE NIGHT JONELLE DISAPPEARED.
HIS MOTHER TOLD POLICE CANVASSERS THAT HE LEFT A BIT
AFTER 9:00 P.M BUT DRAKE DIDN'T RETURN TO HIS
FRIEND'S HOUSE WHERE HE WAS STAYING UNTIL MORE THAN FIVE
HOURS LATER. HIS FRIEND'S SISTER WAS SLEEPING
ON THE COUCH AND SAW HIM WALK IN A BIT AFTER 2:00 A.M
>> AND THEN SHE TELLS ME -- EVEN MORE INTERESTING IS, HE WAKES UP
IN THAT MORNING AND TELLS ME THAT A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL HAD BEEN
KIDNAPPED FROM HER HOUSE ACROSS FROM HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE LAST
NIGHT AND THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THE POLICE ABOUT IT AND WAS ON
SCENE WHEN THE POLICE WERE DOING THE INVESTIGATION.
>> Reporter: AFTER JONELLE'S CASE WENT PUBLIC, HIS FRIEND"S
SISTER BECAME SO SUSPICIOUS OF NORRIS DRAKE SHE SENT A DETAILED
ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE TOLD HER THAT MORNING TO A POLICE OFFICER
FRIEND IN DENVER THAT STATEMENT NEVER MADE ITS
WAY INTO JONELLE'S CASE FILE, SO THE GREELEY POLICE NEVER KNEW IT
EXISTED. >> AND WHEN I INTERVIEW HER, SHE
READS ME THIS STATEMENT THAT SHE HAD WRITTEN SO MANY YEARS AGO.
IT WAS IF I WAS GETTING A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF THE CRIME
>> Reporter: PLAY BY PLAY. >> RIGHT
>> Reporter: SO NORRIS DRAKE IS A GUY YOU WANT TO TALK TO.
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: AND MAYBE LOOK AT
THE SHOES IN HIS CLOSET. >> RIGHT
>> Reporter: DRAKE GOT DIVORCED SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE JONELLE
WENT MISSING HIS EX-WIFE TOLD JOURNALIST
ASHLEY FANTZ THAT HE HAD ABUSED HER AND EVEN POINTED A GUN TO
HER HEAD >> THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST
UPSETTING MOMENTS IN MY REPORTING OF THE STORY
FROM THE MOMENT WE STARTED TALKING, SHE ACTUALLY STARTED
CRYING, AND A DEEP, GUTTURAL CRY.
AND SO AFTER I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH HER, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S POSSIBLE. MAYBE NORRIS DRAKE DID IT.
>> Reporter: IT WAS TIME TO BRING IN NORRIS DRAKE.
>> I KNOW YOU DID GO OVER TO JONELLE THAT NIGHT -
>> NO, SIR >> -- AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
>>> Reporter: FIVE YEARS AFTER JONELLE MATTHEWS HAD
DISAPPEARED, POLICE THOUGHT THEY FINALLY HAD THEIR FIRST BIG
BREAK IN THE CASE. THE SUSPECT, A MAN NAMED
NORRIS DRAKE DETECTIVE OLSON WAS TOLD THAT HE
HAD AN AFFINITY FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND A VIOLENT STREAK
AND INVESTIGATORS HAD PLACED HIM ACROSS THE STREET FROM JONELLE
WHEN SHE WAS HOME ALONE AT THE TIME OF HER DISAPPEARANCE.
DETECTIVE KEITH OLSON WAS RELISHING THE MOMENT WHEN HE
WOULD FINALLY COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH DRAKE
SO YOU'RE IN AN INTERVIEW ROOM AT THE POLICE STATION?
>> SURE, AND WE BELIEVE THERE'S A CHANCE WE CAN GET THIS GUY TO
CONFESS. >> HI, KEITH
HOW ARE YOU? >> I'VE GOT THE JONELLE MATTHEWS
CASE >> OKAY.
>> I'M SURE YOU'VE FIGURED OUT WE NEEDED TO TALK TO YOU
>> Reporter: DRAKE SEEMED HONEST ENOUGH ABOUT HOW HIS FRIEND DAVE
LENT HIM HIS PICKUP TRUCK TO VISIT HIS MOM THAT NIGHT, AND
ABOUT THE TIME HE LEFT HER HOUSE TO GO BACK HOME.
AFTER THAT, THOUGH, DETECTIVE OLSON SENSED, THE
TRUTH STOPPED. >> I JUST NOTICED, I HAD LOOKED
ACROSS THE STREET, AND JONELLE'S GARAGE DOOR WAS UP AND THE
LIGHTS WERE ON >> IN THE GARAGE
>> UH-HUH. >> OKAY.
OKAY >> AND I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING
ANY VEHICLES >> AND AFTER YOU LEFT YOUR
MOM'S, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WENT
>> PROBABLY STRAIGHT BACK TO DAVE'S
>> OKAY. DO YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF YOU
DID? >> I'M SURE I DID BECAUSE DAVE
REALLY DIDN'T LIKE ME TOOLING AROUND IN HIS PICKUP
SO I'M SURE I WOULD'VE WENT STRAIGHT BACK OVER THERE
>> Reporter: THAT, OLSON THOUGHT, WAS A LIE
DAVE'S SISTER, WHO HAD BEEN SLEEPING ON THE COUCH THAT
NIGHT, TOLD OLSON THAT DRAKE DIDN'T RETURN TO THE APARTMENT
UNTIL AFTER 2:00 AM, MORE THAN FIVE HOURS AFTER DRAKE SAID HE
LEFT HIS MOM'S BUT WHAT DRAKE SAID NEXT WAS THE
KIND OF "WAIT-A-MINUTE" MOMENT THAT MADE THE DETECTIVE BELIEVE
DRAKE KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED T JONELLE.
>> WHAT INFORMATION DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE CASE
>> WELL, I REMEMBER REAL WELL THAT THEY THOUGHT A GANG OF KIDS
HAD COME ACROSS THE BACK FIELD THEY JUMPED THE FENCE AND THEN
SOMEHOW NABBED HER AND THAT THEY HAD EVEN FOUND
EVIDENCE WHERE THEY HAD TAKEN A RAKE OUT THERE AND RAKED OVER
THEIR TRACKS >> Reporter: THE RAKED
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW THAT INFORMATION WAS KNOWN ONLY
TO THE POLICE AND THE MATTHEWS FAMILY, WHO HAD PROMISED TO KEEP
IT SECRET. IF DRAKE WAS THE PERPETRATOR,
THAT WAS A HUGE SLIP HE'S GOT TOO MUCH INFORMATION?
>> NORRIS DRAKE SAYS THAT HE WAS PROVIDED THE INFORMATION
POSSIBLY BY HIS MOTHER FROM A PHONE CALL EARLIER IN THE
MORNING. AND SHE TOLD HIM ALL THIS STUFF.
>> Reporter: BUT HOW COULD DRAKE'S MOM KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
CASE DETAILS POLICE HAD KEPT A LID ON
BY NOW, DETECTIVE OLSON WAS CONVINCED THAT DRAKE WAS HIDING
SOMETHING. DRAKE AGREED TO ACCOMPANY POLICE
FOR A SEARCH OF HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE WHERE HE WAS CURRENTLY
RESIDING WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE
INTERROGATION ROOM, OLSON AMPED UP THE PRESSURE, HOPING DRAKE
WOULD CRACK. FIRST HE CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT
THE RAKE >> FOR CRYING OUT LOUD
I WOULDN'T EVEN REPEAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF I WAS THE GUILTY
ONE. >> HERE'S SOMETHING
THAT'S -- YOU KNOW -- THAT POINTS TO YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS
THE USE OF THAT TRUCK AND THEN THE UNACCOUNTED FOUR TO SIX
HOURS AFTER YOU LEAVE YOUR MOTHER'S PLACE
>> GOD, YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME THOUGH
>> WE ALSO HAVE WITNESSES WILL TESTIFY YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE CASE BEFORE IT COULD HAVE EVEN BEEN ON THE MEDIA
>> NO, THERE'S NO WAY. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE OLSON
THOUGHT HE HAD DRAKE WHERE HE WANTED HIM, SO HE WENT FOR THE
JUGULAR. >> I THINK YOU TOOK JONELLE.
AND I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID WITH
HER. >> IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
>> WELL, IT DID HAPPEN AND THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT
WHATEVER IT WAS, WHATEVER THE CAUSE OF HER DISAPPEARANCE, YOU
WERE INVOLVED. >> Reporter: OLSON PUSHED AND
PUSHED, BUT DRAKE DIDN'T BUDGE >> I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE REASON
YOU WENT INTO THE MATTHEWS RESIDENCE WAS PURELY FOR SOME
ENJOYMENT WITH A YOUNG GIRL. >> KEITH, I SWEAR TO YOU AND
JESUS CHRIST AND EVERYONE, I DID NOT EVER GO IN THAT HOUSE.
I NEVER CROSSED THE STREET I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH IT. ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY
I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. >> HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT I BRING
IN HERE DO YOU THINK SWEAR TO GOD THAT THEY DIDN'T DO IT
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING >> WELL, OKAY.
YEAH >> YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
>> BUT KEITH, THIS IS ONE OF THESE CLASSIC CASES WHERE YOU
REALLY GOT THE WRONG GUY I REALLY AM INNOCENT
>> Reporter: SO WHERE DOES HE STAND AT THE END OF THAT
WAS HE STILL ON YOUR -- YOU THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE GOOD
FOR THIS >> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING JUST SEEMED LIKE, "THIS HAS TO BE THE GUY.
>> Reporter: OLSON WOULD NOT GET ANOTHER STAB AT DRAKE, WHO LEFT
POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND PROMPTLY LAWYERED UP.
IT HAD BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE JONELLE DISAPPEARED, WHICH MADE
IT UNLIKELY FOR INVESTIGATORS TO FIND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT
WOULD IMPLICATE DRAKE. SURE ENOUGH, THEY HADN'T FOUND
ANYTHING IN HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE OLSON EVEN TRACKED DOWN THE
PICKUP TRUCK THAT DRAKE DROVE THAT NIGHT
BUT AGAIN, ZILCH >> THERE WAS JUST NOTHING THERE
TO INDICATE THAT UH, ANY, ANY, UH, CRIME HAD OCCURRED INSIDE
THE PICKUP TRUCK CERTAINLY NO BULLET HOLE AND NO,
UH, BLOODSTAINS OR BLOOD, UH, PATTERNS OR ANYTHING
>> Reporter: OLSON THOUGHT HE HAD A STRONG CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE
AGAINST DRAKE. BUT HE KNEW THAT IF HE WANTED
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO CHARGE HIM, HE WOULD NEED PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE OR A CONFESSION AND HE HAD NEITHER
>> HERE'S THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE NO PROOF THAT
JONELLE MATTHEWS IS DEAD I MEAN, AND WE HAVE NO CRIME
SCENE. AND WE HAVE NO BODY.
>> Reporter: THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF
JONELLE MATTHEWS HAD ONCE AGAIN REACHED A DEAD END, AND A
FRUSTRATED DETECTIVE OLSON RELUCTANTLY WALKED AWAY.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU STILL HAVE QUESTION MARKS ABOUT
NORRIS DRAKE IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, HUH?
>> WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS INDELIBLY, UH,
BURNED INTO MY MIND OVER ALL THESE YEARS.
AND SO IT'S A SCAR THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE THERE
>> Reporter: AND THERE THE CASE SAT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES,
UNTIL TWO NEW DETECTIVES INHERITED IT
MAYBE IT WAS FRESH EYES OR BLIND LUCK, BUT IN THE ALMOST
30,000 PAGES OF EVIDENCE, THEY FOUND A NAME
SOMEONE WHO HAD APPARENTLY BEEN SAYING REPEATEDLY, "I KNOW
>> Reporter: AT THE SUNNYVIEW CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, FRIENDS
OF JIM AND GLORIA MATHEWS, COME TOGETHER TO SAY GOODBYE TO
JONELLE. IN 1994, TEN YEARS AFTER JONELLE
MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED, HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS GATHERED TO
REMEMBER >> THIS WAS TURNING HER OVER TO
GOD -- AND SAYING, GOD, SHE'S -- SHE'S OBVIOUSLY IN YOUR HANDS,
AND WE TRUST YOU >> IS THAT YOU ACCEPTING SHE'S
GONE >> YES, I THINK THAT'S PART OF
IT >> I COULD NEVER SAY THAT SHE
WAS DEAD I COULD NEVER ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT SHE WAS NOT ALIVE >> Reporter: JONELLE'S CASE HAD
TURNED COLD, BUT THE GREELEY POLICE NEVER FORGOT ABOUT IT
AS DECADES PASSED, IT CONTINUED TO CHANGE HANDS FROM ONE
INVESTIGATOR TO ANOTHER, IN THE HOPE THAT A PAIR OF FRESH EYES
WOULD SEE SOMETHING OTHERS HAD NOT.
IN 2013, IT LANDED ON THE DESK OF DETECTIVE ROBERT CASH
>> IT WAS MY TIME TO TAKE IT AND SEE WHAT I COULD DO WITH IT.
>> HERE YOU GO >> YES
IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE, UH, PUZZLE >> Reporter: CASH DECIDED HE
NEEDED A PARTNER, AND ENLISTED MIKE PRILL TO HELP HIM SOLVE THE
MYSTERY. PRILL IS A DETECTIVE WITH A
KNACK FOR MAKING SENSE OF COMPLEX CASES.
>> WHEN HE GIVES ME THIS CASE, I GO ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
ORGANIZING IT. >> BRINGING IT KICKING AND
DRAGGING INTO THE MODERN ERA, RIGHT?
>> KICKING AND DRAGGING. >> Reporter: IT TOOK DETECTIVE
PRILL FIFTEEN MONTHS TO CREATE A COHERENT, ALL-ENCOMPASSING CASE
FILE AND WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE, THE
SAME-OLD PERSONS-OF-INTEREST EMERGED FROM THE PAGES
JIM MATTHEWS, RUSS ROSS, AND NORRIS DRAKE, WHO HAD DIED IN
2007 OF AN OVERDOSE, BUT WAS STILL A SUSPECT.
BUT PRILL ALSO NOTICED SOMEONE NEW, A VERY ODD CHARACTER WH
HAD BEEN DANCING AROUND AT THE FRINGES OF THE CASE.
A GUY NAMED STEVE PANKEY >> HE WAS SOMEONE THAT CAME UP
IN MY REVIEW OF THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION.
AND HIS NAME WOULD POP UP IN TWO PARAGRAPHS, IN TWO REPORTS AND
NEVER AGAIN. >> Reporter: WHO WAS STEVE
PANKEY? TURNED OUT HE HAD SOME CURIOUS
CONNECTIONS TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CASE.
FOR INSTANCE, THE MATTHEWS FAMILY BELONGED TO THE SUNNY
VIEW CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE. AND STEVE PANKEY ONCE WORKED
THERE AS A CUSTODIAN >> HE'D WORKED FOR THEM, GOTTEN
FIRED AND BEEN EXCOMMUNICATED -- >> YES
>> FROM THE CONGREGATION >> YES
>> Reporter: PANKEY REPORTEDLY HELD A GRUDGE AGAINST THE ENTIRE
CONGREGATION AFTER THAT. HE ALSO KNEW RUSS ROSS, STILL A
SUSPECT IN THE CASE. ROSS HAD BEEN PANKEY'S BOSS AT A
7 UP DISTRIBUTORSHIP IN THE 1970S, AND THERE SEEMED TO BE
BAD BLOOD BETWEEN THEM >> HE ALLEGED THAT RUSS HAD BEAT
HIM UP AT ONE POINT AS A SUPERVISOR AT 7UP.
SO ALTHOUGH THAT HAPPENED IN 1978, 79, STEVE, TO THIS, DAY
STILL DESPISES MR. ROSS. >> Reporter: BUT EVEN MORE
INTRIGUING TO CASH AND PRILL WAS THAT PANKEY HAD REACHED OUT TO
POLICE SOON AFTER JONELLE DISAPPEARED.
>> HE MADE A PHONE CALL, AND SAID, I -- I HAVE INFORMATION ON
JONELLE. AND I HAVE PRETTY GOOD EVIDENCE
THAT SHE WAS DEAD OR SHE IS DEAD
BUT I DON'T WANT TO SHARE ANY MORE OF MY INFORMATION UNTIL YOU
TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
SO - >> THAT -- THAT'S REALLY WEIRD
>> VERY. >> Reporter: IT TURNED OUT
PANKEY HADN'T JUST CONTACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ONE TIME.
HE'D REACHED OUT REPEATEDLY THROUGH THE YEARS.
FOR SOME REASON NO ONE EVER GOT BACK TO HIM.
HE WAS CONTINUALLY DISMISSED BY ONE INVESTIGATOR AFTER THE
OTHER. >> IT WAS SOMEBODY WHO HAD BEEN
TAPPING THE SHOULDER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR DECADES.
>> AND HE'S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE JONELLE CASE
>> CORRECT >> AND HE WENT INTO THE DISCARD
BIN. >> YES
>> Reporter: IN APRIL OF 2019, 34 YEARS AFTER PANKEY FIRST
CALLED GREELEY POLICE, CASH GOT HIM ON THE PHONE
>> HELLO >> HI.
I'M LOOKING FOR STEVE PANKEY PLEASE
>> THIS IS STEVE PANKEY. >> Reporter: BUT SUDDENLY PANKEY
FEIGNED TOTAL IGNORANCE ABOUT JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE.
>> IT SEEMS TO BE THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON PEOPLE IN THE MONTHS,
WEEKS, DAYS, THE NIGHT THAT SHE DISAPPEARED, AND IF THAT'S YOUR
FOCUS I CAN'T HELP YOU >> Reporter:
AND -- UNPROMPTED --PANKEY MADE A POINT OF DENYING ANY PERSONAL
INVOLVEMENT IN JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE.
>> I WAS NEVER AT JONELLE MATTHEW'S HOUSE.
MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE THAT JONELLE MATTHEWS EXISTED AND DISAPPEARED
WAS SIX DAYS AFTER THE FACT. >> Reporter: BUT DURING A
RAMBLING 45 MINUTE CONVERSATION, PANKEY HINTED HE KNEW THINGS
ABOUT THE CASE -- THINGS ABOUT RUSS ROSS, BUT HE WOULDN'T SHARE
ANYTHING UNLESS HE COULD GET SOME GUARANTEES.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING UNTIL I HAVE A FIRM DEAL THAT
CAN'T BE BROKEN. >> PANKEY'S RESPONSE TO ROBERT
WAS, IS I WANT MY ATTORNEY. I NEED TO WORK A DEAL.
I NEED -- I NEED SOME PROTECTIONS.
>> WHO NEEDS A DEAL UNLESS THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM?
>> AND WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM YOU KNOW, IT WAS THAT
CONFOUNDING. >> Reporter: CASH AND PRILL
STARTED ASKING AROUND ABOUT PANKEY.
A PORTRAIT OF A QUIRKY, BELLIGERENT, CHARACTER QUICKLY
EMERGED. BUT IT WAS A CALL WITH PANKEY'S
EX-WIFE ANGELA HICKS THAT SUDDENLY TURNED THE DECADES OLD
COLD CASE RED HOT. >> SHE SAID, "OH, GOSH, YOU
KNOW, I'VE BEEN -- I'VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG FOR YOU TO CALL.
>> Reporter: ANGELA DESCRIBED A CHILLING INCIDENT FROM 1999.
SHE AND PANKEY, STILL MARRIED THEN, HAD MOVED TO IDAHO
HE CAME HOME ONE DAY AND SAID HE HAD TRIED TO TALK TO THE POLICE
THERE ABOUT THE JONELLE MATTHEWS CASE, BUT THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN
TO HIM >> SHE WAS TAKEN ABACK AND
REMEMBERED THE CASE FROM GREELEY AND KIND OF INQUISITIVELY SAID,
"JONELLE MATTHEWS?" UM, TO THAT, SHE SAID, STEVE PANKEY LOOKED AT
HER AND SAID, "WELL, YOU DON'T THINK I WOULD HURT HER, DO YOU?
SHE -- WELL, SHE LOOKED JUST LIKE YOU."
>> HOW CREEPY WAS THAT >> SHE SAID THAT IT MADE HER
BLOOD RUN COLD >> Reporter: THAT INCIDENT
TRIGGERED A FLOOD OF MEMORIES ABOUT JONELLE MATTHEWS'
DISAPPEARANCE AND PANKEY'S PECULIAR BEHAVIOR, WHICH, ANGELA
TOLD POLICE, STARTED THE DAY AFTER JONELLE DISAPPEARED.
IT WAS THE FRIDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 1984.
>> STEVE TELLS HER, "HEY, WE'RE GONNA GO TO CALIFORNIA FOR
CHRISTMAS." AND THIS WAS A TRIP THAT THEY
WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE GOING ON. AND SUDDENLY, HE WANTS TO GET
OUT OF TOWN. AND SHE FINDS THAT A LITTLE BIT
CURIOUS. >> Reporter: THE TRIP ENDED JUST
AS ABRUPTLY AFTER PANKEY GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH HIS FATHER
THE PANKEYS DROVE BACK TO GREELEY ON CHRISTMAS DAY
>> ON THE WAY BACK TO GREELEY FROM CALIFORNIA, HE SEEMS TO BE
OBSESSED WITH LISTENING TO ANY STORY THAT SHE CAN FIND ON THE
RADIO ABOUT THIS MISSING GIRL IN GREELEY, JONELLE MATTHEWS.
THEY GET HOME AND MORE BIZARRE THINGS HAPPEN.
>> HE GOES INSIDE, COMES BACK OUT IN COVERALLS, AND THEN
STARTS DIGGING IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE RESIDENCE
>> Reporter: THIS WASN'T JUST QUIRKY BEHAVIOR.
IT SOUNDED DOWN RIGHT INCRIMINATING.
AND IT CONTRADICTED WHAT PANKEY HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT NOT BEING
AWARE OF JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE UNTIL ALMOST A WEEK LATER.
>> I ENLISTED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED NECROSEARCH TO DO SOME
GROUND PENETRATING RADAR, TO SEE IF -- IF THERE WAS ANYTHING
THERE BURIED IN THE FRONT YARD OR SOME SORT OF DISTURBANCE OR
JUST SOMETHING >> Reporter: THEY FOUND NOTHING,
BUT AFTER EVERYTHING DETECTIVES CASH AND PRILL READ AND HEARD
FROM STEVE PANKEY, AND FROM HIS EX-WIFE, HE WAS NOW IN THEIR
CROSS HAIRS AS A NEW AND VERY PLAUSIBLE SUSPECT.
ESPECIALLY AFTER A SHOCKING DISCOVERY THAT PUT THE JONELLE
MATTHEWS STORY BACK ON THE FRONT PAGES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE
THAN 30 YEARS. >> WE'RE ESSENTIALLY RIGHT
THERE. IT WAS RIGHT IN THIS LOCATION
>> Reporter: IN THE SUMMER OF 2019, STEVE PANKEY HAD EMERGED
AS A NEW PERSON OF INTEREST IN THE JONELLE MATTHEWS CASE.
THEN, ON JULY 15TH, OUT OF THE BLUE, DETECTIVE CASH GOT A CALL.
A CONSTRUCTION CREW DIGGING AN OIL PIPELINE IN A REMOTE PART OF
THE COUNTY HAD MADE AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
>> THEY'D FOUND UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS THAT HAD BEEN LIFTED UP
WITH, UH, EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT.
>> Reporter: CASH HURRIED TO THE SCENE, ABOUT 20 MILES FROM
GREELEY. DETECTIVE PRILL MET HIM THERE.
>> IT WAS KIND OF DUSK I REMEMBER IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW,
VERY, VERY HOT THEY'D ALREADY FLOWN A DRONE
AROUND THE AREA TO KIND OF GET, UH, AN IDEA OF KIND OF THE WHOLE
AREA >> Reporter: THE CHANCE
DISCOVERY, IN A VAST OPEN FIELD, WAS HUMAN, SKELETAL REMAINS.
CASH WENT IN FOR A CLOSE LOOK. IT TOOK HIS BREATH AWAY.
>> I GO AND LOOK, UM, SEE THE SKULL, SEE THE BRACES.
>> Reporter: BRACES ON THE TEETH?
JONELLE WORE BRACES BACK IN 1984
>> THEN IMMEDIATELY I SEE CLOTHING THAT IS IN AND AROUND
AND ATTACHED TO THE -- TO THE SKELETAL REMAINS
>> WE'RE ESSENTIALLY RIGHT THERE.
IT WAS RIGHT IN THIS LOCATION WHERE WE'RE STANDING
>> I KEEP COMING BACK TO THE REVELATION THAT THERE'S HER
BRACES STILL ON, RIGHT >> RIGHT
>> MM-HMM. >> NO QUESTION WHO YOUR
DISCOVERY IS AT THAT POINT >> RIGHT
>> AND THE CLOTHING. >> YEAH.
>> SHE'S DRESSED EXACTLY AS SHE WAS, UH, AT -- AT THE CHOIR
RECITAL, EXCEPT THAT SHE HAD A COAT ON.
>> YEAH. >> YEAH.
AND SHE HAD THAT DISTINCTIVE, UH, SHIRT AND BLOUSE AND
EVERYTHING ELSE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT WHEN YOU
LOOKED AT HER, IT WAS HER. >> Reporter: THEY HAD FOUND
JONELLE. A DNA SAMPLE CONFIRMED THE
IDENTITY IT WAS A MATCH TO JONELLE'S
BIOLOGICAL PARENTS BUT THERE WAS NO DNA FROM ANYONE
ELSE THE CAUSE OF DEATH SEEMED CLEAR
TOO. IT LOOKED AS THOUGH JONELLE HAD
BEEN SHOT THROUGH THE HEAD NO BULLETS OR SHELL CASINGS WERE
FOUND. >> I ALMOST FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON
SACRED GROUND OR SOMETHING I MEAN, WITH ALL OF THIS PRAIRIE
OUT HERE AND - >> OH, YEAH.
>> RIGHT >> AND THIS IS WHERE THIS POOR
KID WAS FOR DECADES, HUH >> RIGHT
>> FOR 35 YEARS. AND THINK OF THE WORLD THAT'S
CHANGED WHILE SHE WAS HERE >> WINTERS AND SUMMERS AND HERE
SHE IS >> WHO CALLS JONELLE'S PARENTS
>> I CALL JONELLE'S PARENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY JUST KIND
OF CAME OUT WITH IT THAT WE -- WE -- WE HAVE FOUND SOMETHING,
AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S JONELLE.
>> Reporter: JIM AND GLORIA HAD MOVED AWAY YEARS EARLIER, BUT
SAY THEY STILL THINK OF GREELEY AS HOME.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY DECIDED TO HOLD A MEMORIAL SERVICE AND
BURIAL FOR THEIR DAUGHTER -- 35 YEARS REMOVED FROM HER 12TH
BIRTHDAY >> WE HAD A HUGE TURNOUT AGAIN,
400 PEOPLE FEELING THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE
AROUND US THAT WAS TREMENDOUS SATISFACTION TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT, I GUESS, IS THE BEST WAY I CAN SAY IT TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUR
DAUGHTER TO REST >> Reporter: WITH THEIR CASE NOW
A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, THE DETECTIVES SET ASIDE THEIR
PREVIOUS SUSPECTS TO FOCUS ON STEVEN PANKEY, WHO WAS LIVING IN
IDAHO. AFTER JONELLE'S FUNERAL, THEY
DECIDED TO TAKE A ROAD TRIP. >> WE HAVE TO GO TO IDAHO.
I WANT TO SEE THIS GUY >> Reporter: THE METICULOUS
DETECTIVE PRILL SPENT A LOT OF THE 9 HOUR DRIVE READING ABOUT
PANKEY -- TRYING TO LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT HIM AND WHAT MADE HIM
TICK PRILL COULDN'T HELP BUT THINK --
WHAT A STRANGE LIFE PANKEY HAD LED.
>> HE LEFT GREELEY SOMEWHAT UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.
PACKED UP HIS FAMILY, UNANNOUNCED AND SPLIT.
>> Reporter: IN THE YEARS AFTER JONELLE DISAPPEARED, THE PANKEY
FAMILY MOVED TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT STATES BEFORE SETTLING
IN IDAHO IN THE 1990S. >> DURING THAT TIME, STEVE IS
TAKING A JOB AS A MORTICIAN IN ANY OF THE CITIES THAT THEY LIVE
IN >> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> IT'S WEIRD. HE HAD A -- HE HAD THIS
PROCLIVITY TO BE AROUND DEAD PEOPLE
>> Reporter: OF COURSE, LOTS OF PEOPLE WORK AS MORTICIANS.
NOTHING WEIRD ABOUT THAT BUT THE DETECTIVES WERE NOW
LOOKING AT EVERYTHING ABOUT PANKEY WITH A SUSPICIOUS EYE --
LIKE THE FACT THAT HE WOULD NEVER LAST AT ANY JOB FOR VERY
LONG PRILL CALLED IT DABBLING
>> AND WHEN HE WASN'T DABBLING, HE WAS FILING FRIVOLOUS
LAWSUITS >> AND RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
>> I'M YOUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
>> RIGHT RIGHT.
>> Reporter: PANKEY HAD ACTUALLY RUN FOR SEVERAL OFFICES,
INCLUDING TWO EXTREMELY LONG SHOT CAMPAIGNS FOR GOVERNOR IN
IDAHO. >> DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE AT ANY
OF THOSE THINGS. >> NO, NO.
>> HELLO EVERYONE, THIS IS YOUR BEST FRIEND STEVE PANKEY
>> STEVE PANKEY IS RUNNING AS THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR FOR
IDAHO GOVERNOR. HE HAS TRADITIONAL CORE VALUES WITH A
BIBLICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
>> TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A SAFE, PROSPEROUS, AND MORAL IDAHO.
>> INTERMIXED WITH ALL OF THIS IS HIS -- HIS HALF TRUTHS,
CLAIMING HE HAD A DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY.
HE DIDN'T. THAT HE'S AN ORDAINED PASTOR
HE WAS NEVER >> Reporter: THE MORE PRILL
READ, THE MORE BEWILDERING THINGS GOT
>> I MEAN, THERE ARE MOMENTS THERE WHERE I'M READING SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT PANKEY HAS WRITTEN AND THERE'S A LOT OF
WTFS GOING ON.
VERY STRANGE COMMENTS THAT HE IS WRITING IN MOTIONS THAT HE FILED
IN COURT WHAT I CAME AWAY WITH IS THAT
HE'S ENDLESSLY, ENDLESSLY, ASSERTING THAT HE HAS SOME
INFORMATION ON JONELLE'S DISAPPEARANCE.
>> Reporter: REMARKABLY, IN LEGAL FILINGS UNRELATED TO
JONELLE MATTHEWS, PANKEY WOULD WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT HER
DISAPPEARANCE. ONE EXAMPLE -- PANKEY WAS
ARRESTED FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE IN A BANK, THE CHARGES
WOULD LATER BE DROPPED, BUT PANKEY FILED A COURT PETITION
SAYING THE ARREST WAS "AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE" HIM TO,
"BECOME AN INFORMANT," IN JONELLE'S CASE -- ADDING THAT HE
FEARED HE "WOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY FOR REVEALING THE
LOCATION OF MS. MATTHEWS BODY. WHAT DID THAT HAVE TO DO WITH
THE INCIDENT IN THE BANK ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
WHAT ON EARTH WAS STEVE PANKEY UP TO?
WHEN CASH AND PRILL FINALLY ARRIVED AT PANKEY'S IDAHO HOME
FOR THAT SURPRISE VISIT, THEY
PRILL HAD DONE THEIR HOMEWORK ON STEVE PANKEY BUT STILL DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY RANG THE INTERCOM AT HIS HOUSE
CASH RECORDED THE CONVERSATION >> STEVE, HEY, IT'S ROBERT CASH
WITH GREELEY POLICE. HOW ARE YOU?
>> ARE YOU AT MY DOOR? >> I AM.
>> AND WHAT DID YOU WANT >> Reporter: WHAT IS IT LIKE
TALKING, ENGAGING STEVE PANKEY IN CONVERSATION?
>> VERY STRANGE. >> HE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT THINGS
UNRELATED TO ANYTHING THAT WE WERE EXPECTING
YOU KNOW, PERSONAL ASPECTS OF HIS HISTORY, OF -- OF HIS SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, THINGS THAT JUST WERE SO FAR AWAY FROM WHERE WE
WANTED TO GO >> I HAVE A HOMO -- A BISEXUAL
HISTORY. A LONG BISEXUAL HISTORY.
YOU CAN GO ON THE INTERNET AND IT'S THERE
>> Reporter: THAT WAS A PUZZLING THING TO SHARE
THE DETECTIVES, OF COURSE, WERE THERE TO TALK ABOUT
JONELLE MATTHEWS THEY TRIED STEERING THE
CONVERSATION IN THAT DIRECTION SO THE PRESIDING QUESTION IS,
"WHY ARE YOU SO INTERESTED IN THE JONELLE MATTHEWS CASE?
>> YEAH. WHY WON'T YOU TELL US?
I MEAN, HELP US. >> Reporter: ANYTHING COME OUT
>> NO. >> Reporter: ONCE AGAIN, PANKEY
SAID HE WOULD NOT TALK WITHOUT HIS ATTORNEY OR AN AGREEMENT IN
PLACE TO PROTECT HIM AND THAT WAS THAT.
BUT THE LONG DRIVE TO IDAHO WASN'T A WASTE OF THE
DETECTIVES' TIME WHILE THEY WERE THERE, PANKEY"S
EX-WIFE ANGELA AGREED TO SIT DOWN FOR A RECORDED INTERVIEW.
>> I MEAN, THIS IS NOT MY USUAL, EVERYDAY THING, SO
>> YOU CAN RELAX >> OKAY.
>> Reporter: OVER SEVERAL HOURS, ANGELA TALKED ABOUT HER LIFE
WITH STEVE PANKEY, RECOUNTING HIS SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR WHEN
THEY RETURNED FROM THAT UNPLANNED ROAD TRIP AFTER
JONELLE DISAPPEARED. >> SO WE GET HOME, AND THEN
WE'RE BARELY -- BARELY HOME, AND HE GOES IN THE YARD AND STARTS
DIGGING. >> Reporter: ANGELA ALSO HAD
LOTS OF OTHER STORIES ABOUT HER EX-HUSBAND'S STRANGE OBSESSION
WITH THE CASE, LIKE HOW HE ONCE JUMPED OUT OF HIS SEAT IN CHURCH
WHEN THEIR PASTOR SAID HE WAS CERTAIN JONELLE WOULD BE FOUND
ALIVE. >> AND THEN HE IS UP AND DOWN
THE AISLE AND AT THE BACK AND KINDA PACING BACK THERE SAYING,
"PROPHET -- FALSE PROPHET. SO THEY TAKE HIM TO THE FOYER,
AND, I MEAN, EVERY TIME THAT FOYER OPENED, HE WAS JUST
YELLING OUT THERE. >> Reporter: DETECTIVE, IS THAT
EVIDENCE, OR IS IT JUST KIND OF A CURIOSITY?
>> TAKEN BY ITSELF, IT'S A CURIOSITY, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS
ENTIRE INVESTIGATION WAS, WAS ANY ONE THING MEANT NOTHING.
TWO THINGS, CURIOUS. THREE THINGS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH
WHEN YOU START FINDING YOURSELF WITH HUNDREDS AND YOU'RE PUTTING
IT ALL TOGETHER, IT'S DAMNING EVIDENCE
>> Reporter: BY THE END OF THEIR CONVERSATION WITH ANGELA, CASH
AND PRILL HAD NO DOUBTS ABOUT STEVE PANKEY
SO AS YOU GUYS WENT BACK IN THE CAR, WHAT DID YOU THINK?
THAT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, HUH?
>> YEAH, I THINK BY THE TIME THAT CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE, I
KNEW PANKEY WAS A SUSPECT IN THIS CASE.
>> Reporter: THEY WERE DONE TRYING TO TALK TO PANKEY, BUT
RETURNED TO HIS HOUSE TO EXECUTE A SEARCH WARRANT, SEIZING HIS
ELECTRONIC DEVICES HIS BROWSER HISTORY WAS FILLED
WITH SEARCHES ABOUT JONELLE. AFTER REFUSING TO TALK TO
DETECTIVES ABOUT THE CASE, PANKEY, NOW THE PRIME SUSPECT,
DECIDED TO START TALKING TO PRACTICALLY ANYONE ELSE WHO
WOULD LISTEN >> ON DECEMBER 20, 1984.
>> Reporter: IN AN INTERVIEW WITH NBC STATION
KTVB, PANKEY FINALLY REVEALED THE MYSTERIOUS DETAILS OF WHAT
HE'D BEEN CLAIMING HE KNEW ABOUT JONELLE BACK IN 1984
PANKEY SAID IT WAS JUST SOMETHING HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, A
CARETAKER AT A CEMETERY, HAD TOLD HIM
>> A COP HAD COME TO HIM AND SAID THAT HE HAD A BODY THAT
NEEDED TO BE BURIED IN A CASKET. THEY NEVER MENTIONED THE NAME
JONELLE MATTHEWS THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANY NAME.
THAT'S THE TOTAL OF MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF
JONELLE MATTHEWS, OKAY THAT'S IT.
THERE AIN'T NOTHING MORE >> Reporter: IN OTHER
INTERVIEWS, PANKEY OFFERED UP PROVOCATIVE CONSPIRACY THEORIES
ABOUT THE CASE ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT GREELEY
MAYOR JOHN GATES, WHO WAS A DETECTIVE IN 1984 AND RESPONDED
TO THE MATTHEWS' HOUSE THE NIGHT JONELLE WAS REPORTED MISSING
>> I GET A CALL FROM A JOURNALIST IN IDAHO WHO SAID,
"HEY, MAYOR GATES, ARE YOU AWARE THAT STEVE PANKEY HAS NAMED YOU
AS A SUSPECT IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF
JONELLE MATTHEWS?" >> Reporter: YOU
THAT YOU'RE -- >> YEAH.
>> Reporter: -- YOU'RE PART OF A PLOT
>> RIGHT AND, UH, I -- YOU KNOW, I DON'T
FIND MYSELF SPEECHLESS VERY OFTEN.
I THINK I WAS PROBABLY SPEECHLESS THAT DAY.
>> Reporter: CASH AND PRILL CALLED THIS LATEST GAMBIT THE
"PANKEY PUBLICITY TOUR." >> IN FULL STEVEN PANKEY
FASHION, HE WENT ON A CRUSADE. >> Reporter: "I'M GOING TO NOW
TELL THE WORLD ABOUT STEVEN PANKEY.
>> YES >> MY NAME IS STEVE PANKEY
>> Reporter: PANKEY ALSO FOUND TIME TO RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN,
THIS GO "ROUND FOR SHERIFF IN IDAHO.
>> I HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. I"M STEVE PANKEY, AND I APPROVED
THIS AD. >> ONE OF HIS CAMPAIGN SLOGANS
WAS, "NO HANKY WITH PANKEY." >> Reporter: BACK IN COLORADO,
CASH AND PRILL WERE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING PANKEY
WAS SAYING AS THEY QUIETLY BUILT THEIR CASE WITH PROSECUTORS
ROBERT MILLER, LACY WELLS, AND THE ELECTED D.A. OF WELD COUNTY,
MICHAEL ROURKE THEY BELIEVED PANKEY HAD TALKED
HIMSELF INTO A MURDER CHARGE, AND THEY PRESENTED THEIR
EVIDENCE TO A GRAND JURY >> WE PRESENTED OUR INFORMATION
TO THE GRAND JURY THROUGH DETECTIVE CASH, THROUGH
DETECTIVE PRILL. >> Reporter: THE DETECTIVES LAID
OUT A DETAILED TIMELINE OF THE SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR AND
STATEMENTS MADE BY PANKEY OVER THE DECADES.
DETECTIVE PRILL HAD EVEN DEVELOPED A THEORY OF HOW
JONELLE WAS KILLED BASED ON THE FACT THAT HER COAT HAD BEEN
TURNED INSIDE OUT WHEN THEY FOUND HER REMAINS.
SO WHAT DID THAT TELL YOU? WHAT'S THE PICTURE THAT CAME
TOGETHER >> WELL, IT BECAME FAIRLY CLEAR
TO ME THAT THIS COAT HAD BEEN PULLED OVER JONELLE'S HEAD
>> Reporter: TO CONTROL HER? >> PERHAPS
OR SHE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY. AND HE REACHED OVER HER HEAD AND
GRABBED THE COAT AND THEN SHE PULLED AWAY TO THE
POINT WHERE THE CUFFS AND HER HANDS ARE IN THE ARMPITS OF THE
COAT, AND IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT SHE WAS LIKELY SHOT
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS TOLD THE GRAND JURORS IT ALL ADDED UP
TO A STRONG CIRCUMSTANTIAL CASE. >> THEY VERY QUICKLY TURNED
AROUND AND SAID, "HERE'S YOUR INDICTMENT
GO GET HIM." >> Reporter: ON OCTOBER 12th,
2020, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT DETECTIVES CASH AND PRILL DID.
THEY ARRESTED STEVE PANKEY AT HIS HOME IN IDAHO.
HE WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER
PANKEY WOULD SOON BE TELLING HIS STORY AGAIN.
>> WHEN YOU SHOT JONELLE MATTHEWS IN THE
FOREHEAD, WAS SHE BEGGING FOR HER LIFE
>> Reporter: THIS TIME, HE'D BE TALKING TO HIS MOST IMPORTANT
AUDIENCE YET -- A JURY OF HIS
BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER FOR KIDNAPPING AND
KILLING JONELLE MATTHEWS DETECTIVES KNEW THE CASE AGAINST
HIM WASN'T A SLAM DUNK IT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THAT STUFF
THAT JURIES ABSOLUTELY CRAVE >> CORRECT
>> Reporter: OBVIOUS MOTIVE. THERE'S NO WEAPON.
THERE'S NO DNA THERE'S NO EYEWITNESS.
>> YES IT WAS UNUSUAL, TO SAY THE
LEAST. >> Reporter: THERE WAS ALSO NO
EVIDENCE TO SHOW HOW JONELLE WAS TAKEN FROM HER HOUSE OR WHEN AND
WHERE SHE WAS SHOT BUT PROSECUTORS WERE STILL
CONFIDENT. THE TRIAL STARTED IN OCTOBER OF
2021 REPORTER ASHLEY FANTZ WAS IN THE
COURTROOM. PAINT ME A PICTURE AS THE TRIAL
OF STEVEN PANKEY BEGINS. >> THE TRIAL FELT TENSE TO ME.
THIS WAS SUCH A STORIED CASE IN GREELEY AND, YOU KNOW, IN
THE '80s AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU HAD,
YOU KNOW, GHOSTS OF THE PAST SITTING THERE.
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS PLANNED TO PROVE THEIR CASE WITH THE
MOUNTAIN OF WORDS SPOKEN AND WRITTEN BY PANKEY HIMSELF.
WELD COUNTY D.A. MICHAEL ROURKE THOUGHT THAT WAS A WINNING HAND.
>> FOR 37 YEARS, JUSTICE FOR JANELLE HAS BEEN DENIED.
THAT CHANGES BEGINNING TODAY BASICALLY WHAT I'M TELLING THEM
IS, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HEAR DNA
EVIDENCE I"M GONNA ASK YOU TO RELY UPON
EVIDENCE WHICH IS AS OLD AS TIME.
STATEMENTS STATEMENTS OF THE DEFENDANT.
STATEMENTS AND BEHAVIORS THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO BUT ONE
CONCLUSION -- THAT HE IS THE INDIVIDUAL WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING
FOR FOR 37 YEARS >> Reporter: PROSECUTORS
PRESENTED AN AVALANCHE OF DOCUMENTS.
THE CENTERPIECE WAS EXHIBIT 209, A 75-PAGE TIMELINE PREPARED BY
DETECTIVE PRILL LISTING VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING
STEVEN PANKEY HAD SAID ABOUT JONELLE OVER THREE DECADES
>> EXHIBIT 209 WAS THE COMPILATION OF 37 YEARS WORTH OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORT IT DETAILED HIS LIFE, ALL OF THE
STATEMENTS THAT HE'S MADE ABOUT JONELLE MATTHEWS OVER THE COURSE
OF TIME. >> Reporter: FOR D.A. ROURKE,
ONE THING IN EXHIBIT 209 STOOD OUT ABOVE ALL OTHERS -- A LETTER
PANKEY HAD WRITTEN TO PROSECUTORS.
ROURKE CALLS IT PANKEY'S "ALIBI LETTER."
>> IT'S AN INCREDIBLY DETAILED ALIBI, NOT IN A BELIEVABLE
SENSE. HE REMEMBERS STANDING AT THE
WINDOW WATCHING THE SNOW CONDITIONS AND THINKING WHETHER
HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE NEXT MORNING ON A TRIP TO
CALIFORNIA BUT WE PULLED THE WEATHER
REPORTS. WE KNOW THERE'S HARDLY ANY SNOW
ON THE GROUND. HE TALKS ABOUT REMEMBERING THAT
HE HAD GONE TO THE GAS STATION AND BOUGHT A SIX PACK OF PEPSI
WHO REMEMBERS THAT 35 YEARS LATER?
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS, I SEE SO MANY RED FLAGS IN THAT STORY,
I CAN'T COUNT THEM >> MM-HMM.
>> Reporter: DO YOU ALSO >> YES
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS TOLD THE JURY THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY
TO INTERPRET ALL THOSE STATEMENTS PUT TOGETHER BY
DETECTIVE PRILL. THEY WERE THE PRODUCT OF A
KILLER'S GUILTY CONSCIENCE AND IT TURNED OUT THAT PRILL
BECAME YOUR PANKEY WHISPERER >> HE PUT THE ENTIRE CASE
TOGETHER FOR THE JURY, FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THIS
DOCUMENT >> Reporter: AFTER THREE DAYS OF
PRESENTING STEVEN PANKEY IN HIS OWN WORDS, THE PROSECUTION
TURNED TO ITS STAR WITNESS, PANKEY'S EX-WIFE ANGELA.
SHE OFFERED AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF HER EX, A MAN WITH A SHORT
FUSE WHO INSISTED ON VERY STRICT RULES FOR HIS FAMILY
IT WAS A HOUSEHOLD WITH A LOT OF "THOU SHALT NOTS."
>> ONE DAY I WAS IN THE KITCHEN. I HAD MY STEREO ON, AND HE CAME
IN THE NEXT THING I KNOW I HEAR
CRASHING, SMASHING YOU KNOW, "NO MORE MUSIC, NO TV,
NO RADIO, NO NEWSPAPERS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GODLY
HOME." >> Reporter: ANGELA REMEMBERED
HOW PANKEY SUDDENLY ABANDONED THOSE RULES DURING THAT
UNPLANNED CHRISTMAS 1984 ROAD TRIP, OBSESSIVELY ORDERING HER
TO FIND REPORTS ABOUT JONELLE ON THE CAR RADIO.
THE MESSAGE TO THE JURY WAS CLEAR.
THIS WAS JONELLE'S KILLER MAKING SURE THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE
NEWS CONNECTING HIM TO THE CRIME.
>> AND THAT'S ALL HE WANTED TO LISTEN TO ON THE RADIO
>> HE KEPT HAVING ME FLIP TO FIND -- TO FIND MORE NEWS
REPORTS ABOUT IT >> Reporter: PROSECUTORS WERE
CONFIDENT ANGELA'S DETAILED TESTIMONY WOULD COMPARE VERY
FAVORABLY TO THE SOMETIMES CONTRADICTORY, STRANGE THINGS
PANKEY HAD WRITTEN ABOUT THE SAME EVENTS.
>> YOU START TO HAVE THIS REAL CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE
ANGELA HICKS, UM, AND HER INCREDIBLE MEMORY AND THESE
WRITINGS OF A GUY WHO, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, SHOULDN'T HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS >> Reporter: THEN ANGELA
DESCRIBED A DISTURBING NOTE IN HER HUSBAND'S HANDWRITING.
SHE'D FOUND IT IN THE TRASH, YEARS AFTER JONELLE DISAPPEARED.
IT HAD BEEN TORN INTO LITTLE PIECES
>> ONE OF THE THINGS NOTATED IN HIS HANDWRITING ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGAL PAPER WAS, "SNOW OUTSIDE THE MATTHEWS HOUSE WAS RAKED."
>> Reporter: POLICE SAY THEY NEVER REVEALED THE FACT THAT THE
SHOE PRINTS IN THE SNOW AT THE MATTHEWS HOUSE HAD BEEN RAKED
OVER PROSECUTORS BELIEVED ANGELA'S
TESTIMONY ABOUT THE NOTE SHE FOUND WAS POWERFUL EVIDENCE THAT
PANKEY KNEW ALL ABOUT THE PRINTS BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE WHO MADE
THEM >> SHE WAS ONE OF THE MOST
COMPELLING WITNESSES I'VE EVER HAD ON THE STAND
AND WE TOOK A BREAK FOR THE DAY, AND I WAS LIKE, "WOW, THAT WAS
AN AMAZING WITNESS." >> Reporter: TAKE HER OUT OF THE
CASE -- WHAT DO YOU HAVE >> NOTHING
>> Reporter: SHE'S THAT IMPORTANT?
>> YES WE DON'T MAKE THIS CASE WITHOUT
ANGELA HICKS >> Reporter: NOW IT WAS TIME FOR
THE DEFENSE. AND THE UNPREDICTABLE
STEVEN PANKEY WOULD MAKE AN UNUSUAL CASE FOR HIMSELF FROM
THE WITNESS STAND. >> THE BIBLE SAYS, "MAKE SURE
YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT. >> Reporter: STEVEN PANKEY'S
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ANTHONY VIORST BELIEVED IN HIS CLIENT'S
INNOCENCE. AFTER THE STATE RESTED, IT WAS
HIS TURN TO TELL THE JURY WHY. >> MR. PANKEY IS INNOCENT,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BECAUSE THERE IS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE,
OR REALLY NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER CONNECTING HIM TO THIS CRIME
NO FINGERPRINTS, NO DNA. THERE ARE NO WITNESSES
SO IT'S ALL CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, NUMBER ONE
AND CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE CAN BE MISLEADING.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THE DEFENSE'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS WAS
THE POWERFUL TESTIMONY OF THE STATE'S STAR WITNESS, PANKEY'S
EX-WIFE ANGELA VIORST POINTED OUT THAT ANGELA
HAD WAITED 15 YEARS BEFORE REACHING OUT TO POLICE ABOUT THE
CASE AND HE TRIED TO GIVE THE JURY A
REASON TO QUESTION HER MOTIVE FOR SPEAKING OUT NOW
>> HE WAS A SORT OF A DOMINEERING TYPE OF HUSBAND, AND
SHE MAY HAVE BEEN SORT OF GETTING HER REVENGE BY
TESTIFYING AGAINST HIM AT HIS TRIAL.
SHE HAD REASON TO BE UPSET WITH HIM, AND SHE HAD REASON TO
DIVORCE HIM. BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A REASON TO
ACCUSE HIM OF COMMITTING A MURDER
>> Reporter: WHEN VIORST GOT HIS CHANCE TO QUESTION ANGELA, HE
TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE WHY SHE HAD GOOD REASONS TO RESENT PANKEY.
>> HE DID NOT TREAT YOU PARTICULARLY WELL DURING THE
MARRIAGE, DID HE >> NO, HE DID NOT.
>> OKAY, HE DIDN'T PROVIDE WELL FOR YOU FINANCIALLY, DID HE?
>> NO. >> Reporter: ANGELA SAID PANKEY
INHERITED AN ULTRACONSERVATIVE VIEW ON MARITAL ROLES FROM HIS
FATHER, WHO ONCE DESCRIBED A WIFE'S PLACE TO HER IN A CRUDE,
OFFENSIVE MANNER >> WHAT HE HAD SAID IS YOU
SHOULD OBEY YOUR HUSBAND AS UNTO THE LORD, AND IF YOUR HUSBAND
ASKS YOU TO STAND UP ON A TABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESTAURANT
AND DANCE NAKED, YOU SHOULD DO IT
>> SO THAT'S KIND OF AN OLD FASHIONED VIEW OF MARRIAGE,
ISN'T IT >> I THOUGHT SO.
>> YEAH, AND STEVE HAD AN OLD FASHIONED VIEW OF MARRIAGE AS
WELL >> YES
>> Reporter: AFTER DEALING WITH ANGELA'S TESTIMONY, THE DEFENSE
SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO AN ALTERNATE SUSPECT.
VIORST THOUGHT HE HAD A GOOD ONE IN NORRIS DRAKE.
>> WE PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT HE DID HAVE AN INTEREST IN YOUNG
GIRLS OF -- YOU KNOW, WHO ARE ABOUT JONELLE'S AGE.
WE PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS THERE AT THAT EXACT LOCATION
RIGHT AROUND THE TIME THAT SHE WAS DROPPED OFF.
>> Reporter: YOU THOUGHT HE WAS A VIABLE SUSPECT
>> ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, I REALLY THINK HE'S THE
ONE WHO DID IT >> Reporter: GIVING THE JURY AN
ALTERNATE SUSPECT TO THINK ABOUT AND CHALLENGING ANGELA'S
CREDIBILITY WERE CENTERPIECES OF THE DEFENSE STRATEGY
BUT WHAT ABOUT STEVEN PANKEY'S CREDIBILITY?
VIORST KNEW PUTTING HIM ON THE STAND WOULD BE RISKY
THIS IS A GUY WHO'S GOTTEN IN TROUBLE BY TALKING TOO MUCH.
>> RIGHT >> Reporter: AND YET HERE YOU'RE
GOING TO GO TO THE TOTALLY VULNERABLE SITUATION OF SWORN
TESTIMONY. >> RIGHT
YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT STEVE IS GOING TO SAY.
>> Reporter: PANKEY MADE THE FINAL DECISION
HE WOULD TESTIFY AND AFTER SWEARING TO TELL THE
TRUTH, HE DID A REMARKABLE THING.
HE TOLD THE JURY HE'S A LIAR >> THE BIBLE SAYS, "MAKE SURE
YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT. SO I BEGAN A SERIES OF LIES.
I HAD TOLD SO MANY LIES OVER THE YEARS.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN -- IT'S JUST IT HAS TO -- IT HAS TO
MAKE SENSE AND IT ALL DOESN'T
>> Reporter: AND PANKEY'S REASON FOR LYING ABOUT JONELLE?
HE SAID IT WAS TO EXACT REVENGE ON PEOPLE HE DIDN'T LIKE --
RELATIVES, CO-WORKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> "CAUSE I HATED THE POLICE IT WAS ALL IN ONE TO SAY I'VE
GOT INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT AND YOU CAN'T HAVE IT.
IT WAS A POLITE WAY OF FLIPPING THEM THE BIRD.
IT WAS PURE HATRED ON MY PART. >> Reporter: JIM AND
GLORIA MATTHEWS WERE THERE AND COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE
HEARING. >> HERE HE'S TRYING TO DEFEND
HIMSELF IN A WAY, BUT HE'S TELLING US THAT ALL HE'S DONE IS
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IS -- IS HE'S LIED.
>> HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HE'S NOT LYING WHEN HE WAS TESTIFYING
THAT HE WAS LYING? >> YEAH, IT WAS BIZARRE.
>> Reporter: PANKEY DIDN'T HOLD BACK WHEN IT CAME TO ANGELA.
HE SAID HER STORY ABOUT HIM SIMPLY WASN'T TRUE
>> I HAD NEVER IMAGINED THAT ANGIE WOULD BE AS BIG AS LIAR AS
I AM >> Reporter: ANGELA HAD
TESTIFIED ABOUT HER UNHAPPY MARRIAGE
ON THE STAND, PANKEY SAID HE NEVER HAD ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR
HIS WIFE HE RECALLED TALKING TO ANGELA
ONE NIGHT WHEN HE DECIDED TO SLEEP ON THE COUCH
>> I TURNED AND TOLD HER MAKING LOVE TO HER WAS AN ACT OF MERCY,
NOT PASSION. I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE OVERLY
GROSS, BUT I THINK YOU CAN SURMISE FROM THAT KIND OF, LIKE,
WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS LIKE >> Reporter: HERE WAS PANKEY
HIMSELF OFFERING AN ANECDOTE ABOUT HOW POORLY HE TREATED
ANGELA A STORY THAT WAS AS MEAN AS IT
WAS GRATUITOUS >> I MEAN, HE VOLUNTEERED THAT
BELIEVE ME, I DIDN'T ASK HIM THAT QUESTION.
>> Reporter: A LOT OF PANKEY'S TESTIMONY WASN'T ABOUT
RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS. IT WAS A STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
THAT OFTEN DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CASE
AGAINST HIM OR MAKE ANY SENSE. >> I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE LIVING
IN THE LAST DAYS, AND AFTER THIS LIFETIME, THERE'LL BE A THOUSAND
YEARS MILLENNIUM >> Reporter: VIORST STEERED
PANKEY BACK TO THE ALL THE STATEMENTS HE'D MADE ABOUT
JONELLE, INCLUDING THE LETTERS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE HEART
OF THE PROSECUTION'S CASE. HE GAVE PANKEY A CHANCE TO
EXPLAIN THAT >> AGAIN, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE
OF THOSE LETTERS >> THEY THOUGHT THAT I WAS
CRAZY. SO THE PURPOSE OF MY LETTERS WAS
TO PROVE THEIR POINT >> Reporter: PANKEY WAS AN
UNUSUAL WITNESS, TO SAY THE LEAST.
BUT UNDER CROSS-EXAMINATION, HE CONTINUED TO INSIST HE HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH JONELLE'S MURDER
STILL, THERE WAS ONE FINAL QUESTION D.A. MICHAEL ROURKE
WANTED THE JURY TO HEAR. >> WHEN YOU SHOT JONELLE
MATTHEWS IN THE FOREHEAD, WAS SHE BEGGING FOR HER LIFE
>> NEVER HAPPENED. >> DID YOU LOOK IN HER EYES?
>> NEVER HAPPENED. >> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T CARE WHAT HIS ANSWER WAS.
I WANTED THE JURY TO HAVE THAT IMAGE IN THEIR MIND OF THAT GUN
BEING POINTED AT THAT LITTLE GIRL'S HEAD.
>> Reporter: THE JURY WOULD HAVE ITS HANDS FULL TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT STEVEN PANKEY. DEFENSE ATTORNEY VIORST SAYS HIS
CLIENT'S UNUSUAL WAYS AND OBSESSION WITH JONELLE MATTHEWS
DO NOT MAKE HIM A KILLER WHAT IS GOING ON WITH
STEVE PANKEY >> THE ANSWER IS HE'S A MENTALLY
ILL PERSON CRAVING ATTENTION THAT'S THE ANSWER THAT I OFFERED
TO THE JURY, AND THAT'S THE ANSWER THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE IS
TRUE >> Reporter: THE PROSECUTION
CAUTIONED THE JURY NOT TO FALL FOR THAT ARGUMENT.
>> HE'S NOT SOMEONE THAT HAS A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER
HE IS A MASTER MANIPULATOR DON'T LET THIS SELF-PROCLAIMED
MASTER MANIPULATOR MANIPULATE YOU.
>> Reporter: AFTER THREE WEEKS OF TESTIMONY, BOTH SIDES WERE
FEELING CONFIDENT. THE MATTHEWS FAMILY, WHO'D BEEN
IN COURT EVERY DAY, WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO THINK.
BUT AS WITH SO MUCH WITH JONELLE'S STORY, IT WAS OUT OF
THEIR HANDS.
TRIAL WAS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE JURORS
THEY DELIBERATED FOR A DAY -- THEN ANOTHER -- AND ANOTHER --
WITH NO VERDICT. >> I THINK THAT WE FINALLY
REACHED A TIPPING POINT IN DAY TWO WHERE WE'RE THINKING TO
OURSELVES, "WHAT IS THIS JURY DOING?
AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET NERVOUS AT THAT POINT.
>> Reporter: THE JURORS FINALLY CAME BACK, BUT NOT WITH A
VERDICT. THEY WERE DEADLOCKED
THE JUDGE DECLARED A MISTRIAL. MICHAEL, HOW MUCH OF A DEPTH
BOMB IS THAT >> OH, IT WAS HUGE
WE'RE STANDING THERE THINKING -- AND I KNOW I'M STANDING THERE
THINKING WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY THIS CASE AGAIN
>> Reporter: THE DECISION WAS MADE WITHOUT ANY HESITATION.
STEVEN PANKEY WOULD FACE A SECOND TRIAL
WHILE PREPARING FOR IT, PROSECUTORS RECEIVED AN
INTRIGUING LETTER FROM AN INMATE AT THE WELD COUNTY JAIL, SOMEONE
NAMED PATRICK CALLAS, THE SAME JAIL WHERE PANKEY WAS BEING
HELD PROSECUTOR LACEY WELLS
>> HE TALKED ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP HE HAD DEVELOPED
WITH MR. PANKEY OVER THEIR SHARED, UM, BELIEFS.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A RELIGIOUS BASED RELATIONSHIP
THEY WOULD PRAISE GOD TOGETHER >> Reporter: HE ALSO SUGGESTED
HE HAD SOME INFORMATION. SO DETECTIVE PRILL WENT TO THE
COUNTY JAIL TO MEET THE INMATE, WHO DESCRIBED A CONVERSATION HE
HAD WITH PANKEY. >> PANKEY CAME TO THIS INMATE
AND SOUGHT FORGIVENESS FOR WHAT HE DID TO JONELLE.
AND THAT WHATEVER IT WAS HE DID TO THAT LITTLE GIRL WAS BETWEEN
STEVE AND GOD. >> Reporter: SO HE'D BOOKED
HIMSELF A DAY ON THE WITNESS STAND.
>> HE DID. OH, YEAH
>> Reporter: THE JURY WOULD HEAR FROM INMATE CALLAS
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE PROSECUTION'S
WITNESS LIST FOR THE SECOND TRIAL, A WOMAN NAMED
DEBBIE MOON. WHAT HAPPENED TO DEBBIE MOON
THIS IS SOMEONE WHO HAD AN INCIDENT WITH PANKEY BEFORE
JONELLE, RIGHT >> SHE WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIM BACK IN 1977. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH
TOGETHER SHE HAD, UM, COME TO THE
REALIZATION THAT SHE WANTED TO BREAK UP WITH HIM.
HE TOOK HER OUT ON THE COUNTY ROADS AND ASSAULTED HER.
>> Reporter: DEBBIE MOON TOLD POLICE THAT PANKEY HAD RAPED
HER, BUT SAID WHEN SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS A CASE OF HE SAID/SHE
SAID, SHE DECIDED NOT TO PRESS CHARGES.
45 YEARS LATER, SHE STILL STOOD BY HER ALLEGATION.
AND THE JUDGE DECIDED TO LET HER TESTIFY, OVERRULING A DEFENSE
OBJECTION. >> WE HAD A BIG ASK OF HER
SHE HAD LEFT THE STATE OF COLORADO BECAUSE OF MR. PANKEY
AND HAD NEVER RETURNED >> Reporter: AHA
>> SHE CAME BACK FOR THE SECOND TRIAL TO BRING JUSTICE FOR
JONELLE. >> Reporter: STEVEN PANKEY'S
SECOND MURDER TRIAL BEGAN IN OCTOBER, 2022.
THE PROSECUTION HAD THOSE TWO NEW WITNESSES, BUT THE HEART OF
THE CASE REMAINED THE SAME THE STATE WOULD RELY ON PANKEY'S
OWN STATEMENTS TO PROVE HIS GUILT.
D.A. ROURKE'S OPENING ARGUMENT HAD A FAMILIAR RING TO IT.
>> THE DEFENDANT IS THE PERSON THAT POLICE WERE LOOKING FOR FOR
37 YEARS >> Reporter: PANKEY HAD TWO NEW
LAWYERS THIS TIME. PUBLIC DEFENDER PETER HARRIS
USED PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PLAYBOOK FROM THE FIRST TRIAL.
>> NOT ONLY IS THERE NO DNA. THERE'S NO FINGERPRINTS.
THERE'S NO MURDER WEAPON THERE IS NO WITNESS.
>> Reporter: HARRIS TOLD THE JURY THERE WAS STRONG EVIDENCE
IN THE CASE, BUT NOT AGAINST HIS CLIENT
IT IMPLICATED NORRIS DRAKE HARRIS CALLED DRAKE THE
"ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. >> THERE IS EVIDENCE TYING HIM
TO THIS CRIME. THERE IS EVIDENCE ABOUT
OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO HAVE COMMITTED THE CRIME.
>> Reporter: THE STATE'S STAR WITNESS WAS STILL PANKEY'S
EX-WIFE ANGELA BUT EVEN THOUGH DEBBIE MOON"S
STORY WAS ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED YEARS BEFORE JONELLE
WAS KILLED, PROSECUTORS THOUGHT HER TESTIMONY WAS PIVOTAL.
DID DEBBIE MOON GIVE THE JURY A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE ACCUSED
AND THAT HE'S NOT JUST THE GOOFBALL DOWN ON MAIN STREET,
BUT HE COULD BE A VIOLENT CHARACTER?
>> SHE, I THINK, COMPLETED THE INCOMPLETE PICTURE THAT THE JURY
HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD OF THE DEFENDANT.
THERE WAS THAT ONE ADDITIONAL PIECE THAT REALLY GAVE THE JURY
SOME INSIGHT INTO WHO THIS GUY REALLY IS.
>> Reporter: THERE WAS A MOMENT DURING A BREAK IN DEBBIE'S
TESTIMONY THAT PROSECUTOR WELLS SAYS SHE'LL NEVER FORGET
>> SHE STARES AT MR. PANKEY. >> Reporter: HMM
>> AND SHE STARES AT HIM UNTIL HE LOOKS AWAY FIRST.
>> Reporter: DEB MOON DOES >> DEB MOON DOES
AND I THINK THAT -- THAT WAS HER SAYING, "I'M HERE GIVING JONELLE
A VOICE. AND HE TURNED AWAY IN SHAME.
>> Reporter: PANKEY DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE STAND, BUT HE BECAME
A SURPRISE WITNESS FOR THE STATE ANYWAY WHEN THE JUDGE ALLOWED
PROSECUTORS TO PLAY HIS TESTIMONY FROM THE FIRST TRIAL
FOR THE JURY >> I HAD TOLD SO MANY LIES OVER
THE YEARS. >> Reporter: WHEN THE JAILHOUSE
INFORMANT PATRICK CALLAS TESTIFIED, HE SAID HE ASKED
PANKEY IF HE KILLED THE "LITTLE GIRL" HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
HE SAID PANKEY NODDED YES AND THEN PRAYED FOR FORGIVENESS.
THE D.A. THOUGHT THAT TESTIMONY WAS SO COMPELLING, HE USED THE
INFORMANT'S WORDS TO CONCLUDE HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DEFENDANT DID CONFESS TO THIS
CRIME, THROUGH PATRICK CALLAS. "PAT, I NEED FORGIVENESS."
"FOR WHAT? "FOR THAT LITTLE GIRL.
"DID YOU KILL HER? "THAT"S BETWEEN ME AND GOD."
HE LOWERED HIS HEAD AND HE NODDED
>> Reporter: DEFENSE ATTORNEY JESSICA BRAZIL MADE THE CLOSING
ARGUMENTS FOR PANKEY >> MR. PANKEY SEEKS ATTENTION,
IS PARANOID ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
EVERYONE HAS SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN THEIR LIFE WHERE THEY'RE JUST
A LITTLE OFF THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM A
MURDERER BY ANY MEANS. >> Reporter: THIS JURY
DELIBERATED FOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS AND THIS TIME REACHED A
DECISION THE JUDGE READ THE VERDICT
>> WE, THE JURY, FIND THE STEVEN DANA PANKEY GUILTY OF
MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER, FELONY MURDER.
>> Reporter: GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
>> WHAT A MOMENT, I MEAN, JUST KNOWING WE GOT THE MATTHEWS SOME
CLOSURE IN THIS LIFELONG SAGA THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH AND -- AND
GOTTEN SOME JUSTICE FOR THE CITY OF GREELEY AND OUR COMMUNITY
>> Reporter: DETECTIVE PRILL WAS SITTING AT THE PROSECUTION TABLE
WHEN THE VERDICT WAS ANNOUNCED >> YOU GOT TO KEEP A STRAIGHT
FACE, NOT REACT TO THE TEARS AS THEY START ERUPTING BEHIND US.
WE FOUND JONELLE WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO
WE IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT AND ARRESTED HIM
THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN JUST AMAZING TO GET TO THE -- TO
THAT FINAL THIRD PART. >> I MEAN, IT STILL DOESN'T
BRING JONELLE BACK AND, UM, IT'S STILL SOMETHING
HORRIFIC HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY. BUT HAVING EARTHLY JUSTICE AND
CLOSURE IS PRICELESS, AND IT FEELS REALLY GOOD.
>> Reporter: THERE REALLY IS VALUE TO THAT?
>> AMAZING >> Reporter: BEFORE SENTENCING,
WITH JONELLE'S CONVICTED KILLER JUST FEET AWAY, THE MATTHEWS
FAMILY WAS GIVEN A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
>> THIS CRIME HAS HAUNTED OUR FAMILY ALL THESE YEARS
I TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, HE CLAIMS TO BE A CHRISTIAN.
AND I SAID, "BUT YOUR LIFE DOESN'T SHOW THAT.
>> Reporter: GLORIA MATTHEWS TENDERLY REMEMBERED HER YOUNGER
DAUGHTER >> AS MOM, I REMEMBER MUCH
YES, SHE'S FEISTY. YES, SHE'S OPINIONATED
BUT SHE'S ALSO TENDERHEARTED, SENSITIVE, AND LOVING.
>> Reporter: THE JUDGE HANDED DOWN A LIFE SENTENCE WITH A
CHANCE FOR PAROLE AFTER 20 YEARS, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM"S
FINAL ANSWER TO THE CRUEL AND SENSELESS MURDER OF
JONELLE MATTHEWS JIM AND GLORIA WERE GRATEFUL,
BUT STILL THINK STEVEN PANKEY HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR.
GLORIA, YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN CAN YOU FORGIVE HIM?
>> NO. >> WE CAN FORGIVE HIM, BUT WE
CAN'T FORGIVE WHAT HE DID. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN -- IN MY
MIND >> I CAN'T FORGIVE HIM
HE SHOT OUR DAUGHTER OTHER CHRISTIANS SAY THAT I NEED
TO FORGIVE HIM, BUT HOW CAN YOU FORGIVE EVIL
>>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF "DATELINE."
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY AT 9:00, 8:00 CENTRAL.
AND, OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY
NEWS." I'M LESTER HOLT.