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Sneak peek: The Kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews

March 25, 2021 / 03:12

This episode discusses the 35-year-old cold case of Janelle Matthews, her disappearance in 1984, and the recent discovery of her remains.

The episode begins with a recounting of the events surrounding Janelle's disappearance on December 20, 1984. Her friends and family describe her as a sweet and bubbly girl who was last seen after a basketball game.

As the years passed, the police continued to investigate the case, but it remained unsolved for decades. The emotional weight of the case is highlighted by the impact on Janelle's family and the community.

In a significant turn, Janelle's remains were discovered by a bulldozer operator over 20 miles from her home. The episode introduces Steve Pankey, a person of interest in the case, who claims he has no connection to Janelle.

The discussion includes the ongoing investigation and the implications of the recent findings, leaving listeners with questions about justice and closure for Janelle's family.

TLDR

The episode covers Janelle Matthews' 1984 disappearance and recent discovery of her remains, highlighting ongoing investigations and emotional impacts.

Episode

3:12
00:00:01
[Applause] [Music] where's janelle you know where janelle is i wonder what happened to that 12 year old little girl
00:00:11
everybody was looking for janelle what happened and why 35 years after her disappearance police
00:00:20
and greeley take a big step in solving the case of janelle matthews let's talk about december 20th 1984.
00:00:30
my mom was going to california to visit her family for christmas and i had a basketball game that night
00:00:36
my dad dropped my sister off at the choir concert and he came and watched my game
00:00:42
janelle needed a ride home so she hopped in our truck and we took her home my dad waited until he saw her flick on
00:00:49
the light that was our sign that she made it inside and everything's fine i came home and you could tell janelle
00:00:57
had been there i yelled out hi janelle janelle are you there no answer i got home probably between 9 30 and 10.
00:01:08
jennifer do you know where janelle is and i said no she should be here was there anything out of place in the house
00:01:14
not to me i'm starting to feel real uneasy i called the police and told them that
00:01:21
my daughter was missing and they did uncover some footprints i called home and he said i just have to
00:01:31
tell you something [Music] we can't find you down i just had a sick feeling to my stomach
00:01:50
tell me a little bit about janelle just sweet bubbly fun so kind so nice it always seemed to kind of be the life
00:01:59
of the party and you always knew janelle was around [Music] years go by five years 10 years
00:02:09
20 years 30 years the police were working like hell to get this case cleared we just had to wait 35 years
00:02:18
janelle was finally found a bulldozer operator uncovered the bones more than 20 miles from her old home i
00:02:25
didn't want that to be juno i really wanted to not know the discovery of her body was not the
00:02:36
end of the story this is steve pankey panky is a person of interest in a homicide out of
00:02:41
colorado i've never met janelle matthews he's run for governor never met her never talked to her he ran
00:02:48
for sheriff never heard of janelle matthews he likes to talk he's a talkative guy i voluntarily gave
00:02:56
my dna but he's not a murderer i want to hear what he has to say about that night
00:03:06
[Music]

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  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
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  • 75
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  • 75
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Episode Highlights

  • The Disappearance of Janelle Matthews
    A community searches for a missing girl, leading to a heartbreaking discovery decades later.
    “Everybody was looking for Janelle... what happened?”
    @ 00m 11s
    March 25, 2021
  • 35 Years Later: A Breakthrough
    After decades of searching, Janelle's remains are found, reigniting the investigation.
    “The discovery of her body was not the end of the story.”
    @ 02m 36s
    March 25, 2021

Episode Quotes

  • I just had a sick feeling to my stomach.
    Sneak peek: The Kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews
  • Janelle was finally found... I didn't want that to be Janelle.
    Sneak peek: The Kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews
  • He’s a talkative guy, I voluntarily gave my DNA, but he's not a murderer.
    Sneak peek: The Kidnapping of Jonelle Matthews

Key Moments

  • Community Search00:11
  • Painful Discovery02:20
  • Steve Pankey's Defense02:57

Tension Over Time

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