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“True-crime junkie” inserts himself into a decades-long investigation

August 07, 2022 / 02:35

This episode discusses the murder trial of Stephen Panky, who made a surprising admission about lying during the proceedings. The case centers on the kidnapping of twelve-year-old Janelle Matthews in December 1984, after she disappeared following a Christmas choir concert. Panky lived nearby and had previously inserted himself into the investigation, claiming he wanted to help.

Panky testified that he had lied to get back at the police and others in his community, stating, "The truth is I made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness." His statements raised questions about his credibility and the jury's perception of his honesty.

The episode highlights the complexities of Panky's involvement and the tragic history of Janelle Matthews, whose body was discovered in 2019, leading to renewed scrutiny of Panky's claims.

TLDR

Stephen Panky admits to lying in Janelle Matthews' murder trial, raising doubts about his credibility and involvement.

Episode

2:35

00:00:00

when stephen panky took the stand in his own murder trial he made a stunning admission he had lied

00:00:08

in the little jail cubicle before coming up here i was praying and i was thanking

00:00:13

god maybe i shouldn't testify because i'd be just telling more lies it was the latest twist in the tragic case of

00:00:22

janelle matthews who was kidnapped from her home in december 1984. the twelve-year-old disappeared after

00:00:29

attending a christmas choir concert a family friend dropped janelle off at home alone and she was never seen alive

00:00:36

again panky had lived two miles from the matthews house in 1984 and had once attended the same church as the matthews

00:00:45

but he was not considered a suspect until he repeatedly inserted himself in the investigation

00:00:52

i told the fbi i want to talk to you it may or may not have something to do with the janelle matthews case

00:01:00

throughout the years panky often spoke to local media investigators and anyone else who would listen to his theories

00:01:08

panky says that by 2014 several of his letters were returned to sender unopened and panki lost interest in the case

00:01:17

after authorities discovered janelle's body in july 2019 they began taking panki's statements more

00:01:24

seriously in a letter to the media in 2019 he named himself as a person of interest while insisting he was innocent

00:01:33

mr pinky loves the limelight he just does for whatever reason it's a hell of a way to get the limelight and it's not

00:01:40

a good way i wouldn't recommend it to anyone he's a busybody he's a true crying junkie he gets

00:01:46

himself in the middle of murder cases but that doesn't necessarily mean he actually was involved in that

00:01:53

panky testified his involvement was all lies to get back at the police and others in the colorado community who he

00:02:00

felt had wronged him the truth is i made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness is he telling the truth

00:02:11

this is the hard part because i raised my hand and i swore to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but

00:02:21

the truth what will the jury believe

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

90
Most heartbreaking
85
Biggest twist
80
Most shocking
80
Most surprising

Episode Highlights

The Disappearance of Janelle Matthews
Janelle Matthews vanished in December 1984 after a choir concert, never to be seen alive again.
@ 00m 36s
August 07, 2022
Stephen Panky's Stunning Admission
During his murder trial, Stephen Panky confessed to lying about his involvement in the case.
“I made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness.”
@ 02m 03s
August 07, 2022

Episode Quotes

I made a lot of stuff up out of bitterness.
“True-crime junkie” inserts himself into a decades-long investigation
What will the jury believe?
“True-crime junkie” inserts himself into a decades-long investigation

Key Moments

Trial Admission00:02
Janelle's Disappearance00:27
Panky's Lies01:56
Truth or Lies02:14

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown