The police arrived at 10:15 PM and found footprints in the snow, indicating that someone had been looking in the windows. According to our research of Colorado and other state lists, there were 381 registered sex offenders living in Greeley, Colorado as of March 03, 2023. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Discuss Greeley, Colorado (CO) on our hugely popular Colorado forum. He interacted with Vega briefly at the shop's counter and then sat a table. Their father began to worry and called police. According to court documents, he said, "Yeah, I'm your guy," when an officer told another officer aloud that he thought Vallejos, who was covered in blood, matched the description of the suspect. Vallejos retrieved the piece of paper he left at the table earlier, folded it and placed it at the end of the counter. Eyewitnesses present on the scene mentioned that the figure was dressed in a dark robe and had a Grim Reaper mask on their face to conceal their identity completely. GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) Officers found a body outside a Greeley home shortly after midnight Saturday. Officers searched for him in the area and saw him walking a few blocks away. Jonelle Matthews was a 12-year-old American girl who disappeared near Greeley, Colorado, on December 20, 1984. On September 13, 2019, the Greeley Police Department announced that Steven Dana Pankey, a former Greeley resident who ran for governor in Idaho in 2014 and 2018 and for lieutenant governor in 2010, was a person of interest in Jonelle Matthews' abduction and death. [21], Pankey's ex-wife, Angela Hicks,[21] said they started their trip on December 22, two days after Jonelle's disappearance. RELATED: 'She was always smiling': Family remembers woman killed at Greeley smoothie shop. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Greeley is 273 to 1. Suspect Marcos Vallejos, 24, has been arrested and booked into Weld County Jail on charges of first-degree murder and sexual assault. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Family of Aurora man in police video speaks out, We need a permanent fix: Potholes return to Evergreen, Utah governor says he plans to sign abortion clinic, East High students weigh in on school resource officer, Makar cleared to return 2nd time from concussion, Mercer has goal, 3 assists as Devils beat Avalanche, NFL coach Brian Flores discrimination case going, Rockies among 17 teams MLB may take over broadcasts, Jokic has 100th triple-double; Nuggets down Rockets, Sean Payton tried to lure Vic Fangio back to Denver, 1 dead, several injured in multiple Denver shootings, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? [26] Police continue to investigate the shooting. The spike in homicides came during a tumultuous year. The 2019 Greeley crime rate fell by 9% compared to 2018. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Affidavit: Greeley resident wanted on suspicion, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Affidavit: Greeley resident wanted on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing in Evans, Campbell wins Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year for record-breaking times, Big Sky Tournament: UNC mens, womens basketball have tough road in Boise, Smileys former JuCo player confident in coach, UNC basketball future, Aims CC offers free science, tech summer camp for high school students, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Weld judge sentences Greeley man to 60 years for October 2020 murder, In-N-Out closes on property for Loveland restaurant in Centerra, Johnstown fisherman reels in the catch of a lifetime while traveling to Texas for son's junior hockey tournament, Sentencing date set for former Greeley Central teacher who pleaded guilty to child exploitation, Weld County commissioners approve new commissioner districts in what some say is violation of state law, Windsor girls switch to rarely used 2-3 zone en route to win over Mead in quarterfinals of 5A playoffs, Fusco Pizza is a love letter to all things Greeley, One call handles it all: TruBlue Total House Care opening in Greeley, Weld and Larimer counties retail food inspection reports, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Now The Family Seeks Her Killer", "Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate charged with killing girl, 12, who vanished in 1984", "25 years after Greeley girl vanished, no clues", "Greeley PD taking a new look Jonelle Matthews case", "Three decades after she disappeared from her Greeley home, memories of Jonelle Matthews remain", "Remains Found in Weld County Identified", "Remains of Jonelle Matthews dug up by work crew 34 years after she vanished, Greeley police sayThen 12-year-old disappeared after middle school Christmas concert", "Man Charged With Murder in 1984 Killing of Colorado Girl Taken From Home", "Former candidate for ID governor investigated in 1984 Colorado cold case killing", "Steve Pankey, Person Of Interest In Jonelle Matthews Case, Hopes Girl's Killer Is Found", "Suspect Steven Pankey Appears In Greeley Court In Jonelle Matthews 1984 Murder Case", "Mistrial declared on murder, kidnapping charges in Jonelle Matthews caseSteve Pankey was accused of killing Jonelle Matthews in 1984. During the interview in the field and at the police station, officers said that Vallejos made several incoherent or nonsensical statements. [22][23], On October 13, 2020, Pankey was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in Jonelle's death. He shuffled papers in and out of his black backpack and wrote on them for an hour. Greeley Police responded to the business for a wellness check after they were tipped off that someone might have broken in and the woman who was scheduled to close was missing. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Video surveillance obtained by police showed a 24-year-old murder suspect waiting for customers to leave a business before brutally killing a 22-year-old worker with a hatchet. Pankey's trial began on Thursday, October 14, 2021, ultimately ending in a mistrial on November 4, 2021, due to a hung jury. At 10:43 p.m. a witness told police the suspect vehicle had a body in the rear outside a convenience store at 71st Avenue and 20th Street in Greeley. [3] Her remains were discovered on July 24, 2019, by construction workers putting in a new pipeline 15mi (24km) from her home. UNC lost to NAU, 62-59, in overtime. Incidentally, Heather also worked at the Colorado State Employees Credit Union in Greeley, and co-workers couldnt help but praise her diligence. However, unable to get an idea about possible suspects, authorities interviewed Heathers co-workers, who gave the police their first breakthrough. While Vega was motionless on the floor, Vallejos laid the weapon on the counter and walked back toward the restroom and office area. Jump to a detailed profile, search site with google or try advanced search. [9] Jonelle's older sister, Jennifer, got home at 10:00 PM, but had not seen her. Meet the news team or contact us. Introduction. She had goals and loved adventures! SHE had dreams! [18], Excavators installing a pipeline discovered human remains at 4:50 PM on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, near the intersection of County Roads 34.5 and 49 at coordinates .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}401423N 1043609W / 40.239848N 104.602514W / 40.239848; -104.602514, about 15mi (24km) southeast of Jonelle's home. It showed the suspect, Marcos Vallejos, enter the store at 5:36 p.m., while customers were inside. On the evening of December 20, 1984, Jonelle was performing in a Christmas concert at IntraWest Bank of Denver as a member of Greeley's Franklin Middle School Choir. Now, a memorial is set up outside of the nutrition shop with flowers and photos of Vega. He was wearing a white shirt, dark pants and had a black backpack. Jaramillo has several active warrants, but has not been taken into custody for the July 24 stabbing. We want safety, so the powers that be put more lights up here. All other forms of violent crime also increased in Greeley last year, contributing to a near-nation leading 50% surge in the violent crime rate nearly 10 times the nationwide increase. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Affidavit: Video footage captures vicious, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Affidavit: Video footage captures vicious murder of 22-year-old, Campbell wins Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year for record-breaking times, Big Sky Tournament: UNC mens, womens basketball have tough road in Boise, Smileys former JuCo player confident in coach, UNC basketball future, Aims CC offers free science, tech summer camp for high school students, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing, Weld judge sentences Greeley man to 60 years for October 2020 murder, In-N-Out closes on property for Loveland restaurant in Centerra, Johnstown fisherman reels in the catch of a lifetime while traveling to Texas for son's junior hockey tournament, Sentencing date set for former Greeley Central teacher who pleaded guilty to child exploitation, Weld County commissioners approve new commissioner districts in what some say is violation of state law, Windsor girls switch to rarely used 2-3 zone en route to win over Mead in quarterfinals of 5A playoffs, Fusco Pizza is a love letter to all things Greeley, One call handles it all: TruBlue Total House Care opening in Greeley, Weld and Larimer counties retail food inspection reports, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Arrest affidavit reveals timeline of gruesome sexual assault, murder in Greeley, sexual assault and murder of Angelica 'Angie' Vega. Married With Secrets is in Greeley, Colorado, to investigate the murder of Heather Garraus, who was killed by Shawna Nelson, the spurned lover of her husband. Tawnya Bowie, who owns the business next door to Noco Nutrition, said they hope to support the family through some kind of fundraising event. [4] Steven Pankey was sentenced to life imprisonment on October 31, 2022, after his arrest in 2020. Our top 10 tips from residents, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Surprisingly, the killer was dressed in a black robe and was hiding their face with a grim reaper mask. Paramedics arrived to take the victim to North Colorado Medical Center. The person reported seeing a body covered in the backseat. Officers helped tend to the victims injuries until Evans fire personnel arrived. Example video title will go here for this video. [13] Steven Pankey was 69 years old at the time of his indictment. Greeley, Colorado, is one of only four large U.S. metro areas where murders more than tripled in the last year. Suspect indicted for murder in 1984 disappearance and death of Greeley's Jonelle Matthews The remains of the 12-year-old girl were discovered in a rural Weld County field last year On April 14, 2009, the two-week trial for the murder of Angie Zapataan 18-year-old transgender womanis scheduled to begin in Greeley, Colo. Due to this landmark case's complexities and its significance for LGBT people, it is of utmost importance that media coverage of the tragic death of Angie Zapata be inclusive, accurate, and respectful of a community that is too often . [21] Pankey had claimed that on the evening of Jonelle's abduction, a rake was used to cover up tracks left in the snow. DENVER The Weld County Coroners Office on Thursday identified the three people found dead inside a home in Greeley in what police said was a possible murder-suicide. [17], A chokecherry tree was planted in front of Franklin Middle School in memory of Jonelle. When the police began investigating Heathers death, they turned to the eyewitnesses who were present on the scene and recorded their accounts. Officers responded to the convenience store and found Vegas body. A little after 10:30 p.m., police found Vega's vehicle a little over a mile away, near 71st Avenue and 20th Street. [27] He received a sentence of 20 years to life in prison. About 5:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 1979, two of Kay Day's coworkers on their way home found her red 1977 Datsun station wagon parked on the eastbound shoulder in the 5700 block of 20th Street, just southwest of the college campus. "[13], Jennifer Mogensen, Jonelle's older sister, said her family experienced "some closure" when they learned that Jonelle was murdered and she considers Pankey's arrest "another gift to our family". Therefore, Shawna was arrested and charged with murder. Later, police said he referred to his right arm as the one that kills people. President Ronald Reagan mentioned Jonelle Matthews in a speech on March 7, 1985, from Room 450 of the Old Executive Office Building. The case is the subject of a new Dateline episode that aired Monday night at 9 p.m. GREELEY, Colo. Randy Baker was 59 when his wife Kelly found him dead inside . The jury found him guilty on a charge of false reporting", "Steve Pankey's Defense Poses Theory That Another Man Killed Jonelle Matthews In 1984", "Steve Pankey found guilty of kidnapping, felony murder in Jonelle Matthews case", "Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Jonelle Matthews' 1984 Murder", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Jonelle_Matthews&oldid=1140455492, December 1984 events in the United States, Pages using infobox person with multiple organizations, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Member of Sunny View Church of the Nazarene and Franklin Middle School Choir, Jennifer Mogensen (sister), Terri Vierra-Martinez (biological mother), This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:04.