Jonelle Matthews: The girl on the milk carton
In December 1984, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews was eagerly anticipating the Christmas season, like many kids her age. But her joyful holiday plans were tragically cut short when she vanished without a trace.
Jonelle became one of the first 'milk carton kids', with her photo and information printed on milk cartons across the country to raise awareness about her disappearance.
Despite this widespread campaign, her case remained unsolved for years, leaving her family to grapple with heartbreak. A decade after her disappearance, they held a funeral in her memory, still without the answers they so desperately sought.
However, 35 years afterward, the truth about what happened to Jonelle was finally revealed.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we examine the case of Jonelle Matthews and discover how she and her family got justice.
Who was Jonelle Matthews?
Jonelle Matthews was born on 9th February 1972. She was the result of a teenage pregnancy, born to 13-year-old Terri Vierra in Santa Barbara, California.
Six weeks after her birth, she was adopted by Gloria and Jim Matthews, who already had another daughter called Jennifer Mogensen. The family eventually moved to the city of Greeley in Colorado.
Jonelle was known for her singing talents, so she became part of the school choir. It was her role in the choir that had Jonelle out of the house on the night she disappeared.
The disappearance of Jonelle Matthews
Jonelle was performing at a Christmas concert as part of the Franklin Middle School Choir on the evening of 20th December 1984.
Her father had gone to see her sister Jennifer play in a basketball game, and Jonelle wanted to go too. However, Jonelle had been sick for a few days prior. Rather than let her go to the game, her parents told her to rest at home instead.
With Jennifer and Jim at the basketball game and Jonelle’s mother Gloria going to the airport to visit a sick family member elsewhere, Jonelle headed home. She got a ride with her best friend Deanna and her father Russ.
After being dropped off at 8:15 pm, Jonelle then took a call for her father at around 8:30 pm. The message she took for him was the last contact anyone had with her.
Jim got home at about 9:30 pm, but Jonelle was nowhere to be found. There were signs that she had been having a normal night at home. The television was still on and Jonelle’s shawl and shoes were near her space heater. Jennifer came home at 10pm, but Jonelle was not with her and Jennifer had not seen her.
When the police arrived at 10:15 pm, they noticed footprints in the snow near the house that suggested someone had been looking in the windows. However, there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry.
The girl on the milk carton
Jonelle was one of many missing children in mid-80s America. Before Amber Alerts were put out for missing kids, their faces were put on milk cartons to spread awareness. Jonelle was one of the first to become a milk carton kid.
This was first launched under President Ronald Regan. He also addressed Jonelle’s disappearance during a speech to help spread the word. However, Jonelle remained missing and in 1994, she was legally declared dead.
Jonelle is found
35 years later in 2019, Jonelle’s remains were discovered. During a pipeline installation job, excavators discovered remains later confirmed to be Jonelle. They were found around 15 miles away from where Jonelle’s family used to live in Greeley. She had been shot in the head.
The conviction of Steven Pankey
A few months after Jonelle was found, police named local man Steven Pankey as a person of interest in the case.
Pankey was a fellow Greeley resident, but there wasn’t any DNA evidence that linked him to the crime. Instead, Pankey’s odd and incriminating behaviour fuelled suspicion.
Pankey’s ex-wife Angela Hicks gave detailed accounts of his unusual behaviour – such as his obsession with Jonelle’s case – which played a key role in his eventual conviction.
Angela even went to the police herself to report her suspicions of her husband, but they didn’t investigate for more than two decades.
But during a search of Pankey’s home, they found that he had looked up Jonelle’s case thousands of times on the internet.
Following a trial, Steven Pankey was found guilty on 31st October 2022, of the kidnap and murder of Jonelle Matthews. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
The story of Jonelle Matthews is a tragic and unnecessary case of a young life taken far too soon. It may have taken time, but at least Jonelle’s family has received closure, and the man responsible will likely be behind bars for the rest of his life.
Want to stay up to date on the latest crime topics? Subscribe to the Crime+Investigation newsletter and you’ll get all the latest videos, articles, and news delivered straight to you. You’ll also get access to exclusive content, so sign up today for free.
