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 Greeley Police Department arrested 26-year-old Andrew Sweatt, who police say admitted to the shooting at a home in the 900 block of 4th Avenue on Thursday night. Jonelle Matthews was a 12-year-old American girl who disappeared near Greeley, Colorado, on December 20, 1984. The jury voted to convict Pankey on a single misdemeanor count of making false statements to police, but was unable to come to a unanimous verdict on the kidnapping and murder charges. The incident remains under investigation by the Greeley Police Department, which will provide further information as it becomes available, Chief Deputy Coroner Joey Weiner said. At this point, Vega was draped in a blanket. He told officers he was the guy they were looking for, according to arrest records. Police said the investigation is still ongoing. Internal Affairs, a podcast spinoff from the long-running news program Dateline NBC, is correspondent Josh Mankiewicz's six-episode exploration of a Colorado crime: the 2007 murder in Greeley of . Only metro areas with populations of at least 250,000 residents and at least one homicide in 2019 were considered. New information from Greeley police has revealed some gruesome details about the sexual assault and murder of Angelica 'Angie' Vega. An initial examination determined that she was dead, while an autopsy later confirmed that the Colorado State Employees Credit Union employee had died of multiple bullet wounds. / CBS Colorado. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Greeley is 273 to 1. Despite the increase, the local homicide rate of 4.8 per 100,000 people remains below the national rate of 6.5 per 100,000. He also claimed to have watched students walking home from the middle school which Jonelle attended. At his son's funeral, Hicks reportedly heard Pankey say, "I hope God didn't allow this to happen because of Jonelle Matthews. August 30, 2022 / 1:01 PM The worker contacted another person to go check out the business. Greeley, Colorado, is one of only four large U.S. metro areas where murders more than tripled in the last year. Officers responded to the convenience store and found Vegas body. SHE had dreams! Please enter valid email address to continue. Greeley resident Leandra Walker never met Vega or her family, but she left flowers and a poem at the store. [9] Jonelle's older sister, Jennifer, got home at 10:00 PM, but had not seen her. Hicks claimed to have heard Pankey muttering in response, accusing the minister of being a false prophet. The victim eventually stopped breathing and his pulse could not be detected, according to Evans police. Pankey's trial began on Thursday, October 14, 2021, ultimately ending in a mistrial on November 4, 2021, due to a hung jury. On Oct. 29, 2020, Greeley officers responded to a shooting around 3 a.m. in the 1100 block alley between 11th and 12th streets. [2] Vierra had used a search consultant to help locate Jonelle. 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. She had a beautiful bright smile that could light up a room! [21] Pankey had claimed that on the evening of Jonelle's abduction, a rake was used to cover up tracks left in the snow. Vallejos shuffled papers in and out of his backpack, drawing and writing on them, for nearly an hour. Upon arrival, officers found the victim on the floor of the garage while two witnesses were providing help to the severely injured man. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Radin at (970) 350-9671. 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. A young woman found dead in the back of her vehicle Friday night in Greeley has been identified, and a suspect is in custody. Suspect Marcos Vallejos, 24, has been arrested and booked. 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. After, Vallejos removed a dark-colored cover from a nearby couch using the hatchet. GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) The family of a 22-year-old woman who was killed Friday night has identified her as Angie Vega. Greeley Police Commander Roy Smith stated that Pankey "had made repeated efforts to speak with detectives" about the Matthews case, but refused to answer questions when detectives traveled to Twin Falls on August 15, 2019. 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. He interacted with Vega briefly at the shop's counter and then sat a table. The number of homicides stood at 2. On Friday night, Vega's mother reported her missing after she didn't return home by 7:35 p.m. after she was scheduled to close the family business at 7 p.m. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Lets not have this repeat again,Castillo said. Weld County Courthouse. According to the arrest affidavit, Vega's mother told police that the business looked like a mess from the surveillance footage and she had also received a call from a customer that the business had experienced a break-in and that there was blood on the floor. It was higher than in 74.7% U.S. cities. 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? A witness told police they saw a lot of blood and a hatchet at the business before police arrived. [21], Pankey gave an interview to the Times-News and said he was being framed by the police because of his sexuality, identifying himself as a "celibate homosexual". [March 7, 1985]: I learned about Jonelle Matthews of Greeley, Colorado. DU loses to North Dakota in Summit tourney opener, Makar cleared to return 2nd time from concussion protocol, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, 'She was always smiling': Family remembers woman killed at Greeley smoothie shop. A news release from the coroners office notes they were family. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. but it can also be stressful. Steve Pankey, a former longshot candidate for Idaho governor, has been indicted on Oct. 13, 2020, in the murder of Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old Colorado girl who went missing in 1984. When officers arrived at the business, they found Vega's glasses and a lot of blood, along with her finger. We love Greeley, we love the community. UNC lost to NAU, 62-59, in overtime. According to the press release . However, Ignacio soon realized his mistake, and apart from breaking up with Shawna, even gave up his parental rights. The friend said Vega would take her siblings out to dinner one day a month to spend time with them. The 59-year-old halfway house counselor had spent years doing drugs before a stint in jail, then rehab set him on the straight and narrow. She was found dead in her car after she went missing from her place of work at NOCO Nutrition. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. Here is a look at the states where gun sales are surging. [7][8][9] Her father was at his other daughter's basketball game[9] and her mother had traveled out of state to be with Jonelle's ill grandfather. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She also said this trip was unexpected. Vega was seen on security cameras cleaning and preparing to close the store. The person reported seeing a body covered in the backseat. There were 16 homicides reported in the area in 2020, up 220% from five in 2019. [17], A chokecherry tree was planted in front of Franklin Middle School in memory of Jonelle. Jonelle's sister married and moved out of Colorado. Jaramillo has several active warrants, but has not been taken into custody for the July 24 stabbing. He also had a laceration to the left pectoral muscle and several puncture wounds along his left side. He took his backpack but left a piece of paper at the table. [21], Pankey knew he was a person of interest in September 2019 when he was interviewed by the Idaho Statesman. He cut a cover off a couch inside the shop, wrapped her body in the cover, put her in the backseat of her own vehicle and drove away, the affidavit states. [13][21] According to the 2020 indictment statement, shortly following their return to Greeley, Pankey started digging in their yard. The usually peaceful city of Greeley, Colorado, was forced to witness a horrifying homicide when Heather Garraus was murdered in cold blood as she left her place of work. He was wearing a white shirt, dark pants and had a black backpack. Homicide is Soaring in the Greeley, CO Metro Area Samuel Stebbins Homicides are rising at a record pace in the United States. He then dragged Vega a few feet before sexually assaulting her, records said. 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. GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR) A 22-year-old woman was murdered Friday night at NOCO Nutrition at the end of her shift. According to the witnesses, the assailant who attacked Heather spoke in a womans voice and even blamed the victim for ruining her life. 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