Former gubernatorial candidate convicted of killing 12-year-old Colorado girl who vanished in 1984
CBSN
A former longshot Idaho gubernatorial candidate was convicted Monday of kidnapping and killing a 12-year-old Colorado girl who went missing nearly 40 years ago.
Jurors found Steve Pankey, 71, guilty of felony murder, second-degree kidnapping and false reporting in the disappearance and death of Jonelle Matthews in 1984, the office of district attorney Michael Rourke said. A judge then sentenced him to life prison with the possibility of parole, CBS Colorado reported.
It was Pankey's second trial in the case, CBS Colorado reported. In November of last year, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on the two counts of murder (murder in the first degree after deliberation and murder in the first-degree felony murder) and the kidnapping charge but did convict him of false reporting to authorities. Prosecutors decided to put him on trial again.
