Pro-life Republican charged in cold-case murder

After almost 35 years, 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 40.239848°N 104.602514°W, about 15 mi (24 km) southeast of Jonelle's home. Based on DNA evidence, the Weld County Coroner’s Office positively identified the remains as being Jonelle Matthews.[15][16] As of July 29, 2019 the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not released any information about how Matthews' cause of death, but have stated that the case is being treated as a homicide. Authorities are searching historical records to determine who owned or lived on the land where the remains were found.[17]

On September 13, 2019, Greeley Police Department announced a "person of interest" in Jonelle Matthews' abduction and murder: Steve Pankey, a former Greely resident who ran for governor in Idaho in 2014 and 2018, and for lieutenant governor in 2010. His home in Colorado was searched under a warrant that stated investigators had probable cause to believe that Pankey abducted and murdered the girl that night. Pankey and his former wife lived only 2 miles away from the Matthews home where Jonelle was last seen. Pankey had also been a youth pastor at the church the Matthews family attended. Greeley Police Commander Roy Smith stated that Pankey “had made repeated efforts to speak with detectives” about the Matthews case. But after detectives traveled to Twin Falls, Idaho on August 15, 2019, Pankey refused to answer questions. Commander Smith stated Pankey has not been charged with Jonelle’s murder, but he is being investigated in relation to her death.[18][19]