Case 161
The Yosemite Sightseer Murders
*** Content Warning: child victims, sexual assault ***
[Part 1 of 2]
Carole Sund and her teenage daughter Juli were excited to take their family friend and Argentinian exchange student, Silvina Pelosso, on a trip to see the natural wonders of Yosemite National Park. But when they fail to arrive at the San Francisco Airport for their scheduled flight home, investigators suspect that the trio might have met with foul play.
A hunt for the women and their rental car ensues, but their whereabouts remain a mystery. The spotlight is soon cast on a group of local drug dealers and criminals, but without any bodies or physical evidence, there are more questions than answers.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research – Jessica Forsayeth
Writing – Elsha McGill
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
WEBSITES
Yosemite National Park – Wikipedia
Capital Punishment in California – Wikipedia
Death Row at San Quentin State Prison
Is there a link between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders?
NEWSPAPER ARCHIVES
Searchers looking for 3 missing on trip to Yosemite – The San Francisco Bee
They vanish near Yosemite – The San Francisco Examiner
Missing woman’s ID, wallet are found; but no sign of her or teenage girls – The Sacramento Bee
Lost trio’s family wait, worry – The San Francisco Examiner
FBI shifts focus of search for trio missing from Yosemite trip – The Los Angeles Times
Missing trio left clues at restaurant – The San Francisco Examiner
Missing sightseers probably dead, FBI agent says – The Los Angeles Times
Baffled FBI taps victim profiles in search – The Sacramento Bee
Father recounts nightmare of a family vanished – The San Francisco Examiner
Mixed messages in missing case – The San Francisco Examiner
Two bodies found in trunk of trio’s car – The Sacramento Bee
1 body in burned car was mother – The Sacramento Bee
Families shaken as police ID bodies – The San Francisco Examiner
$50,000 reward paid for finding lost trio’s car – The San Francisco Chronicle
A mother and daughter who made a difference – The Los Angeles Times
Man found dead in river knew Modesto man grilled in 3 killings – The San Francisco Bee
Donated jet to take Pelosso’s body home – The San Francisco Examiner
For many in Argentina, a dream died with teen – The Sacramento Bee
Murder victim Silvina Pelosso finally buried – The San Francisco Examiner
Man’s death may be tied to slayings – The San Francisco Examiner
Sightseers probe target meth users – The Hanford Sentinel
Drug use complicates Yosemite killing probe – The Sacramento Bee
Man denies role in killing of sightseers – The Tulare Advance-Register
Yosemite Killings: Sunds, Carringtons cope with loss – The Hanford Sentinel
Yosemite naturalist found beheaded – The San Francisco Examiner
Officials: Yosemite deaths are unrelated – The Sacramento Bee
Yosemite slaying: Handyman in custody – The San Francisco Examiner
FBI: Suspect in naturalist’s killing also linked to Yosemite trio homicides – The San Francisco Examiner
Confession in Yosemite killings – The Sacramento Bee
Slain naturalist’s family visits cabin – The San Francisco Examiner
False confessor voices regret – The San Francisco Examiner
Stayner: not guilty plea in Yosemite beheading – The San Francisco Examiner
Stayner offers apology to families of victims – The Sacramento Bee
How Yosemite probe went wrong – The Sacramento Bee
Jailed parolee’s father says FBI owes family apology – The Lompoc Record
Yosemite suspect calls Leeza – The Santa Cruz Sentinel
Lodge sued over sightseer deaths – The Hanford Sentinel
Execution sought in Yosemite Slaying – The San Francisco Examiner
Investigators seize letters written by Cary Stayner and his pen pal – The Tulare Advance-Register
A living memorial – The Los Angeles Times
Yosemite killer apologises, gets life sentence – The Signal
Capital’s FBI chief removed from post – The Sacramento Bee
Fourth slaying jolted cabbie – The Sacramento Bee
Family finds evil truth at hearing – The Sacramento Bee
Jury selection begins in Cary Stayner trial – The Californian
Horrific Stayner evidence – The San Francisco Examiner
Yosemite killer demanded child porn before confessing – The Visalia Times-Delta
Expert says Yosemite killer has deformed brain – The Hanford Sentinel
Psychologist says Stayner is highly psychotic – The Hanford Sentinel
Stayner’s attorney blames mental illness – The Californian
Jurors to determine sanity of convicted Yosemite killer – The Californian
Friend pleads in court for Cary Stayner’s life – The Sacramento Bee
Stayner jury urges death – The Sacramento Bee
ONLINE ARTICLES
Overshadowed all his life/low-key Cary Stayner took back seat to kidnapped brother – SF Gate
A shade of his brother – Time Magazine
A voice in the dark – Esquire
BOOKS
I know my first name is Steven – Mike Echols
In the name of the children: An FBI agent’s relentless pursuit of the nation’s worst predators – Jeffrey L. Rinek and Marilee Strong
VIDEOS
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 1 – Two brothers tied to Yosemite, one a hero, the other a monster
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 2 – Steven Stayner’s abduction changes family’s life forever
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 6 – After third Yosemite victim is found, suspected killers are apprehended
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 7 – The Yosemite serial killer claims his fourth victim
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 8 – FBI finds Cary Stayner has fled to a nudist colony
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 9 – Cary Stayner confesses killing innocent women