

In previous statements, Pankey said he knew Jonelle died before she crossed 10th Street in Greeley and that people shouldn’t be giving the Matthews family hope. In pictures from the scene of the crime on the night Jonelle disappeared, a blanket was shown out of place in the home.

In August 2013, Pankey sent a letter to the DA’s Office stating he knew a blanket or a comforter was taken from the Matthews’ house. Most of the evidence highlighted Pankey’s involvement and knowledge of Jonelle’s disappearance poses the question: “How would he know that if he didn’t do it?” Prosecutors presented all of the evidence from the trial - witness statements, Pankey’s attempts to contact law enforcement about the case, the multiple letters he sent to law enforcement and the Weld County’s District Attorney’s Office, his search history and his “manipulate” behavior - from over the years to showcase his guilt. “He took some of the innocence from Greeley,” Miller said of Pankey. The city used to be a “smaller,” “quiet” place where people would leave their doors unlocked and kids felt safe to play in the streets. Pankey’s knowledge and carĪssistant District Attorney Robb Miller opened his closing statements with descriptions of the way Greeley used to be. After he testified last week, a false reporting charge was added as an additional offense, along with the two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping.
