About this episode

This episode explores the contrasting stories of the Stayner brothers, focusing on Cary Stayner's murders in Yosemite National Park.

PART 2: While Steven Stayner became known for his extraordinary survival, his story reached millions through the made for TV film I Know My First Name Is Steven, and for a time the Stayner name was associated with resilience and hope. But that sense of closure did not last, and years later the same name would return to the national spotlight under far darker circumstances. In 1999, Cary Stayner carried out a series of murders in and around Yosemite National Park, killing Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso, and later Joie Armstrong. The case stunned the country not only for its brutality but for its connection to Steven’s story. The contrast is stark. Two brothers from the same family, one remembered for survival, the other for tragedy. Sources: Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story I Know My First Name Is Steven https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/apr/20/there-was-a-lot-of-torment-the-family-who-endured-two-true-stories https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/12/18/The-man-who-kidnapped-young-Steven-Stayner-alternated-sexual/8624377499600/ https://time.com/archive/6883464/nation-escaping-dad/ Wiki…

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 20/20, The Guardian, UPI, Time, People, Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story

Books & works: I Know My First Name Is Steven

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