Arrest Made in 1984 Cold Case of Missing 12-Year-Old Jonelle Matthews

It was a missing persons case that had gone cold for three-and-a-half decades. Jonelle Matthews vanished without a trace after performing in a school Christmas concert in 1984. The 12-year-old’s disappearance gained national attention, but the case went cold. Then, in 2019, Jonelle’s remains were discovered by construction workers 20 miles from where she lived. Last October, authorities arrested 69-year-old Steve Pankey. He has pleaded not guilty and previously denied having anything to do with it.