The Yosemite Murders
Dennis McDougal
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1999 · California, United States
The Yosemite murders
The story behind The Yosemite Murders
Photo credit
Federal Bureau of Investigation / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain (U.S.). Cropped/resized.Photographs are cropped to fit. Photo dates and original images are available through the source credits.
Carole Sund, her teenage daughter Juli, and family friend Silvina Pelosso disappeared during a Yosemite-area trip in 1999 and were found murdered. The later killing of park naturalist Joie Armstrong led investigators to Cary Stayner, a motel worker. Stayner was convicted in the killings that had frightened visitors and devastated four families.
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The Story
When1999
WhereCalifornia, United States
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Cary Stayner
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Blogs & essays
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Crime Library · Blog / essay
Cary Stayner and the Yosemite Murders
An outside blog or essay discussing The Yosemite murders. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsDennis McDougal
The Yosemite Murders
A reported account of the 1999 killings and the investigation. The publisher lists editions and available formats.
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Movies & TV
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TV & documentaries
4 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
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Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story — Hulu series information
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
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IMDb · TV episode
World's Most Evil Killers — Cary Stayner (2018)
IMDb episode reference connected to the The Yosemite murders case. Listed release: 2018. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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IMDb · TV episode
American Justice — The Yosemite Killer (2003)
IMDb episode reference connected to the The Yosemite murders case. Listed release: 2003. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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ABC · 2019 catalog, Episode 3 · Listed air date 2019-01-25
20/20 — Evil in Eden
Includes coverage of The Yosemite murders.
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Search Amazon · paid linkEpisode details on TVmaze
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Episode data: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Audiobooks
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The Yosemite Murders
Search Audiobook Editions · paid linkDennis McDougal
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
15 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Criminology
Cary Stayner
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released March 2, 2025. About 62 minutes.
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True Crime All The Time
Cary Stayner
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released June 18, 2017. About 85 minutes.
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Rotten Mango
#63: Yosemite National Park Serial Killer (Case - Steven & Cary Stayner)
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released May 12, 2021. About 130 minutes.
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Mile Higher
The Wild Kidnapping Case Of Steven Stayner & The Case Of His Brother Cary Stayner “The Yosemite Killer”
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released May 11, 2022. About 70 minutes.
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Residue: A True Crime Podcast
I Know My First Name Is Steven: PART 2, Cary Stayner the Yosemite Park Killer
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released May 5, 2026. About 49 minutes.
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The Killafornia Dreaming Podcast
#058 The Tale of Two Brothers: Steven & Cary Stayner
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released August 19, 2018. About 102 minutes.
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Show 9 more podcasts
This Is Monsters
The Story of Cary Stayner : The Yosemite Killer
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released April 18, 2021. About 15 minutes.
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California True Crime
Cary Stayner Pt. 1
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released October 21, 2019. About 61 minutes.
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The Casual Criminalist
The Yosemite Park Killer: Twisted Family Turmoil Turns Murderous
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released July 2, 2026. About 52 minutes.
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True Crime Campfire
I Know My First Name Is Steven: The Abduction of Steven Stayner
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released November 29, 2024. About 55 minutes.
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True Crime Campfire
Journey Into Darkness: The Stayner Brothers Part 2
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released December 6, 2024. About 55 minutes.
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Murder In America
EP. 137 CALIFORNIA - THE YOSEMITE SERIAL KILLER: Cary Stayner
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released December 15, 2023. About 93 minutes.
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The Opperman Report'
True Story Behind The Cary Stayner Yosemite Sightseer Murders (part 1)
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released August 27, 2026. About 60 minutes.
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Cousins on Crime
The Yosemite Serial Killer: Cary Stayner, Part 1
Podcast coverage of the The Yosemite murders case. Released July 10, 2024. About 33 minutes.
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Rotten Mango · Stephanie Soo
Rotten Mango — The Yosemite murders (Episode 63)
Episode 63 discusses The Yosemite murders. The official episode page identifies this case and provides the show’s listening options. Contains descriptions of violence; this is podcast commentary, not a court record.
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Social Media
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
3 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
Google Books · Catalog / Availability
The Yosemite Murders
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Murder at Yosemite
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Everand · Subscription Access
The Yosemite Murders — Ebook
Dennis McDougal. Related reading for The Yosemite murders. Check the current subscription terms and available sample; trial offers are not permanent free access.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemsSan Francisco Chronicle
Reporting and case background
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
1 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The San Francisco Examiner · 1999-07-26 · Page 12
FBI links Stayner to the Yosemite killings
The newspaper reports federal charges in Joie Armstrong’s killing and investigators’ suspicions about three earlier deaths.
A continuation article published before the trials; contains graphic detail.
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Explore more on Newspapers.comNewspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.
Internet Archive
2 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · Library record · 2015
Cary Stayner : the true story of the Yosemite Park killer
Rosewood, Jack, author. A library catalog record for a book connected with The Yosemite murders. The record may offer a preview or borrowing options; full reading access is not guaranteed.
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Internet Archive · TV News Archive
20/20 : KGO : January 25, 2019 9:00pm-11:00pm PST
The archive indexes this broadcast under Cary Stayner. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
People v. Stayner — California Supreme Court opinion
The state supreme court’s review of Cary Stayner’s prosecution for the Yosemite-area murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund, and Silvina Pelosso.
- Court / agency
- Supreme Court of California
- Document date
- April 30, 2026
- Case / citation
- S112146
- Hosted by
- Justia
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
14 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Absolute Crime
How Cary Stayner Became The Yosemite Park Serial Killer | World's Most Evil Killers | Absolute Crime
Video from Absolute Crime covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 43:15.
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True Crime Central
His Motive for Murdering Four Women? Jealousy of his Brother | Cary Stayner, Serial Killer
Video from True Crime Central covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 45:53.
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FilmRise True Crime
World's Most Evil Killers - Season 2, Episode 14 - Cary Stayner - Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 43:19.
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True Crime Recaps
Steven & Cary Stayner: Hero vs Killer Brother
Video from True Crime Recaps covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 21:11.
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Mile Higher
The Wild Kidnapping Of Steven Stayner & The Case Of His Brother Cary Stayner “The Yosemite Killer”
Video from Mile Higher covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 1:14:47.
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FilmRise True Crime
Mugshots: Cary Stayner - The Cedar Lodge Killings
Video from FilmRise True Crime covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 9:17.
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Show 8 more social media
CBS News Sacramento
FBI agent recalls how he got Cary Stayner to confess to 1999 Yosemite killings
Video from CBS News Sacramento covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 3:08.
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ABC News
20/20 Evil in Eden, Pt 4 – Cary Stayner takes refuge in Yosemite
Video from ABC News covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 7:22.
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Real Crime
Yosemite Park Killer: When A Victim Turns Into A Murderer | World’s Most Evil Killers | Real Crime
Video from Real Crime covering the The Yosemite murders case. Length: 43:16.
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Facebook · Creator community
The Killafornia Dreaming Podcast — Facebook group
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “#058 The Tale of Two Brothers: Steven & Cary Stayner.” This discussion group covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. Group rules or membership approval may limit access.
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Facebook · Creator channel
The Killafornia Dreaming Podcast — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “#058 The Tale of Two Brothers: Steven & Cary Stayner.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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Facebook · Creator channel
California True Crime — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Cary Stayner Pt. 1.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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Facebook · Creator community
Murder In America — Facebook group
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP. 137 CALIFORNIA - THE YOSEMITE SERIAL KILLER: Cary Stayner.” This discussion group covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. Group rules or membership approval may limit access.
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Facebook · Creator channel
Murder In America — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “EP. 137 CALIFORNIA - THE YOSEMITE SERIAL KILLER: Cary Stayner.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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