The Sund-Pelosso Story

Carole Sund, 43, Juli Sund, 15, and Silvina Pelosso, a 16-year-old from Argentina, were reported missing Feb. 17. Here is the chronology:

• Feb. 12 -- They leave the Sund home in Eureka and fly to San Francisco. Rent a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, drive to Stockton and spend the night in a hotel.
• Feb. 13 -- Attend Juli Sund’s morning cheerleading competition at the University of the Pacific and then drive to Merced, where they spend the night in hotel.
• Feb. 14 -- Check into Cedar Lodge in El Portal.
• Feb. 15 -- It is believed they spent the day at Yosemite and returned to Cedar Lodge. Last seen in the motel lobby renting videos in the evening. Jens Sund speaks to his wife and she tells him they plan to go to Yosemite in the morning.
• Feb. 16 -- Depart the motel, leaving key in the room. Jens Sund says their plan is to return the rental car in Modesto, then fly to San Francisco to meet him. After meeting, he plans to fly to Phoenix with their other children. His wife and the teens will return to Eureka. He arrives in San Francisco a few hours late. He thinks the trio has already flown to Eureka. He and the other children continue to Arizona.
• Feb. 17 -- Jens Sund reports the three missing.
• Feb. 19 -- A Modesto high school student finds Carole Sund’s wallet insert at Briggsmore Avenue and Tully Road in Modesto, CA
• Feb. 20 -- Family offers $250,000 reward for information leading to the trio’s safe return.
• Feb. 22 -- A dozen Modesto police detectives and two search dogs canvass the area where wallet was found.
• March 5 -- $50,000 reward is announced for information regarding the whereabouts of the car.
• March 5 -- Billy Strange is arrested in Mariposa County and booked on a parole violation.
• March 10 -- Search parties congregate on El Portal.
• March 11 -- The search around El Portal intensifies; dogs are brought in and the FBI announces that the missing women are feared dead.
• March 14 -- More than 1,000 people join in a march and vigil in Modesto.
• March 18 -- The women’s rental car is found off Highway 108 in Tuolumne County. The auto had been burned.
• March 19 -- The FBI announces that two bodies are in the trunk of the car, but authorities are unable to identify the remains. The search continues for the third victim.
• March 20 -- Snow postpones the search.
• March 21 -- Grieving members of the Sund and Pelosso families bring wildflowers and a cross to the woods where the car was found.
• March 22 -- One of two bodies found in the cars’ trunk is identified as that of Carole Sund.
• March 25 -- The body of a murdered woman is found near Lake Don Pedro.
• March 26 -- The body found the day before is identified as that of Julie Sund. Authorities are almost certain the second body in the trunk of the burned car is that of Silvina Pelosso. The FBI and other law enforcement officers bring in up to 10 people for questioning.
• July 26, 1999--Cary Stayner is arrested for the murder of Joie Armstrong and later admits to the murder of Carole, Julie and Silvina.
• September 13, 2000—Cary Stayner pleads guilty in Federal court to the murder of Julie Armstrong in exchange for a sentence of life without the possibility of release.
• August 26, 2002—Cary Stayner is convicted of three counts of first –degree murder and additional felonies for the murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso.
• December 12, 2002—Cary Stayner received three death sentences for the murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund and Silvina Pelosso. He is currently on death row in San Quentin.