Remains of Jonelle Matthews dug up by work crew 34 years after she vanished, Greeley police say
Then 12-year-old disappeared after middle school Christmas concert
By KIERAN NICHOLSON |
knicholson@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: July 25, 2019 at 10:28 am | UPDATED: July 25, 2019 at 6:52 pm
Human bones discovered by workers in Weld County this week are those of Jonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old girl who vanished from her west Greeley home on Dec. 20, 1984, in a baffling missing-person case that drew national attention.
Greeley Police DepartmentJonelle Matthews, 12, performs Dec. 20, 1984, in a Franklin Middle School Honor Choir concert. Matthews disappeared the night of the concert. She was last seen entering her home at 320 43rd Ave. Court.
A work crew excavating in a rural part of the county, near County Road 49 and County Road 34?, discovered the remains about 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Greeley Police Department.
Police and staffers with the Weld County coroner?s and sheriff?s offices went to the scene to investigate. Based on the new evidence and a coroner?s examination of the remains, a positive identification of Matthews has been made, Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said Thursday.
Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams said his deputies were treating the recovery of the remains as a homicide investigation.
Over the years, investigators have pursued hundreds of leads in a cold case that is familiar to longtime Greeley-area residents.
President Ronald Reagan mentioned Jonelle?s disappearance. Her parents, Jim and Gloria, appeared on national television pleading for help; and thousands of reward posters of the girl were produced and distributed.
Jonelle was last seen 34 years ago when she was dropped off at her home about 8:30 p.m. by a friend and a friend?s father. She had performed with seventh-grade classmates at a middle school choir concert before her disappearance.
Jonelle?s sister, Jennifer Mogensen, remembered Jonelle as ?a strong, independent, opinionated 12-year-old.?
?She knew what she wanted and how things should be done,? Mogensen told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Mogensen, who was a junior in high school at the time, said she was playing varsity basketball the night her younger sister disappeared. The family?s house was empty when Jonelle was taken home because their father was at the game and their mother was out of state, Mogensen said.
Jonelle was missing when their father arrived home about 8:30 p.m., Mogensen said.
?I?m grateful for this closure after 34 years,? she said. ?It does bring up some old wounds and some more questions, maybe, of what happened. But we?ve received so much love and support already.?
Mogensen, who lives in Washington state, said their parents are retired and living in Costa Rica.
The remains were found Tuesday in an area south of Greeley and east of Milton Reservoir as workers installed pipe at an oil and gas site.
In May 2013, an age-progressed photo of Jonelle was released in hope of developing fresh leads in her case. And in December, Greeley police announced that investigators were taking a renewed, fresh look at the missing-person case.
In March 1985, Reagan mentioned Jonelle?s disappearance when he addressed a group of newspaper editors in Washington, D.C., asking them to publish photos of missing children nationwide, calling it a ?mission of mercy.?
Reagan said the girl ?would have celebrated a happy 13th birthday with her family just last month. But five days before Christmas, Jonelle disappeared from her home.?
The investigation remains active, police said, and anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective Robert Cash at 970-350-9601 or a case tip line at 970-351-5100.
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