Ashley Stayner is the daughter of Steven Stayner, the famous American kidnap victim who escaped after seven years in captivity. Ashley (born December 23, 1985) is 38 years old in 2024 and previously served in the United States Air Force.
Although all of Ashley’s fame is mainly associated with her father’s life, she, however, did not get to spend enough time with him as he died shortly after she was born. Find more information on Ashley here.
Summary of Ashley Stayner’s Bio
- Full name: Ashley Stayner
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: December 23, 1985
- Ashley Stayner Age: 38 years old
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac sign: Capricorn
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Single
- Ashley Stayner Parents: Steven Stayner, Jody Edmondson
- Siblings: Steven Stayner Jr
- Education: Buhach Colony High School and American Military University Online
- Famous for: being the daughter of Steven Stayner
- Facebook: @ashleystayner
Who is Ashley Stayner and How Old is She?
Ashley Stayner is 38 years old as of 2024, and was born to her parents Steven Stayner and Jody Edmondson in the United States of America on December 23, 1985. Sadly, she lost her father in 1988 when she was just 3 years old and therefore, had to spend the bulk of her childhood with her mother Jody, and her brother Steven Stayner Jr.
For her secondary education, Ashley attended the Buhach Colony High School and later moved on to further her education by attending the American Military University. With her qualifications from the American Military University, Ashley attempted to build a career in the American armed force. She joined the US Air Force in October 2007. However, she quit the force after 4 years in 2011.
Key Facts About Ashley Stayner
| Name | Ashley Stayner |
| Father | Steven Stayner |
| Notable Fact about Father | Steven Stayner was abducted in 1972 at the age of 7 and held captive for seven years by Kenneth Parnell. He became widely known after escaping and helping another captive, Timothy White, to escape in 1980. |
| Public Attention | Ashley Stayner, as a family member of Steven Stayner, has occasionally been mentioned in the context of her father’s life story and its adaptations in media. |
| Media Portrayal | The story of Steven Stayner was dramatized in the 1989 television miniseries “I Know My First Name Is Steven,” which focuses on his abduction and its aftermath. However, specific portrayals of Ashley Stayner in media are not widely documented. |
Ashley Got Famous Through Her Father Steven Stayner
Ashley Stayner is the oldest child of Steven Stayner. He is best known as the American kidnap victim who was nabbed at 7 and detained by Kenneth Parnell, a notorious kidnapper who sexually abused him for over 7 years before he finally escaped with Parnell’s other victim.
Although Ashley’s fame is centered on her father, she did not get to spend a lot of time with him as he died on September 17, 1989. At that time, Ashley was only 4 years old, while her brother Steven was just 2.
Steven Stayner was Kidnapped and Held Hostage for Over 7 Years
Steven Gregory Stayner was born in Merced, California, to his parents Delbert Stayner and Kay Stayner on April 19, 1965. Steven grew up with three siblings until he was kidnapped in December 1972, when he was just 7 years old.
On December 4, 1972, Steven was walking home from school when he met a man named Ervin Murphy who claimed to be a church representative looking for donations. Ervin asked young Steven if his mom would be willing to donate some cash, and he replied that she would. He then went into the man’s car to go meet his mom and was not seen again for the next 7 years.
After he got into the car, Ervin handed him over to Parnell who took him to a hired cabin in Catheys Valley. Telling him that his parents had agreed to let him spend the night there. The next morning, Parnell sexually abused Steven. This was the first of many assaults that Steven would go through for the next seven years of his life.
Over the years, the abuse got more intense and whenever Steven cried for his parents, Parnell would tell Steven that they didn’t want him anymore and that they had given him full custody. From then, he made Steven adopt the name Denis Parnell.
Steven was Given a New Identity Following His Kidnap
Less than a month after he was kidnapped, Steven was enrolled in a school under his pseudonym, with Parnell pretending to be his father. Although several flyers were sent across the district in search of Steven, none of them ever reached the school.
Throughout the years of his detention, Steven lived in Mariposa County, California, and later in Mendocino County, California. This was 38 miles away from his family. When Steven grew older than Parnell’s preferential age, Parnell tried to make him lure another young boy to him. However, Steven refused to do this as he didn’t want another child to suffer the same fate as him.
However, with the help of Steven’s schoolmate, Sean Poorman, Parnell abducted a 5-year-old boy named Timothy White. Like Steven, Parnell continuously harassed Timmy until two weeks after his abduction when Steven took him away from Parnell’s house when Parnell was on a night shift.
The next morning, the police arrested Kenneth Parnell for suspected kidnapping. However, he was not convicted for the various abuses he committed against Steven and Timmy. Rather he was sentenced to 8 years and 8 months for one kidnap and 1 year and eight months for the other.
Steven Stayner Later Died on September 18, 1989
After his escape, Steven tried to move on with his life. He got married to his wife Jody Edmondson and together they had two kids; Ashley and Steven Jr., who have both grown to become adults pursuing different careers and are now people of interest.
Sadly, on September 18, 1989, on his way home from work, Steven’s motorbike collided with a car and he died less than an hour later. Before he died, a TV series was created on Steve Stayner. The movie I Know My First Name is Steven was inspired by Steven’s Kidnap story but also features Cary’s criminal activities.
Meet Ashley Stayner‘s Criminal Uncle Cary Stayner
Cary Stayner is an American serial killer and the oldest brother of Steven Stayner. The few years after Steven’s abduction, their parents had been well preoccupied with trying to find their son. At first, Cary was concerned for his brother’s safety, but later on, he started feeling neglected by his parents, and only found comfort in crime.
Between January and July 1999, Cary killed four tourists who were lodgers at the hotel where he worked. A month later, he killed another woman, a Yosemite Institute naturalist, Joie Ruth Armstrong. This time around he was arrested and confessed to his past crimes and also to having fantasies about killing women.
Cary was sentenced to life in prison for killing Joie and to death for his three previous murders. He is currently on death row in a California prison. With these discoveries, the Stayner family faced a horrific crime once again. Although Ashley and her brother were not very close to Cary, they were still affected by his story as he shared the same last name as them.
What Does Ashley Stayner Do Now?
Ashley keeps a relatively low profile. She is only active on Facebook and has used her Facebook page to advertise the movie to her father. Although she has had a close experience with crime, Ashley has revealed that she is a diehard fan of crime thrillers.
She currently lives in Atwater, California. Although she was once married, she revealed that her partner Mathew passed away in 2014, and she has a daughter.
FAQs
How Old is Ashley Stayner?
Ashley Stayner is 38 years old in 2024. She was born on the 23rd of December 1985 in the United States of America. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Who is Ashley Stayner’s Father?
Ashley Stayner’s father is Steven Gregory Stayner, an American kidnap victim. Ashley Stayner’s father was kidnapped at the age of 7. He spent seven years in captivity before escaping from his captor.
Is Ashley Stayner Married?
Ashley Stayner was married to a man named Matthew until he died in 2014, and they had a daughter. There is nothing to indicate that she has remarried.
Is Ashley Stayner on Social Media?
Ashley Stayner is on Facebook, and her handle is @ ashley.stayner.