Historical eventDecember 201984
Murder of Jonelle Matthews
Twelve-year-old Jonelle Matthews disappeared from her home in Greeley, Colorado; her body was not discovered until 2019.
In context
- When
- Thursday, December 20 198442 years ago
- Category
- Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Era
- 20th century · 1980s
- Recorded from
- Wikipedia “On this day” feed
At a glance
Dates: From 1984-12-20.
Deaths reported: 1. Casualties: 0.
What happened
Jonelle Renee Matthews was a 12-year-old American girl who disappeared near Greeley, Colorado, on December 20, 1984. Her remains were discovered on July 24, 2019, by construction workers installing a new pipeline 15 miles (24 km) from her home. Steven Pankey was sentenced to life imprisonment on October 31, 2022, after his arrest and trial for Matthews's murder.
December 20 through the years
Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.
- 1984Murder of Jonelle Matthews
- 1999Handover of Macau
- 1999Macau
- 2004Northern Bank robbery
- 2007Elizabeth II
- 2007Portrait of Suzanne Bloch
- 2007Pablo Picasso
- 2016Aerosucre Flight 157
- 2019United States Space Force
- 20242024 Magdeburg car attack
- 2024Zagreb school stabbing
Also in 1984
- March 14Gerry AdamsGerry Adams, leader of Sinn Féin, was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt by Ulster Freedom Fighters in central Belfast, Northe…
- September 14Joseph KittingerJoe Kittinger becomes the first person to fly a gas balloon alone across the Atlantic Ocean.
- September 5STS-41-DSTS-41-D: The Space Shuttle Discovery lands after its maiden voyage.
- September 5Western AustraliaWestern Australia becomes the last Australian state to abolish capital punishment.
- October 20Sinking of the Spanish trawler SoniaThe Spanish trawler Sonia sank in British waters after a five-hour chase by the Irish Naval Service patrol vessel Aisling, during which a…
- November 27Brussels Agreement (1984)Under the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of the United Kingdom and Spain, the former agrees to enter into discussions…
- July 5Supreme Court of the United StatesThe United States Supreme Court gives its United States v. Leon decision providing a good-faith exception from the Fourth Amendment exclu…
- December 10United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly recognizes the Convention against Torture.
Sources
- Wikipedia article (text, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 for adapted text · how we source this
Cite this page
“Murder of Jonelle Matthews”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/murder-of-jonelle-matthews-1984-december-20, accessed October 27, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about this entry
When did Murder of Jonelle Matthews happen?
December 20 1984 — 42 years ago, on a Thursday.
Where does this text come from?
Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.
How do I cite this page?
Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.
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