Cary Stayner is the older brother of the late Steven Stayner, who was kidnapped in 1972. However, while Steven went on to make the news for his infamous kidnapping case, Cary went on to become a serial killer. The cases of the two brothers came into the spotlight again in 2022 due to Hulu’s show ‘Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story.’

Born and raised in Merced, California, Cary was 11 years old when his brother Steven was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell. Cary later told the San Francisco Chronicle that he had felt neglected his entire life, especially after Steven went missing.

Also read | UC Berkeley shelter-in-place order lifted after no shooter found

Even after Steven escaped from Parnell with Timothy White in 1980, the massive media coverage of his heroic escape left Cary feeling neglected.

Cary’s murder spree began nearly a decade after Steven’s death in a motorcycle accident in 1989.

Also read | Intruder at Peruvian embassy in Washington shot dead

As a serial killer, Cary was active between February and July 1999, and killed two women and two teenaged girls in that period. His victims included 42-year-old Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli Sund, Juli’s 16-year-old friend Silvina Pelosso, and 26-year-old naturalist Joie Ruth Armstrong.

He was tracked down and arrested by the FBI in the same year, and after his arrest, confessed that he had fantasized about murdering women from the age of seven, even before his brother Steven was kidnapped.

Also read | Parents of teen accused of Michigan school shooting seek lower bond

Cary was convicted for the murders in 1999, and is currently incarcerated at the San Quentin Penitentiary in California.

Cary was on death row as of April 2022, but it remains unclear whether he will be executed: California has not seen any execution take place since 2006 after a court order pointed out flaws in extant legislation on capital punishment.