Murder at Cedar Lodge
Yosemite, California, USA
“A grim collision of paradise and predator and a stark warning that monsters don’t always lurk in the dark … ”
Murder in the mountains
Nestled just outside the gates of Yosemite National Park, the Cedar Lodge in El Portal, California, is surrounded by natural beauty — towering trees, rushing rivers, and the majestic backdrop of one of America’s most beloved national parks.
But in 1999, this peaceful setting became the backdrop for one of the most chilling true crime cases in California history.
That year, Cary Stayner, a handyman working at the Cedar Lodge, went on a horrifying killing spree that claimed the lives of four women.
His crimes sent shockwaves through the nation — not only for their brutality but for where they occurred; in a place people go to escape, relax, and reconnect with nature.
We’d heard of the Yosemite serial killer case before, but had no idea it had happened less than 10 minutes from where we were staying on a recent trip to Yosemite — until a desk clerk at our resort mentioned it during check-in, after we told him we were interested in dark tourism sites.
So of course, we went to check it out.
The first victims
In February 1999, Carole Sund, her 15-year-old daughter Juli, and Silvina Pelosso, a 16-year-old family friend from Argentina, were staying at Cedar Lodge during a sightseeing trip to Yosemite. The three checked out of the lodge and seemingly vanished.
It would be weeks before their bodies were found — Carole and Silvina were discovered in the trunk of a burned-out rental car. Juli's body was found later in a different location, her throat slashed.
What made the case even more disturbing was a taunting message sent to the police after the murders. It included a map to Juli’s body and a chilling note that read:
"We had fun with this one."
This horrifying message confirmed what many feared — these killings were not random, but the work of a sadistic and calculating murderer.
A fourth life taken
Months later, in July, 26-year-old Joie Armstrong, a naturalist and Yosemite park employee, was found brutally murdered near her cabin.
Her body had been decapitated. Witnesses had seen a suspicious vehicle in the area, which led investigators to Cary Stayner. Within days of questioning, he confessed to all four murders.
Stayner's arrest shocked many.
He was quiet, soft-spoken, and came from a family already touched by tragedy — his younger brother, Steven Stayner, had been famously kidnapped as a child and held captive for seven years before escaping, a case that had captivated the nation decades earlier.
Cedar Lodge today
The Cedar Lodge still operates, its riverfront location continuing to draw visitors to the Yosemite area, especially to take photos of the many endearing but kinda creepy bear carvings which line the front of the hotel.
But for many, it's impossible to forget what happened there. The quiet motel rooms and peaceful surroundings are a haunting reminder that unspeakable horror can happen even in the most beautiful places.
The Yosemite serial killer case remains one of the most terrifying true crime stories of the 1990s — a grim collision of paradise and predator and a stark warning that monsters don’t always lurk in the dark.
Sometimes, they wear a uniform, fix your sink and wish you a good night.