The jury found 70-year-old Steve Pankey guilty of false reporting, while a mistrial was declared on two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping, Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, the jury began deliberating the three charges against Pankey, the man accused of kidnapping and murdering 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews, after a month-long trial. As well as, the additional offense charge of false reporting added after Pankey testified as a witness and admitted to lying to law enforcement in the past about the Jonelle case.

During deliberations, the jury was not able to come to an agreement on the murder and kidnapping charges. Their deliberations ended at 10:45 Thursday morning with finding him guilty of the recently-added false reporting charge.

Weld District Judge Timothy Kerns declined for a modified-Allen instruction, a jury instruction put into place to encourage a jury that cannot decide on a verdict to reach a unanimous verdict.

Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke pressed for this jury instruction, but Kerns declared further deliberation wouldn't change anyone's verdict.

Pankey was arrested in October 2020, just over a year after Jonelle's remains were found buried at an oil and gas site in Weld County. Jonelle went missing from her home on Dec. 20, 1984 after being dropped off from an honor choir concert.

The missing child's case gained nationwide media attention, as the Greeley community and law enforcement searched for Jonelle until July 2019 when her body was discovered.

In 2019, the culprit in the kidnapping and murder of Jonelle pointed towards Pankey after law enforcement investigated his suspicious behavior, statements, writings and search history surrounding the case.

A hearing to address Pankey's bond and sentencing is set for 1:15 p.m. Monday.