Santa Maria teen’s murder caught on videotape

October 12, 2010

Dystiny Myers

A Pismo Beach gas station surveillance tape captured what appears to be the horrific beating of 15-year-old Dystiny Myers while two Pismo Beach police officers stand nearby, talking and drinking coffee. [KCCN.tv]

On Sept. 26 at 3 a.m. at the Five Cities Chevron just off Highway 101, a surveillance tape shows a man restraining and beating a struggling woman.  Though officers thought the two men, who were wearing gloves and trying on sunglasses, “were acting kind of hinkey” they failed to notice the physical assault occurring in the bed of the truck driven by the suspects.

Pismo Beach Police Chief Jeff Norton declined to identify the officers involved but confirmed the incident to KCCN.tv. Norton said he had not yet had a chance to view the camera’s tapes, but said he was told by department personnel that the tapes showed a man in the back of the truck, apparently holding down a struggling woman.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department officials have confiscated the surveillance tapes, said Norton to KCCN.tv. “It’s an ongoing sheriff’s investigation,” he said, declining further comment.

The teen’s body was found off Park Hill Road in Santa Margarita, a few miles east of Highway 58, by firefighters responding to a grass fire a few hours after the videotaped assault.

Five suspects are held in county jail with no bail, charged with the 15-year-old Santa Maria girl’s death. The suspects have all pleaded not guilty and include Cody Lane Miller, 22, of Fresno; Ty Michael Hill, 28, of Santa Maria; Jason Adam Greenwell, 20, Frank Jacob York, 19, and and Rhonda Maye Wisto, all of Nipomo; and Cody Lane Miller, 22, of Fresno.

According to sources, the suspects turned on the girl allegedly because she disrespected Wisto, the mother of York and the girlfriend of Hill. The suspects then drove the teen to a rural site in Santa Margarita where they dug a shallow grave.

They then allegedly strangled the teen, placed her in the grave they had lined with lye, covered her with branches, coated her body in accelerant and lit her on fire.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in San Luis Obispo Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 15.


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The Trib story was different. Shocking, I know…


My suspicious mind wonders whether there is a “hinkey” information plant going down, for some purpose we can only speculate…


Did the Sheriff’s office plant info with CCN, so it would come out to shock the arrestees into something?


Did the Trib’s paternal morality forbid it from running the same info CCN did? Or did the Trib receive different info from the Sheriff?


If different, why?


Disclaimer: I am not Dick Tracy, nor am I Matlock, nor do I portray them on T.V.


racket, if you recall when the video surrounding the arrest and illegal search and seizure of Matt Hart came out, do you really think the SD gave those videos to the press? Obviously somebody by the name of Dan Blackburn has an inside connection at the Sheriffs Department. I suspect the only reason that the PBPD Chief confirmed the latest video with the reporter is because he was caught by surprise and didn’t know there had been a leak, yet. I don’t think anyone knew there had been a leak until the story hit the media and that’s why the judge issued a gag order yesterday.


It is my understanding that the patrol car cam video in the Hart case was subpoenaed from the Sheriff’s Dept as part of a legal defense or lawsuit that was filed and then given to Blackburn. Sure, the Sheriff’s Department could have pulled a “Parkinson” and erased the tapes and said there was a tragic equipment malfunction, but chances are the tapes had already been logged and booked by SLOSO technicians and it was too late to suppress them. When presented with a valid subpoena or (usually) a valid FOIA request, the SLOSO has to comply.


sloslo, I think you’re right. I think the tapes had been in the possession of Hart’s attorney. The more that I think about it the more certain I am that you’re correct.


HOLY SHIT racket, I hadn’t seen the story that you were talking about! Yes, now I see what you mean, how odd that the Tribune would have such a different story. I’ve got my money on Blackburn as I have been told that he is standing behind his article. This is going to get interesting !!!!!!!!


How perfect. I complain about the lynch-mob mentality that runs rampant on this forum and guess what? All these holier-than-though, self-righteous sadists try to gang up and lynch me! If some of you could kill me or torture me and get away with it, I have little doubt you would.


And why are all these folks demanding that the suspects in this murder be executed as soon as possible without the benefit of a trial? Could it be that they want to eliminate the evidence that our local community is breeding heinous killers who—surprise—are NOT illegal immigrants?


Yes, let’s execute all these reminders that our community has a growing reputation for breeding young, white killers and drug addicts. Imagine that! This from a community that is so loving and compassionate and respectful and that has such reverence for life. NOT!


This forum reeks of anger, hate and sadism, spewed from people who act like they are so much better than these criminals. But the difference is little or nothing. Its the same exact hate and violence. It’s simply aimed at other targets this time. But the sentiments are the same.


It’s obvious that hypocrites don’t like concrete reminders that they are hypocrites.


Look in a mirror folks. These killers are the children of this community. But this community refuses to accept it. They want to deny it and they will kill to pretend otherwise. And of course they want to kill the messenger also.


God help us!


Gotta agree with you that violence begets violence, and that “Eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Many people here are angry and horrified by this crime, lashing out with their emotions because that is how they have learned to express these feelings. Plus, getting into a thorough “justified” outrage with the like-minded can feel just great. But I think you’ve made your point, perhaps a little too stridently. You might want to think about backing off a bit, asking questions instead of making statements. Try to express yourself from a place of empathy rather than frustration. Sometimes when everyone else is shouting, a gentle whisper is the best way to be heard.


Thank you Citizen B. Your advice is sound and beautiful, truly. But sometimes it seems appropriate to shake the tree a bit to bring down the coconuts.


Perhaps I can leave the more diplomatic approach to others for the moment. The thing is, I actually feel sorry these folks. I really don’t expect them to get it. But it would be nice if my observations bolster the spirits of more enlightened folks who might begin to think that everyone in this community is a violent, angry sadist who considers killing people a good way to improve our community.


I think it can be helpful to some people to see just how flimsy or vacuous are the intellectual foundations and rationalizations of all these holier-than-thou folks who are so eager to spread violent attitudes and cover up the failings of our community as a whole.


My work may be about done here for now. I will rest. And to you, CitizenB, more power to you! YOU deserve it and our community could use more wise folks like you stepping forward to gently guide the sheep.,


Don’t give up hope, WiseGuy! If you truly believe that people can be rehabilitated given the proper treatment, then you must also hold out hope for the loudest and angriest of people posting here. You know, I bet in another forum, not anonymous, not where they are bolstered by so many others calling for bloody retribution (that good ol’ mob mentality), they would not say or even feel some of the things being expressed here. I know my first gut reaction, coming straight from the dark deep reactionary portion of my brain, was pretty savage. But, stepping back, we must also acknowledge: 1) innocent until proven guilty in a court of law (which has, unfortunately, proven to be pretty fallible), 2) we have no idea what actually went down that night, 3) we don’t know what is doing on in these people’s minds and souls, and despite how tempting it is to dehumanize them (scum, trash, etc), they are human beings with minds and souls. And you are right, when we collectively get out the ropes, torches, and pitchforks (really or metaphorically), and deny the rights and humanity of even those who have hurt us, we have descended to the level of evil. That is what Jesus meant when He said “Turn the other cheek.” He did not mean that there would not be justice, but that justice would not be achieved in the heat of anger and hatred or the cold bitterness of revenge.


I agree CitizenB. And the amount of wild speculation and gossip mongering on this forum is spectacular, but typical for this forum. And the comments, overall, are so cliche and boring, the same ol’ gossipy hens clucking and shucking. All for what? These hens seem to have little appreciation that all the misinformation being spewed can really have a negative effect upon the case and individuals who are involved.


And I also agree that so many of these people who speak of the teachings of Jesus Christ sound so ignorant as they continue to spread more misinformation and misinterpretations regarding the teachings.


It’s sad that a young girl was in the fight of her life, while 2 Pismo cops in the same parking lot drinking coffee within reach of rescue.


I am giving them the benefit of the doubt, by believing they would have acted in good faith. If they were paying attention to their surroundings on that horrible night, a young teenage girl could possibly have been saved.


I’ll assume that those 2 cops are feeling sad and frustrated that their inattentive coffee break chatter cost a life. I’ll assume that these 2 cops have learned a disappointing lesson the hard way. I’ll assume that these 2 will be more attentive and better cops next time they observe 2 “Hinkey” dudes wearing gloves on a hot summer night and trying on sunglasses at 3am.


Yes, I’ll give them a break because they just didn’t pay attention. We all at one time or another have been guilty of complacency. Just as I in the past have received, I’d like too pass onto them a obvious “Hinkey” Brickbat!


What makes me angry is that NO ONE took notice of what was going on. Surely there had to have been some type of noise or commotion coming from that truck and people just ignored it. Then you have two officers that apparently were not in tune with their surroundings. So sad. Perhaps this could have been prevented or at least someone could have called the police with a suspicious circumstances call which could have caught them before they actually killed her.


I too am saddened at the outcome of this poor young girls life, barely 15. People be a little more aware and pro active about things that are going on around you that seem suspicious, It might turn out to be nothing, but it could also help someone out.


Hey, WiseGuy: Give it a break will ya? You are way too JIMMY JACKED for good dialogue…Is there a single comment you made that wasn’t in sombobody’s frikkin FACE?


Shame on cal coast news!!! This story lacks truth….I doubt they have even seen the video. It is a fact that this girl was dead before she was shoved in that truck. I am so tired of this irresponsible reporting. As this case move forward the real truth will come out. I challenge all of you to sign up for a few ride alongs with your local police department to see for yourselfs the kind of crap they deal with on a day to day basis. They deal with the lowest of the low…..things most of you cant even imagine…….BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT….SOMEDAY YOU OR YOUR FAMILY MIGHT NEED THEM TO HELP YOU.


Oh sure monster, we’ve all heard your line before many times. When you don’t like the truth , deny, deny, deny. CCN is simply printing the facts. They alway’s end up correct in the end. I suppose that she just made up the confirmation of the video by the PB chief of police. There was a rumor that Dystiny had been murdered in the home of Wisto. As it turns out that is not the facts. CCN has gave us the facts, what we do with them is up to us. CCN didn’t make up the fact that 2 PBPD were at the station while Dystiny was being beaten, they didn’t claim that there was anyway that the police could have known, they simply gave us the facts.

What I find bothersome is that when you see two guys acting strange at 3AM you might inquire as to their sobriety. Anyone acting foolish with large gloves and trying on sunglasses sounds like they might be driving while they are high on something, and they were high as a kite on something, meth and murder in mind.


Let us have more focus on this story and the facts at hand, less focus on other folks opinions.

A troll is a type of comment, a comment made to create a angry response, not necessarily a person.

some comments are to be passed over, up to you to choose your engagement.


Guess I should let people know that PaulJones isn’t all that far from the truth, in my opinion. I was told by a “very reliable source” prior to the gag order that Cody Miller, the guy from Fresno that was beaten and left in the field for dead was the one who had been the most sadistic and inflicted the greatest degree of injury to Myers prior to her death.


KSBY just announced that Judge LaBarbara has issued a “gag order” forbidding people involved in this case or in LE from talking and giving out information about this! They also said that special enhancements have been added to the charges against all 5 of the accused which qualify’s them for the death penalty. I can’t help but wonder if KCCN and CCN are responsible for the gag order, too funny ;)


I might add that WiseGuy has become a troll who is attacking everyone here and attempting to control the direction of this blog. WiseGuy has become a troll and the way that trolls are generally handled is to ignore them completely.


I happen to think WiseGuy has made some VERY good points. And I find it shameful that someone like Cindy would have the nerve to try to marginalize him simply because she doesn’t happen to agree with him. You can call him a “troll” or whatever, but it’s obvious WiseGuy has a very well-honed B.S. detector and its no fault of his that its going off the Richter scale when it scans this forum.


WiseGuy couldn’t care less if all the phonies and B.,S.ers ignore him. In fact, that would please him very much.


How would Cindy appreciate it if WiseGuy called her a “troll” and told everyone to ignore her! Cindy wouldn’t like that at all! That would be a horrible PUNISHMENT for Cindy and so she IMAGINES it would be a horrible PUNISHMENT for others. Cindy is into PUNISHMENT. She doesn’t like when people publicly point out what she would rather not acknowledge or admit. She wants to tell the world not to listen to WiseGuy. Wiseguy upsets her apple cart and thus Cindy, arrogantly, as if she were a moderator, tries to shove WiseGuy to the side, pretending all time, that she is right and fair and that WiseGuy should be ignored.


She can’t simply ignore WiseGuy. No, she has to feel that everyone else is on HER side and she has initiate a campaign, self-righteous and arrogant and intellectually dishonest, to try to push WiseGuy out of the community. It’s the closest thing she can come up with to actually executing WiseGuy for saying what she doesn’t want people to hear.


WiseGuy = IGNORE


Good Idea! And very original!


So you find the gag order and a potential CCN connection with respect to the tape “too funny?” It won’t be so humorous if it interferes with a fair trial and, if guilty, is responsible for a kink in the prosecution. Let law enforcement handle this case as they see fit.


Give it a break, there is nothing here that often doesn’t end up in the press prior to a trial. Facts are facts. If there is anybody that probably won’t get a fair trial because of publicity and having already been tried in the press, it’s Kelley Weisenburg.


Give it a break? Oh, sorry that you disagree with my OPINION. I thought this site was about opinions, as slanted as it is. Your thirst for gossip and dirt is why people don’t pay attention to much of what’s reported here and it’s too bad for the hard-working reporters. I’ll move on too, and am eager to vote Parkinson. Toodles….