The FBI says Stayner confessed to the murder of Armstrong at Yosemite National Park  ALSO: Co-workers say Yosemite suspect not known for violence VIDEO CNN's Rusty Dornin reports on possible connections between the suspect and the tourist murders Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K MESSAGE BOARD: Crime and punishment

July 26, 1999
Web posted at: 1:50 p.m. EDT (1750 GMT)

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Motel handyman Cary Stayner has confessed to the July 21 beheading of a naturalist at Yosemite National Park, the FBI said in an affidavit filed Monday.

Stayner, 37, was to be arraigned later in the day in Sacramento for the slaying of Joie Ruth Armstrong, whose body was found Thursday. He also is the prime suspect in the murders of three Yosemite sightseers, the FBI has said.

According to the FBI affidavit, when authorities questioned Stayner prior to his arrest on Saturday, he allowed his vehicle to be searched, but refused to let them look inside a backpack he was carrying.

The backpack was seized, and authorities obtained a search warrant as they investigated the beheading death of Armstrong, 26. There was no immediate word about what they found in the backpack.

The affidavit does not mention the deaths of the three tourists earlier this year.

Correspondent Don Knapp contributed to this report

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