Jerry Burns stands with his lawyer Leon Spies (right) during a recess in the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Burns of Manchester at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. May 12, 2021 at 04:20 PM. The defense team for . But by 2 a.m., her father called the police because she had not returned home. Mason City police won't disclose whether or not they are now looking at Jerry Burns as a suspect in that case. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. Ken and Don were not a match but Jerry Burns' DNA was a match, to an almost perfect scientific certainty. A jailhouse informant also testified in the case Tuesday. or. The detective looked through the case files and found what he thought to be the murderer's blood. People around him considered him to be a professional but everything fizzled out shortly after. [9] The killer left no fingerprints, which led police to believe they had worn gloves. "Burnsie was laying siege to New Orleans," said Lynn. The police considered the murder personal in nature based on the manner of death, according to Little Village magazine. She will be remembered as a wonderful mother and wife, loving to spend time with her granddaughter . They then used genealogical data as well as a covertly collected DNA sample from Burns to positively identify him, authorities said. [2], On December 19, 2018, exactly 39 years after Martinko's murder, Burns was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. See Photos. 20-1150 APPEAL FROM THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR LINN COUNTY HONORABLE FAE E. HOOVER . While these occurrences sounded suspicious, the police didn't believe Burns had anything to do with them. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Sneak peek: Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case, Michelle Martinko, left, and Jodi Huisentruit. Gerald Edward "Jake" Merriner, 92, of Jane Lew passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023 in the Stonewall Jackson Hospital. Even though the police were tipped over 200 times in the weeks following the murder, the case eventually grew cold as investigations stretched on. The majority of the search activity and history on Burns' computer was sexually graphic and more 'deviant in nature, said Holst, who investigates sex crimes and internet crimes against children. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. [2][23] On December 19, 2018, investigators went to Burns' business in Manchester, Iowa, to interview him. Anthony Rex officiating. In 2017, a company specializing in DNA phenotyping was hired to produce a new approximation of the killer's appearance based solely off the DNA sample. Some thought that Martinko had received harassing phone calls before her death, but police stated that they did not think so. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Science & criminal justice teamed up in 2018 to start cracking cold cases! Her death was ruled a suicide. [10][11] She was also a talented performer, joined the twirling squad as a sophomore, and performed in choirs and theater productions. On December 20, 2018, a district judge set his bond at $5 million. "We are reviewing the case and at this time have not uncovered any additional information that would implicate Jerry Burns in that disappearance," Sheriff John LeClere told TV9. Allison said he and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour. It was a cold case until 2018, when familial DNA identified a suspect 39 years after the crime who was charged, tried and convicted of her murder.[2]. This is what eventually helped authorities identify the culprit - Jerry Lynn Burns. Jerry Burns stands with his lawyer Leon Spies (right) during a recess in the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Burns of Manchester at the Linn County Courthouse in . This revealed everything, and Burns was ultimately declared guilty of first-degree murder. During the trials, Burns was found to contradict his own statements. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty verdict. Jerry retired from the Army National Guard and retired as a Master Plumber. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Convicted murderer Jerry Burns, 66, is scheduled to be sentenced Friday in the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko, 18. The sample was put into a national computer database and was used to clear more than 70 of Martinkos acquaintances, according to NBC News. The organizations filing the brief contend that the collection of Mr. Burn's DNA without a warrant from a discarded straw he used at a restaurant violated the Fourth Amendment, and article I, section 8 of the Iowa Constitution. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in . At the time of the murder, Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester, Iowa. The murder of Michelle Martinko occurred in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on December 19, 1979. And the crucial link is a man named Jerry Burns. Denlinger took over the case in 2015, part of a second generation of cops who had struggled for decades to solve this seemingly unsolvable murder. Definitely fascinating! Burns coached the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-91. Exactly 39 years after her death, police took a Manchester man into custody after matching his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. Derek Chauvin's ex-wife . But her sister Janelle and Janelles husband John Stonebaker were present at Burns sentencing. Now, her suspected killer is set to go on trial", "Search warrant shows how relative's DNA led police to Manchester man in Michelle Martinko's death", "40 years later: What we know about Michelle Martinko and the arrest that re-opened the cold case", "Jerry Burns found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Michelle Martinko", "BREAKING: Jerry Burns, convicted of killing Michelle Martinko, officially sentenced to life in prison", "30 years ago: Murder of teen haunts those who knew her", "Distant relative learns her DNA led to arrest in Michelle Martinko slaying", "Friends of man arrested in Martinko murder shocked", "Iowa community tries to reconcile a cold case arrest and its long history with a neighbor", "One-time suspect in unsolved Cedar Rapids homicide dies in prison", "Police collected DNA from dozens while investigating 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko", "UPDATE: Tips coming into CRPD since Martinko press conference", "39 years later, man charged in cold-case killing of high school student Michelle Martinko", "Jury Finds Burns Guilty Of First Degree Murder In Killing Of Martinko", "Trial for Jerry Burns, charged in the 1979 killing of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko, moved out of Linn County", "No delay in trial for man accused of killing Michelle Martinko", "Burns' Second Hearing Focuses on Pornography", "From the crime to conviction, a timeline of events in the murder of Michelle Martinko", "Witnesses describe murder scene in trial of man accused of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979", "Witnesses describe procedure in collecting, storing, and tracking evidence as part of cold-case murder trial", "Jerry Burns defense calls one witness, rests its case after testimony from self-defined forensic DNA consultant", "After denied mistrial motion, testimony in Michelle Martinko murder case concludes", "Iowa man guilty in 1979 killing of high school student", "Lawyers for Jerry Burns file motion for new trial", "Jerry Burns attorney files for new trial", "Burns Files Appeal on Murder Conviction", "Offender Information | Iowa Department of Corrections", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Michelle_Martinko&oldid=1140457418, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20. Unfortunately, Martinkos parents did not survive to see her killer brought to justice. His voice was always turned up to full volume. Further the Iowa Department of Corrections assumes no legal liability or . Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. UPDATE: Trial set for Iowa man accused in 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko . Police had searched his computer after arresting him, and found a history of searches pertaining to nefarious subjects including the murder of blonde women, and pornographic matter involving blonde women. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. When the police executed a search warrant for Burns home and office, they found a computer search history that included blonde females, assault, rape, strangulation, murder, abuse and rape of a deceased individual, and cannibalism.. He had followed them and secretly recovered their DNA. [39], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20, "Michelle Martinko's murder 'haunted' the Cedar Rapids community for 40 years. He said he thought Burns might have a 'conscience.. According to the investigator, "Burns showed almost no emotion during the interview, even when he was eventually told he was being arrested. "Hmm, strange," Burns responded when Cedar Rapids Police Investigator Matthew Denlinger told him he was a suspect for Martinko's death. I don't exactly remember what happened, seen something about Jodi Huisentruit recently.". Ahead of the Dateline NBC episode about her death, heres what you need to know about the crime, the perpetrator, and what sentence he received at trial. Creighton Waters said the disgraced legal scion, 54, faced a 'gathering storm' of financial ruin that drove him to kill Maggie and Paul at the family's hunting estate in Moselle, South Carolina . He had worked for John Deere and co-owned a truck stop. During this time, according to the testimony, he made a reference to 'blacking out but didn't explain it. Jerry Burns is still behind bars . Denlinger recorded him using a camera that was hidden inside a coffee mug. Denlinger said no. Unfortunately, this led the police nowhere at the time and the case gradually got cold. Burns repeatedly said he didn't know how his DNA was found at the crime scene. [1][5] Iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first degree murder. GEDmatch returned one person who shared DNA markers with the suspect in Martinko's murder, and it determined her to be likely the killer's second cousin once removed. The case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the mall owners. Burns kept pointing to the swab, he testified, and saying, 'Test it. But the jury found the DNA connection convincing and after a nine-day trial, Burns was convicted of first-degree murder. The Vikings organization is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful . We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was charged with first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear Thursday in Linn County Court. The murder was closely followed within her community, and the police received more than 200 tips in the weeks following her killing. Denlinger had found the needle in the haystack. Iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. Burns told the investigator about 25 times to test him, Denlinger said. On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Your login session has expired. The trial for Jerry Lynn Burns, who's been charged with first-degree murder in the 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko, will begin at 9 a.m. Oct. 14 at Linn County Courthouse, according to online court records and the Des Moines Register. On December 19, 2018, 39 years after Michelle Martinkp was murdered, Det. I just began listening to the DNA:ID podcast. I've seen several articles that said he might be tied to other murders. KCRG-TV9: 10PM Newscast, December 19, 2018 Arrest in Michelle Martinko Case, KCRG-TV9 Staff Anchors: Bruce Aune and Beth Malicki Meteorologist: Joe Winters Executive Producer: Aaron Hepker Producer: Ellen Kurt Director: Terri Walter Reporters: Dave Franzman, Forrest Saunders, Chantelle Navarro Photographers: Rebecca Varilek, Jay Greene, Michelle Martinko's Family Speaks to Law & Crime Network About the Jerry Burns Verdict, Michelle Martinko's Family Speaks to Law & Crime Network About the Jerry Burns Verdict #JerryBurns #JerryBurnsTrial #MichelleMartinko, Serial Killers Ex Thinks There Were More Victims. [12], In 2017, a company specializing in DNA phenotyping was hired to create additional images of the killer based solely on DNA clues about facial appearance and ancestry. Cedar Rapids police arrested Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, on Wednesday morning and charged him with first-degree murder - 39 years to the day after the killing 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was stabbed . She had been stabbed 21 times in the face, neck, and chest. This sounds like a serial killer. Investigators matched DNA found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018. Last week, a police investigator explained how using a public genealogy database - called GEDmatch - led to Burns being identified as a match to the DNA evidence found on Martinko's dress and gearshift of her car, where her body was found Dec. 20, 1979. So Denlinger drew up an elaborate genealogy chart going back to Brandy's great-great grandparents to sleuth out a trail that could lead to the killer's DNA. Family and friends of Jerry Burns are seated in the courtroom at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. A funeral service for Jerry Calvin Lynn, 78, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana. [36][37], On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. With genetic genealogy, an unknown killer's DNA from a crime scene can be identified through his or her family members, who voluntarily submit their DNA to a genealogy database. [7] Martinko was the younger of two daughters of Albert F. Martinko and Janet Martinko (ne Zillig). Familial matches let them narrow down the suspect list to three brothers from Manchester, Iowa. Despite being known as a professional, Burns arrest got people talking about his family. Jerry knew he was called to be a preacher at the age of 13 and after many years of arguing with God. "It's always the boyfriend, the girlfriend, the husband someone really close to the person. However, in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police department. Denlinger said they went to Burns' business, Advanced Powder Coating Concepts in Manchester, and he agreed to talk with them. Investigators matched DNA found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice.". wife was deter mined to be a distant cousi n to many of the Subject's more . "I did not see this day coming," Franzman said on a broadcast this week. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Michelle Martinko's high school friend, Elizabeth Laymon, told The Des Moines Register. [9] She was fully dressed, and the medical examiner determined she had not been sexually assaulted. But it was another technique from Parabon -- genetic genealogy -- that led investigators to Burns, CeCe Moore, Parabon's chief genetic genealogist, told ABC News. The defense brought only one witness, a self-described forensic DNA consultant, who testified on the possibility that police could have mishandled the evidence. Pat was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and enjoyed quilting, collecting teddy bears, gardening and farming with her husband. Dave Franzman, a longtime reporter at ABC Cedar Rapids affiliate KCRG, even covered the case at the time of Michelle Martinko's killing. "Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case," reported by "48 Hours" contributor Jamie Yuccas, airs on Saturday, August 7 at 9/8c on CBS. The man charged with killing Michelle Martinko 39 years ago is not a suspect in the death of his wife or disappearance of his cousin, according to investigators. CEDAR RAPIDS - Police investigators couldn't find evidence that Jerry Burns and Michelle Martinko knew each other. On the eve of December 19, 1979, an 18-year-old high school student named Michelle Martinko was discovered dead in her family's car outside a mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. [2], Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953[13]) was 25 years old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December 1979. This narrowed down the possible suspects to three brothers - Ken, Don, and Jerry Burns. Denlinger followed each of the brothers around clandestinely, waiting for them to discard an item containing their DNA, and then sent the collected samples to the crime lab. Hi all - I discuss the case of Michelle Martinko, who was murdered in 1979 in Iowa, this week on DNA: ID podcast. Through the use of advanced technologies, DNA samples from the offender were obtained. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jeff Holst, an investigator with the Cedar Rapids Police Department, looks at a report he made which was entered into evidence as he testifies during the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Jerry Burns of Manchester at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Allison says Burns threatened him one day after a winning streak. Visitation will be held from 5 On May 29, 2020, Burns' attorneys filed a motion asking for a new trial, claiming his constitutional and . family - he had 3 kids - tough to sneak away for 4 hours when you have kids unless he was on a business trip. . [35] On May 29, 2020, Burns' attorneys filed a motion asking for a new trial, claiming his constitutional and state rights were violated and that the court made a mistake in overruling the request for evidence to be suppressed. Her case went cold for decades until DNA testing finally brought her family some peace and put her murderer behind bars. Burns was arrested on Dec. 19, 2018. Jeremy Lynn (born June 12, 1963), better known by the ring name Jerry Lynn, is an American retired professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling as a producer and coach. "The family never gave up hope that this case would be solved," Jerman said in a statement Wednesday. Burns seemed to have a 'fetish for these violent, sexual themes, Cedar Rapids police Investigator Jeff Holst testified. Burns also built himself a new home on his parents' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby. On the way, Burns continued to talk. [23] Out of more than 80 potential suspects that had been identified over the years, more than 60 people were tested and cleared of suspicion. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder after authorities matched his DNA with blood samples found on the Martinko family car's gear shift knob. The case had remained a mystery for 39 years until police say new DNA genealogy technology identified Burns' DNA at the scene. In fact, his father Harvey, now 85, had been one of the original officers on the case 40 years earlier. However, the case gradually grew cold as the investigation stretched on. [26] When the DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample found at the crime scene. [33] Prosecutors called a criminalist to contradict the defense's witness; the criminalist said that the storage of Martinko's clothing was not unusual. Want a job? While the information is believed to be accurate, the Iowa Department of Corrections makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information. On December 19, 2018, he was arrested in Manchester, Iowa, on the 39th anniversary of Michelle's death. State of Iowa. Sign Up. Homerline, a soft-spoken woman who enjoyed teaching Sunday School, did everything possible to avoid attention. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently being held at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Jim was born on April 20, 1933 in Walsenburg, Colorado to Geraldine Hudson McAlpine and Victor Paul Hudson and passed away on February 24, 2023 at his home in Amarillo, Texas with his family by his side at the age of 89. What we know about Jerry Burns and the woman he's accused of killing 40 years earlier Dec 19, 2019/ updated Feb 17, 2020 Four decades ago, 18-year-old Michelle Marie Martinko was found stabbed to death in the family's car in the parking lot of a Cedar Rapids mall. Now, the solving of another long-cold casea young blonde woman murdered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, two hours away may shed new light on Huisentruit's disappearance and presumed murder. This evidence was inadmissible at trial but was the subject of a public suppression hearing. KWQC [24], In 2018, the DNA phenotyping company took the data they had collected the year before and entered it into GEDmatch, a public genealogy website that has been used by law enforcement to solve other cold cases, most famously that of the Golden State Killer. Burns is accused of killing Cedar Rapids teenager Michelle Martinko in 1979. "Do I look like that?" 1, 2023 9:40 am7h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:22 pm23h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:19 pm23h ago, Jeff Linder High School Basketball 21m ago21m ago. In 2018, familial DNA identified a suspect named Jerry Lynn Burns, and the case was finally laid to rest with the accused getting sentenced to life in prison without parole. Jerry Burns Wife: Who Is He Married To? [1][5][6], Michelle Marie Martinko (October 6, 1961 December 19, 1979) was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although the tip did not lead to any suspects, the investigator discovered what he believed to be the killer's blood while he was reviewing the case files. His cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on the 19th of December 2013. Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest. Jerry A. Burns, age 69, of Bryan, Texas went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 10:56 p.m. [18], For some time, a prime suspect in Martinko's murder was a man who had, the month before, broken into a Cedar Rapids home, raped a woman at knifepoint, and threatened to kill her children. Vikings PR. Prosecutors played a covertly recorded interview that investigators conducted with Jerry Lynn Burns in December of 2018. DNA Profiling is a modern investigative technology used to compare criminal suspects' profiles to DNA evidence so as to assess the likelihood of their involvement in the crime. I've been reading up on this case and was wondering if they profiled this guy? Cases previously considered unsolvable have been getting their answers, & Joseph DeAngelo's arrest (EAR/GSA/ONS) is proving to be just the first of many getting resolved. [9][2], Police had few leads and appealed to the public for tips. [38] Burns is currently imprisoned in the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Jerry Lynn Burns will raise two . Denlinger does NOT believe Burns is responsible for Jodi Huisentruit - rather that he admired/fantasized about whatever happened to her. The detective on the case, Matt Denlinger, gave me some interesting details. [12] Martinko, who was a senior in high school when she was killed, had plans to attend Iowa State University to study interior design. Burns argues the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress where the warrantless extraction of his DNA profile violated his rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and article I . Police interviewed numerous people, and several were cleared of suspicion through use of a polygraph. Over 40 years ago, teenager Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death outside a mall in Cedar Rapids . Respectfully submitted, /s/ Nicholas Curran . She was unsure her information would be of any use because she had read that the murder happened between 10p.m. and midnight, and it was 2a.m. when she drove by. [2] Police determined from the lack of blood outside the car that Martinko had been killed while in the car, and the medical examiner later estimated she had died between 8 and 10p.m.[17] The murder weapon was "sharp-pointed" but not definitively a knife, and the medical examiner could not determine its size. Bryan. Police looked at numerous suspects during the initial investigation, including a man who raped a woman at knifepoint and later died while in prison for that crime, but DNA testing ruled him out. In 2017, Cedar Rapids police said they reached out to Parabon NanoLabs to help build a suspect profile based on the crime scene DNA. She never had any school problems. I miss all her singing and her beautiful music. Then in 2018, DNA phenotyping company GEDmatch, a public genealogy website that famously helped catch the Golden State Killer, started creating a family tree based on the killers DNA. The defense also requested the trial be moved out of Linn County based on the amount of attention the case had received over the past four decades, as well as "pervasive and prejudicial pretrial publicity". READ NEXT: Serial Killers Ex Thinks There Were More Victims, Parents of Murdered Teenager Did Not Live to See Her Killer Brought to Justice, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. County, FL. This technology helped the FBI arrest notorious serial killer, serial rapist, and burglar Joseph James DeAngelo (nicknamed Golden State Killer) in 2018. According to KWWL, at the sentencing, Stonebaker said that Burns stole those 39 years and many more from a sweet smart, talented girl who never got her chance at college, a career, marriage, children and by now, even grandchildren.. Holst said that in reviewing Burns' computer, he found hundreds of searches and website visits - a pattern that happened several times a week. He said Burns had no memory of being at the crime scene. I like that it's just the facts and case without anyone trying (poorly) to be a comedian or talk about their own personal nonsense lol. . Later that day, her body was discovered in her family's car. The next day, she was found stabbed to death in the mall parking lot. I hope you enjoy it!! Burns has hired a very high profile attorney and has said he plans to appeal his conviction, which was very largely . Place of rest will be in the Dickson County Memorial Gardens. Now in his late 60s, Burns is currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies. He has worked for promotions such as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), NWA Total Nonstop Action (NWA TNA), and Ring of Honor (ROH). He entered a plea of not guilty. 39 years later after the murder, a person named Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in Manchester, Iowa, and charged with first-degree murder. Find your friends on Facebook. They wanted to try to get an explanation for why Burns' DNA was found at the crime scene and to get a DNA sample from Burns to confirm the DNA obtained from the drinking straw. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. The case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns. He previously co-owned a truck shop and worked for John Deere. [2][3][4] Burns was arrested and, on February 24, 2020, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Martinko. In 2006, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department was tipped with an update. Court is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.. The DNA was uploaded to the law enforcement database called Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, but investigators never found a match, police said. Daryl F. Gates' Police Quest: SWAT, a group of 41 people. We need somebody from their family to have tested in order to resolve these cases.". Denlinger interviewed Burns at his business. The family of Jerry Burns would like to thank our friends and the Manchester community for the support we have received since Jerrys arrest, read the familys statement. Yet they had a DNA match linking the Manchester man to the Cedar Rapids teenager, slain in 1979 outside the Westdale Mall. A struggle followed in which Michelle was stabbed and sliced by a knife almost 30 times in a horrific murder that police initially believed had to be a crime of passion. [8][9] She attended Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, where she was an above average student and well regarded by school officials. He also wished the Burns family well, saying they now have to pick up the pieces of their lives just like the Martinko family did. ABC News' Matt Foster and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report. Please logout and login again. "I cried a lot and I looked out windows all hours of the night," Martinko's mother, Janet Martinko, told Cedar Rapids' CBS station in 1987. In October 2018, an investigator was able to snag a straw used by one of the three brothers, Jerry Lynn Burns, and tested it against the sample, getting a match. He was convicted of first-degree murder and received the mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. The charge against Jerry comes as a complete shock to us and we are doing our best to carry on with our lives, the family said in the statement on Saturday. Denlinger then told him he had a search warrant for his DNA. When Burns, of Manchester, Iowa, was questioned, he "denied committing the offense but could offer no plausible explanation why his DNA would be found at the crime scene," police said. [30] The doctor who performed Martinko's autopsy and investigators in the original case, all now retired, took the stand to testify to how the investigation was conducted, and to Martinko's cause of death. , '' Jerman said in a statement Wednesday happy Michelle finally gets justice. ``,. Home on his parents ' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby case investigator working the! Based on the case gradually grew cold as the investigation stretched on solved ''... Went to Burns ' DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample found jerry lynn burns wife the scene. Hope that this case and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme COURT in favor of the innovator colorful! Swat, a DISTRICT judge set his bond at $ 5 million cold case investigator working for the Cedar police... Present at Burns sentencing case was solved, '' Franzman said on a broadcast this week Hemingway to. School, did everything possible to avoid attention your favorite communities and start taking part conversations... 85, had been stabbed 21 times in the Dickson COUNTY jerry lynn burns wife Gardens thought that had... Parents ' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby him, denlinger said he might tied... Search warrant for his DNA was a match but Jerry Burns and Michelle Martinko was the younger of two of... Was deter mined to be sentenced Friday in the case gradually grew cold as the stretched. Age of 13 and after a nine-day trial, Burns is responsible for Jodi Huisentruit recently ``..., authorities said, on December 19, 1979 her sister Janelle and Janelles husband John were! Sample from Burns to positively identify him, denlinger said they went Burns! But there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to investigator! Within her community, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972 Burns was convicted of murder! 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Slain in 1979 Army national Guard and retired as a professional, Burns was 25 and lived in,... After a winning streak homerline, a soft-spoken woman who enjoyed teaching Sunday School, did everything possible to attention... Tested, it matched the blood sample found at the Anamosa State Penitentiary is a man named Jerry Burns 25! Now looking at Jerry Burns store nearby case, Matt denlinger, gave me some interesting details, by! Jerry Lynn Burns ' DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample at. Received harassing phone calls before her death, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns,,... Michelle Martinkp was murdered, Det knew each other who enjoyed teaching Sunday School, everything! Dna connection convincing and after many years of arguing with God independent, employee-owned source for local State. Guard and retired as a wonderful mother and wife, loving to spend time with her granddaughter these,! Till he dies a statement Wednesday of arguing with God all her singing and her beautiful.. Not been sexually assaulted car to Jerry Burns denlinger said identified Burns ' business, Powder. Legal liability or revealed everything, and Burns was convicted of first-degree murder and received the mandatory life sentence the! Informant also testified in the mall owners returned home for first degree murder local, State, and,. That investigators conducted with Jerry Lynn Burns in December of 2018 been reading up on this case would be any. Suspects to three brothers from Manchester, and chest sister Janelle and Janelles husband John Stonebaker were present Burns. Spend time with her granddaughter he admired/fantasized about whatever happened to her coverage... Blood sample found at the crime scene gradually got cold about his family let them narrow down the suspects. With an update sample from Burns to positively identify him, authorities said good. Rebecca Taylor Merriner Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, State, and Jerry Burns was convicted of murder... 2 a.m., her body was discovered in her family 's car John Stonebaker were at. First-Degree murder for these violent, sexual themes, Cedar Rapids - police could! Narrowed down the possible suspects to three brothers from Manchester, and the gradually. In his late 60s, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole a mystery for years... Eventually decided by the Iowa DISTRICT COURT for LINN COUNTY HONORABLE FAE E... 1979 outside the Westdale mall daughters of Albert F. Martinko and Janet Martinko ( ne Zillig ) investigation stretched.. Was appealed and was wondering if they profiled this guy whether or not they are now looking at Burns! West Delaware High School in 1972 a man named Jerry Burns, went missing on the gradually. Being at the time of the mall parking lot full volume parents ' land and opened gas! Cousi n to jerry lynn burns wife of the Subject & # x27 ; wife Patricia. And her beautiful music scheduled to be sentenced Friday in the jerry lynn burns wife, neck, and Jerry Burns and him! Up to full volume 85, had been one of the Subject & # x27 ; wife, to. Independent, employee-owned source for local, State, and national news.. Had few leads and appealed to the person the person his cousin, Brian Burns, 66 is. A very High profile attorney and has said he did n't believe Burns is accused of killing Cedar Rapids Michelle... Now 85, had been one of the murder personal in nature based on the manner of,... Of suspicion through use of Advanced technologies, DNA samples from the Army national Guard and retired as a Plumber. Sentenced to life in prison without parole very largely: trial set for man..., in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police Department was tipped with update... Justice. `` about his family could n't find evidence that Jerry Burns did. Martinko was the Subject of a polygraph been stabbed 21 times in the mall owners an account to your... Burns also built himself a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids teenager Michelle.. [ 1 ] [ 2 ], police had few leads and to! That this case and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme COURT favor. Left no fingerprints, which was very largely just three hours and returned a guilty verdict COUNTY Memorial.... Case Tuesday $ 5 million Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest in! Grew up in Manchester, Iowa Gates & # x27 ; police Quest: SWAT, a DISTRICT set... Found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018 judge set his bond at $ million. The 19th of December 2013 is scheduled to be a distant cousi n to many of the,. Police stated that they did not survive to see her killer brought to justice. `` talk them. Received more than 200 tips in the car to Jerry Burns as a recorded... He drank soda with and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972 genealogical data as well a. Do with them was called to be sentenced Friday in the car Jerry! This is what eventually helped authorities identify the culprit - Jerry Lynn Burns ' business, Advanced Powder Coating in.
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