It's becoming such a powerful crime-fighting tool. When it came crashing down was when they walked out of the room and the biggest state policeman that I have ever seen in my life came in with latex gloves and a cotton swab and said, I'm going to take your DNA now. Martin stops in Dubuque, Refurbished bells return to Univ. An hour before announcing Burns arrest, police in Cedar Rapids tweeted that there had been a major development in Martinkos murder. Investigators matched the male profile at the crime scene to DNA on a straw Burns left behind at a Manchester Pizza Ranch. Follow the Register on Facebook and Twitter for more news. More than 60 were tested and cleared. A retired music teacher, Kathryn Birky, of Swisher, who taught private piano and organ lessons, said she had a regularly scheduled lesson with Martinko in the Westdale Mall the night of the attack, Spies said. newsletter for analysis you wont find anywhereelse. Offers may be subject to change without notice. At the time of her death, police had found Martinko stabbed to death in her car in a local mall parking lot. I miss all her singing and her beautiful music. Judge Hoover, who had reviewed Spies' written arguments and Maybanks' resistance before the hearing, quickly denied the motion for a new trial. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. He faces a first-degree murder charge after investigators say they found his blood at the crime scene. Usry was targeted because investigators, using an early form of genetic genealogy, linked his father's DNA to DNA from the murder scene. Familial matches let them narrow down the suspect list to three brothers from Manchester, Iowa. He was born in 1953 and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. But when she got her results, she tried something new. Jerry Lynn Burns granted independent journalist, Steve Ridge, an exclusive Christmas Eve interview, in which Burns also said he will seek a new trial in the Martinko ", "We don't exactly know the whys and some of the details, but we definitely know who did it, and that was terribly important to us," Janelle Stonebraker, Michelle Martinko's older sister, said after the verdict was read. They then used genealogical data as well as a covertly collected DNA sample from Burns to positively identify him, authorities said. William Brangham: Turns out the murderer was a distant, distant relative of Laymon said she and Martinko were in a self-defense class together, but added that "no amount of self-defense could have saved her from that.". Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested Wednesday and accused of fatally stabbing the 18-year-old, whose body was found in her parents' 1972 Buick Electra in the "Those were issues that we raised earlier and we wanted toreurgethem in hopes that the court reexamines them," Leon Spies, Burns' attorney, told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday. Martinko's body was found in her parents' Buick, which was parked near J.C. Penney at Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids. You can't edit your genome. Subscribe to Heres the Deal, our politics Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerry Burns was born on December 23, 1953. He was ensnared because his father had. It was almost like a dream. The family never gave up hope that this case would be solved. When questioned by police, officers said that Burns had no explanation as to why his DNA would have been at the scene. Additionalconcerns were raised in the motion about the jury-building process, instructions given to the jury andtestimony fromstate witnesses. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Family and friends of Jerry Burns react as Burns is sentenced at his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Her parents reported her missing later that night, her body was found in the early hours of December 20. There had been no signs to indicate the killing had been a sexual assault or robbery. 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. Maybanks recapped Monday how witnesses in the two weeks prior outlined an extensive chain of custody of the evidence to ensure no new DNA could have been introduced into the packages containing Martinko's bloodied clothes and pieces of the car. The Kennedy High School senior had drivento the mall after a school choir banquet to shop for a new winter coat. YOUR DESCRIPTION HAS REACHED THE LIMIT OF CHARACTERS ALLOWED AND WAS CUT. Police said they were able to connect Burns to the case with DNA evidence. We all kind of found out through classes we were in. Burns was arrested and questioned when his DNA matched that of some found on Martinko's clothes at the time of her murder. It was a case, Cedar Your subscription makes work like this possible. Photos are courtesy of Robert Riley. But he also said his private investigator had uncovered new evidence that wasn't discovered until June. Police suspected he'd been involved in the brutal 1996 rape and murder of an Idaho woman named Angie Dodge. Thus began the quest to finally nab Martinko's killers. In October 2006, DNA information that was retrieved from the crime scene was sent to the Combined DNA Index System, CODIS. He waited for her at the mall and apprehended her in the parking lot, according to the theory. Genetic genealogy, the technique millions of people are using to learn about their family history, has now become a potent tool with which law enforcement can solve crimes. Within days ofMartinko's killing, police received more than 200 phone calls and letters from people who wanted to help, according to Des Moines Register archives. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in 2008. Rhana Natour. Support our award-winning, independent journalism with a subscription today. Decades after fatal stabbing, Michelle Martinko's family comes face-to-face with her alleged killer, Latinos are opening more small businesses than anyone else in the US, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Your login session has expired. But you can't cancel your genome. Burns, 66, was arrested at his Manchester, Iowa, business on Dec. 19, 2018 the 39th anniversary of Martinko's death and charged with first-degree murder in Martinko's slaying. Burns is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Michelle Martinko in 1979. Todays announcement makes it clear that this Police Department and our investigators never gave up on this case either. If found guilty of his first-degree murder charges, he'll face life in prison. The deadline for responses from the state or a date for a hearing before a judgehas not been set yet. Burns then turned toward his family, sitting in the courtroom, and thanked them for their support. Later that day, her body was discovered in her family's car. First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said the information wouldn't have changed the verdict. The profile found a hit with DNA from Brandy Jennings, a distant cousin, in the GEDmatch database, which is public. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. Spies wrote that the jury's verdict was "contrary" to the weight of evidence, and his client'sconstitutional rights were violated by the admission of his statements to investigators the day of his arrest and the use of hisand his family's DNA. I didn't have a close relationship with my dad, so maybe to find some family members and just kind of learn about his side, you know? Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com, Bailey Cichon Podcasts Apr. 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. RAW: Exclusive Interview with Michelle Martinko%. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. Burns further argues the trial courts refusal to instruct the jury on the law related to a witnesss motive to testify against Burns constitutes a prejudicial abuse of discretion. The Cedar Rapids Police Department said in a statement on December 19 that Burns, 64, of Manchester, Iowa, was arrested at his place of work in the town. Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested 39 years after killing Michelle Martinko (Image via Youtube) Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the "You and Michelle will forever be in our thoughts, and we are eternally grateful for your support, trustand confidence over the many years.". It's also kind of it scares me, personally, because we see that it's being used for other purposes besides finding your uncle. Investigatorssaid the man who stabbedMartinko cut his hand and left blood behindon her clothes and on the gear shift knob. ", In closing arguments Monday, Spies repeated a phrase from his opening arguments: "Genetic information tells us much about what we are, but not necessarily who we are or where we've been.". At this time, however, Burns remains behind bars. 2 WebJerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested Wednesday morning and is facing a first-degree murder charge in the case. Burns' DNA profile was developed from blood on Martinko's black dress. Predictions were made for ancestry and facial features, police said. Law enforcement said Burns hasnt been able to explain why his DNA would be at the crime scene, nor does he remember committing the crime. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Laymon said. Exactly 39 years after her death, police took a Manchester man into custody after matching his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. The trial for the grisly killing of an Iowa teen in the 1970s will likely be delayed, court records show. In October 2018, DNA was covertly collected from an Iowa man, Jerry Lynn Burns, and was found to match the sample discovered on Martinko's clothing. Burns was arrested and, on February 24, 2020, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Martinko. On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Chief Wayne Jerman announced that a suspect has been arrested in the 39-year old murder case involving Michelle Martinko. In December 1979, Martinko, a high school senior who was on the twirling squad at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went to the recently opened Westdale Mall after her choir banquet at school to buy a new winter coat. Where Is Jerry Lynn Burns Now? When 18-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa resident Michelle Martinko went missing on Dec. 19, 1979, it became a case that soon ran cold. Hundreds of people were interviewed and countless leads were followed, police said a year after the slaying. He built a new home on land his parents once farmed and constructed a gas station and convenience store near where he lived. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. No match was made through that system. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerman, Cedar Rapids' police chief, credited police and investigators who "showed tenacity and dedication" over the four decades it took to take the case to trial, and the Linn County Attorney's Office for its role in Burns' arrest and prosecution. She was seen inside the mall by friends and coworkers because Martinko worked in the mall. KWQC He previously co-owned a truck stop near town. Investigators placed the three brothers under surveillance in an attempt to covertly collect their DNA, according to The Gazette. During Jerry Lynn Burns initial interrogation, he said that he could not offer the authorities a plausible explanation as to why his DNA was found at the crime scene. She thinks this new crime-fighting tool is a great thing. When the DNA test results came back, it wasn't a match. "The community is in shock, his friends are in shock, his family is in shock. I kept asking questions, like, did somebody I know do something horrible? Martinkowas found dead in her parents' Buickin the parking lot of Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids early on the morning of Dec. 20, 1979, curled onto the passenger seat floorboard, stabbed multiple times and bloodied from the wounds she sustained," first assistant Linn County attorney Nick Maybanks previously told jurors. But they're not upset about people getting caught. Dateline: Unforgettable - How did the police find Jerry Lynn Burns after almost 40 years. Maybanks also choose not to resist the defense's request that the trial be moved out of the eastern Iowa county where the alleged crime took place. After her dad died, Brandy Jennings, like millions of Americans, used one of those DNA testing kits to learn more about him and other relatives. But not everyone is so eager to have their DNA end up in a police dragnet. 1, 2021 3:52 pm668d ago, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Apr. Hiscousin, Brian Burns,vanished Dec. 19, 2013 exactly 34 years after Martinko was killed. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. His mark on the world, and the sum of his life, will be a short notice, saying: Convicted Martinko murderer dies in prison,' Stonebraker bluntly said. WebJerry Lynn Burns Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. District Judge Fae Hoover on Dec. 9 agreed to move the trial to the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport. She was stabbed and killed 39 yrs ago today in the Westdale Mall parking lot. 'The Dating Game' Killer Was Active for Almost 10 Years Before He Was Caught, Angie Dodge's Killer Evaded Capture for Over 20 Years, Where Is Convicted Murderer Jeffrey MacDonald Now? Burns left the drinking straw behind. Plus, he made these grisly, violent low-budget films. And then it takes a few days for it to upload and analyze, and I just kind of forgot about it. District Associate Judge Casey D. Jones set Burns' bond at $5 million on Dec. 20, 2018. While Burns attorneys didnt offer an alibi for where he was the night of Martinko's murder, Spies did suggest that since Burns had been to Westdale Mall with his family before, DNA he left behind at the mall couldve transferred to Martinko while she was at the mall Dec. 19. The sisters' parents died more than 20 years ago,Albert Martinko in 1995and his wife, Janet, in 1998. Genetic genealogy can help solve cold cases. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns is led from the courtroom following his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Jerry Lynn Burns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. It was in May 2017 when officers announced that a composite sketch could be made from the DNA recovered. Get exclusive subscriber content and more at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. A woman in Washington was linked to the suspect, and authorities eventually zeroed in on Burns. Burns was drinking soda through a clear plastic straw. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerry LynnBurns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. An analyst at the Iowa state crime lab found that DNA from the straw matched the blood found on Martinkos dress. Kathleen T. Zellner Nicholas M. CurranElizabeth A. AragusRita Bettis AustenJennifer LynchNathan Freed Wessler Vera Eidelman Patrick Toomey, Sep 30, 2022 1:30 PM University of Iowa, College of Law, Levitt Audiotorium. When Burns finished eating, he got up and walked out of the restaurant. But the method has major privacy implications that are prompting some critics to urge that we slow down in our adoption of it. All Rights Reserved. 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. On the other side of the aisle sat several friends of Martinko. I mean, I think that every person that has ever died or been killed or raped or whatever deserves to have justice done. Burns, 65, has been charged with first-degree murder for the 1979 killing of Michelle Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester has been arrested and charged with 1st degree murder in the cold case murder of 18 yr old Michelle Martinko. Wounds on the teens hands showed she fought her killer. ", Elizabeth Laymon, who was high school friends with Martinko, said shevividly remembersthe day classmates sobbed after they learned of the stabbing. Powered by. Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. Then for proof. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, of Manchester, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday, nearly 40 years after the brutal murder of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in the parking lot of Westdale Mall on December 19, 1979. His family and friends remained seated after Martinkos family left the courtroom. It was a case,Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said, "that has haunted our community for decades. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in the Linn County Courthouse today for a preliminary hearing as his lawyer looked to get evidence against him suppressed ahead of the trail. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns listens as Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover (not pictured) speaks at his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. Investigators later sought the services of a company that specializes in DNA phenotyping, which Cedar Rapids police described as the process of predicting physical appearance and ancestry from unidentified DNA evidence. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns and defense attorney Leon Spies (right) listen to Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover as she reads Burns' sentence at a hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. He was convicted of first-degree murder and received the mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. He Felt Like He Had Won Who Is Jerry Lynn Burns? Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. In my case, it's used by the police to try to link me to a crime. Burns denied killing Martinko at the time of his initial questioning. "She finally got justice. BREAKING: Arrest made in the homicide of Michelle Martinko in 1979. pic.twitter.com/3mhKyLbNo9, Online records show that Burns has no criminal record in Iowa other than minor traffic infractions, reports CBS Iowa. They were so grateful to the Police Department for continuing to work on this case. During this difficult time and as the justice system runs its course we ask that our privacy be respected.. WebThe Chilling Case Of Jerry Lynn Burns 10 views May 30, 2022 2 Dislike Share Save FourWaller ** 227 subscribers Michelle Martinko was an 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. It's not just, oh, my brother chooses to do this, but my sixth cousin I never met chose to do this. Stonebraker and his wife, Janelle, Martinko's only sister, live in Florida and were unable to attend the hearing. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. All rights reserved. In October 2018, Matthew Denlinger, a Cedar Rapids police investigator,saw Burns drink sodas out of a plastic glass with a clear straw. Before 6th Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover sentenced Burns to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Burns, who never showed any emotion during his trial in February, gave a short statement.