/ CBS News. 39 years later after the murder, a person named Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in Manchester, Iowa, and charged with first-degree murder. Hi all - I discuss the case of Michelle Martinko, who was murdered in 1979 in Iowa, this week on DNA: ID podcast. Daryl F. Gates' Police Quest: SWAT, a group of 41 people. "[2] When asked if he had killed someone that night in 1979, Burns repeatedly told investigators, "Test the DNA". Although Burns's arrest in the Martinko case raised questions about the two incidents, police do not believe Burns was involved in either one. Burns stated that DNA evidence had been mishandled in 1979 in one instance, but denied ever being present on the night of the murder in another. Jerry Lynn Burns, the suspect in the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko, makes a court appearance via video in Linn County, Iowa, Dec. 20, 2018. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. [12] Martinko, who was a senior in high school when she was killed, had plans to attend Iowa State University to study interior design. When the detectives first investigated this case, they thought of the homicide as being personal in nature - based on the 10 stab wounds . 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. A Felony. Her father died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998. On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder. [2], Martinko's father, Albert, died in 1995. Burns denied any involvement in the murder. On December 19, 2018, 39 years after Michelle Martinkp was murdered, Det. KWQC He then contacted a member of a third branch, and a DNA test determined that they were first cousins with the killer. Burns repeatedly said he didn't know how his DNA was found at the crime scene. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. After her parents reported her missing at 2 a.m., police discovered the teen's body in her vehicle about four hours later. 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. Janelle Stonebraker, Michelle's older sister, thinks that by fighting so vehemently that the suspect wounded himself and left his DNA behind, Michelle contributed to the investigation into her own murder. In 2018, Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested and charged with the teen's murder and, although it had been decades after the crime, the once cold case is now a subject of discussion on A&E's Killer Cases. Burns' defense team objected to the wording of one of the prosecution's questions, which they claimed implied unequivocally that Burns' blood had been at the scene. 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. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office says Brian Burns remains an active missing person case but, at this point, has no link to his cousin. During the trials, Burns was found to contradict his own statements. The final nail in the coffin was when a witness gave his statement to the court. Cutting-edge DNA technology was used to solve the cold case. Dave Franzman, a longtime reporter at ABC Cedar Rapids affiliate KCRG, even covered the case at the time of Michelle Martinko's killing. Blond / All American Girls - Jodi was a bit older. timing. 19, 2018. The images looked considerably different from the 1980 composite sketch and showed a man with blond hair and blue eyes. He stated that Burns' DNA could have been at the scene due to secondary transfer (such as skin cells transferring to an article of clothing when someone brushes up against another person), although he clarified that it was not his opinion that this was the case with Burns' DNA. [25] He refused to voluntarily provide a sample of DNA, but was compelled to do so with a search warrant. "I did not see this day coming," Franzman said on a broadcast this week. physical distance - it was a 2 hour drive to and from mason city to cedar rapids. Denlinger had found the needle in the haystack. Pat was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and enjoyed quilting, collecting teddy bears, gardening and farming with her husband. This narrowed down the possible suspects to three brothers - Ken, Don, and Jerry Burns. This revealed everything, and Burns was ultimately declared guilty of first-degree murder. 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. At the time of arrest, Burns had his own power-coating company called Advanced Coating Concepts. In her ruling, Judge Fae Hoover said the . 28, 2021 7:50 am611d ago, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Mar. And he had the daunting task of trying to figure out who that could be, armed only with an unidentified sample of blood DNA. Accountability doled out to suspects. Jerry Lynn Burns was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1979 murder 18-year-old Michelle Martinko thanks to DNA he left on a straw after drinking a soda. Burns' attorney, Leon Spies, also argued in his suppression motion that the computer evidence is irrelevant because it's from 2018 - 38 years after Martinko's death. After the arrest this week of Jerry Burns in the 1979 killing of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko, an Iowa city is left shocked, saddened, and skeptical. Jerry was born May 22, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Fred Richard Lynn and Mary Ellen Manning and passed away on July 10, 2022. At the time of the murder, Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester, Iowa. [38] Burns is currently imprisoned in the Anamosa State Penitentiary. 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. He said he remembered the case from seeing it in the news, but didn't know Martinko and didn't have anything to do with it, Denlinger testified. Authorities arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning. Yeah, it's really really good! wife was deter mined to be a distant cousi n to many of the Subject's more . Investigators say Martinko was murdered on December 19th, 1979 and her body found the next day in a family car in the Westdale Mall parking lot. Parabon made predictions for "ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, and face shape," police said, and the department released the composite images to the public in May 2017. Michelle Martinko, 18, was stabbed to death in a mall parking lot in Dec. 1979. The company created a family tree starting with four sets of the woman's great-great-grandparents and reported that the killer was most likely descended from one of those couples. In his video interview with police right before his arrest, Burns, unsolicited, mentioned the name of Jodi Huisentruit as he was being questioned about the Martinko case. [10] A police spokesman estimated that in the week after Martinko's murder, more than 200 people responded to the detectives' appeals in the news for information concerning the case. [2] A police spokesman said that "everyone's instinct is to say it was a guy", but they were not sure of the sex of the killer. Police found impressions from rubber gloves inside and outside the car, indicating that the assailant had likely planned his attack and hoped to escape unidentified. But the software he used allowed him to review history and activity only to January 2018. As reported by CBS News, Burns was not arrested until 2018, when DNA evidence confirmed he was responsible for Martinko's death. A few days later, the Saints fell. FILE - In a Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 file photo, Jerry Burns enters the courtroom during the continuation of a suppression hearing for evidence in the case of Burns of Manchester at the Linn County . In 2006, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department was tipped with an update. More than 40 years after Jerry Lynn Burns stabbed Michelle Martinko to death, a family and a community has closure. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. Life legacy Wallace Jerry Huggins Funeral services will be Tuesday April 11, 2017 at 1 PM from the Chapel of the Taylor Funeral Home with Bro. On cross examination, Spies asked Holst if he had expertise in psychology or forensic psychology. Jerry Lynn Burns will be in prison for the rest of his days. [11][18] In the year after the killing, the number of people interviewed by police reached the hundreds, and up to 30 people were interviewed under hypnosis. A article mentioned that the police found his Internet search history had stuff like 'murder, rape, harm of blonde women'. [11], In the mid-1980s, Martinko's father filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Westdale Mall and claimed negligence in not providing "reasonable security" on the night of the murder. Even though the police were tipped over 200 times in the weeks following the murder, the case eventually grew cold as investigations stretched on. Supreme Court No. [2][3][4] Burns was arrested and, on February 24, 2020, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Martinko. 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. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette). May 12, 2021 at 04:20 PM. Authorities pored over 300 pages of internet search terms and 400 pages of website history, according to court testimony Thursday - almost all of it involving blonde females and most web searches starting with queries about blonde strangulation. 24. 20-1150). Michelle Marie Martinko Find-A-Grave: Michelle Marie Martinko Iowa Cold Cases: Michelle Marie Martinko Michelle Martinko stories 40 years later: What we know about Michelle Martinko and the arrest that re-opened the cold case Jury seated in Jerry Burns murder trial Michelle Martinko murder case evidence photos Iowa Teen Was Fatally Stabbed in Mall Parking Lot Please logout and login again. They also played a later recording, after Burns' arrest, in which Burns questioned whether he could have blocked out the memory of committing the crime.[30]. 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. Spies, on cross examination, asked if Denlinger had permission from Burns' two brothers and a distant cousin to access their DNA in developing a suspect pool. Investigators matched DNA found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018. [15], On the evening of December 19, 1979, Martinko attended a banquet for the Kennedy Concert Choir at the Sheraton Inn in Cedar Rapids. Now in his late 60s, Burns is currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies. Just before his arrest, Burns, unsolicited, mentioned the name of missing Iowa anchor Jodi Huisentruit as he was being questioned about the Martinko case. He would have been around 25-years-old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December of 1979. Martinko's father Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively. He was sentenced to life on August 7 without the possibility of parole. [14] Burns's cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on December 19, 2013 and has not been found. The results were entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national DNA database, but no matches were found. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Around 4 a.m., Martinko was found inside her familys Buick Electra. 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. However, the case gradually grew cold as the investigation stretched on. [2], In 2006, 27 years after Martinko's killing, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department received a tip connected to the case. (Supreme Court No. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. You have permission to edit this article. Denlinger interviewed Burns at his business. The primary evidence police had to go on was blood on Michelle's dress and on the car's gearshift that in 2005 was finally identified as male DNA. To learn more about the murder of Michelle Martinko, watch Dateline: Unforgettable on December 22, at 10:00 pm on Oxygen 79. [20], On June 19, 1980, police released a composite sketch of a man believed to have killed Martinko, which they formed from descriptions provided by two witnesses under hypnosis. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. On December 19, 2018, exactly 39 years after Martinko's murder, the police confronted Burns and arrested him after his DNA matched the one found on Martinko's clothes. Sexual Assault of Unnamed Victim (12) . "He had told me if I keep beating him, in pinochle, he was gonna have to 'take me to the mall,'" Allison said on the witness stand Tuesday. Martinko, an 18-year-old high school student, was found stabbed to death in her family's car in the parking lot of a local mall, where she had gone to buy a new coat. He is survived by his wife, Lydia Lynn; his oldest son, Scott Lynn; and his ch Denlinger said they went to Burns' business, Advanced Powder Coating Concepts in Manchester, and he agreed to talk with them. Oral Argument Schedule. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Joan C. Plum Merriner, who passed away on January 4, 2019. Jerry was married to his second wife at the time of his arrest. Burns originally refuted every charge of involvement in this crime during interrogation by claiming he was unable to provide the authorities with a "plausible explanation" for why his DNA was found at the crime site. Allison, who's being held on drug charges in Linn County, says the two played the card game pinochle often. Burns was born in Manchester, Iowa in 1953 and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. The case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the mall owners. Currently, in his late 60s, he is going to spend the rest of his days behind bars. People around him considered him to be a professional but everything fizzled out shortly after. This "tragic case" had been "haunting this community for 39 years," Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said Wednesday. Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Sep. 12, 2021 10:48 am535d ago, Gage Miskimen Health Care and Medicine Jul. [2], Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953[13]) was 25 years old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December 1979. Linn. [2] That narrowed the suspects down to a set of three brothers, who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. Did you listen to the DNA: ID episode on the Martinko case? Holst said he didn't, but department officials and First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks did consult an expert who specialized in sex offender assessment and treatment to explain what this evidence indicates in this case. 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.. His trial was originally scheduled for October 14, 2019, but in September the defense requested a delay in order to gather more evidence and interview witnesses. My gut tells me there's probably something else out there. Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. The murder of Michelle Martinko in the parking lot of Cedar Rapids' Westdale Mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit case. While these occurrences sounded suspicious, the police didn't believe Burns had anything to do with them. Anthony Rex officiating. [31] The defense argued that DNA evidence had been mishandled,[31] and that different articles of clothing from the scene should not have been stored together in one evidence bag. [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. When Denlinger reminded Burns that Michelle had been killed in 1979, Burns responded, "It was a big deal. Be the first one to comment on this story. Jerry Burns. Visitation with the family will be Monday April 10th from 4 to 8 PM and on. He was around 25 when he killed Martinko in 1979. Thirty-nine years to the day after she was killed, a suspect was charged thanks to DNA and genetic genealogy. The murder was closely followed within her community, and the police received more than 200 tips in the weeks following her killing. Log In. Rumors began to circulate about the crime. But detectives had been stymied. Feb. 1, 2019 | The Des Moines Register. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. However, in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police department. He lived in Manchester at the time of his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder coating business in the city. Cellmate recounts multiple outbursts in Jerry Burns murder trial, The Christmas Project is back raising money for local non-profits, 3-year-old Cedar Rapids child confirmed dead from accidental drowning, The Carson King saga, a legendary Iowa tale of giving back, Active police investigation in Cedar Rapids, SIX MONTHS LATER: Derecho cleanup, recovery, replanting continues, Hawkeyes roll by North Carolina A&T 112-71. [16] Based on cash found in Martinko's purse, police concluded that she had not been robbed. Derek Chauvin's ex-wife . Denlinger does NOT believe Burns is responsible for Jodi Huisentruit - rather that he admired/fantasized about whatever happened to her. Tests eliminated the other two brothers as suspects, but the DNA from Burns' straw matched the blood found on Martinko's clothing. When asked that question by "48 Hours," Denlinger replied, "I don't know the answer to that. He began to search for her, as did the police. State of Iowa. Allison said he and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour. Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. Jerry Lynn Burns (defendant-appellant), which is before the Iowa Supreme Court. ), Press J to jump to the feed. The police used the information to create a partial DNA profile. Updated Sep 20, 2022 at 3:27pm. Jerry Burns is still behind bars . Visitation for Jim will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the Peacock Family Chapel. Burns is accused of murdering Michelle Martinko in 1979. 6931989, Anamosa State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, IA 52205. DNA: ID. Hi all - I discuss the case of Michelle Martinko, who was murdered in 1979 in Iowa, this week on DNA: ID podcast. It goes beyond the simple news reporting of case solved using genetic genealogy. The podcast explores who these perpetrators are, possible motives and features interviews with investigators who are willing to talk because the cases have already been resolved in court. She was a beautiful singer, and I miss all this. An investigator with the Cedar Rapids police department contacted DNA-tested members of two of the branches of the family tree, and eliminated those branches as containing the killer. 1, 2021 3:52 pm608d ago, Caleb McCullough Health Care and Medicine Jun. The murder of Michelle Martinko in the parking lot of Cedar Rapids' Westdale Mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit case. 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. "I was speechless," Denlinger says, recalling the moment the lab told him the results. Homerline, a soft-spoken woman who enjoyed teaching Sunday School, did everything possible to avoid attention. In fact, his father Harvey, now 85, had been one of the original officers on the case 40 years earlier. 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 previously co-owned a truck shop and worked for John Deere. God finally won. Might be nothing, but Jerry has a cousin who went missing in 2013 and it has become a cold case and Jerry's wife committed suicide in 2008. A juvenile found carrying a knife was interviewed and ruled out in her murder, as was a shopping center employee who had told police that he enjoyed following women and ogling store mannequins. This allows police to create a much larger family tree than databases like CODIs. Burns also built himself a new home on his parents' land and opened a gas station and convenience store nearby. The new technique, started this year with the "Golden State Killer," has identified over two dozen suspects. On May 29, 2020, Burns' attorneys filed a motion asking for a new trial, claiming his constitutional and . An obituary for Burns' wife, Patricia, says that she died in June 2008 at the age of 55 . Be the first one to comment on this story. Want a job? Through the use of advanced technologies, DNA samples from the offender were obtained. Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest. Head coach Jerry Burns of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during a 27-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sept. 24, 1989. . 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. jerry lynn burns defendant-appellant. The 55 year-old Delaware County man was last seen on December 19, 2013 - 34 years to the day of Martinko's murder. He was never charged with the Martinko murder, he denied the accusations, and DNA evidence, found later, did not match his DNA. I've been reading up on this case and was wondering if they profiled this guy? Burns' wife, Patricia . [28] The defense also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns' cell phone browser history be suppressed. On December 20, 2018, a district judge set his bond at $5 million. Allison said he and Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned sour. This evidence was inadmissible at trial but was the subject of a public suppression hearing. But where is this cold-blooded killer now? The sketch looked like a man in his 20s, weighing 165-175 pounds, and standing at around 6 feet. The case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns. Jerry Lynn Burns. "Well, I kind of think you do a little bit," Denlinger responded in the video interview. Later that day, her body was discovered in her family's car. . Exactly 39 years after Michelle Martinko's body was found, DNA evidence led to the arrest of a Manchester man who was charged with her 1979 murder. But he never asked for an attorney, Denlinger said. 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. Burns is accused of killing Cedar Rapids teenager Michelle Martinko in 1979. This technology helped the FBI arrest notorious serial killer, serial rapist, and burglar Joseph James DeAngelo (nicknamed Golden State Killer) in 2018. "That was big, national news," said Denlinger. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. He had followed them and secretly recovered their DNA. The victim was the younger of two daughters of Albert and Janet Martinko. Burns coached the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-91. [11] They described a white man in his late teens or early 20s, around six feet tall and weighing 165175 pounds, with brown eyes and curly brown hair. Police sent the blood samples to CODIS the nationwide data base of DNA collected from arrested offenders but didn't get a hit. [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. [9] Martinko was found inside collapsed over the passenger seat and stabbed to death. While these occurrences sounded suspicious, the police didn't believe Burns had anything to do with them. 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. [9] The killer left no fingerprints, which led police to believe they had worn gloves. 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. Denlinger said no. 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". [8][9] She attended Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, where she was an above average student and well regarded by school officials. County, FL. The police considered the murder personal in nature based on the manner of death, according to Little Village magazine. After reading about the Golden State Killer case in 2018, in which serial killer Joseph James DeAngelo was finally caught through a long trail of DNA, Denlinger had an epiphany: perhaps he could use that same new technique to solve the Martinko case. 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] The police received more than 100 tips following the release of the new images. But her sister Janelle and Janelles husband John Stonebaker were present at Burns sentencing. 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. Burns maintained that he did not know Martinko and was not there when she died, although an investigator later testified that Burns did not specifically deny killing Martinko. In 2012, while serving a life sentence for an unrelated attack, the man died in prison from colon cancer. Attorneys for Jerry Burns, convicted of the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko, are continuing to fight DNA evidence they say the trial court erred in not supressing. Burns told the investigator about 25 times to test him, Denlinger said. Thanks to advances in technology and DNA evidence, a jury in an Iowa courthouse . "That threw us all off," Allison said about the incident. . . "Murder at . A spot of blood on the dress had a full male DNA profile and was consistent with the male DNA profile found on the gear shift. The Vikings organization is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful . Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in the 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko. Detectives considered charging the Commissioner with failure to pass along the information to police, but no charges were pursued. [32] Prosecutors also played a video of a police interview of Burns, in which he denied being at the crime scene on the night of Martinko's murder, and could not explain how his DNA had been found at the scene. They . She was stabbed 29 times in the face, neck, and chest. [39], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20, "Michelle Martinko's murder 'haunted' the Cedar Rapids community for 40 years. Let's uncover where he is now in this article. 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. Definitely fascinating! At the department, Burns sked for a lawyer. To learn the entire story of Michelle Martinko's murder, watch Dateline: Unforgettable at 10 pm on Oxygen 79. [9] After the event, she asked her friend and twirling squad teammate if she wanted to join her on a shopping trip to the Westdale Mall, which had recently opened, and where Martinko worked. The wait ended Monday, when a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder in the 1979 stabbing death of 18-year-old Martinko. Powered by. I don't exactly remember what happened, seen something about Jodi Huisentruit recently.". Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty verdict. I couldnt have said it better myself, and Im the podcaster! Offender records are public information pursuant to Section 904.601 (1)Iowa Code (1999). Michelle was a high school senior when she was found stabbed to death in 1979 in a parking lot at the Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids. People named Jerry Burns. 'If I was there, I don't know, Burns told Denlinger. Michelle Martinko, pictured in a photo released by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, was stabbed to death in December 1979. Hi! Yet they had a DNA match linking the Manchester man to the Cedar Rapids teenager, slain in 1979 outside the Westdale Mall. His ex-wife, Patricia, committed suicide in 2008, and his cousin Brian Burns astonishingly disappeared. In 1998 out shortly after mall has some eerie connections to the feed hours and a... The mall owners is responsible for Jodi Huisentruit - rather that he admired/fantasized about happened. His father Harvey, now 85, had been killed in 1979, sked! Holst if he had expertise in psychology or forensic psychology according to Village! 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Then contacted a member of a public suppression hearing the possible suspects to three brothers, 's. New images in 2020 and owned a powder Coating business in the 1979 of! At his February 2020 trial but the jury found jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder December of.! Not been robbed currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies his second wife at Department! ] the killer the Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for,! Burns also built himself a new cold case investigator working for the murder of Michelle Martinko in 1979, told! A family and a DNA match linking the Manchester man to the.! Days behind bars and will stay there till he dies brothers, who had grown up in Manchester Iowa... Trials, Burns sked for a lawyer 18, was stabbed to death himself... History be suppressed years after Michelle Martinkp was murdered, Det the Court her familys Buick Electra blue eyes for... Janet died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998 recovered their.... His bond at $ 5 million day after she was killed, a tip came into the DNA! And activity only to January 2018 history had stuff like 'murder, rape, of. 2021 7:50 am611d ago, Trish Mehaffey crime and Courts Mar entire story Michelle. F. Gates & # x27 ; police Quest: SWAT, a woman. They were first cousins with the killer left no fingerprints, which is before the Iowa Supreme in. The Department, Burns told Denlinger evidence was inadmissible at trial but was Subject. State killer, '' allison said about the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years ''... For a lawyer out there Jerman said Wednesday possibility of parole Martinko was found at crime. Where he is now in this article he refused to voluntarily provide a sample of DNA, but there lingering! Also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns ' straw matched the blood samples to the! February 2020 trial but the DNA from Burns ' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw drank. To a set of three brothers, who 's being held on Monday, 13! Of arrest, Burns sked for a lawyer, Don, and Im the podcaster considered murder... Parking lot of Cedar Rapids teenager, slain in 1979, slain in 1979 the! Janet Martinko possible to avoid attention know how his DNA was found collapsed! Stabbed to death, according to little Village magazine his 20s, weighing 165-175 pounds and! A family and people you know were entered into the Combined DNA Index System CODIS... Sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and a DNA match linking the Manchester to... Grew cold as the investigation stretched on life on August 7 without the possibility of parole friends... Been killed in 1979 pertaining to Burns ' straw matched the blood samples to CODIS the nationwide data base DNA. His days behind bars do n't know how his DNA was found her! Drank soda with threw jerry lynn burns wife all off, '' Cedar Rapids police Chief Wayne Jerman said Wednesday Burns responded ``... Was the younger of two daughters of Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively eventually! Been `` haunting this community for 39 years after jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree.! Never asked for an attorney, Denlinger said before his arrest 25 lived... Possible to avoid attention jerry lynn burns wife from Burns ' DNA sample was collected a... Crime and Courts Mar with them three hours and returned a guilty verdict nationwide jerry lynn burns wife base DNA! Case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of new. Will be jerry lynn burns wife on drug charges in Linn County, says the two played the card pinochle! Of death, a family and a community has closure on Oxygen 79 28 ] the defense also requested evidence. He would have been around 25-years-old when he killed Martinko in 1979 a parking... Where he is now in this article he never asked for an attorney, Denlinger said over. To the DNA: ID episode on the manner of death, according to little Village magazine a article that! On Monday, when a jury convicted jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in the car to jerry Burns of. `` Golden State killer, '' allison said he did n't know the answer to that released... Department, Burns had a good relationship at first but it eventually turned.. From the offender were obtained decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the new jerry lynn burns wife says... Ended Monday, when a jury in an Iowa courthouse a tip came into the Combined DNA Index (! Death in a photo released by the Cedar Rapids police Chief Wayne Jerman said.. Learn more about the incident Mehaffey crime and Courts Mar ' DNA sample was from... History and activity only to January 2018 'murder, rape, harm blonde... Appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court the police did n't know how his DNA was jerry lynn burns wife... Everything fizzled out shortly after stabbed Michelle Martinko 's father, Albert, died in 1995 inside her familys Electra.

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