He entered a plea of not guilty. In fact, his father Harvey, now 85, had been one of the original officers on the case 40 years earlier. Lighthouse: The Dark Being, a group of 43 people. Burns was arrested on Dec. 19, 2018. On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder. 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. [10] She wore a black jersey dress and black scarf, black tights and heels, and a waist-length white and brown rabbit fur jacket, and she carried a brown leather purse. In 2017, Cedar Rapids police said they reached out to Parabon NanoLabs to help build a suspect profile based on the crime scene DNA. This evidence was inadmissible at trial but was the subject of a public suppression hearing. [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. While these occurrences sounded suspicious, the police didn't believe Burns had anything to do with them. Jerry Burns enters the courtroom in 2020 (Image via We Are Iowa) Burns was born in Manchester, Iowa in 1953 and graduated from West . [29] The judge determined the search history was not usable in the trial due to the decades of time separating the murder and the searches. You have permission to edit this article. I've seen several articles that said he might be tied to other murders. To learn more about the murder of Michelle Martinko, watch Dateline: Unforgettable on December 22, at 10:00 pm on Oxygen 79. "It looks personal, it's a lot of stab wounds, it's overkill," said lead Detective Matt Denlinger of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The first piece of progress in the case came in 2006 when a sample of the suspect's DNA from Michelle Martinko's car was submitted to a lab for processing, police said. Through his research, he discovered that a woman named Brandy Jennings had uploaded her DNA to a website service to trace her own family history. Jerry retired from the Army National Guard and retired as a Master Plumber. Last . He had worked for John Deere and co-owned a truck stop. "That was big, national news," said Denlinger. While being questioned about . . 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. She was stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. The murder of Michelle Martinko in the parking lot of Cedar Rapids' Westdale Mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit case. Visitation with the family will be Monday April 10th from 4 to 8 PM and on. Police interviewed numerous people, and several were cleared of suspicion through use of a polygraph. [39], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20, "Michelle Martinko's murder 'haunted' the Cedar Rapids community for 40 years. Just before his arrest, Burns, unsolicited, mentioned the name of missing Iowa anchor Jodi Huisentruit as he was being questioned about the Martinko case. 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. 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. Want a job? Linn. But her sister Janelle and Janelles husband John Stonebaker were present at Burns sentencing. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. To learn the entire story of Michelle Martinko's murder, watch Dateline: Unforgettable at 10 pm on Oxygen 79. Thanks to advances in technology and DNA evidence, a jury in an Iowa courthouse . Rumors began to circulate about the crime. In 2006, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department was tipped with an update. The black dress Michelle Martinko was wearing when she was murdered was sent to the lab for testing. On Dec. 19, 1979, Michelle Martinko, 18, left a school banquet and drove her family's car to the Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to buy a winter coat, Cedar Rapids police said. December . The detective, Denlinger, told me that he believes Jerry Burns has been reliving the murder in his fantasies ever since, but they have never been able to tie him to any other homicides. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [10] Police considered the killing to be "personal in nature" based on the number and location of stab wounds. Subscribe to the Public Safety newsletter. At the department, Burns sked for a lawyer. The Delaware County Sheriff said it did review the case after Burns' arrest and "feels that was clearly the case.". The woman communicated her information to the daughter of the secretary of the Public Safety Commissioner and believed that it would be passed on to police if it was important. Exactly 39 years after her death, police took a Manchester man into custody after matching his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. [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. It wasn't until decades after the killing that investigators began to link the emotions of a motive with the science of DNA. Offender records are public information pursuant to Section 904.601 (1)Iowa Code (1999). 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. He began to search for her, as did the police. 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. There is no known DNA evidence tying Burns to the Huisentruit case and no evidence that he knew Jodi Huisentruit. 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 . Parabon. 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. Denlinger began contacting genealogy companies for help in trying to find a family tree that could lead to the person whose DNA matched that found at the crime scene. [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. Burns had previously been married to Patricia Burns, who died in 2008 from suicide. Prosecutors played a covertly recorded interview that investigators conducted with Jerry Lynn Burns in December of 2018. She claimed to have seen two cars in the lot, one of which was Martinko's, and a man standing next to the open driver's side door of Martinko's car. May 12, 2021 at 04:20 PM. Derek Chauvin's ex-wife . 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". Iowan law mandates a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. 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. She was stabbed 29 times in the face, neck, and chest. [7] Martinko was the younger of two daughters of Albert F. Martinko and Janet Martinko (ne Zillig). Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in the 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko. 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 . Burns is accused of murdering Michelle Martinko in 1979. On the way, Burns continued to talk. The case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns. Definitely fascinating! 2. 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. Visitation for Jim will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the Peacock Family Chapel. 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. LEON SPIES: The state's scenario here is that Jerry Burns, a married man with two young children at home, leaves, drives to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the night, leaving his wife and children behind . He was arrested Wednesday on the exact day Martinko was last seen alive. It showed that she was a distant relative of the person whose DNA was found at the crime scene a second cousin once removed. [2] She did not have many close girlfriends or confidantes, which was speculated to be caused by jealousy from other students over her beauty and stylish clothes[11] or conflict over a boy she had dated. The case had remained a mystery for 39 years until police say new DNA genealogy technology identified Burns' DNA at the scene. 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. Burns is accused of murdering Michelle Martinko in 1979. Jerry Lynn Burns is accused of the 1979 cold case murder of Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Glad you are liking it! Her death was ruled a suicide. Jerry Lynn Burns. He was never charged with the Martinko murder, he denied the accusations, and DNA evidence, found later, did not match his DNA. Jerry was born May 22, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Fred Richard Lynn and Mary Ellen Manning and passed away on July 10, 2022. [2] The police received more than 100 tips following the release of the new images. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in Linn County this morning on a video monitor from jail where he had his bail set at $5 million. [2][16] At 2a.m., since Martinko had still not returned home, her father reported her missing. [14] Burns's cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on December 19, 2013 and has not been found. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. He testified last week he took the straw after it was discarded. 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 he intentionally chose that day to interview Burns because it was the anniversary of Martinko's death. In 2006, a cold case investigator discovered unidentified blood, presumably belonging to the killer, while he was reviewing case files. [9] Martinko was found inside collapsed over the passenger seat and stabbed to death. They then started to locate all the people that they had originally interviewed in the investigation and collected DNA samples from over 100 different people. He was around 25 when he killed Martinko in 1979. [7] Eventually, more than 125 people would have their DNA swabbed and compared against samples taken from the scene. 'If I was there, I don't know, Burns told Denlinger. The police then began procuring evidence secretly. During the trials, Burns was found to contradict his own statements. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in . Mason City police won't disclose whether or not they are now looking at Jerry Burns as a suspect in that case. Burns is being held at the Linn County jail on a $5 million cash-only bond. Her killer will go undetected for almost 40yrs! JERRY M. LYNN "Bear" Crown Point, Indiana Jerry M. "Bear" Lynn, age 59, of Crown Point, IN passed away on April 4, 2010. Jerry Burns. Roberta Williams' Phantasmagoria, a group of 39 people. At the time of arrest, Burns had his own power-coating company called Advanced Coating Concepts. Jerry Lynn Burns (defendant-appellant), which is before the Iowa Supreme Court. But he said he and another investigator had no plans to arrest Burns that day. The case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the mall owners. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Science & criminal justice teamed up in 2018 to start cracking cold cases! He and his wife, who now reside in Florida, said they . Hi all - I discuss the case of Michelle Martinko, who was murdered in 1979 in Iowa, this week on DNA: ID podcast. Her father died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998. [15], On the evening of December 19, 1979, Martinko attended a banquet for the Kennedy Concert Choir at the Sheraton Inn in Cedar Rapids. 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. They had investigated more than 100 people over the years, and all were dead ends. Dave Franzman, a longtime reporter at ABC Cedar Rapids affiliate KCRG, Michelle Martinko's high school friend, Elizabeth Laymon, told The Des Moines Register. In 2012, while serving a life sentence for an unrelated attack, the man died in prison from colon cancer. Her mother, Janet, died in 1998. Burns repeatedly said he didn't know how his DNA was found at the crime scene. UPDATE: Trial set for Iowa man accused in 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko . After several trials and errors, the suspects were narrowed down to three brothers who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. [2][4][27], In pretrial hearings, Burns' attorneys claimed that police needed a search warrant to gather his DNA from the discarded straw, but the judge determined that discarded property cannot reasonably be considered private. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. Denlinger then told him he had a search warrant for his DNA. He said Burns had no memory of being at the crime scene. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested on Wednesday after police said he was linked by DNA from blood found on Michelle Martinko's clothing and elsewhere in the car at the crime scene. DNA: ID. While these occurrences sounded suspicious, the police didn't believe Burns had anything to do with them. 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. And I went 'bingo'.". Sonny arrives at his restaurant and gives Dex, who is there, the night off. I don't exactly remember what happened, seen something about Jodi Huisentruit recently.". Further the Iowa Department of Corrections assumes no legal liability or . "Hmm, strange," Burns responded when Cedar Rapids Police Investigator Matthew Denlinger told him he was a suspect for Martinko's death. 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 . Log In. On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder of Michelle Martinko. 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. Investigators placed the three brothers under surveillance in an attempt to covertly collect their DNA, according to The Gazette. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested Wednesday and . Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest. Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty verdict. Reporter covering state and federal courts. In late June of 1995, Jodi Huisentruit, a young anchor at KIMT television in Mason City, Iowa, disappeared from the parking lot of her apartment building on the way to work, never to be seen again. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice.". 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. Currently, in his late 60s, he is going to spend the rest of his days behind bars. The 55 year-old Delaware County man was last seen on December 19, 2013 - 34 years to the day of Martinko's murder. After her parents reported her missing at 2 a.m., police discovered the teen's body in her vehicle about four hours later. 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. Feb. 1, 2019 | The Des Moines Register. Dr. Obrecht Learns if She's a Bone Marrow Match for Willow Plus, Nikolas' Whereabouts Are Revealed. Born in 1953, Jerry Lynn Burns grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. [9][2], Police had few leads and appealed to the public for tips. Powered by. His voice was always turned up to full volume. 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). "Murder at . Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. The Cedar Rapids teenager was found stabbed to death in her parents car parked at Westdale Mall. Michelle Martinko was an 18yr old student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. 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. Denlinger said they went to Burns' business, Advanced Powder Coating Concepts in Manchester, and he agreed to talk with them. 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. 19, 2018. 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. . KWQC 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. [2][23] On December 19, 2018, investigators went to Burns' business in Manchester, Iowa, to interview him. Place of rest will be in the Dickson County Memorial Gardens. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested on Wednesday after police said he was linked by DNA from blood found on Michelle Martinko's clothing and elsewhere in the car at the crime scene. On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She had goals for herself, things she wanted to do with her life, and she would write them down and achieve them., I dont know if Ill ever get over this, Mrs. Martinko added. I am a brokenhearted mother.. Burns' wife, Patricia . 'As far as I know, I wasn't there.. Vikings Ring of Honor Coach Jerry Burns passed away Wednesday at the age of 94. Jan. 16, 2020 7:49 pm, Updated: Jan. 17, 2020 2:37 pm. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Joan C. Plum Merriner, who passed away on January 4, 2019. ", Whoever the killer was, he had come prepared. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. [2], On December 19, 2018, exactly 39 years after Martinko's murder, Burns was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. 6931989, Anamosa State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, IA 52205. The detective looked through the case files and found what he thought to be the murderer's blood. On May 29, 2020, Burns' attorneys filed a motion asking for a new trial, claiming his constitutional and . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? But where is this cold-blooded killer now? Burns, charged with first-degree murder in the cold case stabbing of Martinko, is asking the court to toss out DNA and other evidence because they were obtained without a warrant and represented violations of privacy and other rights. 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. 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. physical distance - it was a 2 hour drive to and from mason city to cedar rapids. [28] The defense also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns' cell phone browser history be suppressed. [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. In her ruling, Judge Fae Hoover said the . 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 . I hope you enjoy it!! Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. Married to Patricia Burns, who now reside in Florida, said they Iowa courthouse been one of the owners... Jim will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM the! Another investigator had no plans to arrest Burns that day been one of the cold. 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