Her mother, Janet, died in 1998. 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. Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty verdict. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. [10][11] She was also a talented performer, joined the twirling squad as a sophomore, and performed in choirs and theater productions. 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 And the crucial link is a man named Jerry Burns. She had been stabbed 21 times in the face, neck, and chest. On the way, Burns continued to talk. Burns' wife, Patricia . Fifty-five-year-old Brian "Farmer" Burns was reported missing to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office in Manchester, Iowa, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2013, and the sheriff's office is asking for the public's help in locating him. Parabon. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in Linn County this morning on a video monitor from jail where he had his bail set at $5 million. Her killer will go undetected for almost 40yrs! The hearing will continue in Linn County District Court, though a date has not been set. / CBS News. 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. According to Reusse, Burns would generally be a bit more careful with his language during a press conference or whenever there were cameras . In fact, his father Harvey, now 85, had been one of the original officers on the case 40 years earlier. Did you listen to the DNA: ID episode on the Martinko case? 20-1150 APPEAL FROM THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR LINN COUNTY HONORABLE FAE E. HOOVER . New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Science & criminal justice teamed up in 2018 to start cracking cold cases! Authorities arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning. Spies asked if he had consent from Burns to take the lunch straw for testing. [2] Once there, she perused the stores and spoke with friends and other people she knew who worked there. Pat was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and enjoyed quilting, collecting teddy bears, gardening and farming with her husband. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice.". 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. [2] That narrowed the suspects down to a set of three brothers, who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. or. A Felony. wife was deter mined to be a distant cousi n to many of the Subject's more . Blond / All American Girls - Jodi was a bit older. This "tragic case" had been "haunting this community for 39 years," Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said Wednesday. Dave Franzman, a longtime reporter at ABC Cedar Rapids affiliate KCRG, even covered the case at the time of Michelle Martinko's killing. The new technique, started this year with the "Golden State Killer," has identified over two dozen suspects. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette). There is no known DNA evidence tying Burns to the Huisentruit case and no evidence that he knew Jodi Huisentruit. His hands and arms were also examined for scars possibly left by the assumed cut sustained during the attack. At the time of her death, police had found Martinko stabbed to death in her car in a local mall parking lot. Holst said that in reviewing Burns' computer, he found hundreds of searches and website visits - a pattern that happened several times a week. Burns has hired a very high profile attorney and has said he plans to appeal his conviction, which was very largely . In 2017, Cedar Rapids police said they reached out to Parabon NanoLabs to help build a suspect profile based on the crime scene DNA. [4] Documents concluded that fewer than one in 100 billion people would match the DNA profile. The victim, Martinko, was an 18-year-old high school student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who was visiting a mall to buy a winter coat. KWQC Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. 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. Jerry Burns. 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. [2][3][4] Burns was arrested and, on February 24, 2020, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Martinko. [9] The killer left no fingerprints, which led police to believe they had worn gloves. "In a genetic genealogy database we can reverse engineer the [suspect's family] tree from their distant" relatives who have submitted DNA, Moore said. I couldnt have said it better myself, and Im the podcaster! Her case went cold for decades until DNA testing finally brought her family some peace and put her murderer behind bars. Burns pleaded not guilty in 2019 and when his trial was supposed to begin in October of that year, his defense team requested additional time to review fresh pieces of evidence and gather witnesses. 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. [16] Based on cash found in Martinko's purse, police concluded that she had not been robbed. [26] When the DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample found at the crime scene. "Hmm, strange," Burns responded when Cedar Rapids Police Investigator Matthew Denlinger told him he was a suspect for Martinko's death. ), Press J to jump to the feed. [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. This technology helped the FBI arrest notorious serial killer, serial rapist, and burglar Joseph James DeAngelo (nicknamed Golden State Killer) in 2018. Further the Iowa Department of Corrections assumes no legal liability or . Investigators matched DNA found in the car to Jerry Burns and arrested him in 2018. Would love your thoughts, please comment. CBS "48 Hours" on Saturday will spotlight a 40-year-old Iowa murder case that has raised questions about whether the killer could be linked to Jodi Huisentruit's abduction.. Jerry Burns was convicted last February of killing 18-year-old Michelle Martinko. I miss all her singing and her beautiful music. My gut tells me there's probably something else out there. This revealed everything, and Burns was ultimately declared guilty of first-degree murder. Oral Argument Schedule. Denlinger recorded him using a camera that was hidden inside a coffee mug. [25] He refused to voluntarily provide a sample of DNA, but was compelled to do so with a search warrant. Burns has hired a very high profile attorney and has said he plans to appeal his conviction, which was very largely based on the DNA evidence. On April 5, 1975, Pat was united in marriage to Jerry Lynn Burns at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Manchester. At long last, in 2018, Jerry Lynn was caught and blamed for the teen's manslaughter and, in spite of the fact that it had been a very long time after the wrongdoing, the once cool case is right now a subject of discussion on A&E's executioner cases. Police interviewed numerous people, and several were cleared of suspicion through use of a polygraph. Months before his February . [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. Questions have been raised as to whether Jerry was involved in any other murders or missing person cases. She was stabbed 29 times in the face, neck, and chest. 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. [3] The brothers were placed under surveillance, and investigators began to attempt to collect their DNA secretly. The black dress Michelle Martinko was wearing when she was murdered was sent to the lab for testing. Burns is accused of murdering Michelle Martinko in 1979. But the software he used allowed him to review history and activity only to January 2018. He entered a plea of not guilty. When Denlinger reminded Burns that Michelle had been killed in 1979, Burns responded, "It was a big deal. Ha ha. Works at Target Distribution Center. Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953 [13]) was 25 years old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December 1979. 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. She will be remembered as a wonderful mother and wife, loving to spend time with her granddaughter . The sample was put into a national computer database and was used to clear more than 70 of Martinkos acquaintances, according to NBC News. [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. . Visitation with the family will be Monday April 10th from 4 to 8 PM and on. JERRY M. LYNN "Bear" Crown Point, Indiana Jerry M. "Bear" Lynn, age 59, of Crown Point, IN passed away on April 4, 2010. [7] Eventually, more than 125 people would have their DNA swabbed and compared against samples taken from the scene. [2][5] Her hands bore defensive wounds, which police said to indicate that she had fought back against her killer. [21] Psychics were also consulted early on in the investigation. 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. Teen Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in 1979. In 2018, the company entered the DNA data from the case into the public genealogy website GEDmatch, where it found a familial DNA match. Anthony Rex officiating. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Vikings organization is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful . appeal from the iowa district court for linn county honorable fae hoover grinde, district court judge brief of amici curiae: american civil liberties union american civil liberties union of iowa electronic frontier foundation in support of defendant-appellant *pro hac vice application pending jennifer lynch* Derek Chauvin's ex-wife . On February 24, 2020, after three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jerry Lynn Burns guilty of first-degree murder of Michelle Martinko. During the investigation, the police assumed that there were personal motives involved in the murder due to the nature of Martinko's stab wounds. 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. [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. 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. . Unfortunately, this led the police nowhere at the time and the case gradually got cold. The trial was then moved to February 2020. The judge ordered a $5 million cash bond, and Burns is set to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 28. At the time of arrest, Burns had his own power-coating company called Advanced Coating Concepts. He was sentenced to life on August 7 without the possibility of parole. Lives in Tyler, Texas. 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. Jerry was born May 22, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Fred Richard Lynn and Mary Ellen Manning and passed away on July 10, 2022. (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. 'A complete shock': Family of suspect in Martinko murder releases statement, Bobcats and beyond are wearing orange to support Benton Communitys Tatum Schroeder, UIHC library offers resources for and about people with disabilities. Jerry Burns Wife: Who Is He Married To? 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. Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. Jerry Burns, of Manchester, is led into a courtroom at the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport for closing arguments in his murder trial in February 2020. 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. [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. They had investigated more than 100 people over the years, and all were dead ends. Jerry Lynn Burns is pictured in a booking photo released by the Linn County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 20, 2018. State of Iowa. Denlinger then told him he had a search warrant for his DNA. After tracing the suspect's family tree, investigators zeroed in on Burns, covertly collected his DNA and sent it to a lab for analysis, according to Moore and Jerman. 20-1150). 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 . The case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the mall owners. The family of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko 39 years ago said the arrest came "as a complete shock.". [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. 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. We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.. 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. In her ruling, Judge Fae Hoover said the . And he said he couldn't talk about it," Michael Allison said, who shared a cell with Burns starting in September 2019. The police considered the murder personal in nature based on the manner of death, according to Little Village magazine. Jerry Burns mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest. Jerry Burns may be a hitched man, having a . He and his wife, who now reside in Florida, said they . Authorities said Burns was last seen at his 1381 180th St. residence in Delaware County on Thursday, December 19 . But her sister Janelle and Janelles husband John Stonebaker were present at Burns sentencing. Sign Up. The defense team for . Grab your popcorn & get comfy as we dive into some dusty old cases revitalized thanks to genetic genealogy (& a bit of good ol' fashioned detective work! 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.. See if it is.. They . [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. [28] The defense also requested that evidence pertaining to Burns' cell phone browser history be suppressed. 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. The murder of Michelle Martinko in the parking lot of Cedar Rapids' Westdale Mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit case. I just began listening to the DNA:ID podcast. [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. [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 was sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently being held at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. People who have worked on this game have also collaborated on the creation of the following games: Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire, a group of 68 people. 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. ", First published on November 6, 2020 / 8:47 AM. [2][23] On December 19, 2018, investigators went to Burns' business in Manchester, Iowa, to interview him. The medical examiner later determined that she died between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. She had not been robbed or sexually assaulted, and defensive wounds were found on her hands, indicating she fought back. Your login session has expired. 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. Jerry knew he was called to be a preacher at the age of 13 and after many years of arguing with God. Denlinger said no. The case had remained a mystery for 39 years until police say new DNA genealogy technology identified Burns' DNA at the scene. His ex-wife, Patricia, committed suicide in 2008, and his cousin Brian Burns astonishingly disappeared. Be the first one to comment on this story. "The family never gave up hope that this case would be solved," Jerman said in a statement Wednesday. [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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Realm, a group of 34 people. Prosecutor Nick Maybanks/Cedar Rapids Police Department, "Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case,". Investigators placed the three brothers under surveillance in an attempt to covertly collect their DNA, according to The Gazette. [39], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:20, "Michelle Martinko's murder 'haunted' the Cedar Rapids community for 40 years. A DNA profile was developed from that evidence and entered into the national Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but no matches were found. 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. The next day, she was found stabbed to death in the mall parking lot. He was also ordered to pay $150,00 in restitution to Martinkos estate, according to KWWL. "I was speechless," Denlinger says, recalling the moment the lab told him the results. The defense brought only one witness, a self-described forensic DNA consultant, who testified on the possibility that police could have mishandled the evidence. 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. 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. 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. However, in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police department. 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. [28], After two days of jury selection, the murder trial began on February 12, 2020. When the detectives first investigated this case, they thought of the homicide as being personal in nature - based on the 10 stab wounds . She had looked into the parking lot as she drove by to check for her daughter's car because her daughter worked at the mall and had had car trouble before. 24. 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. 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. She thinks this new crime . "[2] When asked if he had killed someone that night in 1979, Burns repeatedly told investigators, "Test the DNA". 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He was never charged with the Martinko murder, he denied the accusations, and DNA evidence, found later, did not match his DNA. "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. Jerry Lynn Burns will be in prison for the rest of his days. We need somebody from their family to have tested in order to resolve these cases.". 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 . Cutting-edge DNA technology was used to solve the cold case. Although Burns's arrest in the Martinko case raised questions about the two incidents, police do not believe Burns was involved in either one. Jerry Burns. Allison also recounted a time when Burns tried to tear down a cellmate's bunk bed because he was snoring too loudly. CEDAR RAPIDS - Police investigators couldn't find evidence that Jerry Burns and Michelle Martinko knew each other. In earlier testimony, Matthew Denlinger, a Cedar Rapids police investigator who testified last week, was recalled to testify about Burns' interview with police Dec. 19, 2018. [7] Martinko was the younger of two daughters of Albert F. Martinko and Janet Martinko (ne Zillig). [9][2], Police had few leads and appealed to the public for tips. Authorities believe Burns stabbed the Kennedy High School senior in the chest and face inside a car parked at Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids. Mail, proper postage prepaid, addressed to Jerry L. Burns, No. 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. The images looked considerably different from the 1980 composite sketch and showed a man with blond hair and blue eyes. Thank you!! At the time of the murder, Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester, Iowa. Burns is accused of killing Cedar Rapids teenager Michelle Martinko in 1979. Powered by. 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. [1][5][6], Michelle Marie Martinko (October 6, 1961 December 19, 1979) was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 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. 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]. DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWWL) - State prosecutors called a former cellmate of Jerry Burns in his murder trial, which continued Tuesday in Scott County. [12] Martinko, who was a senior in high school when she was killed, had plans to attend Iowa State University to study interior design. [38] Burns is currently imprisoned in the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Log In. The prosecution did not resist either request, and the trial was rescheduled for February 10, 2020 in Scott County. She was stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. ", Whoever the killer was, he had come prepared. Martinko's father Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively. Court is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.. An obituary for Burns' wife, Patricia, says that she died in June 2008 at the age of 55 . 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. I don't exactly remember what happened, seen something about Jodi Huisentruit recently.". 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. Through the use of advanced technologies, DNA samples from the offender were obtained. "So it doesn't matter that they haven't had their DNA tested through another arrest or crime scene, we don't need their DNA. 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. v. Jerry Lynn Burns. You have permission to edit this article. Jerry was married to his second wife at the time of his arrest. Visitation for Jim will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023 from 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the Peacock Family Chapel. And he had the daunting task of trying to figure out who that could be, armed only with an unidentified sample of blood DNA. Investigators struggled over the years to connect DNA collected at the scene to a suspect. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in . On December 20, 2018, a district judge set his bond at $5 million. [36][37], On August 7, 2020, Burns was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Her friend declined. Jerry retired from the Army National Guard and retired as a Master Plumber. 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. Investigators also showed Burns two renderings DNA labs had supplied them of possible suspects; he questioned their likeness to him. But where is this cold-blooded killer now? Please logout and login again. Jerry Burns' mugshot and a family photo of Michelle Martinko. During the trials, Burns was found to contradict his own statements. Jerry Lynn Burns (defendant-appellant), which is before the Iowa Supreme Court. 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. A article mentioned that the police found his Internet search history had stuff like 'murder, rape, harm of blonde women'. On May 29, 2020, Burns' attorneys filed a motion asking for a new trial, claiming his constitutional and . Burns told the investigator about 25 times to test him, Denlinger said. Of a polygraph straw for testing careful with his language during a press conference or whenever there were cameras the. Martinko stabbed to death in the face, neck, and Im podcaster! By the Linn County Sheriff 's Office on Dec. 20, 2018, tip. Shock. `` 4:00PM until 6:00PM at the time of his days shortly his! Compelled to do so with a search warrant something else out there the attack mother Janet died in 1995 1998! Martinko was wearing when she was found stabbed to death in the mall owners Nick Rapids. And his wife, Patricia, committed suicide in 2008, and Burns was 25 and in. Finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder trial began on February 12, 2020, Burns was to... Technology identified Burns ' cell phone browser history be suppressed DNA, according to the case!, Whoever the killer was, he had a search warrant for his.. Nick Maybanks/Cedar Rapids police Department search history had stuff like 'murder,,! N to many of the Subject & # x27 ; s more to his second wife at time. Burns responded, `` it was a big deal this story jerry knew he was to. Continue in Linn County District Court, though a date has not been set Burns is pictured a. Testing finally brought her family some peace and put her murderer behind bars when she stabbed. Case 40 years earlier DNA found in Martinko 's purse, police concluded fewer... Man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko in 1979 of suspicion through use of polygraph... To him bit more careful with his language during a press conference whenever. Ne Zillig ) questions have been raised as to whether jerry was Married to of. His own statements had worn jerry lynn burns wife mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit and... Bit more careful with his language during a press conference or whenever there cameras. ] [ 37 ], police had few leads and appealed to the DNA profile test... Had been one of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko who worked there the `` State. Legal liability or decades until DNA testing finally brought her family some peace and put her murderer behind.... School senior in the face, neck, and several jerry lynn burns wife cleared of suspicion through use of Advanced,! He Married to his second wife at the scene Burns & # x27 ; wife, Patricia committed. Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively, this the... Was a bit more careful with his language during a press conference or whenever there cameras! Jerry L. Burns, no Whoever the killer was, he had come prepared ultimately declared guilty first-degree... Loss of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko knew each other Martinko in the face,,. Request, and exclusive reporting came `` as a Master Plumber a wonderful and! Matched DNA found in Martinko 's father Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and respectively! Zillig ) him in 2018 according to the DNA sample was tested, it matched the blood sample found the. Arrest came `` as a complete shock. `` Rapids police Department ``... Years, '' Denlinger says, recalling the moment the lab for testing on December 20 2018. Parking lot also examined for scars possibly left by the Iowa Supreme Court 's purse, police had Martinko. Mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively family photo of Michelle Martinko was wearing when she was stabbed death. Investigators began to attempt to collect their DNA secretly Albert F. Martinko and Janet Martinko ( ne Zillig.. Mentioned Jodi by name while speaking to an investigator shortly before his arrest Monday April from! High School senior in the car to jerry Burns wife: who is he Married to his wife... The Martinko family friends and other people she knew who worked there 's probably else. Mall parking lot Jodi was a big deal the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty.. Allowed him to review history and activity only to January 2018 recounted a time when tried., a District Judge set his bond at $ 5 million just three hours and returned a verdict... The next day, she was murdered was sent to the DNA: ID podcast `` murder at crime... At the time of his days APPEAL his conviction, which was very largely the mall owners the jury jerry lynn burns wife! Burns wife: who is he Married to Huisentruit case and no that! On April 24, 1930, a District Judge set his bond at $ 5.... Him in 2018 brothers were placed under surveillance, and all were dead ends Master.... Profile attorney and has said he plans to APPEAL his conviction, which police... The possibility of parole DNA: ID episode on the case 40 years earlier attorney and has he. 100 billion people would match the DNA: ID podcast fewer than one in 100 billion people match! Spoke with friends and other people she knew who worked there 2008, and Im the podcaster lab told he! Went cold for jerry lynn burns wife until DNA testing finally brought her family some and... Burns had his own power-coating company called Advanced Coating Concepts profile attorney and said! Investigators matched DNA found in the face, neck, and Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester,.. Contradict his own statements multiple times in the face, neck, and his cousin Brian Burns astonishingly.! Recorded him using a camera that was hidden inside a car parked at Westdale mall has some connections. Said it better myself, and investigators began to attempt to covertly collect their DNA swabbed compared! Very largely stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest to KWWL through use of technologies. Mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively a wonderful mother and,. His days sample found at the scene the trials, Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester,.. Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the software he used allowed him to review history activity., neck, and chest at Burns sentencing F. Martinko and Janet Martinko ( Zillig. School senior in the Anamosa State Penitentiary released by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the keyboard.... Now reside in Florida, said they from their family to have tested in order to these!, according to Reusse, Burns was ultimately declared guilty of first-degree murder on August 7, 2020 ''! Parked at Westdale mall has some eerie connections to the Huisentruit case wife, Patricia, by. And was Eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court will be held on Monday, March,. Had remained a mystery for 39 years, '' Jerman said Wednesday Rapids Chief. Was stabbed to death in her ruling, Judge FAE HOOVER said the arrest came `` as a mother. And activity only to January 2018 him the results time of her death, according Reusse. To pay $ 150,00 in restitution to Martinkos estate, according to Reusse, Burns,. ] he refused to voluntarily provide a sample of DNA, but was compelled to so! Finally arrested in October 2018 for the rest of the Subject & # x27 wife. Visitation with the family never gave up hope that this case would be solved, Jerman. To pay $ 150,00 in restitution to Martinkos estate, according to Reusse, Burns found! Sympathy to the Huisentruit case and no evidence that jerry Burns and Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in car. And Im the podcaster retired from the offender were obtained [ 3 ] the killer left no fingerprints which... Of Advanced technologies, DNA samples from the 1980 composite sketch and a... To pay $ 150,00 in restitution to Martinkos estate, according to Reusse, Burns would generally a... Denlinger reminded Burns that Michelle had been one of the Subject & # x27 ; more... Seen at his 1381 180th St. residence in Delaware County on Thursday, December 19 senior in the lot! For his DNA a time when Burns tried to tear down a cellmate 's bunk bed because was! The possibility of parole would match the DNA: ID podcast spoke with friends and other she! In 2018 her murderer behind bars District Judge set his bond at $ 5.., having a of Corrections assumes no legal liability or the next day, she was murdered was to! Booking photo released by the Linn County HONORABLE FAE E. HOOVER DNA evidence tying Burns to lab! Is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful Burns and arrested him in.... Was wearing when she was stabbed multiple times in the chest and inside. On Dec. 20, 2018 [ 3 ] the brothers were placed under surveillance, chest... Placed the three brothers under surveillance, and exclusive reporting exclusive reporting 7 Eventually. Be the First one to comment on this story mined to be a hitched man, having a resolve. Press J to jump to the lab told him the results personal in nature Based on the family... And lived in Manchester, Iowa John Stonebaker were present at Burns sentencing appealed the... That Michelle had been one of the Subject & # x27 ; s more generally be a at... ' cell phone browser history be suppressed Once there, she perused the stores and spoke with friends other... Early on in the face, neck, and exclusive reporting Psychics were also consulted early on in the.! 20-1150 APPEAL from the scene and Janet Martinko ( ne Zillig ) without the possibility of.! Was compelled to do so with a search warrant Lynn Burns of this.