But with 39-years later, limited information, that's a long time that's gone by. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns is seen in a picture on a graduation spread in a 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Exactly 39 years after her death, police took a Manchester man into custody after matching his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. More than 60 were tested and cleared. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Advanced Coating Concepts at 1608 230th Street in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Wendling, 37, said he has known Burns all his life. Never did I ever think he had a mean bone in his body," said McElliot, 64. Maybanks also choose not to resist the defense's request that the trial be moved out of the eastern Iowa county where the alleged crime took place. His family and friends remained seated after Martinkos family left the courtroom. "It's a small community; everybody kind of knows everybody," he said. We really didn't have a why, so finding the internet search history with how specific is was, we really thought that was probative," said Denlinger. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns and defense attorney Leon Spies (right) listen to Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover as she reads Burns' sentence at a hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Burns will have the rest of his life to ask for forgiveness and beg for mercy on his soul, but if he doesn't, at least he won't get to block it out anymore. For Michelle Martinko murder suspect Jerry Burns, Timeline: What we know about Michelle Marie Martinko's death and investigation, Friend 'happy Michelle finally gets justice' after police make arrest in Martinko killing, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Cedar Rapids Police Investigator Matt Denlinger listens as First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nicholas Maybanks (out of frame) speaks at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. "Every TV was on the news.". In October 2018, Matthew Denlinger, a Cedar Rapids police investigator,saw Burns drink sodas out of a plastic glass with a clear straw. ", Martinko's family in a statement last December credited "the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice. Jerry Lynn Burns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns thanks his family for their support as he makes a statement before his sentencing by Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. ', l Comments: 319-398-8238; kat.russell@thegazette.com. After the verdict was read and court was adjourned, they stood and embraced as Martinko's friends around them wept. Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester, was arrested in Dec. 19 2018, 39 years to the day after Michelle Martinko was found dead in her parents car outside a shopping mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in 2008. Read more about the circumstances surrounding Burns' arrest here. Investigators matched the male profile at the crime scene to DNA on a straw Burns left behind at a Manchester Pizza Ranch. Curran said he doesn't know how police homed in on Burns, but he's not passing judgment until he hears the facts. Over the last 39 years, shes seen Burns around town. During the original investigation, detectives compiled a list of more than 80 potential suspects. The profile found a hit with DNA from Brandy Jennings, a distant cousin, in the GEDmatch database, which is public. Russ Wright, head cashier at Quik 'N Handi, a convenience store and gas station on Highway 13 near the southwest edge of town, said Burns was a regular customer. Last updated May 14, 2020; details of disappearance updated. Spies argued that Burns never consented to his DNA being collected from a straw left behind at a Pizza Ranch or to be found through an ancestry site. 'The community can be very proud of its law enforcement, and for the tremendous comfort and support area residents have extended to our family over the thirty-nine years since Michelle's death. Police never came into the shop, he said, and no law enforcement officers ever contacted him or asked him about Burns. Burns, 66, was arrested at his Manchester, Iowa, business on Dec. 19, 2018 the 39th anniversary of Martinko's death and charged with first-degree murder in Martinko's slaying. Burns was convicted of first-degree murder in February. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nicholas Maybanks speaks at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Jerry Lynn Burns and defense attorney Leon Spies (right) listen as First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nicholas Maybanks (not pictured) makes arguments on behalf of the state at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. 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. He and a group of other men met there daily to drink coffee and chat. For those who knew Burns well, the idea that their friend could have killed an 18-year-old woman 39 years ago is a hard pill to swallow. Jerry Lynn Burns, 66, was found guilty in February of first-degree murder in the 1979 stabbing death of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids. Honestly, it wasnt until years afterward that experts even had a real police sketch to search for help from people in general in observing the person who killed her. DAVENPORT, Iowa It took more than four decades, but the man who brutally killed a Cedar Rapids high school student is poised to spend the rest of his life in jail. The judge is expected to make a final ruling on what evidence is admissible and if any will be suppressed sometime next week. Where Is Jerry Lynn Burns Now? "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. 'Janelle and I are very pleased and grateful for the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice,' John Stonebraker said in a statement to The Gazette. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns (center) is seen as a senior in a 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. 'Shock, anguish and horror permeated the family them they first learned that 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was killed Dec. 19, 1979, John Stonebraker, her brother-in-law, said Friday in a videotaped victim impact statement. Then for a verdict. Mormann said, "I havent seen him recently but over the years, you know, our kids and their kids grew up, we saw each other, and I knew his first wife and just a wonderful family, too.. Also, we have no information about his son and daughter. Burns was convicted of first-degree murder in February. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 151 crash involving semi and car, Operation Overnight: website company creates free sites for non-profits in 24 hours, UPDATE: Operation Quickfind canceled Missing 9-year-old Marion girl found safe, Trial for Cedar Rapids teen accused of killing parents set for February 2022, Cedar Rapids pools holding special swims his summer, Driver sustains minor injuries in rollover crash. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover speaks at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 'And he always bought two cans of Coca-Cola and some lottery tickets. Follow the Register onFacebookandTwitterfor updates. When the father of three did stop in, Wright said they would make small talk, chatting about work and plans for the day. Martinko's older sister, Janelle Stonebraker, told the Des Moines Register that their family had waited years for answers. James was at the family business the day Jerry was first questioned by investigators and later arrested. Wright said he never had a negative experience in seven months of knowingBurns. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Several residents lauded his professionalism and business savvy when speaking with the Register last year. All rights reserved. WebView Jerry D Burns results in Manchester, IA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. MANCHESTER Wednesday started out just like any other day in Manchester but little known to the locals, news would surface that evening that would leave the community shrouded in questions. From the leadership on down, they never gave up.". Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. ", Our first look at Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, of Manchester after he was arrested this morning for first-degree murder in the 1979 homicide case of Michelle Martinko.Burns will appear in Linn County District Court tomorrow morning. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns listens as Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover (not pictured) speaks at his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Leads in the case resulted in dead ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to connect Burns' DNA to the crime scene. Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. When 18-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa resident Michelle Martinko went missing on Dec. 19, 1979, it became a case that soon ran cold. Because this moment has finally come. It was a case,Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said, "that has haunted our community for decades. WebJerry S Burns in Manchester, IA. Martinko always came to her lessons alone but may have had someone waiting for her outside the mall. Cedar Rapids police then used DNA genetic genealogical research to narrow the profile "down to a specific pool of suspects, which included Burns, according to a criminal complaint. 28, 2021 7:50 am610d ago, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 6:39 pm, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:22 pm6h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:19 pm6h ago, Caleb McCullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau State Government Feb. 28, 2023 7:17 pm, State Government Feb. 28, 2023 6:04 pm5h ago, Jeff Linder High School Basketball 38m ago38m ago. She said they were a wonderful family and that he seemed to be a great man. Burns then turned toward his family, sitting in the courtroom, and thanked them for their support. He previously co-owned a truck stop near town. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Jerry Burns looks toward First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks during a suppression hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Jan. 24. Delaware CountySheriff John Leclere saidauthorities "don't have any reason to suspect (Burns) in either case.". With little to no leads to go on, there was little that detectives could do to solve the case. The mandatory penalty for first-degree murder in Iowa is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. His wife and other close members of his family were allowed to attend the sentencing but seating was limited to allow for social distancing in the courtroom. 'From the leadership on down, they never gave up. Cedar Rapids Police announced the arrest of Manchester resident Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, Wednesday night in connection with the 39-year-old murder of Kennedy High School senior Michelle Martinko. You have no idea whats goin on," Mormann said. Burns co-owns Advanced Coating Concepts with his son, a powder coating business and turf equipment dealer just south of Manchester. An investigation provided the answer after all those years of who and why someone killed Martinko. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette). Across the aisle, the benches behind Burns were packed to the brim. The suspect, identified as Jerry Lynn Burns, DOB/12-23-1953, age 64, of Manchester, Iowa, was arrested today for the crime of Murder in the First Degree. Also, we have no idea about his brother and sister, and we dont know their names either. Burns Wife Died in June 2008. ", "We don't exactly know the whys and some of the details, but we definitely know who did it, and that was terribly important to us," Janelle Stonebraker, Michelle Martinko's older sister, said after the verdict was read. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), The cover of the 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Stonebraker said he is sad for the Burns family and wanted to 'wish them well.. Jerry also answers to Jerry L Burns Until now, Stonebraker said. Judge Hoover, who had reviewed Spies' written arguments and Maybanks' resistance before the hearing, quickly denied the motion for a new trial. 'Mr. She had gone to the mall that night to get a coat her mother had put on layaway. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Laymon said. Michelle Martinko Murder Convict: Jerry Burns Release Date Before 6th Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover sentenced Burns to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Burns, who never showed any emotion during his trial in February, gave a short statement. A face many patrons of the northeast Iowatavernknew was plastered on five flat screens: Jerry Burns. The gentleman that had been a customer of mine and what Iconsidered a friend ever since I'd been employed here, its just I never thought in a million years somebody like that could" kill someone,he said. "For Michelles family and friends, we know that the pain of losing a daughter, sister or friend will never go away," Jermansaid. Later, Burns sold farm implements in Dyersville at the same time McElliot was a postal carrier there. Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Sep. 30, 2022 6:06 pm151d ago, Bailey Cichon Crime and Courts Jun. 'He was in here (Wednesday) morning,' Wright said. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. Anna Spoerre covers crime and courts for the Des Moines Register. Jerry also answers to Jerry L Burns and Jerry Lynn Burns, and perhaps a couple of other names. While Burns attorneys didnt offer an alibi for where he was the night of Martinko's murder, Spies did suggest that since Burns had been to Westdale Mall with his family before, DNA he left behind at the mall couldve transferred to Martinko while she was at the mall Dec. 19. Next Spies and the state will submit written statements to the judge outlining what evidence should or should not make it into next month's trial. A pathologist said the fatal stab wound was to her heart and that she bled to death. A need Mr. Burns kept hidden all his adult life. Cole was asked to consult on the case to review Burns' internet search history from his confiscated computer which revealed deviant, violent pornography preferences, highlighted on day 2. Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester, was arrested in Dec. 19 2018, 39 years to the day after Michelle Martinko was found dead in her parents car outside a shopping mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Burns used to co-own a truck stop near town. WebJerry Burns is 68 years old and was born on 12/23/1953. 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