Ahead of the Dateline NBC episode about her death, heres what you need to know about the crime, the perpetrator, and what sentence he received at trial. She was 18 years old. on straw leads to conviction in 1979 murder Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. At the time of arrest, Burns had his own power-coating company called Advanced Coating Concepts. Leads in the case resulted in dead ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to connect Burns' DNA to the crime scene. Burns is being held at the Linn County jail on a $5 million cash-only bond. A need Mr. Burns kept hidden all his adult life. The cold-case murder has drawn intense public interest, and Friday's hearing was livestreamed because of limited seating. WebJerry Burns, 67 - Manchester | Free Public Reputation Profile Home People Search B IA Manchester Jerry Burns Not the right Jerry Burns? The reward for information leading to an arrest in Martinkos murder was $15,000. Martinko's older sister, Janelle Stonebraker, told the Des Moines Register that their family had waited years for answers. Burns sentencing is likely to be scheduled for early April, though a date has notbeen set, District Judge Fae Hoover said. The family of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko 39 years ago said the arrest came "as a complete shock.". He didn't know who or why. Jerry Burns, convicted of killing Michelle Martinko, says The Cedar Rapids Police Department said in a 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 Jerry Lynn Burns is accused of the 1979 cold case murder of Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. GUILTY - IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to An analyst at the state crime lab said DNA from the straw matched blood found on Martinko's dress. The defense team for Jerry Lynn Burns filed an unresisted motion for continuance Friday asking a Linn County judge to push back court proceedings. For some reason, people really get upset about serial killers, mass killers and serial rapists being caught. She never had any school problems. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28) It is the cold case murder thats haunted the Cedar Rapids area for 35 years. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. But Usry knew he hadn't done anything wrong. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), 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. 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. And, recently, a Florida judge granted a warrant on one case to let police in even more. Decades after fatal stabbing, Michelle Martinko's family comes face-to-face with her alleged killer, Latinos are opening more small businesses than anyone else in the US, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Cedar Rapids Police Department said in a statement on December 19 that Burns, 64, of Manchester, Iowa, was arrested at his place of work in the town. He Felt Like He Had Won Who Is Jerry Lynn Burns? (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. 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. Thus began the quest to finally nab Martinko's killers. It was in May 2017 when officers announced that a composite sketch could be made from the DNA recovered. Jerry Lynn Burns faces a first degree murder charge in the killing of Michelle Martinko. Burns is being held at Linn County Jail. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. In fact, it wasn't until years later that authorities even had a proper police sketch to seek help from the public in locating the man who killed her. Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested 39 years after killing Michelle Martinko (Image via Youtube) Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the In January 2019, he pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 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. When it came crashing down was when they walked out of the room and the biggest state policeman that I have ever seen in my life came in with latex gloves and a cotton swab and said, I'm going to take your DNA now. 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. Jerry Lynn Burns, 66, was found guilty in Februaryof first-degree murderin the 1979 stabbing death of18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice. Debates across the country have arisen about whether the use of such information is a violation of people's privacy. At the time of the murder, Burns was 25 and lived in Manchester, Iowa. Then for a verdict. The profile found a hit with DNA from Brandy Jennings, a distant cousin, in the GEDmatch database, which is public. His mark on the world, and the sum of his life, will be a short notice, saying: Convicted Martinko murderer dies in prison,' Stonebraker bluntly said. But after authorities in California used GEDmatch to catch the Golden State Killer, Rogers began to slowly welcome police into the database. But when she got her results, she tried something new. After her dad died, Brandy Jennings, like millions of Americans, used one of those DNA testing kits to learn more about him and other relatives. She was a beautiful singer, and I miss all this. Subscribe to Heres the Deal, our politics All Rights Reserved. You can do a lot of credit card cancellations if things get into the wrong hands. 2 There is someone here who either knows more than they are willing to admit or knows something that they dont realize is important. Spies asserted that the way authorities went about obtaining DNA from Burns and his family members to prove his DNA was found at the crime scene was a violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. She affirmed her rulings made before and during trial regarding the defense's motion. Burns' trial attracted national attention because the cold case was solved after 39 years due in large part to DNA evidence and genetic genealogy. Investigators placed the three brothers under surveillance in an attempt to covertly collect their DNA, according to The Gazette. Michelle Martinko slaying: Jerry Burns' found guilty of murder in A witness testified he signed this image from a newspaper article I feel bad for the victims family becausetheyve been wondering every day of their life what happened to their daughter," Russ Wright, who served Burns nearly every day at a local BP gas station, said last December. KWQC Stonebraker and his wife, Janelle, Martinko's only sister, live in Florida and were unable to attend the hearing. Martinko's body was found in her parents' Buick, which was parked near J.C. Penney at Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was Anna Spoerre covers crime and courts for the Des Moines Register. That decision essentially erases the genetic privacy of everyone else. A father took an at-home DNA test. His son was then falsely - PBS Powered by. She says, remember, Michael Usry never tested his own DNA. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. They're upset about somehow that they are going to be roped into an investigation, they would feel unfairly, or that their privacy would somehow be violated, right? Get exclusive subscriber content and more at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. Doug Larison to reexamine the file and find what he believed to be the killers DNA in blood found on Martinkos dress that was not her blood. Your subscription makes work like this possible. His trial is set for June 2021. IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA All Rights Reserved. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Family and friends of Jerry Burns react as Burns is sentenced at his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 'The Dating Game' Killer Was Active for Almost 10 Years Before He Was Caught, Angie Dodge's Killer Evaded Capture for Over 20 Years, Where Is Convicted Murderer Jeffrey MacDonald Now? "You and Michelle will forever be in our thoughts, and we are eternally grateful for your support, trustand confidence over the many years.". And Murphy says those decisions, made by others, cannot be undone. Chief Wayne Jerman announced that a suspect has been arrested in the 39-year old murder case involving Michelle Martinko. Police said in a statement that officers identified Burns as a suspect after DNA technology allowed them to create a composite sketch. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. He was convicted of first-degree murder and received the mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. Laymon said she and Martinko were in a self-defense class together, but added that "no amount of self-defense could have saved her from that.". 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. Exactly 39 years after her death, police took a Manchester man into custody after matching his DNA to blood found at the crime scene. Iowa cold case: Michelle Martinko's family says arrest brings joy Her obit says that she enjoyed farming and gardening with her husband. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I don't know why this upsets people. Cutting-edge DNA technology was used to solve the cold case. John Stonebraker said the three hours it took the jury to reach a verdict was indicative of the strength of the case. He rebutted some of the prosecution's factual claims, insisting that there wasn't substantial evidence that Burns' DNA was retrieved from his blood, noting previous testimony indicating it could have been saliva or even transferred skin cells and that the presence of DNA in itself could not implicate Burns. I am a brokenhearted mother.. Police chief believes DNA 'snapshots' were money Jerry Burns sentenced to life for killing Michelle Martinko in 1979 The brothers were eliminated as suspects during the investigation. The third brother was Jerry Lynn Burns (Burns), the defendant in this case. He built a new home on land his parents once farmed and constructed a gas station and convenience store near where he lived. "The people in law enforcement take on their duty and their task seriously," Maybanks told the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network,afterthe verdict. Spies wrote that the jury's verdict was "contrary" to the weight of evidence, and his client'sconstitutional rights were violated by the admission of his statements to investigators the day of his arrest and the use of hisand his family's DNA. We need those people to come forward and give us that information so we can bring closure to this case and to Michelles family., In announcing Burns arrest, Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said, Last year, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Michelle Martinkos sister, Janelle, along with her husband, John Stonebraker. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.. I mean, I think that every person that has ever died or been killed or raped or whatever deserves to have justice done. Burns pleaded not guilty at his February 2020 trial but the jury deliberated just three hours and returned a guilty verdict. On the other side of the aisle sat several friends of Martinko. Investigators covertly collected a straw used by Burnsto test his DNA. We all kind of found out through classes we were in. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and is currently being held at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns 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. Cedar Rapids Police Department He pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial for the grisly killing of an Iowa teen in the 1970s will likely be delayed, court records show. Her father died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998. Stills of news coverage comes from Fox 28 and KCRG. Maybanks, in asking Hoover to sentence Burns to life, said this verdict and sentence would not only give peace to the family and many friends of Martinko who have waited four decades for justice, but provide 'enormous relief to the community. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Michael Usry Jr. was cleared. His ex-wife, Patricia, committed suicide in 2008, and his cousin Brian Burns astonishingly disappeared. 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. A week before Burns arrest, the station described Martinkos killing as one that still haunts the Corridor., In that report, the lead investigator, Matt Denlinger, said, I believe that someone in this community knows something about this case. Nsikan Akpan, Rhana Natour Martinko was found dead of stab wounds on December 19, 1979, in the parking lot of a mall where she had gone shopping for a coat. Archived Supreme Court Opinions Prior to 2017, Archived Court of Appeals Opinions from 1/10/2018 to 2/7/2018, Archived Court of Appeals Opinions from 2017 and Earlier, How to Become a Qualified Court Interpreter in Iowa, Information for Current Court Interpreters, State Court Administration Organizational Chart, Submission of CLE Programs by CLE Sponsors. 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. Considering Retiring From The Practice of Law? Michael Usry Jr., Arrested Due to DNA Test: In fact, almost the entire time they had me in the interrogation room with the one-way mirror and all, they really didn't want to give me any information. In June the following year police released a sketch of a white man, in his late teens or early twenties, and around 6ft tall, on interviews with two witnesses. 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. After several trials and errors, the suspects were narrowed down to three brothers who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. Defense attorney Leon Spies declined to comment immediately following the verdict. Then for proof. Curious to see if the suspect in the 1979 Michelle Martinko murder looks anything like this DNA composite. Michelle Martinko had planned to attend Iowa State University before her death in 1979. Photos are courtesy of Robert Riley. Burns owns a powder-coating company, Advanced Coating Concepts, in Manchester. Teen Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in 1979. William Brangham shares a "cautionary tale" of how one person's DNA testing can have a wide impact. The state's search and seizure of Burns' and Burns' family members' DNA is a violation of the Fourth and 14th Amendments, according to the motion, and the court erred by not suppressing that evidence. First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said the information wouldn't have changed the verdict. Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. In June 2020, his attorney, Leon Spies, motioned for a retrial. Nicholas Maybanks, the Linn County prosecutor handling the case, did not resistthe continuance, court records show. WebJerry Lynn Burns Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. Four decades ago, 18-year-oldMichelle Marie Martinko was found stabbed to death in the family's car in the parking lot of a Cedar Rapids mall. He faces a first-degree murder charge after investigators say they found his blood at the crime scene. The police chief at the time, Ray Baker, said the fatal stabbing "outraged the whole community.". On the night of December 19th, 1979 someone killed 18-year-old Michelle Martinko inside her car in the parking lot at the new Westdale, The Mystery of Michelle Martinko: The Story Behind the Facebook Page. During this difficult time and as the justice system runs its course we ask that our privacy be respected.. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. He previously co-owned a truck stop near town. At this time, however, Burns remains behind bars. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested Wednesday and accused of fatally stabbing the 18-year-old, whose body was found in her parents' 1972 Buick Electra in the Judge Hoover, who had reviewed Spies' written arguments and Maybanks' resistance before the hearing, quickly denied the motion for a new trial. They were so grateful to the Police Department for continuing to work on this case. More:DNA leads federal investigators to suspected serial killer in Iowa; Clark Perry Baldwin charged with killing 3 women in 1990s. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 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. ", 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. It's also kind of it scares me, personally, because we see that it's being used for other purposes besides finding your uncle. 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.. Genetic genealogy, the technique millions of people are using to learn about their family history, has now become a potent tool with which law enforcement can solve crimes. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in the Linn County Courthouse today for a preliminary hearing as his lawyer looked to get evidence against him suppressed ahead of the trail. She wasn't crying so much as gasping, choking. He also wished the Burns family well, saying they now have to pick up the pieces of their lives just like the Martinko family did. Stonebrakersat in the front row of the courtroom, flanked by her husband, John, and oldest son, Robert. She was stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. Hiscousin, Brian Burns,vanished Dec. 19, 2013 exactly 34 years after Martinko was killed. He previously co-owned a truck shop and worked for John Deere. Offender Information But the method has major privacy implications that are prompting some critics to urge that we slow down in our adoption of it. Decades after the death, he had a voice in the first-degree murder sentencing of Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester. In 2006, a new cold case investigator working for the Cedar Rapids Police Department was tipped with an update. More:Taking genetic genealogy sites to trial: Iowa homicide case among first of its kind to argue DNA requires search warrant. 29, 2023 9:23 am1d ago, Crime and Courts Apr. This week in 1979 someone killed Michelle Martinko at Westdale Mall. Although Burns' conviction and sentencing is clear and he is now in prison, his legal team has continued to assert his innocence and overturn the verdict. Authorities arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning. However, in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police department. Jerry Burns has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Michelle Martinko, whose killing remained unsolved for decades until the advent of investigative For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm William Brangham. use of such information is a violation of people's privacy, Taking genetic genealogy sites to trial: Iowa homicide case among first of its kind to argue DNA requires search warrant, DNA leads federal investigators to suspected serial killer in Iowa; Clark Perry Baldwin charged with killing 3 women in 1990s, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. After her death, authorities described Martinkos murder as personal in nature. Police also said that Martinko had defensive wounds, indicating that she had tried to fight her killer. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Friends and family of Jerry Burns react as he is led from the courtroom following his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. It was a case, Cedar (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns is led from the courtroom following his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. She thinks this new crime-fighting tool is a great thing. Jerry Lynn Burns appeared in Linn County this morning on a video monitor from jail where he had his bail set at $5 million. NewsHour regrets the error. Jerry Lynn Burns' mugshot. All rights reserved. The Jan. 28, 2021 episode also sheds light on the trial that led to Burns' sentencing and how he still denied having anything to do with the murder, to the best of his knowledge, leading up to it. But Burns will 'forfeit his freedom forever and die alone. During the trial, he initially denied knowing Martinko but his statements were found to contradict when his defense argued that evidence had been mishandled back in 1979 and that different articles of clothing from the crime scene should not have been stored together in one evidence bag. WebMichelle fought back and was able to injure Jerry, who bled on the gear handle and Michelles dress. Burns' attorneys claimed the case has been surroundedby "pervasive and prejudicial pretrial publicity" and has been in the public eye for the past four decades,court filings show. Reporter covering state and federal courts. (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. To learn the entire story of Michelle Martinko's murder, watch Dateline: Unforgettable at 10 pm on Oxygen 79. of Northern Iowas iconic Campanile, Ladd Library in Cedar Rapids to host job fair. It can also accuse the wrong person. In his statement, Stonebraker said he will never forget Janet Martinko calling them early Dec. 20, 1979, after she had identified the 'bloody, torn, broken body of her beautiful daughter. "One of the areas that continues to tug at my heart," Cedar Rapids' police chief said during a press conference last December, "was (Martinko's sister) expressed how sad their parents passed away without knowing who killed their daughter, Michelle. Years after Michael Usry Jr. was cleared, further genetic genealogy helped authorities identify the man they believe is Angie Dodge's real killer. His trial is set for Oct. 14 in Linn County District Court. READ NEXT: Serial Killers Ex Thinks There Were More Victims, Parents of Murdered Teenager Did Not Live to See Her Killer Brought to Justice, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He was also ordered to pay $150,00 in restitution to Martinkos estate, according to KWWL. Burns denied killing Martinko at the time of his initial questioning. The court also should have dismissed statements the defendant made while speaking with investigators after his arrest in December 2019. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Aug. 7, 2020 6:12 pm, Updated: Aug. 7, 2020 8:23 pm. Testimony showed Burns was the major contributor of the profile - less than one in 100 billion of unrelated individuals would have the same profile, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation criminalists said. 28, 2023 6:50 pm2d ago, Orlan Love - correspondent Sports 3h ago3h ago, Jeff Johnson Minor League Sports 20m ago20m ago. This is part of our regular series on the Leading Edge of science and technology. WebJerry Lynn Burns, 64, was arrested Wednesday morning and is facing a first-degree murder charge in the case. Jerry Lynn Burns granted independent journalist, Steve Ridge, an exclusive Christmas Eve interview, in which Burns also said he will seek a new trial in the Martinko Within days ofMartinko's killing, police received more than 200 phone calls and letters from people who wanted to help, according to Des Moines Register archives. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette). Burns pleaded not guiltyin January. Burns' arrest prompted a round of whispering about two of his family members. Genetic genealogy can help solve cold cases. The sample was put into a national computer database and was used to clear more than 70 of Martinkos acquaintances, according to NBC News. Jerry Lynn Burns Manchester man sentenced to life Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. With Burns having been found guilty and in prison, however, Martinko's family finally has some sense of closure. When questioned by police, officers said that Burns had no explanation as to why his DNA would have been at the scene. "When they commit to helping a family, as in this case, looking into the eyes of parents who lost an 18-year-old girl and said, 'Were going to find the answer to what happened to her,' that the public can trust that theyre going to do that, even if it takes generations to do it. Copyright 2023 Distractify. District Judge Fae Hoover on Dec. 9 agreed to move the trial to the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport. Birky said she recalled Martinko was dressed up that night and said she came from a musical banquet, according to the affidavit. 11, 2023 3:03 am19d ago, Trish Mehaffey Crime and Courts Sep. 12, 2021 10:48 am595d ago, Gage Miskimen Health Care and Medicine Jul. (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. A man named Brian Dripps, who was her neighbor, was charged with rape and murder and will go on trial in 2021. Over 40 years ago, teenager Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death outside a mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. William Brangham: Turns out the murderer was a distant, distant relative of If found guilty of his first-degree murder charges, he'll face life in prison. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in 2008. 'A complete shock': Family of suspect in Martinko murder Police questioned Burns at work in Manchester, Iowa where he denied killing Martinko. pic.twitter.com/0rGdwIk89N. Jerry Burns Sentenced to Life in Prison for Michelle

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