This is what eventually helped authorities identify the culprit - Jerry Lynn Burns. [2][5] Her hands bore defensive wounds, which police said to indicate that she had fought back against her killer. Burns kept pointing to the swab, he testified, and saying, 'Test it. Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. Burns coached the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-91. This really is an excellent true crimes podcast that is different from the many others that are being produced. He had worked for John Deere and co-owned a truck stop. Hi all - I discuss the case of Michelle Martinko, who was murdered in 1979 in Iowa, this week on DNA: ID podcast. He said Burns had no memory of being at the crime scene. 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. "In a genetic genealogy database we can reverse engineer the [suspect's family] tree from their distant" relatives who have submitted DNA, Moore said. Spies asked if he had consent from Burns to take the lunch straw for testing. Tests eliminated the other two brothers as suspects, but the DNA from Burns' straw matched the blood found on Martinko's clothing. Find your friends on Facebook. A hearing over whether to allow the evidence at trial continued Thursday for a second day. He and his wife, who now reside in Florida, said they . A spot of blood on the dress had a full male DNA profile and was consistent with the male DNA profile found on the gear shift. The primary evidence police had to go on was blood on Michelle's dress and on the car's gearshift that in 2005 was finally identified as male DNA. Subscribe to the Public Safety newsletter. 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. But the software he used allowed him to review history and activity only to January 2018. Log In. Jerry Burns enters the courtroom in 2020 (Image via We Are Iowa) Burns was born in Manchester, Iowa in 1953 and graduated from West . Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953 [13]) was 25 years old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December 1979. [22][12] From that, police were able to build a partial DNA profile. Jerry retired from the Army National Guard and retired as a Master Plumber. His voice was always turned up to full volume. The defense brought only one witness, a self-described forensic DNA consultant, who testified on the possibility that police could have mishandled the evidence. Oral Argument Schedule. Although Burns's arrest in the Martinko case raised questions about the two incidents, police do not believe Burns was involved in either one. December . Martinko, an 18-year-old high school student, was found stabbed to death in her family's car in the parking lot of a local mall, where she had gone to buy a new coat. Jerry Burns' mugshot and a family photo of Michelle Martinko. Gerald Edward "Jake" Merriner, 92, of Jane Lew passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023 in the Stonewall Jackson Hospital. Jerry Lynn Burns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice.". 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. timing. The Realm, a group of 34 people. [9] After the event, she asked her friend and twirling squad teammate if she wanted to join her on a shopping trip to the Westdale Mall, which had recently opened, and where Martinko worked. Please logout and login again. [16] Another rumor emerged that a second stabbing had happened in the following days and that police were keeping it secret, which police denied. Police covertly obtained Burns' DNA from a drinking straw he left it on a table after eating lunch Oct. 29, 2018, at the Pizza Ranch in Manchester, testimony showed. At 4a.m., police found the Martinko family's tan and green 1972 Buick Electra in the northeast corner of the mall parking lot by a JCPenney. [14] Burns's cousin, Brian Burns, went missing on December 19, 2013 and has not been found. See Photos. In 2018, the company entered the DNA data from the case into the public genealogy website GEDmatch, where it found a familial DNA match. Visitation with the family will be Monday April 10th from 4 to 8 PM and on. Michelle Martinko, 18, was stabbed to death in a mall parking lot in Dec. 1979. 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 murder. A article mentioned that the police found his Internet search history had stuff like 'murder, rape, harm of blonde women'. The prosecution emphasized the unlikelihood of the DNA evidence matching someone other than the person who left it at the scene. Her father died in 1995 and her mother died in 1998. You have permission to edit this article. [11], In the mid-1980s, Martinko's father filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Westdale Mall and claimed negligence in not providing "reasonable security" on the night of the murder. [2][3][4] Burns was arrested and, on February 24, 2020, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Martinko. Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, was charged with first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear Thursday in Linn County Court. 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. And he said he couldn't talk about it," Michael Allison said, who shared a cell with Burns starting in September 2019. The similarities were eerie two pretty, young women, both meeting their final fate in parking lots in Iowa, 16 years apart, in cases that went unsolved for decades. Wednesday, March 1, 2023: Today on General Hospital, Obrecht is furious with both Liz and Scott, Finn offers to stand by Liz, and Sonny and Dex bond over a meal. Police said they were able to connect Burns to the case with DNA evidence. ", First published on November 6, 2020 / 8:47 AM. He then contacted a member of a third branch, and a DNA test determined that they were first cousins with the killer. ABC News' Matt Foster and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report. 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 . She was stabbed multiple times in the face, neck, and chest. 6931989, Anamosa State Penitentiary, 406 N. High Street, Anamosa, IA 52205. [2], On October 29, 2018, an investigator observed one of the brothers, Jerry Lynn Burns, drink multiple sodas using a plastic straw. He was born in Hundred, WV on April 24, 1930, a son of the late Robert Lee and Rebecca Taylor Merriner. 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 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. May 12, 2021 at 04:20 PM. Jim grew up . JERRY LYNN BURNS, Defendant-Appellant. 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. Holst said he didn't, but department officials and First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks did consult an expert who specialized in sex offender assessment and treatment to explain what this evidence indicates in this case. The case was appealed and was eventually decided by the Iowa Supreme Court in favor of the mall owners. Suspect in Martinko murder not suspected in wife's death or cousin's disappearance, Bobcats and beyond are wearing orange to support Benton Communitys Tatum Schroeder, UIHC library offers resources for and about people with disabilities. Thank you!! Lives in Brentwood, Arkansas. Investigators used the blood samples to develop a partial male DNA profile. The case was solved, but there were lingering questions about Jerry Burns. Her friend declined. 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. The results were entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national DNA database, but no matches were found. She was stabbed 29 times in the face, neck, and chest. 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 When Burns disposed of the straw, the investigator collected it and tested it for DNA. Burns was born in Manchester, Iowa in 1953 and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. CEDAR RAPIDS - Police investigators couldn't find evidence that Jerry Burns and Michelle Martinko knew each other. 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. Prosecutor Nick Maybanks/Cedar Rapids Police Department, "Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case,". A witness testified he signed this image from a newspaper article about the case. The new technique, started this year with the "Golden State Killer," has identified over two dozen suspects. [9] She was fully dressed, and the medical examiner determined she had not been sexually assaulted. jerry lynn burns defendant-appellant. We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.. The Delaware County Sheriff said it did review the case after Burns' arrest and "feels that was clearly the case.". Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. What began to turn the case around was the emergence of DNA as a forensic tool for crime fighting in the late 1990s. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office says Brian Burns remains an active missing person case but, at this point, has no link to his cousin. / CBS News. 1, 2023 9:40 am7h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:22 pm23h ago, Crime and Courts Feb. 28, 2023 5:19 pm23h ago, Jeff Linder High School Basketball 21m ago21m ago. Over 40 years ago, teenager Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death outside a mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. '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. Burns denied any involvement in the murder. He stated that Burns' DNA could have been at the scene due to secondary transfer (such as skin cells transferring to an article of clothing when someone brushes up against another person), although he clarified that it was not his opinion that this was the case with Burns' DNA. 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. Thirty-nine years to the day after she was killed, a suspect was charged thanks to DNA and genetic genealogy. State of Iowa. To learn more about the murder of Michelle Martinko, watch Dateline: Unforgettable on December 22, at 10:00 pm on Oxygen 79. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. Glad you are liking it! When the detectives first investigated this case, they thought of the homicide as being personal in nature - based on the 10 stab wounds . Please logout and login again. "Murder at the Mall: The Michelle Martinko Case," reported by "48 Hours" contributor Jamie Yuccas, airs on Saturday, August 7 at 9/8c on CBS. 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. . 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. Could Jerry Burns have committed murders other than Michelle Martinko's? The police considered the murder personal in nature based on the manner of death, according to Little Village magazine. Jerry Burns. On the way, Burns continued to talk. Unfortunately, Martinkos parents did not survive to see her killer brought to justice. They . [4] Documents concluded that fewer than one in 100 billion people would match the DNA profile. The lab determined that the DNA collected from Burns was a match to DNA from the blood found on Michelle Martinko's clothing and was consistent with the DNA profile developed from blood found elsewhere in the car, Jerman said. 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. 'If I was there, I don't know, Burns told Denlinger. 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 Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. [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. Detectives considered charging the Commissioner with failure to pass along the information to police, but no charges were pursued. [2][23] On December 19, 2018, investigators went to Burns' business in Manchester, Iowa, to interview him. Yeah, it's really really good! "It looks personal, it's a lot of stab wounds, it's overkill," said lead Detective Matt Denlinger of the Cedar Rapids Police Department. And the crucial link is a man named Jerry Burns. The sample was put into a national computer database and was used to clear more than 70 of Martinkos acquaintances, according to NBC News. [10] Police considered the killing to be "personal in nature" based on the number and location of stab wounds. Allison, who's being . Jerry Lynn Burns was arrested in the 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko. However, in 2006, a tip came into the Cedar Rapids police department. Burns is being held at the Linn County jail on a $5 million cash-only bond. The Vikings organization is mourning the loss of the innovator, colorful . People around him considered him to be a professional but everything fizzled out shortly after. 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. Your login session has expired. The family of the man suspected of murdering Michelle Martinko 39 years ago said the arrest came "as a complete shock.". It goes beyond the simple news reporting of case solved using genetic genealogy. The podcast explores who these perpetrators are, possible motives and features interviews with investigators who are willing to talk because the cases have already been resolved in court. During the investigation, the police assumed that there were personal motives involved in the murder due to the nature of Martinko's stab wounds. 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]. [9] The killer left no fingerprints, which led police to believe they had worn gloves. 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. "Well, I kind of think you do a little bit," Denlinger responded in the video interview. To learn the entire story of Michelle Martinko's murder, watch Dateline: Unforgettable at 10 pm on Oxygen 79. 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. Now in his late 60s, Burns is currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies. 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. Investigators also showed Burns two renderings DNA labs had supplied them of possible suspects; he questioned their likeness to him. There till he dies find evidence that jerry Burns to justice. `` third branch, and graduated West... Supreme Court in favor of the innovator, colorful from West Delaware High School in.... Is being held at the mall: the Michelle Martinko N. High Street, Anamosa Penitentiary! 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