Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953 ) was 25 years old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December 1979. He grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. He lived in Manchester at the time of his arrest in 2020 and owned a powder coating business in the city. Burns' arrest prompted a round of whispering about two of his family members. 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 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. 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. 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. The sketch indicated a white man in his late teens or early 20s, weighing between 165 and 175 pounds, and standing about 6 feet tall. "I wish my parents could be here to see this. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. "Mr. Burns is presumed innocent, and we look forward to the evidence showing otherwise," said the statement. All Rights Reserved. After listening to almost two weeks of testimony, a jury of seven women and five men returned the guilty verdict after deliberating just shy of three hours. According to an affidavit, Birky, in a phone interview with an investigator who works for Spies, said she had been giving organ lessons to Martinko in 1979 at 'Carma Lou's House of Music. Martinko had lessons between 8:30 and 9 p.m., Birky said. Burns owns a powder-coating company, Advanced Coating Concepts, in Manchester. "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," she said. But Burns will 'forfeit his freedom forever and die alone. Michelle Martinko - Jerry Burns appeal may Music is courtesy of FesliyanStudios. Investigators matched the male profile at the crime scene to DNA on a straw Burns left behind at a Manchester Pizza Ranch. During the original investigation, detectives compiled a list of more than 80 potential suspects. I mean, I think that every person that has ever died or been killed or raped or whatever deserves to have justice done. Jerry Lynn Burns, 66, was found guilty in Februaryof first-degree murderin the 1979 stabbing death of18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids. 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. CEDAR RAPIDS - The Martinko family lived without answers for 39 Christmases. But, months later, Jennings was shocked to learn that police had used her DNA information from that public Web site, and used a technique called genetic genealogy to identify the killer in a 40-year-old cold case in Iowa. I am a brokenhearted mother.. Finally, Burns argues the evidence was insufficient to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. (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. More:DNA leads federal investigators to suspected serial killer in Iowa; Clark Perry Baldwin charged with killing 3 women in 1990s. The third brother was Jerry Lynn Burns (Burns), the defendant in this case. Burns argues the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress where the warrantless extraction of his DNA profile violated his rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and article I, section 8 of the Iowa Constitution. accused of killing Michelle Martinko begins hearing Kathleen T. Zellner Nicholas M. CurranElizabeth A. AragusRita Bettis AustenJennifer LynchNathan Freed Wessler Vera Eidelman Patrick Toomey, Sep 30, 2022 1:30 PM University of Iowa, College of Law, Levitt Audiotorium. What we know about Jerry Burns and the woman he's 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. Jerry Burns sentenced to life for killing Michelle Martinko in 1979 WebMichelle fought back and was able to injure Jerry, who bled on the gear handle and Michelles dress. She affirmed her rulings made before and during trial regarding the defense's motion. 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. An analyst at the state crime lab said DNA from the straw matched blood found on Martinko's dress. 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. 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? Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. The police then began procuring evidence secretly. (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. In September 1986, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected claims made byMartinko's father that the shopping center was negligent because it did not provide "reasonable security" for his daughter, the Register reported at the time. Martinko's older sister, Janelle Stonebraker, told the Des Moines Register that their family had waited years for answers. Investigators covertly collected a straw used by Burnsto test his DNA. Police said in a statement that officers identified Burns as a suspect after DNA technology allowed them to create a composite sketch. Burns argues the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress where the warrantless (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. Jerry Lynn Burns was sentenced to live in prison Credit: Cedar Rapids Police Department. Jerry Lynn Burns is accused of the 1979 cold case murder of Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover listens as First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nicholas Maybanks (not pictured) speaks at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Photos are courtesy of Robert Riley. Tonight, William Brangham is back to explore the growing privacy debate around this new technique and why some people are urging that we slow down. Police retrieved the straw. Using newer technology, Cedar Rapids police last yearcreated profiles fromDNA procured from case evidence in 2006. You can change your address if things get really dark. The police considered the murder personal in nature based on the manner of death, according to Little Village magazine. But not everyone is so eager to have their DNA end up in a police dragnet. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. By the time of Burns' arrest, both of Martinko's parents had been gone for decades: Martinko'sfather died in 1995 and her mother in 1998. A father took an at-home DNA test. His son was then falsely - PBS Based on the number of stab wounds particularly to the young womans face police considered the homicide personal in nature. Jerry Lynn Burns: Offender Number: 6931989: Sex: M: Birth Date: 12/23/1953: Location: Anamosa State Penitentiary: Offense: MURDER 1ST DEGREE: TDD/SDD * LIFE: Commitment Date: 08/14/2020: Recall Date: Mandatory Minimum (if applicable) * TDD = Tentative Discharge Date * SDD = Supervision Discharge Date Then for proof. Burns' trial attracted national attention because the cold case was solved after 39 years due in large part to DNA evidence and genetic genealogy. Here's the Update in His Case. Jerry Burns' mugshot and a family photo of Michelle Martinko. Martinko's father Albert and mother Janet died in 1995 and 1998 respectively. Your subscription makes work like this possible. (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. Jerry Lynn Burns Burns' trial attracted national attention because the cold case was solved after 39 years due in large part to DNA evidence and genetic genealogy. But there's some. For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm William Brangham. Burns maintained his innocence in pretrial hearings and throughout the trial, but the jury took only three hours to reach a verdict after hearing DNA evidence. 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. He was born in 1953 and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. Jerry Burns appeals his conviction for murder in the first degree. Authorities arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns of Manchester this morning. Turns out the murderer was a distant, distant relative of Jennings. She thinks this new crime-fighting tool is a great thing Jerry Lynn Burns murdered Michelle Martinko in 1979 (Images via Google) On the eve of December 19, 1979, an 18-year-old high school student named Michelle If found guilty of his first-degree murder charges, he'll face life in prison. All rights reserved. A woman in Washington was linked to the suspect, and authorities eventually zeroed in on Burns. RAW: Exclusive Interview with Michelle Martinko%. Burns is being held at Linn County Jail. The family of Jerry Burns would like to thank our friends and the Manchester community for the support we have received since Jerrys arrest, read the familys statement. This is part of our regular series on the Leading Edge of science and technology. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Burns denied killing Martinko at the time of his initial questioning. (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. That decision essentially erases the genetic privacy of everyone else. Maybanks noted that even though Martinko interacted with at least half a dozen friends the night of her death, including at the mall, none of their DNA was found at the crime scene. Jerry Lynn Burns was finally arrested in October 2018 for the murder of Michelle Martinko, that took place 39 years prior. 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. Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. The deadline for responses from the state or a date for a hearing before a judgehas not been set yet. In October 2018, Matthew Denlinger, a Cedar Rapids police investigator,saw Burns drink sodas out of a plastic glass with a clear straw. 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. Killer who brutally stabbed female high school senior to - The Sun He faces a first-degree murder charge after investigators say they found his blood at the crime scene. 29, 2023 9:23 am1d ago, Crime and Courts Apr. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. Stills of news coverage comes from Fox 28 and KCRG. The main argument from Burns' defense team was that the evidence used in the case from back in 1979 was mishandled at the time, but on Feb. 24, 2020, Burns was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns listens as First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nicholas Maybanks (not pictured) speaks at Burns' sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Curtis Rogers created the biggest public database, called GEDmatch, that's now used by police to solve crimes. KCRG-TV9: 10PM Newscast, December 19, 2018 Arrest in Michelle Martinko Case, KCRG-TV9 Staff Anchors: Bruce Aune and Beth Malicki Meteorologist: Joe Winters Executive Producer: Aaron Hepker Producer: Ellen Kurt Director: Terri Walter Reporters: Dave Franzman, Forrest Saunders, Chantelle Navarro Photographers: Rebecca Varilek, Jay Greene, Michelle Martinko's Family Speaks to Law & Crime Network About the Jerry Burns Verdict, Michelle Martinko's Family Speaks to Law & Crime Network About the Jerry Burns Verdict #JerryBurns #JerryBurnsTrial #MichelleMartinko, Serial Killers Ex Thinks There Were More Victims. Burns said 'somebody else stabbed Martinko that night. Burns then turned toward his family, sitting in the courtroom, and thanked them for their support. An hour before announcing Burns arrest, police in Cedar Rapids tweeted that there had been a major development in Martinkos murder. Life sentence in Michelle Martinko murder Cutting-edge DNA technology was used to solve the cold case. Genetic genealogy can help solve cold cases. Copyright 2023 Distractify. When questioned by police, officers said that Burns had no explanation as to why his DNA would have been at the scene. Jerry Lynn Burns' DNA sample was collected from a plastic straw he drank soda with. Wounds on the teens hands showed she fought her killer. We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.. Investigators saw Burns eating at a Pizza Ranch in Manchester. With Burns having been found guilty and in prison, however, Martinko's family finally has some sense of closure. In one of those profiles, authorities said there were fewer than one in 100 billion unrelated individuals who would have had the same profile. The sample was put into a national computer database and was used to clear more than 70 of Martinkos acquaintances, according to NBC News. She never had any school problems. Police found Martinko's body in her parents' tan 1972 Buick at Cedar Rapids Westdale Mall parking lot around 4 a.m. on Dec. 20, 1979. After several trials and errors, the suspects were narrowed down to three brothers who had grown up in Manchester, Iowa. 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. Burns' sentence also included that he wouldn't be eligible for parole. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Jerman, Cedar Rapids' police chief, credited police and investigators who "showed tenacity and dedication" over the four decades it took to take the case to trial, and the Linn County Attorney's Office for its role in Burns' arrest and prosecution. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Teen Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in 1979. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. I can't imagine anyone saying, I don't want to help these families. After genealogy websites proved helpful in the investigation of the Golden State Killer, Iowainvestigators asked Parabon-NanoLabs, which had access to hundreds of thousands of genetic samples people uploaded,to see if there was a match in its database. View Others View Public Details & Court Records See Who's Searching for You See Sites with Your Personal Info Make Changes to What Other's See Lock Sections of Your Profile Request Personal Reviews & 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. "Ialso feel bad for, you know, his current family and friends because now they have to go through all this as well.". He and his wife, who now residein Florida,said they were gratefulfor the Cedar Rapids community's commitment to the case over the past 40 years. Burns is 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. To learn the entire story of Michelle Martinko's murder, watch Dateline: Unforgettable at 10 pm on Oxygen 79. Jerry Burns, convicted of killing Michelle Martinko, says Police arrested Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, in the decades-old fatal stabbing. Martinkowas found dead in her parents' Buickin the parking lot of Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids early on the morning of Dec. 20, 1979, curled onto the passenger seat floorboard, stabbed multiple times and bloodied from the wounds she sustained," first assistant Linn County attorney Nick Maybanks previously told jurors. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Laymon said. It's also kind of it scares me, personally, because we see that it's being used for other purposes besides finding your uncle. It lies in a 'deeply selfish, lifelong personal need. He also said it was difficult to believe that law enforcement never came across such information in the nearly 40 years of investigation. In October 2018, Jerry Lynn Burns was drinking a soda out of a plastic glass with a clear straw. Although Michelle was killed, her fighting spirit was a key to solving her case 40 years after the crime. Five years ago, Michael Usry Jr., largely because his father had done DNA testing, ended up in a police station in downtown New Orleans. Supreme Court Oral Argument Schedule - Iowa Judicial Branch "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. GUILTY - IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28) It is the cold case murder thats haunted the Cedar Rapids area for 35 years. Jury selection is still set to begin Feb. 10. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. (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. 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. Now in his late 60s, Burns is currently behind bars and will stay there till he dies. Turns out the murderer was a distant, distant relative of Jennings. During this difficult time and as the justice system runs its course we ask that our privacy be respected.. Man Accused Of Killing Martinko Won't Testify As Defense Rests
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