The arrest of Burns, now charged with first-degree murder for the 1979death of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids,has rippled through this town of about 5,000. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Friends and family of Michelle Martinko react as Burns' motion for a new trial is denied at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. When the news broke Wednesday evening, Mormann said people in Manchester were calling each other, and waiting anxiously to learn more. 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. "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. Brian's disappearance remains unsolved. Burns used to co-own a truck stop near town. Jerry Lynn Burns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. In a court document made public Friday, he wrote that he makes $30,000 a year. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Never did I ever think he had a mean bone in his body," said McElliot, 64. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. He wasn't carrying any identification at the time of his disappearance, doesn't have a driver's license, and doesn't own a car or cellular phone, making him difficult to track. Then for proof. That made his arrest hard to believe. Investigators later sought the services of a company that specializes in DNA phenotyping, which Cedar Rapids police described as the process of predicting physical appearance and ancestry from unidentified DNA evidence. "It's a small community; everybody kind of knows everybody," he said. An obituary for Burns wife, Patricia, says that she died in June Decades after the death, he had a voice in the first-degree murder sentencing of Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester. Likewise, Mike McElliot, of Ryan, who has known Burns since they were freshmen at West Delaware High School, said he finds the news impossible to believe. District Associate Judge Casey D. Jones set Burns' bond at $5 million on Dec. 20, 2018. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. The essential contention from Burns protection group was that the confirmation used for the circumstance from back in 1979 was abused by then. Authorities say they were able to match Burns with DNA at the crime scene. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice. Burns' sentence also included that he wouldn't be eligible for parole. The two had done business beforeWendling owns a body shop, Paint-N-Place, and Burns owns a powder-coating company, Advanced Coating Concepts. "Ialso feel bad for, you know, his current family and friends because now they have to go through all this as well.". An investigation provided the answer after all those years of who and why someone killed Martinko. The businessman sold the gas station several years ago, Wright said, but still frequented it, grabbing coffee and conversing with employees. WebJerry Burns is 68 years old and was born on 12/23/1953. "I am thrilled for her sister, Janelle, and wish her parents were alive to see this," Laymon said. She was stabbed and killed 39 yrs ago today in the Westdale Mall parking lot. 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. Investigators matched the male profile at the crime scene to DNA on a straw Burns left behind at a Manchester Pizza Ranch. Where Could Jerry Burns Now be? Stonebrakersat in the front row of the courtroom, flanked by her husband, John, and oldest son, Robert. Burns sentencing is likely to be scheduled for early April, though a date has notbeen set, District Judge Fae Hoover said. 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. He testified regarding statements made in his initial interview, saying he was trying to be corporative. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), A page introduces the section of the 1972 West Delaware High School year book with a picture of every senior, including Jerry Burns, as seen at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. In high school, Burns ran track and was involved in FFA, McElliot said. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns (right, third from top) as a junior in a 1971 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. While waiting to 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. This is the moment of reckoning for him and the moment, long awaited, of resting peace for Michelle.. 'You have to go with the evidence,' he said. Investigators then narrowed down family trees of great grandparents to a first cousin and then Burns and his two brothers. "I just cant imagine how you could live here all this time and carry on a normal life with that big secret," Mormann said. At long last, in 2018, Jerry Lynn was caught and blamed for the teens 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&Es executioner cases. (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. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover reads aloud a motion for a new trial filed by Burns at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. Add newsletters@thegazette.comto your contacts. Burns was arrested and questioned when his DNA matched that of some found on Martinko's clothes at the time of her murder. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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 Burns' trial attracted national attention because the cold case was solved after 39 years due in large part to DNA evidence and genetic genealogy. Leads in the case resulted in dead ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to connect Burns' DNA to the crime scene. Jury selection is still set to begin Feb. 10. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. 'When you listen to (Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne) Jerman on the news last night, they've got him (Burns) hung already,' McElliot said. Using newer technology, Cedar Rapids police last yearcreated profiles fromDNA procured from case evidence in 2006. 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. Cedar Rapids police used DNA genetic genealogical research to create a group of suspects in the killing that included Burns, according to court records. "Very in an upbeat mood, he bought his lottery tickets and he bought his two Cokes and Ijust said Jerry, have a good one, I'll see you tomorrow. "His first wife's death was a suicide, so he was talked to, but it was clearly a suicide," said the sheriff of 18 years. Indeed, in June 2020, his legal advisor, Leon Spies, motioned for a retrial. Nicholas Maybanks, the Linn County prosecutor handling the case, did not resistthe continuance, court records show. Jerry Burnss Family releases statement following arrest in WebView Jerry D Burns results in Manchester, IA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. On the other side of the aisle sat several friends of Martinko. (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. "The community is in shock, his friends are in shock, his family is in shock. The mandatory penalty for first-degree murder in Iowa is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Any relationship to Jerry Burns who was arrested for the Michelle Martinko murder. Distractify is a registered trademark. A retired music teacher, Kathryn Birky, of Swisher, who taught private piano and organ lessons, said she had a regularly scheduled lesson with Martinko in the Westdale Mall the night of the attack, Spies said. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Investigatorssaid the man who stabbedMartinko cut his hand and left blood behindon her clothes and on the gear shift knob. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 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. For 64-year-old Jerry Burns, it was a straw he used at a pizza restaurant in Manchester, Iowa. WebJerry S Burns in Manchester, IA. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Chief Jerman said Wednesday night that Martinko's family now could take comfort in knowing a murder arrest had been made, and for Martinko's sister Janelle Stonebraker and her husband John Stonebraker, an arrest in the case was something to be grateful for. He built a new home on land his parents once farmed and constructed a gas station and convenience store near where he lived. Burns' DNA profile was developed from blood on Martinko's black dress. Jerry Lynn Burns (born December 23, 1953 [13]) 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. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette). Burns also claimed that he did in fact ask for a lawyer during the interview but that investigators didn't help him to do so. Burns will appear in Linn County District Court tomorrow morning. "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. pic.twitter.com/0rGdwIk89N. "We would ride up and down that road by his house and never thought anything of it," she said. (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. 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. "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. Burns is being held at Linn County Jail on a $5 million cash bond. In one of those profiles, authorities said there were fewer than one in 100 billion unrelated individuals who would have had the same profile. "I wish my parents could be here to see this. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. And sometimes he comes back for our lunch specials.'. How Old Is Jerry Burns? 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. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns as a senior in a 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette). Stonebraker said he is sad for the Burns family and wanted to 'wish them well.. Martinko, who was 18, was found stabbed to death in her family's Buick in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, 1979, in the parking lot of Westdale Mall. 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. She said he lives and operates a business just five miles from her house. At the time of his arrest, Burns had beenliving in Manchester, a town of about 5,000 people 45 minutes north of Cedar Rapids, for longer than Martinko's case had been cold. At the time of her death, police had found Martinko stabbed to death in her car in a local mall parking lot. Residents interviewed Friday said they can't square the allegations of a gruesome killing and 39 years with nary a hint of suchbehavior with the man they've known, who went to high school in Manchester, about 45 miles north of Cedar Rapids, and spent much of his adult life there. That was ultimately how investigators found Burns' after creating a DNA profile from a bloodstain on the back of Martinko's dress. The sisters' parents died more than 20 years ago,Albert Martinko in 1995and his wife, Janet, in 1998. All Rights Reserved. Decades of technological advancements ultimately allowed experts to construct a partial male DNA profile from a blood scraping on the gear shift of the Martinko family car and a blood stain on the back of Martinkos dress. Over the last 39 years, shes seen Burns around town. She was found stabbed to death inside her parents' car in a mall parking lot in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 20, 1979. "Everybody was so anxious last night to see a picture to make sure it was actually, you know, him," Mormann said. After turning to GEDmatch, a commercial genetic genealogy site, investigators narrowed their suspects to three brothers, all in Iowa. In any case, not a lot about his family has been unveiled at this point, because of a few private matters. He was arrested Dec. 19, 2018 - on the anniversary of her death. 'Mr. Burns was arrested ', Authorities said they questioned Burns at his workplace later the day. That company, police said, produced portraits for the associated person of interest. (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. At this time, however, Burns remains behind bars. Follow reporter Anna Spoerreon Twitter at@annaspoerre. All rights reserved. Spies argued that if the defense had this evidence at trial, jurors might have come back with a different verdict. Michelle Martinko was viewed as wounded absurdly in her vehicle in the Westdale Mall parking structure. 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. "She finally got justice. Prosecutors said she was stabbed to death. Read more about the circumstances surrounding Burns' arrest here. His arrest left those in Manchester, who have lived and worked alongside him for decades, asking how the person they know could be connected to such a crime. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. His Girlfriend/boyfriends name is Not Available. You have no idea whats goin on," Mormann said. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. "You and Michelle will forever be in our thoughts, and we are eternally grateful for your support, trustand confidence over the many years.". WebJerry Burns is 68 years old and was born on 12/23/1953. (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. Michelle Martinko Murder Convict: Jerry Burns Release Date ", Elizabeth Laymon, who was high school friends with Martinko, said shevividly remembersthe day classmates sobbed after they learned of the stabbing. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. The store used to operate under the name of E-Z Pickin's, which Burns owned up until the business was bought by McDermott Oil. Jerry, who would have been 25 years old at the time of the murder, was convicted in February 2020. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 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. Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse, Delaware County Sheriff's Office Then for a verdict. "This was a brutal, violent, horrendous crime," Linn County Assistant Attorney Mike Harris said at the time. Wright said he never saw any signs that Burns was under investigation. It wasn't a basketball game that brought a packed house at Blue Collar Sports Bar to a hush. A retired teacher, John Curran, of Manchester, said he knows Burns from Bob Stephen Motors, a Manchester car dealership where the men occasionally would see each other and talk. The man accused of killing a Cedar Rapids woman 40 years ago was back in court Friday for a hearing to suppress evidence. Stonebraker and his wife, Janelle, Martinko's only sister, live in Florida and were unable to attend the hearing. 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. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. On June 19, 1980, police released a composite sketch, developed based on descriptions provided by two witnesses, of the man they believed stabbed Martinko. When he left I told him 'Have a good day Jerry, I'll see you tomorrow. One of his court-appointed attorneys, Brian Sissel, said he could not comment on the case because he had just received it Friday. Update, Feb. 24, 2020: Within hours of the trials closing arguments, a Scott County jury has convicted Jerry Burns of first-degree murder in the 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. 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. Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Where Is Jerry Lynn Burns Now? To that point in the investigation, we were confident who our perpetrator was, so we figured out the who. Reporter covering state and federal courts. Some who knew Burns well are having a hard time believing he was arrested. She affirmed her rulings made before and during trial regarding the defense's motion. He previously co-owned a truck stop near town. (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. Hiscousin, Brian Burns,vanished Dec. 19, 2013 exactly 34 years after Martinko was killed. 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. Burns pleaded not guiltyin January. Burns is disabled and didnt own a vehicle, possess a drivers license or have a cell phone. 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. Be that as it may, on February 24, 2020, he was viewed as at real fault for first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Investigators said they arrested Burns after DNA taken from a restaurant straw he had used matched the crime scene DNA. All rights reserved. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. After the verdict was read and court was adjourned, they stood and embraced as Martinko's friends around them wept. As Becky Moreno stopped for lunch on Thursday afternoon, she reflected on growing up just down the street from Jerry Burns and his family. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden listens from the gallery at a sentencing hearing for Jerry Lynn Burns at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. If found guilty of his first-degree murder charges, he'll (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. WebJerry Burns in Manchester, IA. A need Mr. Burns kept hidden all his adult life. Burns now owns Advanced Coating Concepts in Manchester, he said. Jerry also answers to Jerry L Burns A pathologist said the fatal stab wound was to her heart and that she bled to death. Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts, Who Is David Bolt? 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. The Kennedy High School senior had drivento the mall after a school choir banquet to shop for a new winter coat. From the leadership on down, they never gave up.". Hiscousin, Brian Burns, vanished Dec. 19, 2013 exactly 34 years after Martinko was killed. 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. '', But when Thursday morning came, Wright said he logged onto Facebook and saw the 'shocking news.'. 'Killer Cases' Explores His They stated they had no evidence to implicate him in Brian's case and no evidence that Patricia's death was not suicide. She wasn't crying so much as gasping, choking. Burns co-owns Advanced Coating Concepts with his son, a powder coating business and turf equipment dealer just south of Manchester. Day 3, Jerry Burns takes witness stand in Martinko hearing, Man accused of killing Michelle Martinko begins hearing to suppress evidence, Day 2 of hearing to suppress evidence in Michelle Martinko murder case, Linn Co. Sheriffs office investigating Hwy. But with 39-years later, limited information, that's a long time that's gone by. The mothers name is Not Available. ", "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. 'Never in a million years would I suspect he'd be involved in something like this,' he said. Delaware CountySheriff John Leclere saidauthorities "don't have any reason to suspect (Burns) in either case.". CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KWWL) -- On the third day of a hearing to suppress evidence in the cold case killing of Michelle Martinko, the man accused of the brutal crime took the witness stand, speaking publicly for the first time. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. Burns is being held at Linn County Jail on a $5 million cash bond. The investigator reported Birky said the lessons were once a week; although she wasn't sure which day of the week they were, she recalled the last lesson was the night Martinko was killed outside the mall. Russ Wright works the registerin the building Burns built. Across the aisle, the benches behind Burns were packed to the brim. Based on the number of stab wounds particularly to the young womans face police considered the homicide personal in nature. Hundreds of people were interviewed and countless leads were followed, police said a year after the slaying. "When the news came on last night, everybody just shut up and the bar was full," said Cheryl Hollrah, a cook at the bar. Overcast. Here's the Update in His Case. It lies in a 'deeply selfish, lifelong personal need. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns (on left page, third picture from the top and third picture from the left) part of the senior class in a 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. 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. WebView Jerry Burns results in Marion, IA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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. James was at the family business the day Jerry was first questioned by investigators and later arrested. Florida and were unable to attend the hearing be scheduled for early April, though a has! His parents once farmed and constructed a gas station several years ago, Albert Martinko 1995and! '' said McElliot, 64 in 1995and his wife, Janelle, and Burns a... South of Manchester procured from case evidence in 2006 body shop, Paint-N-Place, Burns! 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