The detective on the case, Matt Denlinger, gave me some interesting details. New York University's Erin Murphy, who studies genetics and the law, sees Usry's ordeal as a cautionary tale. The court also should have dismissed statements the defendant made while speaking with investigators after his arrest in December 2019. On December 19, 2018, exactly 39 years after Martinko's murder, the police confronted Burns and arrested him after his DNA matched the one found on Martinko's clothes. He played in college for the Michigan Wolverines before Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@dmreg.com or on Twitter @TDavisDMR. 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was killed Dec. 19, 1979, Subscribe to the Public Safety newsletter. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28) It is the cold case murder thats haunted the Cedar Rapids area for 35 years. A witness testified he signed this image from a newspaper article The case itself had initially led investigators to assume the crime had been one of passion, with the amount of stab wounds to Martinko's face, but even now, there have been no answers as to why it happened. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. "I am happy Michelle finally gets justice. Before 6th Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover sentenced Burns to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Burns, who never showed any emotion during his trial in February, gave a short statement. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. The police chief at the time, Ray Baker, said the fatal stabbing "outraged the whole community.". Now,herface and chest had been stabbed at least eight times. Wounds on the teens hands showed she fought her killer. Burns is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Michelle Martinko in 1979. An investigation provided the answer after all those years of who and why someone killed Martinko. All Rights Reserved. An obituary for Burns wife, Patricia, says that she died in June 2008 at the age of 55. During the original investigation, detectives compiled a list of more than 80 potential suspects. She had been stabbed 21 times in the face, neck, and chest. Support our award-winning, independent journalism with a subscription today. It was almost like a dream. It was a case,Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said, "that has haunted our community for decades. Stonebrakersat in the front row of the courtroom, flanked by her husband, John, and oldest son, Robert. She was seen inside the mall by friends and coworkers because Martinko worked in the mall. I kept asking questions, like, did somebody I know do something horrible? All Rights Reserved. Todays announcement makes it clear that this Police Department and our investigators never gave up on this case either. of Northern Iowas iconic Campanile, Ladd Library in Cedar Rapids to host job fair. Jury selection is still set to begin Feb. 10. The judge ordered a $5 million cash-only bond. 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. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Your login session has expired. When the DNA test results came back, it wasn't a match. 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. It's not just, oh, my brother chooses to do this, but my sixth cousin I never met chose to do this. An analyst at the state crime lab said DNA from the straw matched blood found on Martinko's dress. 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 was scary. Later that day, her body was discovered in her family's car. 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 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.
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