(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. Burns is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Michelle Martinko in 1979. 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. "Its scary," Moreno said. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. 'Mr. "The community is in shock, his friends are in shock, his family is in shock. 'We've also had a lot of customers come in from out of town and a lot of them asked about it.'. Burns was arrested and questioned when his DNA matched that of some found on Martinko's clothes at the time of her murder. 'Janelle and I are very pleased and grateful for the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice,' John Stonebraker said in a statement to The Gazette. One of his court Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Jerry Burns Wife: Who Is He Married To? When the father of three did stop in, Wright said they would make small talk, chatting about work and plans for the day. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), Who Is Denzel Browning-Wilkins? (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Burns reacts as he is sentenced at a hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. 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. He built a new home on land his parents once farmed and constructed a gas station and convenience store near where he lived. 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. Heretrievedit after Burns left it behind, according to search warrants. "Thats why everybody in town is just like Iam: shocked.. 1, 2021 3:52 pm607d ago, Caleb McCullough Health Care and Medicine Jun. Both Mormann and Moreno say this a life lesson that you never truly know your neighbors. Jerry Lynn Burns, 66, was found guilty in February of first-degree murder in the 1979 stabbing death of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids police used DNA genetic genealogical research to create a group of suspects in the killing that included Burns, according to court records. Moreno said, "I would have never guessed. 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 You have permission to edit this article. (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. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. (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. "Nice family.". 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. The accused turned out to be another Iowan native, Jerry Lynn Burns. Who Is Jerry Lynn Burns? Born in 1953, Jerry Lynn Burns grew up in Manchester, Iowa, and graduated from West Delaware High School in 1972. He would have been around 25-years-old when he killed Michelle Martinko in December of 1979. 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. 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. "She finally got justice. 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. With Burns having been found guilty and in prison, however, Martinko's family finally has some sense of closure. Burns was convicted of first-degree murder in February. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Now,herface and chest had been stabbed at least eight times. District Judge Fae Hoover on Dec. 9 agreed to move the trial to the Scott County Courthouse in Davenport. Jerry, who would have been 25 years old at the time of the murder, was convicted in February 2020. She can be contacted at aspoerre@dmreg.com, 515-284-8387or on Twitter at@annaspoerre. Notwithstanding the way that Burns conviction and denouncing are clear and he is presently in prison, his legitimate group has continued to insist his blamelessness and upset the choice. 'You'll never convince me he did something like that.'. 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. "But the world's a big place and we dont know anything about anybody. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), Jerry Burns (bottom left) is seen in a photo in a 1972 West Delaware High School year book at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Mormann said, "I havent seen him recently but over the years, you know, our kids and their kids grew up, we saw each other, and I knew his first wife and just a wonderful family, too.. The Kennedy High School senior had drivento the mall after a school choir banquet to shop for a new winter coat. Anna Spoerre covers crime and courts for the Des Moines Register. "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. Russ Wright, head cashier at Quik 'N Handi, a convenience store and gas station on Highway 13 near the southwest edge of town, said Burns was a regular customer. The case remained unsolved until Wednesday night when police announced they used DNA evidence to link Burns to the crime. 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. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. 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. McElliot said he felt bad for Burns as he listened to news accounts of Burns' arrest Wednesday. The two had done business beforeWendling owns a body shop, Paint-N-Place, and Burns owns a powder-coating company, Advanced Coating Concepts. But with 39-years later, limited information, that's a long time that's gone by. Burns Wife Died in June 2008. (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. 'From the leadership on down, they never gave up. How Old Is Jerry Burns? 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. Decades after the death, he had a voice in the first-degree murder sentencing of Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester. Several residents lauded his professionalism and business savvy. We found 3 records for Jerry Burns in Manchester, IA. Update, Oct. 14: The trial for Jerry Burns has been officially delayed, and is now temporarily set for Feb. 10, 2020. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. 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. 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. Russ Wright works the registerin the building Burns built. Burns is disabled and didnt own a vehicle, possess a drivers license or have a cell phone. (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. 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. 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