Police arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns on Wednesday morning and charged him with first-degree murder
The family of a man suspected of murdering 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979 have spoken out after his arrest last week.
In a statement released over the weekend, the family of 64-year-old Jerry Burns said his arrest was 'a complete shock'.
'The family of Jerry Burns would like to thank our friends and the Manchester community for the support we have received since Jerry's arrest,' the statement said. 'We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.'
'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's statement continued. 'During this difficult time and as the justice system runs its course we ask that our privacy be respected. Thank you.'
Police arrested the 64-year-old on Wednesday morning in connection with the December 19, 1979, stabbing death of Martinko.
Burns has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in the Linn County jail in Cedar Rapids.
Police say a breakthrough occurred when a blood sample from the crime scene matched with a sample taken from the suspect.
In a statement announcing the arrest, police said Burns was questioned at his job in Manchester, Iowa and denied killing Martinko.
He could not offer a 'plausible explanation' for why his DNA was found at the crime scene, authorities said and had no recollection of the crime.
Bond was set at $5million and his next hearing is scheduled for December 28.
18-year-old Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death on December 19, 1979
It was just after 4am on December 20th 1979 when Martinko's body was found inside her family's car which had been parked at a shopping mall.
She had driven to the mall to look for a coat after leaving an end-of-year school choir dinner.
Martinko was found with stab wounds her face and chest. An examination showed she was stabbed at least eight times.
Wounds on the teen's hands showed that she fought her killer.
She was found fully clothed and had not been sexually assaulted.
Detectives were able to make a DNA match using newer forensic technology whereby Cedar Rapids police were able to user DNA from a 2006 case.
Detectives were able to use genetic genealogical research to 'narrow profile down to a specific pool of suspects,' which included Burns.
Chief Wayne Jerman of Des Moines police explained how forensics managed to matched a blood sample from the crime scene with a sample taken from the suspect four decades eariler
Detectives then managed to covertly obtained DNA from Burns before matching it with DNA evidence they had on file from Martinko's killing, according to the Des Moines Register.
They found a match after Burns had cut his hand and left some of his own bloody behind.
Two partial male DNA profiles were developed from DNA found in the car — one from blood on Martinko's clothes and another on the Buick's gear shift knob.
Police Chief Wayne Jerman commended his investigators' persistence in the case and explained how new forensic techniques was about to help the investigation according to KCRG.
The family credited 'the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice' in a statement.
'The community can be very proud of its law enforcement, and for the tremendous comfort and support area residents have extended to our family over the 39 years since Michelle's death,' the family statement continued. 'Our heartfelt thanks to everyone.'
'The family never gave up hope that this case would be solved,' Jerman said.
Days after Martinko's 1979 killing, police received more than 200 phone calls and letters from people who wanting to help, according to coverage by the Des Moines Register at the time.
Countless leads were followed and hundreds of people were interviewed but the case went cold after a year - until now.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/24/family-of-suspect-charged-with-the-1979-murder-of-teenager-michelle-martinko-speaks-out/
Main photo article
Police arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns on Wednesday morning and charged him with first-degree murder
The family of a man suspected of murdering 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979 have spoken out after his arrest last week.
In a statement released over the weekend, the family of...
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Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
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