GUILTY IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to death, Cedar Rapids, 19 Dec 1979

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Thursday, February 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9am CT) – IA – Michelle Marie Martinko (18) (Dec. 19, 1979, Cedar Rapids, found Dec. 20, 1979 at Cedar Rapids Mall inside her family’s car) - *Jerry Lynn Burns (64/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (12/19/18) & arraigned (1/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M Cash bond.
DNA Parabon Nanolabs DNA Phenotyping SnapShot/GEDMatch
Trial began on 2/10/20 with jury selection. Trial has been moved from Linn County to Scott County. Jury: 9 women & 6 men. (3 alternates).
Trial info from 2/7/20 thru 2/11/20 reference post #149 here:
IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to death, Cedar Rapids, 19 Dec 1979 *Arrest*
2/12/20 Wednesday Day 3: Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover gave jurors instructions. Opening statements by Linn County first assistant prosecutor Nick Maybanks & by Defense attorney Leon Spies. State witnesses: Jane Hansen (friend of Michelle's). Jeffrey White (knew Michelle thru choir). Martin Miller (friend from hi school). Tracy Price (hi school friend). Todd Bergen (knew Michelle thru choir). Merlin "Murray" Winckler (knew Michelle thru her BF at the time Andy Seidel). Charles "Andy" Seidel (dated Michelle). Curtis Thomas (friend from hi school). Sheryl Anders (friend from choir). Phoebe Smith Porter (worked at Mall, knew Michelle thru her younger sister). Back 9 a.m. Thursday, 2/13.
 
Niner said:
Thursday, February 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9am CT) – IA – Michelle Marie Martinko (18) (Dec. 19, 1979, Cedar Rapids, found Dec. 20, 1979 at Cedar Rapids Mall inside her family’s car) - *Jerry Lynn Burns (64/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (12/19/18) & arraigned (1/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M Cash bond.
DNA Parabon Nanolabs DNA Phenotyping SnapShot/GEDMatch
Trial began on 2/10/20 with jury selection. Trial has been moved from Linn County to Scott County. Jury: 9 women & 6 men. (3 alternates).

(snipped)
Click to expand...


Really *love* hearing of these old "cold cases" getting "warmed up" via DNA matching! May justice be served for Michelle, her family, and friends...
 
Friday, February 14th:
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@ 9am CT) – IA – Michelle Marie Martinko (18) (Dec. 19, 1979, Cedar Rapids, found Dec. 20, 1979 at Cedar Rapids Mall inside her family’s car) - *Jerry Lynn Burns (64/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (12/19/18) & arraigned (1/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M Cash bond. DNA Parabon Nanolabs DNA Phenotyping SnapShot/GEDMatch
Trial began on 2/10/20 with jury selection. Trial has been moved from Linn County to Scott County. Jury: 9 women & 6 men. (3 alternates)
Trial info from 2/7/20 thru 2/11/20 reference post #149 here:
IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to death, Cedar Rapids, 19 Dec 1979 *Arrest*
2/12/20 Wednesday Day 3: Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover gave jurors instructions. Opening statements by Linn County first assistant prosecutor Nick Maybanks & by Defense attorney Leon Spies. State witnesses: Jane Hansen (friend of Michelle's). Jeffrey White (knew Michelle thru choir). Martin Miller (friend from hi school). Tracy Price (hi school friend). Todd Bergen (knew Michelle thru choir). Merlin "Murray" Winckler (knew Michelle thru her BF at the time Andy Seidel). Charles "Andy" Seidel (dated Michelle). Curtis Thomas (friend from hi school). Sheryl Anders (friend from choir). Phoebe Smith Porter (worked at Mall, knew Michelle thru her younger sister). Back 9 a.m. Thursday, 2/13.
2/13/20 Thursday, Day 4: State witnesses: Michael Wyrick (took Michelle to prom in hi school), James Kinkead (retired from Cedar Rapids police dept. in 2002, was sent to search for Martinko's car). Richard White (retired identification officer with Cedar Rapids police, collected evidence and processed crime scene). James F. Kidwell (retired Cedar Rapids police (lieutenant) & identification officer (crime scene investigator). Trial continues on 2/14.
 
from the link above:

The trial will continue 9 a.m. Monday.


I guess they are not observing President's Day - or do you all think this is a mistake?
 
If this guy is guilty, what was the motive? It wasn't sexual. It wasn't robbery.
I haven't read all the details, but I have read some.
I'm wondering if Burns knew the girl that hated the victim, and he did this because she wanted him to, with details about how she wanted her face cut up. In turn, he was promised true love from her if he carried this out? My guess is she was checked out by LE after the murder, but she didn't do it, he did.
Pamela Smart comes to mind.
If not then the victim must have done something to really anger this guy with the style in which she was killed.
All MOO with nothing to base this on.
 
Rocky1 said:
If this guy is guilty, what was the motive? It wasn't sexual. It wasn't robbery.
I haven't read all the details, but I have read some.
I'm wondering if Burns knew the girl that hated the victim, and he did this because she wanted him to, with details about how she wanted her face cut up. In turn, he was promised true love from her if he carried this out? My guess is she was checked out by LE after the murder, but she didn't do it, he did.
Pamela Smart comes to mind.
If not then the victim must have done something to really anger this guy with the style in which she was killed.
All MOO with nothing to base this on.
Click to expand...

Respectfully bolded by me.

Sexual gratification and robbery could have been motives that were thwarted by Ms. Martinko's defensive efforts (which are evidenced by her defensive wounds) and the need to escape quickly.

Sexual gratification could have been obtained due to his aberrant psychology, without leaving direct physical evidence (injured genitalia, etc.).

Perhaps the perpetrator has attained some measure of sexual gratification, in the ensuing years, by reliving (in his mind) the violent events that robbed Ms. Martinko of her precious life.

Note that the accused's internet *advertiser censored* activity (ruled inadmissible for the trial) includes
hundreds of examples of his viewing extremely violent videos.
According to MSM reports, one video was "blonde molested after getting stabbed."

An internet search included "sex with freshly dead persons."

He conducted *advertiser censored* searches several times per week, and practically every search began with the phrase "blonde strangulation."

source:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2020/02/06/iowa-crime-michelle-martinko-murder-trial-suspects-*advertiser censored*-search-history-not-evidence/4666769002/

The monsters are not hiding in our closets our under our beds; they are disguised as ordinary-looking humans, living openly among us.
 
I guess we shall see if there is court today....

Monday, February 17th:
*Trial continues (Day 6) (@ 9am CT) – IA – Michelle Marie Martinko (18) (Dec. 19, 1979, Cedar Rapids, found Dec. 20, 1979 at Cedar Rapids Mall inside her family’s car) - *Jerry Lynn Burns (64/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (12/19/18) & arraigned (1/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M Cash bond.
DNA Parabon Nanolabs DNA Phenotyping SnapShot/GEDMatch
Trial began on 2/10/20 with jury selection. Trial has been moved from Linn County to Scott County. Jury: 9 women & 6 men. (3 alternates)
Trial info from 2/7/20 thru 2/13/20 reference post #165 here:
IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to death, Cedar Rapids, 19 Dec 1979 *Arrest*
2/14/20 Friday Day 5: State witnesses: Michael Peterson (retired criminalist with Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation). Dean Chiafos (CRPD officer, investigator from 1993-2003. Trained on how to handle evidence). Ron Johnson (Cedar Rapids police crime scene investigator). Marcia Morton (retired DCI lab evidence technician). Mark Fischer (retired from CRPD as investigator). Cheryl Shipman (retired DCI evidence technician 1979-2010). Doug Larison (retired CRPD officer & investigator 1983-2016). Linda Sawer (of Ames, a retired DCI criminalist - DNA section). Sawer isn't excused but she is released for the day. She will continue testimony Monday. The judge is calling it a day. The trial will continue 9 a.m. Monday, 2/17.
 
I thought Female immediately, as well. I have a video on my YouTube Channel Mind Squash, discussing this trial and my thoughts if you are interested. That was prior to starting the trial tho. There seems to be a great deal of testimony by the state witnesses that, at least 3 days in, has some different news than I had found in my research of the case.
They have focused on wounds to her chest and neck and not much about the face, which we know took the brunt of the attack. I am thinking this is a way to deter from the rhought that it could be a female. Also, there was talk of some seman found on her underwear, which I had not heard anything about before the trial. They also portrayed her as a fairly popular girl that everyone liked, even tho there was consistent comments over the past 40 years about her having very few female friends and plenty of guy drama. It will be very interesting to see what happens when the defense presents their case. I find his attorney to be pretty good. He has done alright putting some doubt into the evidence handling and I imagine he will go on the attack regarding the DNA findings.
 
MindSquash said:
I thought Female immediately, as well. I have a video on my YouTube Channel Mind Squash, discussing this trial and my thoughts if you are interested. That was prior to starting the trial tho. There seems to be a great deal of testimony by the state witnesses that, at least 3 days in, has some different news than I had found in my research of the case.
They have focused on wounds to her chest and neck and not much about the face, which we know took the brunt of the attack. I am thinking this is a way to deter from the rhought that it could be a female. Also, there was talk of some seman found on her underwear, which I had not heard anything about before the trial. They also portrayed her as a fairly popular girl that everyone liked, even tho there was consistent comments over the past 40 years about her having very few female friends and plenty of guy drama. It will be very interesting to see what happens when the defense presents their case. I find his attorney to be pretty good. He has done alright putting some doubt into the evidence handling and I imagine he will go on the attack regarding the DNA findings.
Click to expand...
I don't think the defense has made a dent in the evidence handling yet. I'd be disappointed if the evidence was retested periodically as new forensic techniques became available.

It's not as if this is a small amount of touch dna, it's a significant amount of blood, and it doesn't look as though the defense are going to put forth an innocent explanation for its presence, just try and poke holes in the chain of evidence.

Its early days but I've got this one down as guilty so far based on the trial.
 
Last edited:
d4j said:
Respectfully bolded by me.

Sexual gratification and robbery could have been motives that were thwarted by Ms. Martinko's defensive efforts (which are evidenced by her defensive wounds) and the need to escape quickly.

Sexual gratification could have been obtained due to his aberrant psychology, without leaving direct physical evidence (injured genitalia, etc.).

Perhaps the perpetrator has attained some measure of sexual gratification, in the ensuing years, by reliving (in his mind) the violent events that robbed Ms. Martinko of her precious life.

Note that the accused's internet *advertiser censored* activity (ruled inadmissible for the trial) includes
hundreds of examples of his viewing extremely violent videos.
According to MSM reports, one video was "blonde molested after getting stabbed."

An internet search included "sex with freshly dead persons."

He conducted *advertiser censored* searches several times per week, and practically every search began with the phrase "blonde strangulation."

source:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2020/02/06/iowa-crime-michelle-martinko-murder-trial-suspects-*advertiser censored*-search-history-not-evidence/4666769002/

The monsters are not hiding in our closets our under our beds; they are disguised as ordinary-looking humans, living openly among us.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. I think the prosecution/LE consider this to be sexually motivated. There doesn't need to be overt sexual contact reflected in the crime scene for the crime to be sexually motivated.
 
Niner said:
Yes, from what I've reading on the live updates - I also don't believe the defense has put a dent in the DNA evidence....
Click to expand...
I’ve watched a lot of this trial including all of Friday’s testimony and I respectfully disagree. I think the defense (specifically attorney Leon Spies) has done a masterful job of planting doubt.
 
I have changed the "days" to match the actual days of trial - I had included the jury selection days.

Tuesday, February 18th:
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@ 9am CT) – IA – Michelle Marie Martinko (18) (Dec. 19, 1979, Cedar Rapids, found Dec. 20, 1979 at Cedar Rapids Mall inside her family’s car) - *Jerry Lynn Burns (64/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (12/19/18) & arraigned (1/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M Cash bond. DNA Parabon Nanolabs DNA Phenotyping SnapShot/GEDMatch
Trial began on 2/10/20 with jury selection. Actual start of trial was 2/12/20. Trial has been moved from Linn County to Scott County. Jury: 9 women & 6 men. (3 alternates)
Jury selection & trial info from 2/7/20 thru 2/13/20 reference post #165 here:
IA - Michelle Martinko, 18, stabbed to death, Cedar Rapids, 19 Dec 1979 *Arrest*
2/14/20 Friday Day 3: State witnesses: Michael Peterson (retired criminalist with Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation). Dean Chiafos (CRPD officer, investigator from 1993-2003. Trained on how to handle evidence). Ron Johnson (Cedar Rapids police crime scene investigator). Marcia Morton (retired DCI lab evidence technician). Mark Fischer (retired from CRPD as investigator). Cheryl Shipman (retired DCI evidence technician 1979-2010). Doug Larison (retired CRPD officer & investigator 1983-2016). Linda Sawer (of Ames, a retired DCI criminalist-DNA section). Sawer isn't excused but she is released for the day. She will continue testimony Monday. The judge is calling it a day. The trial will continue 9 a.m. Monday, 2/17.
2/17/20 Monday Day 4: State witnesses: Linda Sawer (of Ames, a retired DCI Criminalist-DNA section). Doug Larison (former Cedar Rapids police investigator). Matthew Denlinger (Cedar Rapids police lead investigator). DA Maybanks said they have reached stipulation with defense that Parabon helped law enforcement develop Snapshot of suspect. They uploaded the suspect in this case. This is a stipulation and Parabon officials won't be testifying. Investigators researched the four family trees that Parabon found. The family trees led to a distant cousin and then to Jerry Burns and his two brothers. David Dostal (CRPD lieutenant, was commander of operations to interview Burns on Dec. 19, 2018). Kraig Kruger (CRPD crime scene investigator). Nichole Coffman (DCI evidence technician). Stacie Prall (DCI evidence tech, works with Coffman). Stipulation regarding Ron Johnson who testified last week. Oct. 26, 2018 who submitted evidence - straw taken from Kenneth Burns - to DCI. He followed protocols. Michael Schmit (DCI criminalist, DNA section). Trial continues on 2/18.
 
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