Found Deceased IL - Jelani 'JJ' Day, 25, ISU grad student, missed class, Bloomington, 23 Aug 2021 #2

[SimplyCass]

So I have a couple of questions regarding the timeline. Firstly, when they talk about the interstate where the phone was found, which one are they talking about? I-74, I-55 or I-39? I don't know if I've ever seen it verified which one.

Because over 36 hours elapsed between the last time JL was seen at BH and his vehicle being found is it possible he did go to Peoria or any other location within the vicinity of Bloomington?

Is it possible that JL left his phone somewhere and an unknown individual found it? What if they tossed it after JL was found deceased or after his vehicle was found? They could be completely innocent in regards to JL's disappearance and death. However, having the phone of a person whose death is now being questioned by CBD and his family and supporters just meant it's better not to be in possession of it.

I still believe JL's death is not suspicious. I don't believe he is the victim of foul play.

Edited to add: I know it was stated that the interstate was I-74 but in other interviews CBD had she only mentioned 'the interstate'. Is there confirmation from LE that is was I-74?

[Snipped for focus]

I don't think LE has ever confirmed where the phone was found, only that it was found and then turned in later. The info about a specific location is only from CBD, and by this point, I believe anything that CBD says should be corroborated by a second source. This isn't meant as a personal slight, just that the information has been so contradictory at times. Specifically, she was mentioning the area of "East Main Street," but a local resident wrote (on WS) that's wrong, as Main Street runs north-south. (Websleuths post)

I think we can rule out I-39, as its southern terminus is most definitely in Normal, not near Bloomington proper.

Something to note: Veterans Parkway is considered a business loop of Interstate 55. That would make MUCH more sense than I-74/I-55 on the west side of Bloomington.

But also, I-74-and I-55 pretty much rings Bloomington/Normal on three sides, so it really could be anywhere. JJ would likely be most familiar with I-74 on the southern side of Bloomington since it's the most logical way to travel to his hometown of Danville.

 

[TDW59]

I see so many indicators of hypomania and mania. The flip side to that is that for every "up", there is a "down", very devastating depressions and commonly including suicidal thinking. There is also the mixed state which includes both and is particularly dangerous.

I am very familiar with manic depression aka bipolar disorder. What we know about JJ aligns with that, I believe. It has a 20% suicide rate. And he is in a very vulnerable population, being the 3d most common cause of death of males his age.

Denial is a huge problem as well. Manic depression absolutely must be treated medically. It is well known to disturb education, jobs, familial and all other relationships.
It's too bad that it can't be medically tested post mortem.

moo

 

[5W's]

His mom talks about the TB test starting around 11:55 into this video. According to his mom, it sounds like he had completed the first part of the test, and he only needed to be checked (my understanding). IMO, she does a good job of explaining what happened in the first few days of the investigation (her perspective, naturally), so I recommend the rest of the video, too:

Saw the video I always feel for the parents/family of the missing. Its just so sad. A couple of things I observed from what his mother said were that he did "party." He dressed more on the fashionable side. So his clothes made him stand out than the average young guy who doesn't dress fashionably. And that Jelani did one part of the TB test so that obviously means that he did take his TB test which is requred for his program especially the clinicals and all importantly dealing with patients. So this video for me put some things into perspective. Before Starbucks he logged into the computer network and entered some information about his clinicals so IMO he wasn't abandoning his responsibility to his Speech Pathology program to me that gives an indication of responsibility. He wondered around a bit waiting for the Health Clinic to open so he could get his results once he realized he needed an appointment he left campus as he didn't have the required appointment. Perhaps he was going to make arrangements for the Health Clinic to send his results to the director since it was such a crunch in time. So IMO there are possibilities where he would still be able to attend to his patients during his clinicals so no loss there. The problem is he went missing before his appontment with the director and his clinicals later that day. By 1:00PM the director got concerned so she did her dilegence by informing her superiors and security. Ok he went home and changed IDK were there cameras that saw him going home then leaving after changing, probably. He turns his phone off at 9:19 and then heads into the dispensary then we don't know. But something happened that changed the course of his life completely.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

He turns his phone off at 9:19 and then heads into the dispensary then we don't know.

Time stamp on entering dispensary is 9:12, when his phone was on, and this has never changed.
One missing poster says he was there at 9:21 but nothing says how long was he inside, and did he drive away right when he got to his car? The point being, his phone was on when he went in, powered off while he was inside most likely. The phone was never powered back on. Nothing happen to him, except perhaps mentally, while he was in the dispensary and decided to power off his phone.
He did not have an exact appointment time, he was to drop by the office in the morning. Since he just had the text exchange the night before, I don't see how there could be any confusion. The director texted him at unknown time in the AM because he did not come by. I would love to know if he got that text while he was in the dispensary.
He was dressed for clinicals, dressed to stay on campus, he's on video, nothing happened to him externally while he was there. With no attempt to see the director, or even text her, why would he then need to go buy some weed if he was going to do clinicals and class in a couple of hours? Why did the director even need to text him on Monday? He had class that day, was he there? He spent the weekend in Chicago and got a ticket, apparently on the way there. I'm not seeing a pattern that says everything was alright.

 

[TDW59]

I want to be careful how I state this. And please forgive me if it takes a few posts.

Hypomania is intoxicating! Charisma, life of the party, feeling very creative...and what we would think is spontaneous, the dr may term as reckless and impulsive. It is a time of new projects and adventures. It is very attractive to those around us. The world is our oyster.

I see this writ large all over the place with JJ. From being a dr to taking care of mom. The vacations not well thought out and planned. The speeding tickets. The phone calls to mom. A new business venture. It is everywhere I look. This larger than life persona.

Mom wants and needs this to be him. I would bet if the family tree were fully mapped out that there are suicides far above normal. I think mom knows that and is/was devoted to protecting her son from this fate. They have an abnormal relationship. It requires denial.
But we see cracks. Requesting his grades. Being over vigilant.

Because what goes up will come down. And he would be overwhelmed and despondent.

Why did he wait 3 years between degrees?

 

[housewife]

And that Jelani did one part of the TB test so that obviously means that he did take his TB test which is requred for his program especially the clinicals and all importantly dealing with patients... So IMO there are possibilities where he would still be able to attend to his patients during his clinicals so no loss there.

RSBM
The test is two parts. First the injection, you wait 24-72 hours, and then the physician has to physically look at the injection site to determine if you have TB. They have to physically measure the size of the resulting bump from the injection. You cannot get the test results over the phone, it has to be in person.
Only taking the first part of the test is useless.
The school's health center had signage stating at your first appt (injection) you need to schedule an appt to determine the results (dr looks at bump).

IMHO
I believe it's possible that Jelani lied to his mom. Or he incorrectly assumed the test was complete after just one appt to get the injection.
Again, IMHO, if Jelani did not have an appt to determine the results, I doubt he even got the injection in the first place. And I think when he realized he would have to take the test all over again, including the waiting period, and miss a second day of clinicals he became despondent.

 

[housewife]

I want to be careful how I state this. And please forgive me if it takes a few posts.

Hypomania is intoxicating! Charisma, life of the party, feeling very creative...and what we would think is spontaneous, the dr may term as reckless and impulsive. It is a time of new projects and adventures. It is very attractive to those around us. The world is our oyster.

I see this writ large all over the place with JJ. From being a dr to taking care of mom. The vacations not well thought out and planned. The speeding tickets. The phone calls to mom. A new business venture. It is everywhere I look. This larger than life persona.

Mom wants and needs this to be him. I would bet if the family tree were fully mapped out that there are suicides far above normal. I think mom knows that and is/was devoted to protecting her son from this fate. They have an abnormal relationship. It requires denial.
But we see cracks. Requesting his grades. Being over vigilant.

Because what goes up will come down. And he would be overwhelmed and despondent.

Why did he wait 3 years between degrees?

I feel relieved that I'm not the only one wondering why his mother was requesting his grades in the first place. That was so bizarre to me, for a grad student? I agree that Jelani's relationship with his mother was slightly atypical for someone his age. Being close with family is not a bad thing, but when your mom is checking up on your schoolwork in your 20's, it is not a good sign.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I feel relieved that I'm not the only one wondering why his mother was requesting his grades in the first place. That was so bizarre to me, for a grad student? I agree that Jelani's relationship with his mother was slightly atypical for someone his age. Being close with family is not a bad thing, but when your mom is checking up on your schoolwork in your 20's, it is not a good sign.

I would ask for grades if money was coming out of my pocket for college/grad school.
Or if a scholarship was tied to keeping a certain GPA. History of previous issues perhaps.

If Jelani went to the clinic on the 23rd to have TB skin test evaluated - that would mean he got the injection 48-72 hours prior....on the 19th or 20th. He went to Chicago that weekend? CBD can’t get the clinic to confirm he got the injection? Any idea on when he left for the weekend?
So many questions....

 

[5W's]

His mom talks about the TB test starting around 11:55 into this video. According to his mom, it sounds like he had completed the first part of the test, and he only needed to be checked (my understanding). IMO, she does a good job of explaining what happened in the first few days of the investigation (her perspective, naturally), so I recommend the rest of the video, too:

Saw the video I always feel for the parents/family of the missing. Its just so sad. A couple of things I observed from what his mother said were that he did "party." He dressed more on the fashionable side. So his clothes made him stand out than the average young guy who doesn't dress fashionably. And that Jelani did one part of the TB test so that obviously means that he did take his TB test which is requred for his program especially the clinicals and all importantly dealing with patients. So this video for me put some things into perspective. Before Starbucks he logged into the computer network and entered some information about his clinicals so IMO he wasn't abandoning his responsibility to his Speech Pathology program to me that gives an indication of responsibility. He wondered around a bit waiting for the Health Clinic to open so he could get his results once he realized he needed an appointment he left campus as he didn't have the required appointment. Perhaps he was going to make arrangements for the Health Clinic to send his results to the director since it was such a crunch in time. So IMO there are possibilities where he would still be able to attend to his patients during his clinicals so no loss there. The problem is he went missing before his appontment with the director and his clinicals later that day. By 1:00PM the director got concerned so she did her dilegence by informing her superiors and security. Ok he went home and changed IDK were there cameras that saw him going home then leaving after changing, probably. He turns his phone off at 9:19 and then heads into the dispensary then we don't know. But something happened that changed the course of his life completely.

Time stamp on entering dispensary is 9:12, when his phone was on, and this has never changed.
One missing poster says he was there at 9:21 but nothing says how long was he inside, and did he drive away right when he got to his car? The point being, his phone was on when he went in, powered off while he was inside most likely. The phone was never powered back on. Nothing happen to him, except perhaps mentally, while he was in the dispensary and decided to power off his phone.
He did not have an exact appointment time, he was to drop by the office in the morning. Since he just had the text exchange the night before, I don't see how there could be any confusion. The director texted him at unknown time in the AM because he did not come by. I would love to know if he got that text while he was in the dispensary.
He was dressed for clinicals, dressed to stay on campus, he's on video, nothing happened to him externally while he was there. With no attempt to see the director, or even text her, why would he then need to go buy some weed if he was going to do clinicals and class in a couple of hours? Why did the director even need to text him on Monday? He had class that day, was he there? He spent the weekend in Chicago and got a ticket, apparently on the way there. I'm not seeing a pattern that says everything was alright.

IMO he probably died even before he had a chance to save himslef. However way that was he died. I'll take your word for it about the time stamp at the dispensary. But if IRC he had powered it off before going into the dispnsary. The reason for that would be to not let his family know he was going into the dispensary. We for a fact don't know what time his appointment with the director was other than it was in the morning. As for the director to text him any time its their duty to be diligent. Like I said IMO Jelani probably died before he could even get a chance to go to his appointment with her. I personally don't see a pattern that anything was wrong. IMO he was probably going to text her but wasn't able to. Also IMO he is entitled to get away from a hectic life so he went to Chicago. As for the speeding ticket however, that is the only thing that concerns me. But if a police officer gives him a ticket and he has no insurance then why wasn't the car impounded where I live if one doesn't have insurance the car is impounded. So I am assuming he may have had some sort of temporary insurance so that would cover that trip to Chicago and the officer let him go just with a speeding ticket. I am also assuming that he may have used temporary insurance for his vehicle other times as well. Maybe he was going to take care of his vehicle driving history and was doing so. Also maybe he was going to buy edibles for later that day.

 

[5W's]

I want to be careful how I state this. And please forgive me if it takes a few posts.

Hypomania is intoxicating! Charisma, life of the party, feeling very creative...and what we would think is spontaneous, the dr may term as reckless and impulsive. It is a time of new projects and adventures. It is very attractive to those around us. The world is our oyster.

I see this writ large all over the place with JJ. From being a dr to taking care of mom. The vacations not well thought out and planned. The speeding tickets. The phone calls to mom. A new business venture. It is everywhere I look. This larger than life persona.

Mom wants and needs this to be him. I would bet if the family tree were fully mapped out that there are suicides far above normal. I think mom knows that and is/was devoted to protecting her son from this fate. They have an abnormal relationship. It requires denial.
But we see cracks. Requesting his grades. Being over vigilant.

Because what goes up will come down. And he would be overwhelmed and despondent.

Why did he wait 3 years between degrees?

I think he was working at a clinic, maybe for work experience in those three years.

 

[TDW59]

I think he was working at a clinic, maybe for work experience in those three years.

Yes, thank you. I still wonder why. Was that the plan all along or was it plan b?

I think we all agree that the "whys" would answer so many things about this case.
I am also asking why mom wanted to see the grades. did she think he would not tell her the truth? why would she think that?

Maybe I am the oddball but I never asked my daughter about her grades. I believed she was competent and able to handle things on her own. and that if she was having problems that I needed to know about that she would tell me.

 

[TDW59]

as can be seen, I do a lot more reading than I do posting. I do not want to make this about me but I have lived experience, 3 generations, with the issues I am talking about that informs me.
I came into this late and just read all the posts, but felt I had some understanding of what has happened.

I feel very sorry for JJ. He had to keep up the expectations of being the high achiever and the family star and his mother's dreams. I also see indications that he has, at times, crashed. He must have felt very alone due to trying to hide it and the very nature of depression.

The truth about manic depression is that depression is more prevalent and longer lasting than the "high" times. Functioning comes to a halt. It engulfs and isolates the sufferer. As I mentioned before, the risk of suicide is quite high. On two accounts from my perspective and according to the statistics.

I am still working out how to explain what I see.

 

[Tower]

RSBM

I would ask for grades if money was coming out of my pocket for college/grad school.
Or if a scholarship was tied to keeping a certain GPA. History of previous issues perhaps.

But wouldn’t you ask Jelani about his grades? I have a son turning 20 today (!) and I pay for college. He does have a scholarship that requires a high GPA. If he loses all that, I’ll find out soon enough. It’s an incredible invasion of privacy and lack of trust to ask the school directly for grades.

I think you answered the question by your last comment: “history of previous issues.” Jmo

 

[MimosaMornings]

RSBM

But wouldn’t you ask Jelani about his grades? I have a son turning 20 today (!) and I pay for college. He does have a scholarship that requires a high GPA. If he loses all that, I’ll find out soon enough. It’s an incredible invasion of privacy and lack of trust to ask the school directly for grades.

I think you answered the question by your last comment: “history of previous issues.” Jmo

Yes, I asked my kids to send me their grades and they did. I told them to expect me to ask, so it was no surprise lol. There was no need for me to contact the university.

I thought CBD asked Jelani for his grades, not that she contacted the university herself? Maybe I misunderstood.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Just for information purposes:
According to the court site, it appears that Jelani got his speeding ticket (“DRIVING 21-25 MPH ABOVE THE LIMIT”) on August 20, 2021:

https://www.judici.com/courts/cases...l=IL053015J,2021TR2137,IL053015JL2021TR2137D1

“[Jelani]’s cousin, [ED], said he came to visit family and friends in Chicago just two days before he went missing.” (BBM)
Jelani Day found: Family of missing Illinois State University graduate student seeks answers about body found in Illinois River | abc7chicago.com

It appears that he was pulled over by a state trooper and not a local cop, so more likely than not, he was driving on a highway, IMO:


Since Livingston County is located between Bloomington and Chicago, it’s possible, IMO, Jelani got the ticket on his way to see his dad (perhaps stayed with extended family in Chicago for a couple of days since the article states “he came to visit family and friends in Chicago just two days before he went missing,” but he got his ticket on the 20th, or he might have been in the Livingston County area for an entirely different reason that day, too). The day Jelani was captured on camera at the student center/Starbucks, Health Center and then Beyond Hello was August 24th. So two days before that, to me, would be Sunday, August 22nd, 2021 ….

 

[TDW59]

yes, history of previous issues sounds like a Bingo to me.
What have you fine posters seen that supports this belief? I am new on this one and am sure I don't have the details memorized.
I think more of what I think I see is indirect and/or circumsantial yet valid.

 

[TDW59]

How was JJ handling his father's poor health? And his own role in trying to save his life?
That's heavy.
And keeping up with educational requirements?
Could he do both at the same time?

So, he's gone to be with his dad. He catches yet another traffic violation. omg, not another, not now. Please, universe, give me a break! It's my dad! Home, worn the bloody hell out. Exhausted every way. Takes a day off. Even God rested on the 7th day. Suits up. The med clinic. The (swear words) med clinic. the last f'ing straw for this day. Haven't gotten the pre-reqs for the first patient apmt. for real? They can just look. Would take less than a minute. I can't believe this !! I don't want to go to that advisor(?) appmt now. with all this . Need to get some weed. Goes to the shop. ease the agitation. But it doesn't. The altered state gives way to depression. He has thought it before. I just want to die. there's just too much. I can't. I really can't anymore!
Is this time different? Because he's been able to pull it together before and so far. The survival rate is 80%.

entirely MOO, a tale proposed.

He drowned.

Thank you for pointing to it!!

Just for information purposes:
According to the court site, it appears that Jelani got his speeding ticket (“DRIVING 21-25 MPH ABOVE THE LIMIT”) on August 20, 2021:
View attachment 332663
https://www.judici.com/courts/cases...l=IL053015J,2021TR2137,IL053015JL2021TR2137D1

“[Jelani]’s cousin, [ED], said he came to visit family and friends in Chicago just two days before he went missing.” (BBM)
Jelani Day found: Family of missing Illinois State University graduate student seeks answers about body found in Illinois River | abc7chicago.com

It appears that he was pulled over by a state trooper and not a local cop, so more likely than not, he was driving on a highway, IMO:
View attachment 332664

Since Livingston County is located between Bloomington and Chicago, it’s possible, IMO, Jelani got the ticket on his way to see his dad (perhaps stayed with extended family in Chicago for a couple of days since the article states “he came to visit family and friends in Chicago just two days before he went missing,” but he got his ticket on the 20th, or he might have been in the Livingston County area for an entirely different reason that day, too). The day Jelani was captured on camera at the student center/Starbucks, Health Center and then Beyond Hello was August 24th. So two days before that, to me, would be Monday, August 22nd, 2021 ….

 

[Seattle1]

How was JJ handling his father's poor health? And his own role in trying to save his life?
That's heavy.
And keeping up with educational requirements?
Could he do both at the same time?

So, he's gone to be with his dad. He catches yet another traffic violation. omg, not another, not now. Please, universe, give me a break! It's my dad! Home, worn the bloody hell out. Exhausted every way. Takes a day off. Even God rested on the 7th day. Suits up. The med clinic. The (swear words) med clinic. the last f'ing straw for this day. Haven't gotten the pre-reqs for the first patient apmt. for real? They can just look. Would take less than a minute. I can't believe this ****!! I don't want to go to that advisor(?) appmt now. with all this ****. Need to get some weed. Goes to the shop. ease the agitation. But it doesn't. The altered state gives way to depression. He has thought it before. I just want to die. there's just too much. I can't. I really can't anymore!
Is this time different? Because he's been able to pull it together before and so far. The survival rate is 80%.

entirely MOO, a tale proposed.

He drowned.

Thank you for pointing to it!!

@TDW59, I believe you've summed it all up in a very plausible manner. I believe most understand and accept this versus a criminal act placing JD in Peru and/or the Illinois River. There's no credible evidence for the latter.

 

[JustCommonSense]

[Snipped for focus]

I don't think LE has ever confirmed where the phone was found, only that it was found and then turned in later. The info about a specific location is only from CBD, and by this point, I believe anything that CBD says should be corroborated by a second source. This isn't meant as a personal slight, just that the information has been so contradictory at times. Specifically, she was mentioning the area of "East Main Street," but a local resident wrote (on WS) that's wrong, as Main Street runs north-south. (Websleuths post)

I think we can rule out I-39, as its southern terminus is most definitely in Normal, not near Bloomington proper.

Something to note: Veterans Parkway is considered a business loop of Interstate 55. That would make MUCH more sense than I-74/I-55 on the west side of Bloomington.

But also, I-74-and I-55 pretty much rings Bloomington/Normal on three sides, so it really could be anywhere. JJ would likely be most familiar with I-74 on the southern side of Bloomington since it's the most logical way to travel to his hometown of Danville.

I agree regarding the hesitancy to take anything CBD says as literal. I don't think it is intentionally misleading, but seems to be a bit skewed just from all of her knowledge being filtered through her perception of the area and her relationship to JD. I'm the 'local' referred to in the quote. It would not be uncommon for anyone to refer to the entire Bloomington/Normal area as Bloomington, so don't discount that the area the phone was found could have been nearer to Normal than Bloomington. Most reading this thread may have actually initially erroneously assumed JD was attending school in Bloomington based on the reporting. The campus is actually in Normal. If traveling from the dispensary directly to Peru, north on Veterans Parkway, south on 55 (actually heading west on that stretch) and north on 39 would make the most sense. That stretch of 55 would be full of exit signs for both 39 and 74. If going direct from JD's apartment, it would be a toss up between that route and taking Veterans Parkway to 55/74 on the west side, then heading north to 39. With traffic and construction on Veterans during the summer it would not be out of the question to go south from the dispensary around to the west side before heading north, especially if you were more familiar with the south side, which JD would have been in travels to his apartment and home to Danville.

If Peru was JD's intended destination, the more perplexing question is why the Bloomington dispensary instead of Normal's, which would be much more convenient if travelling to Peru. It could have been that he was not yet familiar with the north side of B/N which would support a less direct but more familiar route around the west side. Or, it could have been that he wasn't following any kind of a plan and his next steps were all decided 'in the moment'. That would seem to be consistent with the way his day started and progressed.

While I'm here, I'd like to comment to all the posters just wishing to see all the CCTV evidence. Outside of what has been released, I'd be surprised if anything else existed. B/N does not have major traffic issues. There are no toll roads. And, until the last year, violent crime has been relatively rare. Public cameras simply do not exist to the extent they may in other more urban areas. In fact, in a bit of irony, at the same city council meeting where CBD chided the BPD for it's perceived ineptitude in seeking out and reviewing camera footage among other things, the local ACLU sent a slate of speakers to protest a proposal to install license plate reading cameras which could have helped in such an investigation.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Jelani was a bone marrow match for his father and planning on donating...another commitment of travel, time and health.
Wonder if a time frame had been discussed and set up.
JMO