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

[Seattle1]

Marijuana doesn't affect bone marrow production. Prospective donors do need to be tested for various infections like HIV, hepatitis, CMS, herpes, etc, but whether or not they smoke marijuana isn't an issue.

The drug test is a one time thing that students are supposed to get before starting school. Was there info shared that Jelani hadn't yet gotten his drug test? I would be surprised if students would get in trouble for having marijuana in their systems when it's legal in Illinois.

I don't think this was bone marrow but stem cell where the intent is to infuse healthy blood forming stem cells to replace the recipient's damaged or diseased cells. Typically, donors are expected to be free of chemicals. JMO

 

[mewmew]

Marijuana doesn't affect bone marrow production. Prospective donors do need to be tested for various infections like HIV, hepatitis, CMS, herpes, etc, but whether or not they smoke marijuana isn't an issue.

The drug test is a one time thing that students are supposed to get before starting school. Was there info shared that Jelani hadn't yet gotten his drug test? I would be surprised if students would get in trouble for having marijuana in their systems when it's legal in Illinois.

Marijuana is legal here in Michigan, but the university I work for prohibits students or employees to use it. Sadly, we have seen many students and employees lose their positions after failing a drug test due to MJ use. I think it’s terrible and so unfair; many people here assume that marijuana is OK since it’s legal, and then they end up losing their job offer or acceptance into a school program.I really hope they revisit these policies soon.

I listened to a podcast this morning where CBD was interviewed about this case. It still strikes me as odd that Jelani called her SO much - over and over and over again, even when she would say she was busy, until she picked up. And this seemed to be a regular occurrence for him, to the point that she called him her “bill collector” child. Did she not find this unusual? Did his other family members think so? It was mentioned in the podcast that he was involved in a TON of extracurricular activities - a dance team, church activities, drill team, working at a recreation center, swimming, and on and on…have we ever heard from ANYONE from any of those activities? It strikes me as very strange that he was so heavily involved in so many activities, and was top of his class, yet I don’t recall hearing from anybody outside of CBD about who he was as a person. Who were his friends? Who did he study with? What about the kids he worked with?

The case just gives me very strange vibes — the depiction of him given by CBD doesn’t line up at all with the total lack of outcry from anyone in his life.

I am terribly sorry for her loss and her grief, and I so wish we had more information about JJ as a person.

All JMO

 

[Silver Spring]

Law Enforcement Agrees Jelani Day Drowned; Steps Back Unless New Tips Come In
Tom Henson Oct 2, 2023

Absent further tips and information in the case, the five law-enforcement agencies involved in the two-year-long death investigation of Jelani Day have announced they're stepping back in their proactive work on the case.
The agencies also said Monday that they concur that Day's cause of death was drowning, as La Salle County Coroner Richard Ploch announced in 2021.
Agencies from Bloomington, Peru, La Salle, La Salle County, and the state have been meeting monthly with Day's family, but Peru Police Chief Sarah Raymond tells WLPO the group will now set up meetings when new information comes in. With no active leads or further information to report, the task force continues to ask for tips from the public, and the $10,000 reward for substantial information regarding Day's final hours remains active.
Jelani Day was a grad student at Illinois State University. His body was found September 4 two years ago. It was October 25 of 2021 that Coroner Ploch announced Day's cause of death to be drowning, and that his body had shown no signs of trauma. The Reverend Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition then held a “Justice for Jelani” march in Peru, from the riverfront to the Illinois Valley Y.

Law Enforcement Agrees Jelani Day Drowned; Steps Back Unless New Tips Come In

Absent further tips and information in the case, the five law-enforcement agencies involved in the two-year-long death investigation of Jelani Day have announced they're stepping back in their proactive work

www.starvedrock.media

 

[80sbangs]

I’m a Peru resident (where his car & body were found). IMO there is no way he acted alone, especially if his mother is correct he’d never been to Peru. The spot where his car was found is not a place you’d just happen upon driving through town unless you were lost; it’s not remotely close to the river; and there are much closer spots to park your car (and even hide your car) with easy access to the bridges. Whoever attempted to hide Jelani’s car had the kind of familiarity with Peru/LaSalle that only comes from living here. Tbh, a black man walking without his clothes through town to the river would have resulted in several 9-1-1 calls. Hell, an unrecognized black man walking through town would have gotten some neighbors’ attention. I understand locals’ frustration with the family’s criticism of local PD, but you don’t know how you’d act unless you had the tragedy hit your own fam.
Watching an interesting new show on the Sundance Channel where families (or unrelated websleuths) carry the burden of investigating and proving a case while local PDs fail to take the case seriously, called True Crime Story: Citizen Detective. Got me thinking about Jelani and checking for an update. I remain convinced he was killed and it’s terrifying his killer is likely still out there. It’s unfortunate investigators seem to have run out of leads.

 

[80sbangs]

I went by the site where Jelani’s car was dumped just now. It’s important to note it’s a random secluded spot in the middle of a residential area. The spot is also very close to the Peru-LaSalle line, and more readily accessible from LaSalle. 9th Street is not a thru-street into Peru, as it comes to a T intersection just a couple of blocks west. To illustrate how far off the beaten path this spot is despite seeming to be in the center of town, I only came across it when out jogging, in an effort to take a route that was both green on at least one side and that led me into a particular block in LaSalle while house hunting. In driving by it tonight, I nearly got lost among residential dead-ends trying to find my way home w/o a map - until I saw the lights from businesses on Shooting Park Rd. through the leafless trees.
If you were confused (as I was) as to whether the spot was accessed from the road or the Y parking lot, it’s a very steep incline up to the lot, and between the vegetation, curb, and utility pole up top, it’s highly unlikely the car was rolled off the cliff. Whoever ditched the car here was familiar with the neighborhood, potentially on foot. It is notable LaSalle-Peru High School is not far from this spot.
Finally, I saw in the orignal thread a local who said the 2020 BLM protests destroyed downtown businesses. There is no truth to that whatsoever. The pandemic may have aided the demise of some businesses in an already decaying town, but a single march of like 25 people did not. Similarly, every major chain in Peru closed at 5 p.m. one night in June 2020 b/c LEO heard on FB that “busloads of protestors” were on I-80 coming from Chicago to loot and burn the town. That’s the kind of racism that persists in the area. It’s not always overt, and most locals wouldn’t consider themselves racist, but the inability of some to whom I’ve spoken to see Jelani’s family as human beings enduring deep suffering is telling.
There appeared to be a trail leading into the woods (3rd picture). Not sure if it goes up to the Y lot or how long it is. Wasn’t going to hop on the trail at night.

 

[Silver Spring]

I’m a Peru resident (where his car & body were found). IMO there is no way he acted alone, especially if his mother is correct he’d never been to Peru. The spot where his car was found is not a place you’d just happen upon driving through town unless you were lost; it’s not remotely close to the river; and there are much closer spots to park your car (and even hide your car) with easy access to the bridges. Whoever attempted to hide Jelani’s car had the kind of familiarity with Peru/LaSalle that only comes from living here. Tbh, a black man walking without his clothes through town to the river would have resulted in several 9-1-1 calls. Hell, an unrecognized black man walking through town would have gotten some neighbors’ attention. I understand locals’ frustration with the family’s criticism of local PD, but you don’t know how you’d act unless you had the tragedy hit your own fam.
Watching an interesting new show on the Sundance Channel where families (or unrelated websleuths) carry the burden of investigating and proving a case while local PDs fail to take the case seriously, called True Crime Story: Citizen Detective. Got me thinking about Jelani and checking for an update. I remain convinced he was killed and it’s terrifying his killer is likely still out there. It’s unfortunate investigators seem to have run out of leads.

I don't know how familiar you are with this case, but due to misinformation reported early on it seems to be a common misconception that he would have been naked walking through town. This is simply not true. When his body was found he had on a tank top, underwear, and a sweatshirt was tied around his waist. His shorts, socks, and shoes were found 1 1/2 miles upriver on the bank, presumably where he entered the water. The t-shirt and baseball cap he was wearing in the dispensary footage was in the car. That being said, is it at all possible he did park his car closer to the river (with his keys and wallet still inside) and a local came upon it, took it for a joyride, and ditched it in those woods? Took the wallet, went through it, and ditched that also? Someone that had nothing to do with his death. The problem with this theory is there were no other fingerprints or DNA found in the vehicle besides Jelani's.

I think a lot of the frustration coming from locals is the fact that Jesse Jackson and Ben Crump implied a hate crime occurred in the town, as if Jelani was lynched by a mob of white people. Jesse Jackson went as far as to compare the case to Emmett Till. There is literally no evidence of any of that but they desperately want to make it out to be a hate crime or cover up.

 

[SimplyCass]

Here's the main thing that I think could break the case open: why did JJ head to Peru, 60 miles north of Bloomington? That's the one thing that has always puzzled me about this case.

Even if i were to ignore everything else, I simply can't imagine any scenario leading to him to decide to drive up there.

His mom says he had never been there. However, there's been no publicly released information that would suggest that anyone coerced/forced him to drive, and no released evidence that anyone else but JJ drove his car.

Let's imagine a scenario where JJ had been to Peru before and was more familiar with the area than what his family has said. It still doesn't make any sense to drive 60 miles north up there for self harm.

If we could figure out a reason why he went up there (and again, I say "he" without any qualification due to him being alone on the CCTV and no evidence that he didn't drive his car), that could be a major break.

On another note - I simply don't see anyone harming JJ and leaving no evidence of it. I know the condition of his remains was quite bad, but there should be something. On other cases the ME has been able to conclude if the deceased accidentally fell in, was deceased beforehand, or something else. Perfect crimes with no evidence do not happen in the real world. IMO.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Here's the main thing that I think could break the case open: why did JJ head to Peru, 60 miles north of Bloomington? That's the one thing that has always puzzled me about this case.

Even if i were to ignore everything else, I simply can't imagine any scenario leading to him to decide to drive up there.

Only JJ could have told why he left the campus the morning he "disappeared", and why he didn't see his professor. Only JJ could have explained why he went to the dispensary and turned off his phone and didn't go to class. His "out of character" or unexplained actions started with him that morning and there is a complete lack of evidence that anyone
else was in the car with him or that anything criminal happened in the car. His driving to Peru is a continuum of actions only he could have explained. It is not believed that he drove directly to the location the car was found. There are many missing hours before the car pulled into that spot, he well may have been driving for hours looking for a place to conceal the car. Ditching your phone and hiding your car (with the plate taken off) are the 2 best ways of preventing anyone from finding out where you are, not to mention changing your clothes after knowing you were on camera at the dispensary.
It would take too long to go into it, but I think his driving habits/records are an indication that some things were amiss in his life.

 

[Silver Spring]

I'm in a Facebook group with his mother and one of the members posted these FOIA'd Redbird Care Team reports that were submitted by faculty after he missed his meeting and classes. Note it reads "he has been late to meetings and is out of compliance on requirements to start his work in our clinic". He didn't have the TB test done. She was furious and said the reports were false without explaining why faculty would lie. In her latest interviews, she says police told her Jelani deleted things from his phone and turned off his locations as he was sitting in the dispensary parking lot for 5-6 minutes before turning it off. She refuses to believe it. Then his phone is tossed and found on the side of the interstate in Bloomington. If Jelani took these steps to conceal what he was doing, who's to say he didn't drive 60 miles north to Peru, hide his car, and take off his plates to further conceal what he was going to do.

Edited to correct

 

[Seattle1]

Thanks for update on information from the University and how they came to report JD missing. I think it supports JD was experiencing an episode unfamiliar to his family, and he would never hurt them intentionally. He was under a lot of pressure whether it was self-imposed or other. May he rest in peace and his family comforted.

I think it's impossible for CBD to think of her son not in his right state of mind and therefore it prevents her from seeing why the acts are not logical. Similar to the Redbird Care Team data, I also wish his friends would be allowed to speak publicly and share some insight on changes in JD behavior leading up to Aug 2021. MOO

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

it’s not remotely close to the river;

It is a relatively short walk, flat, on sidewalks, about a mile and a half.

Whoever attempted to hide Jelani’s car

There is no evidence, DNA/prints, in the car that belongs to anyone except JJ. No blood, no torn clothing, nothing to indicate a robbery/fight/struggle etc.

unless you were lost;

Driving around for hours in an unfamiliar area could certainly lead to finding a place to hide the car, it happened, so he did find it. Parking it close to the river would have resulted in a river search right away. Not unusual for victims of self-harm to thwart efforts to find them. I think he realized he would promptly be reported as missing.

Hell, an unrecognized black man walking through town would have gotten some neighbors’ attention.

A person did see a male matching his description toss something, it turned out to be his wallet, as he walked down the street, towards the river. Obviously, they were not alarmed and did not call 911. In another incident, which turned out not to be related, a young black male was filmed knocking on a door near Canal St. He was unknown at the time and no one called 911. Using Google, I have "driven" up and down many streets in Peru, just after this was in the news. It seems there are very quiet residential streets in this area, there aren't even a lot of cars parked in the streets.

aproving a case while local PDs fail to take the case seriously

I know you didn't imply that the PD failed to take the case seriously but I would like to point out that few cases have large rewards, multi-agency involvement, and forensics done on a car and phone, warrants for videos, etc, without clear evidence of a crime.
Not to mention the press coverage.
I belong to family support groups for those of us who have lost loved ones to suicide, some have appeared to be just as unexplainable, just as mysterious, with some family members just as insistent that there had to have been foul play. There were no search parties, no extensive investigations.
I feel sorry for families that can't accept this, it really doesn't honor the victims when you refuse to see what they must have been going through to do this.

 

[Seattle1]

The human brain is a very complex organ. When I read Dr Mohandlie's testimony about how cannabis may have affected this woman to lose touch with reality and trigger voices in her head, I thought of two young men here with unexplained deaths -- Jelani Day and missing/presumed deceased Jason Landry. I hope their families can enjoy a bit of peace this holiday season.

California woman who stabbed boyfriend is 'mentally well' girl

Testimony seen exclusively by DailyMail.com reveals that Bryn Spejcher was a 'mentally well' girl who had never been high, and '100 percent' suffered cannabis-induced psychosis

www.dailymail.co.uk

12/5/23

That fateful night her brain was completely overtaken by extreme psychosis — induced by potent marijuana that had been supplied by her boyfriend, he said.

In testimony from Spejcher herself, the healthcare professional said she'd smoked weed only a few times before, and had 'never been high'.

Her attack was launched because she had 'lost touch with reality', as the cannabis had triggered 'voices in her head'.

Dr Mohandie warned people with 'no prior history of violence can consume cannabis, even during one session, and then proceed to commit acts of physical violence to themselves and to others'.

 

[80sbangs]

It is a relatively short walk, flat, on sidewalks, about a mile and a half.

There is no evidence, DNA/prints, in the car that belongs to anyone except JJ. No blood, no torn clothing, nothing to indicate a robbery/fight/struggle etc.

Driving around for hours in an unfamiliar area could certainly lead to finding a place to hide the car, it happened, so he did find it. Parking it close to the river would have resulted in a river search right away. Not unusual for victims of self-harm to thwart efforts to find them. I think he realized he would promptly be reported as missing.

A person did see a male matching his description toss something, it turned out to be his wallet, as he walked down the street, towards the river. Obviously, they were not alarmed and did not call 911. In another incident, which turned out not to be related, a young black male was filmed knocking on a door near Canal St. He was unknown at the time and no one called 911. Using Google, I have "driven" up and down many streets in Peru, just after this was in the news. It seems there are very quiet residential streets in this area, there aren't even a lot of cars parked in the streets.

I know you didn't imply that the PD failed to take the case seriously but I would like to point out that few cases have large rewards, multi-agency involvement, and forensics done on a car and phone, warrants for videos, etc, without clear evidence of a crime.
Not to mention the press coverage.
I belong to family support groups for those of us who have lost loved ones to suicide, some have appeared to be just as unexplainable, just as mysterious, with some family members just as insistent that there had to have been foul play. There were no search parties, no extensive investigations.
I feel sorry for families that can't accept this, it really doesn't honor the victims when you refuse to see what they must have been going through to do this.

It is not a short walk. There is no direct route (walking or driving) between the river and the car dump. The river is well below much of both LaSalle & Peru, with primarily industrial businesses, railroad tracks, and a water treatment plant down at river’s level. The hill up from the river is the biggest hill in town and is therefore popular with joggers. Many streets in Peru do not have sidewalks. The car was dumped at the base of hills on three sides off a road that does not provide access to anything but residential neighborhoods. I’m not sure why you would want to dispute this, but these are all facts. If you just dumped a dead body in a river, the last thing you’re going to do is drive aimlessly through town in the body’s car in hopes of finding a good hiding spot smack dab in the middle of two townships, which also happens to be directly across from a Peru PD officer’s house. Further, the river was accessed by whoever dumped the body on its south bank, not the north bank, as is evidenced by where his clothes were located.

 

[branmuffin]

Reviewing this case again, my opinion of what happened to Jelani hasn't changed either. All the events leading up to his death are classic markers of someone who was caught in a spiral of being held up to a standard he was unable to attain. All of the things attributed to Jelani; his being a donor for his father, his desire to be a student of speech pathology, his enthusiasm for his supposed dream job are all via the lips of his mother. I feel he was an agreeable child who was coddled by his mother because he was the 3rd of three sons, 'the life and energy of the family', he made a Purity vow, that he would marry a 'chocolate woman and have six children' sound like a trajectory that was assigned to him rather than allowing him to make his own life choices. I also believe that the quid pro quo for Jelani was to negotiate money with his mother to balance all the things he wanted by using his family as an ATM machine. Sometimes it's easier to go with the flow because it was the lesser of two evils.

I don't know when his father was diagnosed with cancer but everyone in the family just assumed because he was a bone marrow match to his dad, he'd automatically go through with the donation. It doesn't sound like Jelani had a voice in his family as to what his future would be. Or if he did say anything it was to parrot what the plan for him was. Being a speech therapist, marrying a black girl and having six kids, being a donor for his dad, etc sounds like a child who learned that it was a pointless exercise to counter the future that was planned for him; just acquiesce and nod and do his own thing. Jelani was ignoring the requirements for a bone marrow donation, he was cutting classes, he hadn't made any arrangements for his clinic assignments or meeting his clients, he was smoking a lot of weed knowing that it would render him inadmissible for donor status.

Everything we hear about Jelani is from his mother: his past, his future, his dreams, even his death. If information doesn't fit the established narrative it is discarded, if LE doesn't conform to the narrative the mother desperately needs to give herself peace, they are dismissed as covering up a crime.

Imagine if Jelani was nothing how his mother described him. What if he was attracted to a white girl? What if he didn't want any kids? What if he was gay? What if he wasted all his parents money on an education for a career he had no interest in? What if, when LE finally get into his phone, there's stuff on there that no one in his family want publicized? What if he purposely did drugs knowing it would eliminate him as a donor? What if the pressure of being the man his mother wanted him to be, was a bridge too far? The last day his movements were tracked he basically discarded connections that would render him a new person. A new person but one who wouldn't fit the image ascribed to him. IMO

 

[Charlot123]

Reviewing this case again, my opinion of what happened to Jelani hasn't changed either. All the events leading up to his death are classic markers of someone who was caught in a spiral of being held up to a standard he was unable to attain. All of the things attributed to Jelani; his being a donor for his father, his desire to be a student of speech pathology, his enthusiasm for his supposed dream job are all via the lips of his mother. I feel he was an agreeable child who was coddled by his mother because he was the 3rd of three sons, 'the life and energy of the family', he made a Purity vow, that he would marry a 'chocolate woman and have six children' sound like a trajectory that was assigned to him rather than allowing him to make his own life choices. I also believe that the quid pro quo for Jelani was to negotiate money with his mother to balance all the things he wanted by using his family as an ATM machine. Sometimes it's easier to go with the flow because it was the lesser of two evils.

I don't know when his father was diagnosed with cancer but everyone in the family just assumed because he was a bone marrow match to his dad, he'd automatically go through with the donation. It doesn't sound like Jelani had a voice in his family as to what his future would be. Or if he did say anything it was to parrot what the plan for him was. Being a speech therapist, marrying a black girl and having six kids, being a donor for his dad, etc sounds like a child who learned that it was a pointless exercise to counter the future that was planned for him; just acquiesce and nod and do his own thing. Jelani was ignoring the requirements for a bone marrow donation, he was cutting classes, he hadn't made any arrangements for his clinic assignments or meeting his clients, he was smoking a lot of weed knowing that it would render him inadmissible for donor status.

Everything we hear about Jelani is from his mother: his past, his future, his dreams, even his death. If information doesn't fit the established narrative it is discarded, if LE doesn't conform to the narrative the mother desperately needs to give herself peace, they are dismissed as covering up a crime.

Imagine if Jelani was nothing how his mother described him. What if he was attracted to a white girl? What if he didn't want any kids? What if he was gay? What if he wasted all his parents money on an education for a career he had no interest in? What if, when LE finally get into his phone, there's stuff on there that no one in his family want publicized? What if he purposely did drugs knowing it would eliminate him as a donor? What if the pressure of being the man his mother wanted him to be, was a bridge too far? The last day his movements were tracked he basically discarded connections that would render him a new person. A new person but one who wouldn't fit the image ascribed to him. IMO

I see it all the times. Kids getting depressed because all these years in school, they were promised, “just do well, just get into a good college and life is going to be so good.” Well, they get into good colleges and realize that’s not going to be easier, that now, of all things, they have to compete with kids as smart, or even smarter, than they are, plus, taught the same, to put all 100% and then some, into studies. In the meantime, socializing might be a problem (no one paid attention to it in school), organizing schoolwork might be a problem (maybe parents helped at school? and now they are on their own) and all in all, things become hard.

I believe that primarily, it is about schoolwork. The rest, surprisingly, parents can accept nowadays. With time, with screeching, but hearing “not under my roof” is less common these days. But “graduate and get a good job” is a must. This is hard. IMHO, it is the biggest stressor. To add to it, to my shock, no neurocognitive test can pick up such factors like executive dysfunction, or auditory processing disorder, or pragmatic communication issues. Why some people who should be in top 2% academically function at 30% of their capacity? I don’t know, but not everything is predictive of the best future.

So, why kids get hooked on drugs? Hard to see the reality when sober, I think.

I think Jelani’s parents were like other loving parents. In a way, we are all in the same boat, But I think that we are lucky when our kids start rebelling and refuse to attend high school. When they manage but break later, alone and in colleges, it might be much sadder.

Just some food for thought

Here is the sad story of the life of the smartest man ever, as they say. I am always thinking, what the heck was his father, a psychiatrist, expecting when he first tried to enroll his kid into Harvard at 9?

William James Sidis - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

P.S. I think that Sidis failed not because of his obvious oddities; many scientists have them. He formulated it himself, “I want nothing but a perfect life”. His parents expected nothing but being perfect from him. This leads to inability to lower the bar, to say, “stop, it is perfect enough already.” And then people get tired.

 

[StacyMarie83]

It is not a short walk. There is no direct route (walking or driving) between the river and the car dump. The river is well below much of both LaSalle & Peru, with primarily industrial businesses, railroad tracks, and a water treatment plant down at river’s level. The hill up from the river is the biggest hill in town and is therefore popular with joggers. Many streets in Peru do not have sidewalks. The car was dumped at the base of hills on three sides off a road that does not provide access to anything but residential neighborhoods. I’m not sure why you would want to dispute this, but these are all facts. If you just dumped a dead body in a river, the last thing you’re going to do is drive aimlessly through town in the body’s car in hopes of finding a good hiding spot smack dab in the middle of two townships, which also happens to be directly across from a Peru PD officer’s house. Further, the river was accessed by whoever dumped the body on its south bank, not the north bank, as is evidenced by where his clothes were located.

I've stated in earlier posts, this is where I live and no one is making that walk to harm themselves. The towns blend together - the highschool is named LaSalle-Peru H.S. because it falls on both...which is very close to the car dump. It's a very specific area --- and sure--- coincidences happen, but in no way do I believe he just so happen to stumble across this tiny little piece of land, ditch his car, and walk all the way back to the south side of the river. There's actually much closer places he could have gone to jump, swim, etc....plus, he didn't know the area.

I honestly thought they'd find a tie back to this area, Bloomington isn't that far for people from this area to go - college/mall/etc...but vice-versa is a different story. From his hometown and Bloomington, we aren't a bleep on the map - it bothers me so much.

 

[Seattle1]

I've stated in earlier posts, this is where I live and no one is making that walk to harm themselves. The towns blend together - the highschool is named LaSalle-Peru H.S. because it falls on both...which is very close to the car dump. It's a very specific area --- and sure--- coincidences happen, but in no way do I believe he just so happen to stumble across this tiny little piece of land, ditch his car, and walk all the way back to the south side of the river. There's actually much closer places he could have gone to jump, swim, etc....plus, he didn't know the area.

I honestly thought they'd find a tie back to this area, Bloomington isn't that far for people from this area to go - college/mall/etc...but vice-versa is a different story. From his hometown and Bloomington, we aren't a bleep on the map - it bothers me so much.

Thanks for your local input @StacyMarie83. Isn't there a YMCA yards south of the wooded area where JJ's abandoned vehicle was located? From earlier discussion, the Y car park and grounds are known as a safe location for University students to meet up for various reasons.

ETA: found MSM confirming YMCA location

Police in Illinois seek information on ISU grad student missing nearly a week

The 25-year-old’s white 2010 Chrysler 300 was found in a wooded area of Peru, Illinois, last Thursday.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Silver Spring]

It is not a short walk. There is no direct route (walking or driving) between the river and the car dump. The river is well below much of both LaSalle & Peru, with primarily industrial businesses, railroad tracks, and a water treatment plant down at river’s level. The hill up from the river is the biggest hill in town and is therefore popular with joggers. Many streets in Peru do not have sidewalks. The car was dumped at the base of hills on three sides off a road that does not provide access to anything but residential neighborhoods. I’m not sure why you would want to dispute this, but these are all facts. If you just dumped a dead body in a river, the last thing you’re going to do is drive aimlessly through town in the body’s car in hopes of finding a good hiding spot smack dab in the middle of two townships, which also happens to be directly across from a Peru PD officer’s house. Further, the river was accessed by whoever dumped the body on its south bank, not the north bank, as is evidenced by where his clothes were located.

It is approximately 2.3 miles from where his car was dumped behind the YMCA (off 12th street) to where his clothing and shoes were found under the IL-351 bridge on the north side. This is presumably where he entered the water. The map shows a fairly direct route to the river, both walking and driving. His wallet was found in La Salle a few blocks in a straight line, east of the car, which would be 9th Street (12th street turns into 9th street). His body was found 1/4 mile east of the IL- 251 bridge on the south side. I'm not sure what you mean by your last statement. I don't believe his body was dumped in the location it was found. Drowned bodies tend to float downstream with the current.

 

[branmuffin]

I've stated in earlier posts, this is where I live and no one is making that walk to harm themselves. The towns blend together - the highschool is named LaSalle-Peru H.S. because it falls on both...which is very close to the car dump. It's a very specific area --- and sure--- coincidences happen, but in no way do I believe he just so happen to stumble across this tiny little piece of land, ditch his car, and walk all the way back to the south side of the river. There's actually much closer places he could have gone to jump, swim, etc....plus, he didn't know the area.

I honestly thought they'd find a tie back to this area, Bloomington isn't that far for people from this area to go - college/mall/etc...but vice-versa is a different story. From his hometown and Bloomington, we aren't a bleep on the map - it bothers me so much.

We don't know that he didn't know the area. That information comes from his mother and AFAIK she didn't know everything about her son. We have no idea whether he regularly went to Peru. It could be when his vehicle was found it was the last time he drove to Peru.

 

[Silver Spring]

I've stated in earlier posts, this is where I live and no one is making that walk to harm themselves. The towns blend together - the highschool is named LaSalle-Peru H.S. because it falls on both...which is very close to the car dump. It's a very specific area --- and sure--- coincidences happen, but in no way do I believe he just so happen to stumble across this tiny little piece of land, ditch his car, and walk all the way back to the south side of the river. There's actually much closer places he could have gone to jump, swim, etc....plus, he didn't know the area.

I honestly thought they'd find a tie back to this area, Bloomington isn't that far for people from this area to go - college/mall/etc...but vice-versa is a different story. From his hometown and Bloomington, we aren't a bleep on the map - it bothers me so much.

The YMCA could have been a place he specifically sought out. One of his brother's works at the YMCA in Danville, IL. Also, in an interview with his mother and another brother, they both said the YMCA was a place he would go to work out and swim with his dad.