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

[SolR1]

Why would the guy who found it lie about where he found it?
He took it to Walmart and had to ID himself with legal ID in order to turn it in and get some $$ for it.
The police were able to locate him to question him.

I posted why, but it's a rumor, so I guess we'll have to wait to see if it comes out in the news before further discussing.

 

[rainyday412]

I posted why, but it's a rumor, so I guess we'll have to wait to see if it comes out in the news before further discussing.

Considering there are rumors about the teacher being involved, the students, the bored white girls, the dispensary security guys, etc…I am not surprised there is a rumor about this guy as well.

 

[WrinkleInCrime]

^^rsbbm

I think the best way to counter repeated misinformation about this case is for us to continue posting only fact-based data here while looking closely for any clues of vulnerability that could have led to Jelani finding himself in danger on August 24, without the ability to summon help (i.e., after appearing at the student center, JD seemingly abandoned his meeting and class schedule, drove to a cannabis dispensary, and was never again seen alive).

FOUL PLAY?

In reasons why Jelani's death is believed to be a homicide, the family cites, for one, the recovery location of his vehicle and body: CBD is adamant that Jelani had never been to Peru in his life and no earthly reason why he would travel there!

However, given the evidence below of a few of Jelani's trips, it seems to me that with or without CBD's knowledge, Jelani was a very mobile adult.

By all accounts, there appear to be no obstacles that would have prevented Jelani from easily driving himself 60 miles direct to Peru on August 24.

From Peru's Wikipedia, located on the Illinois River, Peru lies 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the intersection of two major interstate highways: Interstate 39 and Interstate 80.

Because the demographics of Peru seem to be an important factor to his family, I'm including them for comparison to other towns that we know Jelani safely visited (i.e., without ending up drowned in the river).

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,835 people, 4,143 households, and 2,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,655.5 people per square mile (639.3/km2). There were 4,413 housing units at an average density of 742.8 per square mile (286.8/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 96.47% White, 0.32% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

ROAD TRIPS

From earlier public record searches and WS posts, we learned that Jelani had a very poor driving record, and was cited in at least two Indiana counties, as well as towns throughout his home state, IL.

That said, I think it's fair to ask why Jelani might drive to Newton or Knox Counties of Indiana, or Livingston County, IL (each where Jelani appeared in Court), yet allegedly never drive to Peru?

CBD's insistence on NO Peru is a red flag for me.

If asked about the towns below, would the reaction be the same-- rejected as towns Jelani would never travel to?

To be consistent, I'm using Bloomington, Jelani's last town of residence, to calculate the mileage of a few of Jelani's known trips, in comparison to Peru,
at 60 miles from Bloomington via I-39N.

PERU vs KENTLAND, IN?

For the first example, I offer Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Kentland, IN (Newton County), which is about 100 miles via US 24-E.

From Wiki, as of the census of 2000, there were 1,822 people, 733 households, and 477 families living in the town. The population density was 1,250.5 people per square mile (481.8/km2). There were 793 housing units at an average density of 544.3 per square mile (209.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the town was 98.30% White, 0.11% African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.82% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population.

PERU vs VINCENNES?

Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Vincennes, IN (Knox County) is about 182 miles via I-74 and IL 1-S.

Vincennes is located on the banks of the Wabash River at the western edge of Knox County; this is also the western edge of the state of Indiana, and Illinois is across the river to the west.

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,701 people, 7,614 households, and 4,332 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,620.3 people per square mile (1,011.3/km2). There were 8,574 housing units at an average density of 1,201.4 per square mile (463.6/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 94.34% White, 3.28% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.

PERU vs PONTIAC?

The last example is Jelani driving Bloomington, IL to Pontiac, IL (Livingston County) which is about 38 miles via I-55N.

The significance of this location is that Jelani received his last citation here (Driving 20-25 MPH Above Limit) on August 20, four days before he went missing. He had a scheduled court appearance for this violation on Sept 22.

From the ISU class calendar, we also know that the first day of class for the fall session started on August 17. While Pontiac is only about 38 miles away from ISU, I seem to recall that Jelani also drove home to see his mother in Danville which is in the complete opposite direction of Pontiac. (Danville is about 83 miles southeast of Bloomington (via I-74)). I suppose this driving around would explain reports that Jelani had also missed classes prior to 8/24.

Again, all questions relative to why Jelani would never go to Peru on his own, why did he go to Pontiac on 8/20? Just one more timeline question that remains unanswered.

Per Wiki: Pontiac lies on the Vermilion River. On December 4, 1982, Pontiac had the worst flood in the town's history, cresting at 19.16 feet. The most recent flooding occurred on January 9, 2008, cresting at 18.85 feet, the second worst in the town history.

The Illinois Department of Corrections Pontiac Correctional Center is located in Pontiac. Pontiac housed the male death row when it was still legal. Prior to the January 11, 2003 commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Pontiac, Menard, and Tamms correctional centers. Governor Rod Blagojevich threatened to close down this prison in 2008. The community rose up and protested the closing for many different reasons and it was averted.

As of the census[34] of 2000, there were 11,864 people, 4,139 households, and 2,619 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,263.0 people per square mile (874.2/km2). There were 4,379 housing units at an average density of 835.3 per square mile (322.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 85.39% White, 10.90% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 2.06% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.

In conclusion, I see no credible evidence to support that Jelani had never or would never travel to Peru on his own, or that simply driving to Peru versus any of the other towns outlined above, supports that Jelani was the victim of homicide. MOO
___________
Peru, Illinois - Wikipedia
Kentland, Indiana - Wikipedia
Vincennes, Indiana - Wikipedia
Pontiac, Illinois - Wikipedia
https://provost.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/Academic-Calendar-2018-2028.pdf
Missing Person: Jelani Day

 

[WrinkleInCrime]

For the instances you're using as a comparison, do we know that the circumstances are the same? As in, were each of those instances Jelani driving alone to a place where he has no known family/friends? I feel the comparison would only work if the circumstances are the same.

 

[LotusPawprint]

Considering there are rumors about the teacher being involved, the students, the bored white girls, the dispensary security guys, etc…I am not surprised there is a rumor about this guy as well.

I'm sure it's really helping the investigation when every person who finds Jelani's belongings or had contact with him that day becomes a target of online ((or in real life) harassment and abuse... Now LE has to look into any threats and devote resources to keep witnesses safe... Great way to inhibit any other witnesses AND tie up LE.

 

[rainyday412]

^^rsbbm

I think the best way to counter repeated misinformation about this case is for us to continue posting only fact-based data here while looking closely for any clues of vulnerability that could have led to Jelani finding himself in danger on August 24, without the ability to summon help (i.e., after appearing at the student center, JD seemingly abandoned his meeting and class schedule, drove to a cannabis dispensary, and was never again seen alive).

FOUL PLAY?

In reasons why Jelani's death is believed to be a homicide, the family cites, for one, the recovery location of his vehicle and body: CBD is adamant that Jelani had never been to Peru in his life and no earthly reason why he would travel there!

However, given the evidence below of a few of Jelani's trips, it seems to me that with or without CBD's knowledge, Jelani was a very mobile adult.

By all accounts, there appear to be no obstacles that would have prevented Jelani from easily driving himself 60 miles direct to Peru on August 24.

From Peru's Wikipedia, located on the Illinois River, Peru lies 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the intersection of two major interstate highways: Interstate 39 and Interstate 80.

Because the demographics of Peru seem to be an important factor to his family, I'm including them for comparison to other towns that we know Jelani safely visited (i.e., without ending up drowned in the river).

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,835 people, 4,143 households, and 2,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,655.5 people per square mile (639.3/km2). There were 4,413 housing units at an average density of 742.8 per square mile (286.8/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 96.47% White, 0.32% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

ROAD TRIPS

From earlier public record searches and WS posts, we learned that Jelani had a very poor driving record, and was cited in at least two Indiana counties, as well as towns throughout his home state, IL.

That said, I think it's fair to ask why Jelani might drive to Newton or Knox Counties of Indiana, or Livingston County, IL (each where Jelani appeared in Court), yet allegedly never drive to Peru?

CBD's insistence on NO Peru is a red flag for me.

If asked about the towns below, would the reaction be the same-- rejected as towns Jelani would never travel to?

To be consistent, I'm using Bloomington, Jelani's last town of residence, to calculate the mileage of a few of Jelani's known trips, in comparison to Peru,
at 60 miles from Bloomington via I-39N.

PERU vs KENTLAND, IN?

For the first example, I offer Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Kentland, IN (Newton County), which is about 100 miles via US 24-E.

From Wiki, as of the census of 2000, there were 1,822 people, 733 households, and 477 families living in the town. The population density was 1,250.5 people per square mile (481.8/km2). There were 793 housing units at an average density of 544.3 per square mile (209.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the town was 98.30% White, 0.11% African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.82% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population.

PERU vs VINCENNES?

Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Vincennes, IN (Knox County) is about 182 miles via I-74 and IL 1-S.

Vincennes is located on the banks of the Wabash River at the western edge of Knox County; this is also the western edge of the state of Indiana, and Illinois is across the river to the west.

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,701 people, 7,614 households, and 4,332 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,620.3 people per square mile (1,011.3/km2). There were 8,574 housing units at an average density of 1,201.4 per square mile (463.6/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 94.34% White, 3.28% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.

PERU vs PONTIAC?

The last example is Jelani driving Bloomington, IL to Pontiac, IL (Livingston County) which is about 38 miles via I-55N.

The significance of this location is that Jelani received his last citation here (Driving 20-25 MPH Above Limit) on August 20, four days before he went missing. He had a scheduled court appearance for this violation on Sept 22.

From the ISU class calendar, we also know that the first day of class for the fall session started on August 17. While Pontiac is only about 38 miles away from ISU, I seem to recall that Jelani also drove home to see his mother in Danville which is in the complete opposite direction of Pontiac. (Danville is about 83 miles southeast of Bloomington (via I-74)). I suppose this driving around would explain reports that Jelani had also missed classes prior to 8/24.

Again, all questions relative to why Jelani would never go to Peru on his own, why did he go to Pontiac on 8/20? Just one more timeline question that remains unanswered.

Per Wiki: Pontiac lies on the Vermilion River. On December 4, 1982, Pontiac had the worst flood in the town's history, cresting at 19.16 feet. The most recent flooding occurred on January 9, 2008, cresting at 18.85 feet, the second worst in the town history.

The Illinois Department of Corrections Pontiac Correctional Center is located in Pontiac. Pontiac housed the male death row when it was still legal. Prior to the January 11, 2003 commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Pontiac, Menard, and Tamms correctional centers. Governor Rod Blagojevich threatened to close down this prison in 2008. The community rose up and protested the closing for many different reasons and it was averted.

As of the census[34] of 2000, there were 11,864 people, 4,139 households, and 2,619 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,263.0 people per square mile (874.2/km2). There were 4,379 housing units at an average density of 835.3 per square mile (322.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 85.39% White, 10.90% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 2.06% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.

In conclusion, I see no credible evidence to support that Jelani had never or would never travel to Peru on his own, or that simply driving to Peru versus any of the other towns outlined above, supports that Jelani was the victim of homicide. MOO
___________
Peru, Illinois - Wikipedia
Kentland, Indiana - Wikipedia
Vincennes, Indiana - Wikipedia
Pontiac, Illinois - Wikipedia
https://provost.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/Academic-Calendar-2018-2028.pdf
Missing Person: Jelani Day

Good point about Pontiac being in Livingston County. I didn’t realize there was a prison there. I looked up his ticket again, and the arresting officer is one that is a state trooper…in the Pontiac region. It doesnt say where his ticket was, but I think we can assume based on the officer that it was on a highway near Pontiac. It would be good to know why he was there 4 days before he went missing.

 

[Seattle1]

Oh, I'm not speculating the worker smashed it. I think he totally found it, wherever he found it, already smashed. I'm just speculating it may not have actually been found roadside. Which means Jelani may not have tossed it enroute to suicide.

However it was found, I'm just interested to find out what's inside.

Jelani's disappearance on 8/24 and resultant death was suspicious and rightfully remain under investigation.

La Salle County Coroner ruled Jelani's cause of death as drowning with no evidence of trauma before his death. Authorities still have not released the manner of death.

The cause and manner of death are each critical milestones in any unnatural death investigation, and until we learn otherwise, the investigation remains open.

This has never been deemed a criminal investigation, but suspicious, from the beginning. While authorities reportedly have not uncovered evidence of foul play, they've not concluded there was no foul play.

Reportedly, authorities continue reviewing hundreds of hours of video where I think it's very much possible their efforts could reveal information causing the investigation to take a different course. More recently, CBD announced that Jelani's phone was located, and in police possession.

At this time, I believe authorities are not only working to authenticate the phone but also focusing their eyes on video from the area the phone was allegedly recovered. I'm especially hopeful that locating Jelani's phone might provide access to critical information for this case!

More importantly, I don't think we want to lose sight that WS is a facts-based forum, and also a supporter of law enforcement and its formal investigation practices to provide and support the appropriate manner of death whether pending, accidental, homicide, or suicide.

That said, personally, I'm offended by OP's qualifiers of "suicide camp" and/or Jelani "en route to suicide."

Whether the death of one remarkable, 25-year-old man determined suicide, homicide, or accidental, each still means he was a victim, and his death too soon.
MOO

 

[rainyday412]

Out of curiosity, I searched the inmate records at Pontiac. I could only search by last name. I looked up the last name Day to see if perhaps jelani had an immediate relative incarcerated. There are over 20 Prisoners with the last name Day. They were all arrested in counties outside of Vermillion though.

 

[Seattle1]

For the instances you're using as a comparison, do we know that the circumstances are the same? As in, were each of those instances Jelani driving alone to a place where he has no known family/friends? I feel the comparison would only work if the circumstances are the same.

Respectfully, I don't think we know for a fact that Jelani had no friends or family in Peru, or if he traveled there alone, or in the company of others on 8/24, or even if he'd ever traveled there before 8/24. IMO, all we know for certain is that Peru is about 60 miles from where Jelani was last seen alive in Bloomington and that both his body and vehicle were recovered there.

Just the same, we don't know for fact how often, alone, or accompanied, Jelani drove to Newton and Knox Counties, IN, and Livingston, County, IL. We also don't know for fact if he had friends or family in these locations or his purpose for traveling to each. IMO, all we know for certain is that Jelani traveled at least once to each of these locations, safely, (i.e, without drowning), and their distance from Bloomington.

By Wiki, an independent source, we're also provided with some similarities to Peru where I think all but Kentland had accessible river crossings, and all but Pontiac shared similar racial make-ups.

For my purpose of testing why the family would conclude that Jelani was murdered, without citing any credible evidence other than because his property and body recovered in Peru, strongly hinting at the racial make-up, versus any other location on the map, I believe the sampling, granted not ideal, but appropriate.

It's very difficult when you are working a case where an assessment Profile for the victim does not exist. It's very odd. Doing the best we can with what we have. MOO

 

[SolR1]

I'm sure it's really helping the investigation when every person who finds Jelani's belongings or had contact with him that day becomes a target of online ((or in real life) harassment and abuse... Now LE has to look into any threats and devote resources to keep witnesses safe... Great way to inhibit any other witnesses AND tie up LE.

I'm betting LE will be just fine. Kinda par for the course when it's national news. Imagine how many tips must have come in for Gabby P.

 

[SolR1]

Jelani's disappearance on 8/24 and resultant death was suspicious and rightfully remain under investigation.

La Salle County Coroner ruled Jelani's cause of death as drowning with no evidence of trauma before his death. Authorities still have not released the manner of death.

The cause and manner of death are each critical milestones in any unnatural death investigation, and until we learn otherwise, the investigation remains open.

This has never been deemed a criminal investigation, but suspicious, from the beginning. While authorities reportedly have not uncovered evidence of foul play, they've not concluded there was no foul play.

Reportedly, authorities continue reviewing hundreds of hours of video where I think it's very much possible their efforts could reveal information causing the investigation to take a different course. More recently, CBD announced that Jelani's phone was located, and in police possession.

At this time, I believe authorities are not only working to authenticate the phone but also focusing their eyes on video from the area the phone was allegedly recovered. I'm especially hopeful that locating Jelani's phone might provide access to critical information for this case!

More importantly, I don't think we want to lose sight that WS is a facts-based forum, and also a supporter of law enforcement and its formal investigation practices to provide and support the appropriate manner of death whether pending, accidental, homicide, or suicide.

That said, personally, I'm offended by OP's qualifiers of "suicide camp" and/or Jelani "en route to suicide."

Whether the death of one remarkable, 25-year-old man determined suicide, homicide, or accidental, each still means he was a victim, and his death too soon.
MOO

I completely agree. Although, since there are few released facts, we're all mostly speculating, at this point. And I think one can respectfully disagree with how an investigation is being handled without being disrespectful to law enforcement.

 

[Seattle1]

Out of curiosity, I searched the inmate records at Pontiac. I could only search by last name. I looked up the last name Day to see if perhaps jelani had an immediate relative incarcerated. There are over 20 Prisoners with the last name Day. They were all arrested in counties outside of Vermillion though.

I did the same!

When I learned about the Prison and no other knowledge for the basis for his travel to Pontiac, I also wondered if perhaps he wanted to visit an inmate. Also checked the roster of expelled frat members. (My brother's best childhood mate was sentenced to prison for vehicular manslaughter. It was the Gulf War, the largest use of British Troops in a single deployment since the Second World War, and sadly, he was one of the statistics, addicted to opioids, supplemented with alcohol when no means for pills. He was actually clean when he crashed but the rage was there. Their bond was tight, and I'll never forget when he arrived with an escort at my brother's funeral).

I hope the phone turns out to be legit and it provides access to more information of the summer and weeks leading to his death. While I think the info will be of significant value to investigators, I'm afraid it will be rejected if it doesn't name a killer. Also, afraid ISU will never reveal if Jelani acted to drop classes or the program. His identity with CBD as Dr. J Day was fixed. That's a lot of pressure.

One more thing-- I noticed the missing person posts showed JD's height at 6'2 but I didn't think he looked to be that tall. Noticed one of his citations showed him at 5'10 and that seems accurate to me. But I could be wrong... a late growth spurt?

MOO

 

[WrinkleInCrime]

Respectfully, I don't think we know for a fact that Jelani had no friends or family in Peru, or if he traveled there alone, or in the company of others on 8/24, or even if he'd ever traveled there before 8/24. IMO, all we know for certain is that Peru is about 60 miles from where Jelani was last seen alive in Bloomington and that both his body and vehicle were recovered there.

Just the same, we don't know for fact how often, alone, or accompanied, Jelani drove to Newton and Knox Counties, IN, and Livingston, County, IL. We also don't know for fact if he had friends or family in these locations or his purpose for traveling to each. IMO, all we know for certain is that Jelani traveled at least once to each of these locations, safely, (i.e, without drowning), and their distance from Bloomington.

By Wiki, an independent source, we're also provided with some similarities to Peru where I think all but Kentland had accessible river crossings, and all but Pontiac shared similar racial make-ups.

For my purpose of testing why the family would conclude that Jelani was murdered, without citing any credible evidence other than because his property and body recovered in Peru, strongly hinting at the racial make-up, versus any other location on the map, I believe the sampling, granted not ideal, but appropriate.

It's very difficult when you are working a case where an assessment Profile for the victim does not exist. It's very odd. Doing the best we can with what we have. MOO

I'm just saying that the fact that he went to those other locations with no known circumstances does not prove that he would travel to Peru without knowing the circumstances of each of those trips.

I do see what you're saying about the racial implications. I'm a lifelong Peru local and I definitely strongly disagree with the notion that anything happened to him here specifically because of his race. And now that we know the phone was found in Bloomington, IF something did happen to him involving foul play, it is more than likely that it occurred in Bloomington.

In my opinion, as a Peru local, I don't think anybody here knew Jelani. This is a small area where everybody knows everybody, everybody is nosy, and everybody gossips. Information like that wouldn't be able to stay hidden here.

Additionally, the family attorney said on a Newsy Interview "Jelani had no connections to Peru. He had never been there. We confirmed that through his prior cell phone records, so as far as we know he has never been there." She does not specify what date the phone records went to that they were checking locations on. That's probably the closest thing to a "fact" in regards to him ever being to Peru. We just don't know the exact dates those records spanned and I guess it's possible he could have traveled without his phone- but I would put that as a very low probability in 2021.

The location his car was found is only known by some locals because there is a trail right where the car was found that is used by high-schoolers as a shortcut to the YMCA. So whoever parked Jelani's car there would have had to have known the area (in my opinion, of course, as well as any other locals I've spoken to about the case). If Jelani had never been to Peru before, I believe there is no way he would randomly find that spot to conceal his own car.

 

[rainyday412]

I'm betting LE will be just fine. Kinda par for the course when it's national news. Imagine how many tips must have come in for Gabby P.

Perhaps tips, but I would hardly compare this to any case with regard to the death threats. This one is unique.

 

[JustCommonSense]

I'm just saying that the fact that he went to those other locations with no known circumstances does not prove that he would travel to Peru without knowing the circumstances of each of those trips.

I do see what you're saying about the racial implications. I'm a lifelong Peru local and I definitely strongly disagree with the notion that anything happened to him here specifically because of his race. And now that we know the phone was found in Bloomington, IF something did happen to him involving foul play, it is more than likely that it occurred in Bloomington.

In my opinion, as a Peru local, I don't think anybody here knew Jelani. This is a small area where everybody knows everybody, everybody is nosy, and everybody gossips. Information like that wouldn't be able to stay hidden here.

Additionally, the family attorney said on a Newsy Interview "Jelani had no connections to Peru. He had never been there. We confirmed that through his prior cell phone records, so as far as we know he has never been there." She does not specify what date the phone records went to that they were checking locations on. That's probably the closest thing to a "fact" in regards to him ever being to Peru. We just don't know the exact dates those records spanned and I guess it's possible he could have traveled without his phone- but I would put that as a very low probability in 2021.

The location his car was found is only known by some locals because there is a trail right where the car was found that is used by high-schoolers as a shortcut to the YMCA. So whoever parked Jelani's car there would have had to have known the area (in my opinion, of course, as well as any other locals I've spoken to about the case). If Jelani had never been to Peru before, I believe there is no way he would randomly find that spot to conceal his own car.

^^rsbbm

I think the best way to counter repeated misinformation about this case is for us to continue posting only fact-based data here while looking closely for any clues of vulnerability that could have led to Jelani finding himself in danger on August 24, without the ability to summon help (i.e., after appearing at the student center, JD seemingly abandoned his meeting and class schedule, drove to a cannabis dispensary, and was never again seen alive).

FOUL PLAY?

In reasons why Jelani's death is believed to be a homicide, the family cites, for one, the recovery location of his vehicle and body: CBD is adamant that Jelani had never been to Peru in his life and no earthly reason why he would travel there!

However, given the evidence below of a few of Jelani's trips, it seems to me that with or without CBD's knowledge, Jelani was a very mobile adult.

By all accounts, there appear to be no obstacles that would have prevented Jelani from easily driving himself 60 miles direct to Peru on August 24.

From Peru's Wikipedia, located on the Illinois River, Peru lies 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the intersection of two major interstate highways: Interstate 39 and Interstate 80.

Because the demographics of Peru seem to be an important factor to his family, I'm including them for comparison to other towns that we know Jelani safely visited (i.e., without ending up drowned in the river).

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,835 people, 4,143 households, and 2,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,655.5 people per square mile (639.3/km2). There were 4,413 housing units at an average density of 742.8 per square mile (286.8/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 96.47% White, 0.32% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

ROAD TRIPS

From earlier public record searches and WS posts, we learned that Jelani had a very poor driving record, and was cited in at least two Indiana counties, as well as towns throughout his home state, IL.

That said, I think it's fair to ask why Jelani might drive to Newton or Knox Counties of Indiana, or Livingston County, IL (each where Jelani appeared in Court), yet allegedly never drive to Peru?

CBD's insistence on NO Peru is a red flag for me.

If asked about the towns below, would the reaction be the same-- rejected as towns Jelani would never travel to?

To be consistent, I'm using Bloomington, Jelani's last town of residence, to calculate the mileage of a few of Jelani's known trips, in comparison to Peru,
at 60 miles from Bloomington via I-39N.

PERU vs KENTLAND, IN?

For the first example, I offer Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Kentland, IN (Newton County), which is about 100 miles via US 24-E.

From Wiki, as of the census of 2000, there were 1,822 people, 733 households, and 477 families living in the town. The population density was 1,250.5 people per square mile (481.8/km2). There were 793 housing units at an average density of 544.3 per square mile (209.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the town was 98.30% White, 0.11% African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.82% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population.

PERU vs VINCENNES?

Jelani driving from Bloomington, IL to Vincennes, IN (Knox County) is about 182 miles via I-74 and IL 1-S.

Vincennes is located on the banks of the Wabash River at the western edge of Knox County; this is also the western edge of the state of Indiana, and Illinois is across the river to the west.

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,701 people, 7,614 households, and 4,332 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,620.3 people per square mile (1,011.3/km2). There were 8,574 housing units at an average density of 1,201.4 per square mile (463.6/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 94.34% White, 3.28% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.

PERU vs PONTIAC?

The last example is Jelani driving Bloomington, IL to Pontiac, IL (Livingston County) which is about 38 miles via I-55N.

The significance of this location is that Jelani received his last citation here (Driving 20-25 MPH Above Limit) on August 20, four days before he went missing. He had a scheduled court appearance for this violation on Sept 22.

From the ISU class calendar, we also know that the first day of class for the fall session started on August 17. While Pontiac is only about 38 miles away from ISU, I seem to recall that Jelani also drove home to see his mother in Danville which is in the complete opposite direction of Pontiac. (Danville is about 83 miles southeast of Bloomington (via I-74)). I suppose this driving around would explain reports that Jelani had also missed classes prior to 8/24.

Again, all questions relative to why Jelani would never go to Peru on his own, why did he go to Pontiac on 8/20? Just one more timeline question that remains unanswered.

Per Wiki: Pontiac lies on the Vermilion River. On December 4, 1982, Pontiac had the worst flood in the town's history, cresting at 19.16 feet. The most recent flooding occurred on January 9, 2008, cresting at 18.85 feet, the second worst in the town history.

The Illinois Department of Corrections Pontiac Correctional Center is located in Pontiac. Pontiac housed the male death row when it was still legal. Prior to the January 11, 2003 commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Pontiac, Menard, and Tamms correctional centers. Governor Rod Blagojevich threatened to close down this prison in 2008. The community rose up and protested the closing for many different reasons and it was averted.

As of the census[34] of 2000, there were 11,864 people, 4,139 households, and 2,619 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,263.0 people per square mile (874.2/km2). There were 4,379 housing units at an average density of 835.3 per square mile (322.7/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 85.39% White, 10.90% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 2.06% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.

In conclusion, I see no credible evidence to support that Jelani had never or would never travel to Peru on his own, or that simply driving to Peru versus any of the other towns outlined above, supports that Jelani was the victim of homicide. MOO
___________
Peru, Illinois - Wikipedia
Kentland, Indiana - Wikipedia
Vincennes, Indiana - Wikipedia
Pontiac, Illinois - Wikipedia
https://provost.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/Academic-Calendar-2018-2028.pdf
Missing Person: Jelani Day

While there is no reason to dispute these facts, the unsupported inference that Jelani was travelling TO these locations renders them moot and just adds to the misinformation. The circumstance of the tickets would make it more likely that Jelani was actually travelling THROUGH/PAST these locations, along with hundreds of other locations. Pontiac is on I-55, which is the direct route from Bloomington to the Chicago area (a common destination for Illinois residents). Given that the state police issued the ticket for 20-25 miles over the speed limit would make it highly likely it was issued on the interstate. State police rarely patrol in local jurisdictions. Jelani had recently moved to Bloomington. However, Kentland, IN is on the route from his hometown of Danville to Chicago and Vincennes, IN is on the route from Danville to Alabama where he completed his undergraduate degree. There is no evidence, that I'm aware of, that supports that Jelani actually made any of these locations a destination. Regardless, outside of direct evidence of a prior Jelani visit to Peru, you could never prove Jelani had/would or hadn't/wouldn't ever travelled/travel to Peru.

 

[BeckyF]

I just ran across this. Can someone offer an opinion on how Pantagraph would have obtained these emails? Read the documents: LaSalle County emails give insight into Jelani Day investigation | Local News | pantagraph.com

ETA: Just read it was from FOIA they were able to obtain.

 

[BeckyF]

Just a few statements of several that stood out to me from this article:

Read the documents: LaSalle County emails give insight into Jelani Day investigation | Local News | pantagraph.com

"I want the Illinois Attorney General; I need the Illinois Department of Justice; I need the FBI because obviously the state police didn’t think it was important for them to take over," Day's mother, Carmen Bolden Day, said to a crowd in Peru last month. "They just wanted to oversee. Now I need more than oversight; I need more than oversight. I need justice for Jelani."

However, in the documents, The Pantagraph found several other agencies have had contact with the case. Among the 20 identified in the county email exchanges are four police departments, four fire departments, four emergency management agencies and three specialized search and rescue agencies, as well as Illinois State Police, two FBI offices and the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Law enforcement officials have said several additional agencies were contacted during the missing person search, extending from Tazewell County to Day’s hometown of Danville.

The FBI’s role has been limited as the agency has thus far declined to take the lead on the investigation. The Pantagraph last week reported the FBI can take the lead on a local investigation only when a federal law is violated or a case crosses state lines.

5 items sent to lab and media interest
According to emails sent between LaSalle County and Bloomington police, five items of evidence from Day’s car have been sent from Bloomington to ISP forensic labs. Those include:

• Steering wheel swab,
• Front driver side interior door handle swab,
• Front passenger side interior door handle swab.
• Blue straw from a Styrofoam cup,
• Partially smoked cigar blunt.

An email between Bloomington detectives indicates ISP labs in Morton, Joliet and Belleville would accept five items from each department involved in the case, but a list of items sent from LaSalle County officials was not found in The Pantagraph’s review of the emails.

 

[rainyday412]

While there is no reason to dispute these facts, the unsupported inference that Jelani was travelling TO these locations renders them moot and just adds to the misinformation. The circumstance of the tickets would make it more likely that Jelani was actually travelling THROUGH/PAST these locations, along with hundreds of other locations. Pontiac is on I-55, which is the direct route from Bloomington to the Chicago area (a common destination for Illinois residents). Given that the state police issued the ticket for 20-25 miles over the speed limit

Just a few statements of several that stood out to me from this article:

Read the documents: LaSalle County emails give insight into Jelani Day investigation | Local News | pantagraph.com

"I want the Illinois Attorney General; I need the Illinois Department of Justice; I need the FBI because obviously the state police didn’t think it was important for them to take over," Day's mother, Carmen Bolden Day, said to a crowd in Peru last month. "They just wanted to oversee. Now I need more than oversight; I need more than oversight. I need justice for Jelani."

However, in the documents, The Pantagraph found several other agencies have had contact with the case. Among the 20 identified in the county email exchanges are four police departments, four fire departments, four emergency management agencies and three specialized search and rescue agencies, as well as Illinois State Police, two FBI offices and the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Law enforcement officials have said several additional agencies were contacted during the missing person search, extending from Tazewell County to Day’s hometown of Danville.

The FBI’s role has been limited as the agency has thus far declined to take the lead on the investigation. The Pantagraph last week reported the FBI can take the lead on a local investigation only when a federal law is violated or a case crosses state lines.

5 items sent to lab and media interest
According to emails sent between LaSalle County and Bloomington police, five items of evidence from Day’s car have been sent from Bloomington to ISP forensic labs. Those include:

• Steering wheel swab,
• Front driver side interior door handle swab,
• Front passenger side interior door handle swab.
• Blue straw from a Styrofoam cup,
• Partially smoked cigar blunt.

An email between Bloomington detectives indicates ISP labs in Morton, Joliet and Belleville would accept five items from each department involved in the case, but a list of items sent from LaSalle County officials was not found in The Pantagraph’s review of the emails.

yes, my thoughts were 1) this case has received a lot of attention from law enforcement, 2) the original lawyer met with CBD and law enforcement to discuss rules on how to talk to the media yet followed none of the rules, 3) 3 labs have tested evidence from the car yet we still aren’t seeing them lean to foul play, 4) the amount of sensational material being circulated is occupying a lot of their time since they have to clear it up

I think CBD has wanted this to become sensational to get attention on the case, however I don’t find that respectful of the life JD lived.

 

[SolR1]

yes, my thoughts were 1) this case has received a lot of attention from law enforcement, 2) the original lawyer met with CBD and law enforcement to discuss rules on how to talk to the media yet followed none of the rules, 3) 3 labs have tested evidence from the car yet we still aren’t seeing them lean to foul play, 4) the amount of sensational material being circulated is occupying a lot of their time since they have to clear it up

I think CBD has wanted this to become sensational to get attention on the case, however I don’t find that respectful of the life JD lived.

I'd be interested to compare the dates of when investigators felt the case "turned into a much bigger issue" and when media began picking up the story. My guess is Carmen involving media had the intended effect.

Also, I may have overlooked it, but when have we heard from LE they were considering MOD a suicide? I've only heard Carmen mention it, and I can't help but wonder if the case turning into a much larger issue meant they had to fully look at other possibilities and not so quickly lean to suicide. Seems to me that's all Carmen has been asking for.

 

[SimplyCass]

Jelani Day - Google My Maps

More updates.
- It was reported that the clothing was found near the river a mile away from the location of JJ's body. I'm presuming that the clothing was a mile EAST, but this is just an assumption.
- Added driving directions from Bone Student Center to Beyond/Hello
- I believe that the Interstate exit where the phone was found is Exit 164 on I-55. It's in Bloomington, on the route to Peru, and there is a Dollar General nearby where CBD was looking at video footage (source)

The area that the young man described the phone found in, was the same area that I originally had searched that exit. I didn't search that area, but the exit that the road leads to get off on that, I was there and I had told the police that that is an area that needs to be looked at, cameras need to be looking at that on that road.

[The area] was in Bloomington. [...] Actually I found a Dollar General in that area that let me sit in that store for four hours to watch their cameras where I believe I saw Jelani's car and I did let the police know that I saw that exit that was on that road and I wondered is this a way that my son's car could have went.