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

[Wallendo]

I suspect that appropriate witnesses have come forward to law enforcement, but have the sense not to speak to the media.

I agree we know very little about the actual person Jelani. Almost all information has come from his mother. No friends, co-students, co-workers or fraternity brothers of which I am aware have come forward.

There are people online making this out to be an episode of "Lovercraft Country" or "The Watchmen", but no actual evidence of that.

Something happened on the morning of his disappearance - between Starbucks and the dispensary - that changed his trajectory in life. I can't imagine someone dressing up to get a cup of coffee and then going home to change clothes prior to going to the dispensary without an important event occurring between the two episodes.

 

[Seattle1]

I suspect that appropriate witnesses have come forward to law enforcement, but have the sense not to speak to the media.

I agree we know very little about the actual person Jelani. Almost all information has come from his mother. No friends, co-students, co-workers or fraternity brothers of which I am aware have come forward.

There are people online making this out to be an episode of "Lovercraft Country" or "The Watchmen", but no actual evidence of that.

Something happened on the morning of his disappearance - between Starbucks and the dispensary - that changed his trajectory in life. I can't imagine someone dressing up to get a cup of coffee and then going home to change clothes prior to going to the dispensary without an important event occurring between the two episodes.

Yes! I say answer what happened to cause JD to abandon his schedule and leave campus for the dispensary without telling a soul and you'll solve this case.

 

[BeckyF]

Yes! I say answer what happened to cause JD to abandon his schedule and leave campus for the dispensary without telling a soul and you'll solve this case.

Instead the ‘investigation’ by non LE wannabe investigators turned into accusations of a murder and a hate crime.

Of course any alibi by these accused individuals has been labeled a coverup by PERU and Bloomington PD.

Why has CBD not revealed any details of what the PI would have uncovered? Not a peep. This is her own PI that either CBD hired, or perhaps one of her supporters hired this person. The phone no. of the PI was posted online by CBD in one of her statements.

I would recommend that anyone who has any theories call the number of the PI that family has hired.

 

[Seattle1]

Instead the ‘investigation’ by non LE wannabe investigators turned into accusations of a murder and a hate crime.

Of course any alibi by these accused individuals has been labeled a coverup by PERU and Bloomington PD.

Why has CBD not revealed any details of what the PI would have uncovered? Not a peep. This is her own PI that either CBD hired, or perhaps one of her supporters hired this person. The phone no. of the PI was posted online by CBD in one of her statements.

I would recommend that anyone who has any theories call the number of the PI that family has hired.

^^bbm

I believe the PI hired by the Day family (forensics expert Sergio Serrititilla) is the same funded by local Priest Pfleger where Serritilla's investigation confirmed the same previously reported by the joint task force: neither can explain how Jelani entered the Illinois River. And the PI was also hopeful Jelani's phone would provide more clues. I don't think there's any expectation for CBD to support or forward the PI's findings as nothing short of murder is acceptable by CBD and/or the family.

"Father Michael Pfleger is now joining the fight to get answers in hopes of helping solve the case.

The Chicago priest and activist is donating more than $10,000 towards a private investigation look into his death.

[..]

That's why Pfleger hired local private investigator and forensics expert Sergio Serritlla and his team to help this mom get answers.

"We examined the body, looking for lacerations, incisions, broken bones. Gunshot wounds," Serritlla explained.

Serritella said while his team did not find any obvious signs of external trauma to the body, he did add that it's impossible to say there was no harm done at this point.

"The fact is, mother nature dealt us a very difficult hand. The remains were in water for 11 days and the river washed away a great deal of forensic evidence," Serritlla said. "The heat, the water, which accelerated decomposition, and the environment really made forensic investigation very difficult in this case."
Jelani Day autopsy: Fr Pfleger hires private investigator in vow to get answers for mother

 

[BeckyF]

^^bbm

I believe the PI hired by the Day family (forensics expert Sergio Serrititilla) is the same funded by local Priest Pfleger where Serritilla's investigation confirmed the same previously reported by the joint task force: neither can explain how Jelani entered the Illinois River. And the PI was also hopeful Jelani's phone would provide more clues. I don't think there's any expectation for CBD to support or forward the PI's findings as nothing short of murder is acceptable by CBD and/or the family.

Good point.

 

[5W's]

He was in over his head since he hadn’t been in school for a few years. Have u started higher education after taking a few years off after getting a bachelors Degree? If not, then I can assure u it’s intense. And then he had a high speed speeding ticket a few days before that no one is talking about. I think we would get a lot further in this investigation if the family and friends would start talking. CBD has an agenda here, regardless whether she is hurting or not…obviously she is hurting. But she is causing this investigation to fail by her actions. I have never seen a case where a parent negatively impacted an investigation like this one.

I agree I just find it so sad that info maybe being held from LE by the family perhaps friends. I don't know I realize she's desperate and she's using any means like "hate crime" and "sundown town." But at the same time I wonder why his friends (who are not all caucasions) haven't spoken up. I fear CBD is on to something but is derailing help. And this was as soon as it was realized Jelani was missing that his friends didn't speak up. I do find that concerning. This may have also fed into Jelani's family's mindset. Part of the issue I think plaguing the case is the mistrust, of LE and IMO probably of his friends, but the mother knows that Jelani's friends weren't exclusively caucasion people. So that makes me think that the mistrust she feels is unfortunately legitimate. Especially of the friends and associates as people he has helped in the past. Its just too easy to say "Ok it was a suicide"when there could be other factors at play also. Maybe he was in distress something else could happen when people are not being forthcoming.

 

[5W's]

Depends on his personal style and physique. I would think it would be tied around his waist not his neck.
I think there are huge puzzle pieces missing from the narrative leading up to his disappearance.
JMO

I could be wrong but but can't asphyxiation be

Depends on his personal style and physique. I would think it would be tied around his waist not his neck.
I think there are huge puzzle pieces missing from the narrative leading up to his disappearance.
JMO

By definition asphyxiation due to a lack of oxygen and that can be anywhere on body. So even the waist if something is hindering normal oxygen flow in the body. About the sweatshirt another thing I noticed was that it was never mentioned that he had a sweatshirt with him. We've been told about the dress clothes in the morning exactly what he was wearing then and about the clothes at the dispensary, however in the video fottage at the dispensary we didn't see him wearing a sweatshirt. When did this weatshirt come into the whole thing? It makes me wonder. Its another reason I think that Jelani's mom may know this is not his sweatshirt or she may know it is his. But I'm thinking she has questions about this sweatshirt, some very troubling thoughts perhaps. MOO.

 

[5W's]

Instead the ‘investigation’ by non LE wannabe investigators turned into accusations of a murder and a hate crime.

Of course any alibi by these accused individuals has been labeled a coverup by PERU and Bloomington PD.

Why has CBD not revealed any details of what the PI would have uncovered? Not a peep. This is her own PI that either CBD hired, or perhaps one of her supporters hired this person. The phone no. of the PI was posted online by CBD in one of her statements.

I would recommend that anyone who has any theories call the number of the PI that family has hired.

I think the family has their own theories but the friends and associates or people he has helped not being forthcoming is a problem. Hopefully they have spoken to LE but I don't think so. From what the mother and family has stated they haven't. Even when he was reported missing they didn't speak up. That caused the mistrust right there. The other thing is if they spoke up LE may have released more info to the public so the public may be able to corroborate. But this hasn't happened so I think his friends, associates and those he helped their actions are questionable.

 

[BeckyF]

I think the family has their own theories but the friends and associates or people he has helped not being forthcoming is a problem. Hopefully they have spoken to LE but I don't think so. From what the mother and family has stated they haven't. Even when he was reported missing they didn't speak up. That caused the mistrust right there. The other thing is if they spoke up LE may have released more info to the public so the public may be able to corroborate. But this hasn't happened so I think his friends, associates and those he helped their actions are questionable.

What do you mean, people he has helped? Who are you referring to?

 

[5W's]

What do you mean, people he has helped? Who are you referring to?

The counselling clinic participants that he had interaction with in the past perhaps present. I think because of Jelani's nature if he met them on the street he would talk to them openly without reservation and if they needed help he would do so. Since his nature was such he would have no doubt come across people like that from the past and he would volunteered some compassionate thinking toward them. All MOO. Those people could be anyone from his time at volunteering or school or work. Some of the counselling participants were imprisoned at one time. Those participants could have friends who needed help, so its those things that hopefully LE has looked into if the mother didn't see this happening perhaps that's the point she got upset and his friends/associates/helped people didn't come forward has not helped either.

 

[5W's]

Instead the ‘investigation’ by non LE wannabe investigators turned into accusations of a murder and a hate crime.

Of course any alibi by these accused individuals has been labeled a coverup by PERU and Bloomington PD.

Why has CBD not revealed any details of what the PI would have uncovered? Not a peep. This is her own PI that either CBD hired, or perhaps one of her supporters hired this person. The phone no. of the PI was posted online by CBD in one of her statements.

I would recommend that anyone who has any theories call the number of the PI that family has hired.

For one thing we don't really know what his schedule was like most of the day we only know part of the day. We aren't even certain the time his appointment was with the clinical director, all she said was that it was in the morning. That could be anytime until 12:00PM. We know he had a class at 1:00PM. IMO Jelani wearing his dress clothes in the morning and being on the school's property like Starbucks doesn't mean that he was specifically there for the clinical director's appointment. He could be there for any number of reasons especially because it was the start of the semester. Maybe he was there because he had to go to the administration office/bookstore etc. and he wanted to look professional in case his instructors were in the vicinity. That's all that this tells me it doesn't say he was for sure there for the appointment with her at that particular time. Of course if we knew what time his appointment was it would clear things up and we wouldn't be speculating. MOO.

 

[5W's]

Another thing I was thinking about the sweatshirt was if he was wearing it to go and sit on the banks of the river I can see that but why go to a sewage smelling river to peacefully go and smoke a joint. If one wants to go to de-stress then why go to this stinky gross looking place. Why not smoke the joint by his car if not inside because of his family. Ok lets say he went to de-stress by the river and then decided to commit suicide, why would he choose this sewage smelling, filthy looking river to de-stress in the first place why not a better place when it would cause further discomfort to him and doesn't help to de-stress.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Another thing I was thinking about the sweatshirt was if he was wearing it to go and sit on the banks of the river I can see that but why go to a sewage smelling river to peacefully go and smoke a joint. If one wants to go to de-stress then why go to this stinky gross looking place. Why not smoke the joint by his car if not inside because of his family. Ok lets say he went to de-stress by the river and then decided to commit suicide, why would he choose this sewage smelling, filthy looking river to de-stress in the first place why not a better place when it would cause further discomfort to him and doesn't help to de-stress.

I don’t think he planned to go smoke by the river. Maybe he went to his apartment after the dispensary and smoked there. Or went somewhere where he normally smoked.

But we don’t know if that was his first visit to a dispensary or a common occurrence.

 

[MimosaMornings]

The counselling clinic participants that he had interaction with in the past perhaps present. I think because of Jelani's nature if he met them on the street he would talk to them openly without reservation and if they needed help he would do so. Since his nature was such he would have no doubt come across people like that from the past and he would volunteered some compassionate thinking toward them. All MOO. Those people could be anyone from his time at volunteering or school or work. Some of the counselling participants were imprisoned at one time. Those participants could have friends who needed help, so its those things that hopefully LE has looked into if the mother didn't see this happening perhaps that's the point she got upset and his friends/associates/helped people didn't come forward has not helped either.

I haven’t read any articles that provided an in depth description of Jelani’s nature.
So I don’t know to the extent that he would help anyone in need or would take such a personal interest in someone random or from somewhere he volunteered. It’s possible.

I haven’t seen anything that tells us much about what Jelani liked to do except he was in constant daily contact with his mother and enjoyed vacations.

If volunteering was a big part of his life I would think that would be front and center in his mother’s mind and she would have talked about it in depth versus the money requests for his vacations. To me, that indicates they were important to Jelani. Important enough that he would make repeated calls (at work too!) to obtain the necessary funds from her.

Do we know how much time he spent working at the clinic? A LinkedIn page?
Anyone seen a resume?

If he talked to his mother every day and was in constant contact - wouldn’t she know his usual patterns? Was he a Starbucks regular? A hobby? A favorite sport? A restaurant he frequented? Was he a daily runner? Enjoy nature hikes? Spent his weekends volunteering? A quiet spot he would go to meditate?
Did he attend church with his family on a regular basis? Maybe he volunteered there?

 

[rainyday412]

Yes, I also want to know who jelani helped?? He seemed to ask for money, but not sure who ‘he’ helped. I would like a timeline for exactly how long he worked at the social service job in Danville. I feel he probably didn’t meet many people IN person due to Covid. I also work in a social service setting, and there was NO contact with recipients for almost 18 months. I don’t think we can assume he played a big role in this job due to the timing.

I think he did this to himself, for some reason that is unknown. The only alternative option I could see is a hookup app where Jelani was seeking a male hookup. Or, perhaps a scenario where jelani owed someone money since money seemed to be a problem. I see a 0% chance that a hate crime is involved.

 

[Wallendo]

I wonder if he was "catfished". He ended up in a place his family says he had never been.

Possibly after having his cup of coffee, he decided to blow off academics and hook up with someone he had met online. When he arrived at his final destination he found out he had been punkd and spiraled out of control.

It seems unlikely, but no less unlikely than any other theory as to how he ended up where he did.

My gut feeling is that things weren't working out well and he was too embarrassed to ask for help. But that doesn't answer the question of his final destination.

 

[5W's]

I haven’t read any articles that provided an in depth description of Jelani’s nature.
So I don’t know to the extent that he would help anyone in need or would take such a personal interest in someone random or from somewhere he volunteered. It’s possible.

I haven’t seen anything that tells us much about what Jelani liked to do except he was in constant daily contact with his mother and enjoyed vacations.

If volunteering was a big part of his life I would think that would be front and center in his mother’s mind and she would have talked about it in depth versus the money requests for his vacations. To me, that indicates they were important to Jelani. Important enough that he would make repeated calls (at work too!) to obtain the necessary funds from her.

Do we know how much time he spent working at the clinic? A LinkedIn page?
Anyone seen a resume?

If he talked to his mother every day and was in constant contact - wouldn’t she know his usual patterns? Was he a Starbucks regular? A hobby? A favorite sport? A restaurant he frequented? Was he a daily runner? Enjoy nature hikes? Spent his weekends volunteering? A quiet spot he would go to meditate?
Did he attend church with his family on a regular basis? Maybe he volunteered there?

I'd have to go back and look but I think he worked at the clinic for sometime in my mind that has some significance. Everyone likes vacations. Just the fact that he worked there could hold some information for LE. Let's see he wanted to become a speech pathologist because his friend was being bullied when they were kids and he helped his friend with the condition to try and overcome some aspects of his condition. He didn't like people bullying others. This to me points towards someone who is a person who would go and help people who needed help. A lot of the average public wouldn't want to get involved and ignore the issue that's one of the reasons bullying is so prevelant.

 

[5W's]

I don’t think he planned to go smoke by the river. Maybe he went to his apartment after the dispensary and smoked there. Or went somewhere where he normally smoked.

But we don’t know if that was his first visit to a dispensary or a common occurrence.

From what I noticed at the dispensary it looked like he was confident at being there so I think he had smoked before. He didn't appear nervous or self conscious. He looked up at the camera like he was suppose to do so his face could be identified. I wonder since it was an expensive apartment if the management had rules about any type of smoking. I think they probably did so I don't think he would smoke at his apartment. I think he may have went somewhere else to smoke and that's perhaps when a problem may have occurred that changed the course of his life completely and permanently. If we were to know where he may have gone to smoke it then that could be a clue to what happened next. IMO.

 

[rainyday412]

I'd have to go back and look but I think he worked at the clinic for sometime in my mind that has some significance. Everyone likes vacations. Just the fact that he worked there could hold some information for LE. Let's see he wanted to become a speech pathologist because his friend was being bullied when they were kids and he helped his friend with the condition to try and overcome some aspects of his condition. He didn't like people bullying others. This to me points towards someone who is a person who would go and help people who needed help. A lot of the average public wouldn't want to get involved and ignore the issue that's one of the reasons bullying is so prevelant.

Everyone likes vacations, but most 20 somethings don’t beg their parents for money for their vacations.

Did HE want to be a speech pathologist, or did his mom want him to be? I think this mother-son relationship is telling, and the mom needs to be more forthcoming with the authorities. I think jelani had the maturity level more so of a teenager. And I don’t mean that condescending. It’s based on his behaviors that we do know about. I think he may have been LGBT. And I think he had an undiagnosed mental illness. That’s my two cents.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

From what I noticed at the dispensary it looked like he was confident at being there so I think he had smoked before. He didn't appear nervous or self conscious. He looked up at the camera like he was suppose to do so his face could be identified. I wonder since it was an expensive apartment if the management had rules about any type of smoking. I think they probably did so I don't think he would smoke at his apartment. I think he may have went somewhere else to smoke and that's perhaps when a problem may have occurred that changed the course of his life completely and permanently. If we were to know where he may have gone to smoke it then that could be a clue to what happened next. IMO.

Was it disclosed anywhere what he bought at the dispensary? They sell edibles too so he didn't necessarily need to smoke anything. Given past threats, I doubt anyone from the dispensary is likely to ever speak publicly about this.
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