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

[LotusPawprint]

A lot of things in this case don't really make much logical sense, whether that be self-harm or foul play.

There seems no obvious/discernible motive for someone to harm JJ. Also, why would anyone have driven the car so far before abandoning it, in an area at least a mile away from the river? The car didn't seem valuable (at least, for taking to a chop shop or to strip down and sell for parts).

I think self-harm is more likely, but it's like a 55-45; both theories seem overly complicated and unlikely, at least with the known/reported facts at present.

License plates theft is a thing, but IMO stealing the registration tags is far more common: it's far less noticeable and LE will pull cars over if the registration is expired.

"no obvious/discernible motive for someone to harm JJ. ".. Agreed, but that's what a random crime targeting a random victim is about. I feel like if this was a woman, there might not be as many questions about foul play being likely(not saying you at all, but public in general and LE).

That he seemingly disappeared during the day and if he was targeted, the person(s) chosing a healthy, strong, young man make it harder to understand but there are enough abductions, missing people, and homicides that are in fact random and senseless. Also, a weapon is a great nuetralizer (sorry I am kind of answering my own questions).

 

[LotusPawprint]

Re: self harm...


I know that many suffer from mental illness and are burdened by stress silently, but I think it is very important that what the family and people who knew him are saying. No one has mentioned depression, a personal crisis etc.
It is not enough, for me at least, to conclude that because some grad students are overwhelmed and run off and kill themselves, that Jelani did. There is just nothing that supports that. If there is at some point and the evidence leads to that conclusion, so be it.
But his family and friends knows him better than the public and law enforcement does.. Their observations and intimate knowledge need to count for something.

I really hope that when he was missing, valuable time and opportunities to investigate were not missed because there was an overwhelming belief that he was missing on his own accord. I do feel like that happened to some degree though.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Coroner Richard Ploch said forensic dental identification and DNA testing and comparison helped confirm the identity of the body.

At this time, the cause of death is unknown, and an investigation is ongoing. Toxicology is still testing.
Body found in Illinois River is Jelani Day, coroner confirms | WJBF

@MeltGibsont - Tox is pending still

 

[curiousbeing]

What I don't understand is...how was he seen going in, but not coming out? And I haven't really seen many people question that....but anyone who has ever been to a dispensary knows there's cameras EVERY where as well as security guards etc....

He wasn't confirmed to be seen leaving and the pings end there... logic would say? But the dispensary looks like a clean cut establishment and Jelani was a pretty clean cut guy.

I think we're missing something.

 

[Seattle1]

Re: self harm...


I know that many suffer from mental illness and are burdened by stress silently, but I think it is very important that what the family and people who knew him are saying. No one has mentioned depression, a personal crisis etc.
It is not enough, for me at least, to conclude that because some grad students are overwhelmed and run off and kill themselves, that Jelani did. There is just nothing that supports that. If there is at some point and the evidence leads to that conclusion, so be it.
But his family and friends knows him better than the public and law enforcement does.. Their observations and intimate knowledge need to count for something.

I really hope that when he was missing, valuable time and opportunities to investigate were not missed because there was an overwhelming belief that he was missing on his own accord. I do feel like that happened to some degree though.

To be clear, JD had missed classes without explanation prior to the date he went missing. His vehicle was discovered the following day and doors appeared sealed in the evidence photos.

I believe LE has since dusted the vehicle for fingerprints of others. Without news that LE is seeking a known/unknown driver and/or passenger of JD's vehicle, it's probable that JD was the last driver of his abandoned vehicle.

Reportedly, a tip led LE to the vehicle and to search the river. I'm inclined to believe this tip came from somebody that did know JD. If true, keeping JD's confidence leaves this person in a difficult position with family and friends. We also know that JD purchased marijuana from a safe source before he stopped communicating.

Sometimes a blue book is only a blue book and nothing more....Cause of death should be released soon. Prayers for JD's grieving family.

MOO

 

[Mert]

The fact that he skipped a meeting and went to a dispensary, which was not a valid reason to miss the meeting, makes me think this was self harm.
Perhaps he wanted to leave family with the impression that he would not do so, and to not disappoint. Maybe some of the odd points were done intentionally. My opinions.

 

[SimplyCass]

Re: self harm...

I know that many suffer from mental illness and are burdened by stress silently, but I think it is very important that what the family and people who knew him are saying. No one has mentioned depression, a personal crisis etc.
It is not enough, for me at least, to conclude that because some grad students are overwhelmed and run off and kill themselves, that Jelani did. There is just nothing that supports that. If there is at some point and the evidence leads to that conclusion, so be it.
But his family and friends knows him better than the public and law enforcement does.. Their observations and intimate knowledge need to count for something.

I really hope that when he was missing, valuable time and opportunities to investigate were not missed because there was an overwhelming belief that he was missing on his own accord. I do feel like that happened to some degree though.

With the greatest delicacy possible, I generally don't consider family/friends to be highly reliable when considering if someone might have done self-harm. Suicide, by its very nature, is irrational, can be extremely sudden, and may simply have no explanation. Examples of people suddenly ending their life with no apparent immediate trigger include Robin Williams, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain. Although some of their struggles were publicly known, the suddenness of which they ended their lives still caught their loved ones by surprise. The idea of a long-term downward spiral isn't always the case.

I'm also led to think of Kaitlyn Elkins, a 23-year-old med school student who ended her life in 2013. her mother, a nurse, was completely taken by surprise, thought she knew her daughter, thought she would see the signs of depression or sadness, but hadn't. This is strictly in the sense of unseen depression/self-harm because there was no doubt or question about Kaitlyn's cause of death.

 

[curiousbeing]

Police search for person of interest in death of Jelani Day

I think this counts as msm?

 

[Seattle1]

Police search for person of interest in death of Jelani Day

I think this counts as msm?

This video was shared with JD's mother the day his vehicle was located and she confirmed the image was not her son and person unknown to her. I wish the media would make it clear this person may be a witness and not that this is evidence of a crime. MOO

 

[LotusPawprint]

With the greatest delicacy possible, I generally don't consider family/friends to be highly reliable when considering if someone might have done self-harm. Suicide, by its very nature, is irrational, can be extremely sudden, and may simply have no explanation. Examples of people suddenly ending their life with no apparent immediate trigger include Robin Williams, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain. Although some of their struggles were publicly known, the suddenness of which they ended their lives still caught their loved ones by surprise. The idea of a long-term downward spiral isn't always the case.

I'm also led to think of Kaitlyn Elkins, a 23-year-old med school student who ended her life in 2013. her mother, a nurse, was completely taken by surprise, thought she knew her daughter, thought she would see the signs of depression or sadness, but hadn't. This is strictly in the sense of unseen depression/self-harm because there was no doubt or question about Kaitlyn's cause of death.

Those examples are fair and very valid. I agree with most of what you're saying. I think denial can be a factor for families, even wanting to create a scenario where someone else was to blame for their loved one's demise.
Like I said, I know that many people suffer in silence, and not saying it didn't happen or couldn't have happened here.

I just don't think it is fair to write off what his family, friends, and people who actually know him are saying. Not because it's the sensitive thing to do, but because in any case, listening to those who knew the person is important and valuable to an investigation.


I do also think that some Families of the missing and crime victims don't want to mention mental health struggles to the public or investigators because they are afraid it WILL give reason to write their loved one off. As someone who has suffered from severe depression and mental health for most of my life and as someone who follows these tragic crimes and disappearances, I am acutely aware of how mental health issues can color and complicate how even well-meaning folks (professional and lay people) perceive and handle anything to do with those of us struggling.

Sorry for that aside, and bringing this back to where it should be Jelani - it's just important to hear what his people are saying.. I know they are in a lot of pain now and have felt very dismissed and do not want to contribute to that at all.

All moo

 

[LotusPawprint]

What I don't understand is...how was he seen going in, but not coming out? And I haven't really seen many people question that....but anyone who has ever been to a dispensary knows there's cameras EVERY where as well as security guards etc....

He wasn't confirmed to be seen leaving and the pings end there... logic would say? But the dispensary looks like a clean cut establishment and Jelani was a pretty clean cut guy.

I think we're missing something.

The dispensary (and its footage) SHOULD be able to provide some very basic answers, the question is have they been addressed or not. I assume he is captured leaving, otherwise the investigation would've only been on that building. I can understand that images of him walking out weren't released.. The purpose of what we saw was to see what he was wearing.
However would be helpful to have confirmation that he was seen getting into his car, which is visible from inside the dispensary. Also anything from the employee(s) who helped him that day.

 

[Teche]

I don't think her actions are a RED FLAG, unethical, unsound, unprofessional, uncharacteristic, and everything else you described.


This was not some undergrad at a community college who blew off a lecture hall class.
He's a new grad student, invested and committed to his education and the program. There is nothing bizarre about a clinical director being actively involved with students, in fact, she is doing her job and doing it well.

They had set up an appointment. He missed it. He didn't get in touch. At that level of education, you are expected to show up, be responsible. Whether her initial reaction was concern or peeved that he didn't contact her, I don't find it strange for her to follow up. As his silence continued, I can understand her panic growing.

She called campus police. That is also reasonable and not an overreaction to me.

Something is definitely off in Jelani's death, but the clinical director's actions are the least of the concerns imo. If anything, thank goodness she set the ball in motion when she did.

As a grad assistant, did he teach a class or lab? If so, this may be part of the concern.

 

[Gloomy Bear]

At this point, I don't think we can rule out anything until we know more information.

 

[scriabina]

To be clear, JD had missed classes without explanation prior to the date he went missing.

Could you further clarify and provide a source for this info?

If I understand correctly, you are saying that it has been reported that he missed class without explanation on other days at ISU -- as in during the summer semester -- and not just Aug 23 & henceforth...?

If he was skipping classes since starting grad school, that could certainly point toward some mental health issues or perhaps some suspicious activity. However, all I have read about Jelani indicates he was very responsible and conscientious. So I'm surprised/intrigued by this comment.

 

[scriabina]

Wish we had info about Jelani's marijuana habits. Was he a regular user? How did he normally react to it? Marijuana can cause psychotic and/or paranoid behavior. Recall Karlie Lain Gusé.

Also, if he regularly purchased marijuana from the local dispensaries, did he pay via credit or cash? All articles imply his last credit card transaction was for Starbucks even though he purchased weed shortly thereafter:

"Carmen Day told Dateline that she accessed her son’s bank account and was able to see that he used his bank card at the Starbucks at the student center that morning."

Why did he pay for his coffee (only a few dollars) by credit card, and then presumably cash for the much more expensive weed? I don't get it.

 

[Seattle1]

Could you further clarify and provide a source for this info?

If I understand correctly, you are saying that it has been reported that he missed class without explanation on other days at ISU -- as in during the summer semester -- and not just Aug 23 & henceforth...?

If he was skipping classes since starting grad school, that could certainly point toward some mental health issues or perhaps some suspicious activity. However, all I have read about Jelani indicates he was very responsible and conscientious. So I'm surprised/intrigued by this comment.

Watch now: Communities heartbroken by news of Jelani Day's death

The investigation into Day's death is ongoing with the Bloomington Police Department assisted by the LaSalle County sheriff's and coroner's offices. Day, 25, who had aspired to study speech pathology and become a doctor, was reported missing Aug. 25 after he didn't attend class for several days.

^^sbm

 

[Seattle1]

Could you further clarify and provide a source for this info?

If I understand correctly, you are saying that it has been reported that he missed class without explanation on other days at ISU -- as in during the summer semester -- and not just Aug 23 & henceforth...?

If he was skipping classes since starting grad school, that could certainly point toward some mental health issues or perhaps some suspicious activity. However, all I have read about Jelani indicates he was very responsible and conscientious. So I'm surprised/intrigued by this comment.

From page 1 of thread:

Day's family last spoke to Day on the evening of 8/23/2021. They made attempts to locate him but were unsuccessful. Day also had not shown up to class the past several days.

 

[SimplyCass]

Wish we had info about Jelani's marijuana habits. Was he a regular user? How did he normally react to it? Marijuana can cause psychotic and/or paranoid behavior. Recall Karlie Lain Gusé.

Also, if he regularly purchased marijuana from the local dispensaries, did he pay via credit or cash? All articles imply his last credit card transaction was for Starbucks even though he purchased weed shortly thereafter:

"Carmen Day told Dateline that she accessed her son’s bank account and was able to see that he used his bank card at the Starbucks at the student center that morning."

Why did he pay for his coffee (only a few dollars) by credit card, and then presumably cash for the much more expensive weed? I don't get it.

A lot of dispensaries are cash only because most banks don't want to service such businesses as marijuana is still prohibited on a federal level as a Schedule I substance. That is not too unusual.

 

[scriabina]

A lot of dispensaries are cash only because most banks don't want to service such businesses as marijuana is still prohibited on a federal level as a Schedule I substance. That is not too unusual.

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

 

[scriabina]

From page 1 of thread: "Day's family last spoke to Day on the evening of 8/23/2021. They made attempts to locate him but were unsuccessful. Day also had not shown up to class the past several days."

Oh, I took the article to mean that he missed class on Tuesday 8/24 (the day he was last seen), Wednesday 8/25 (the day he was reported missing) & Thurs 8/26 (the day the article was published). The article reads: "Day also has not shown up to class the past several days, police said [bbm]." IMO if the police stated on Thurs 8/26 that Jelani hadn't attended classes for "the past several days" it probably just means that Tues, Wed and Thurs. MOO.