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

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The family made several attempts to reach Jelani, but calls to his cell phone went straight to voicemail. Carmen said her oldest son went to Jelani’s apartment with police and relayed that it appeared to be in order, but his white 2010 Chrysler 300 was also missing.


[His mother] 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.
Click to expand...


Police in Illinois seek information on ISU grad student missing nearly a week
 
JJ's sisters are also tirelessly searching for answers that can lead them to hugging their brother again. Dacara Bolden, JJ's sister, said, "we don't really know exactly what to do but we know it takes a village. And we're asking for help from everyone all over all surrounding areas even people far away."

They tell WAND News that JJ is not one to disappear.

More at 'He's my baby and my baby wouldn't run away': Missing ISU student's family continues search
 
"Family, friends and complete strangers searched the area near Beyond/Hello Cannabis Dispensary in Bloomington for any whereabouts of Jelani Day, 25, of Bloomington.

....

Jelani’s mother, said according to police, this is where his phone last pinged, and she’s looking for any trace of her son.

“I’m looking for anything that can connect me to him,” Bolden-Day said.

Day’s mom said she’s searching for her son’s blue iPhone 12 Pro Max with no case, a black wallet she described as “worn” and a red Illinois State University keychain with his access key and car keys.

Bolden-Day also said Jelani was known to wear his fraternity Omega Psi Phi bracelet, which she described as purple and gold."


Family continues search for missing ISU student Jelani Day | CIProud.com
 
Following along.
I hope JJ is found soon !!
His family members are devastated.

I first thought hard drugs (only because of the removal of clothing) or self harm, but then read about the dispensary and unless it is laced with something, weed/CBD is not going to kill someone.
And buying at the dispensary is not like buying off the street. IMO

I thought about a hook up but he made appt with school staff member for early that morning so now not thinking that.

Only thing I can think of is that someone noticed him/his car and followed him for car jacking or steal money. (not that college kids have a lot of $$, but someone whacked out on drugs and needing $$ or what he just purchased, might think so)

Then hearing about possible license plate removed ... car jacking seems possible, but then why ditch the car so fast?? unless word was getting out so needed to get rid of car, but take plate ???
Plates can be traced also so .. UGH-- I just do not know what to think right now.

Praying for JJ and his family--
that he is found and they have answers soon.
 
Carmen Bolden Day, Jelani's mother, said she last spoke to him Aug. 23. She said they were planning a family trip for Thanksgiving.

"He said 'Mama, I sent you the money to pay Aunt Ruby' and he told me he was going to class and that he will talk to me later," Bolden Day said.

"He called me, told me he put the money in my account and told me 'Mama, I just want to hear your voice," she added. "I just want to hear him call me and say that again."

More at Missing ISU grad student Jelani Day's loved ones continue search in Bloomington
 
A $25, 000 reward has been offered by Jelani's mother.

No one has heard or seen Day since last Tuesday, Aug. 24 when he was videotaped going into the cannabis dispensary off of Veteran’s Parkway in Bloomington.

Carmen Bolden-Day, Jelani’s mother, said according to police, this is where his phone last pinged, and she’s looking for any trace of her son.

Family continues search for missing ISU student Jelani Day | CIProud.com
 
So the first press release announcing Jelani was missing (from what I can tell) was Thursday 8/26 at 2:41 CT (reported missing the previous day).

His vehicle was found around 4:20 on that same day, Thursday.

It would make sense that the press release caused the swift ditching of the car.
 
LotusPawprint said:
So the first press release announcing Jelani was missing (from what I can tell) was Thursday 8/26 at 2:41 CT (reported missing the previous day).

His vehicle was found around 4:20 on that same day, Thursday.

It would make sense that the press release caused the swift ditching of the car.
Click to expand...
I’m afraid you are spot on— I’m so sorry to see he is still missing - what has happened to this young man? Someone knows…
Imo
 
So the dispensary outfit was found in his car. Were the clothes he wore to the student union ~7:20am (blue dress shirt, dark pants) before changing into the more casual dispensary clothes ~9am found?

Wondering if he changed back into the dress clothes in the car and that's why the dispensary outfit was found in his abandoned car. If so, where & why all the wardrobe changes?

If they can't find that student union outfit anywhere in his home, then it seems he did indeed change back into it after visiting the dispensary. So that would imply he had time to change before going missing. Could they see from the surveillance video that he was changing his clothes in the dispensary parking lot, or did he leave right away? Surely they could see if another car was following him as he left.

Let's assume he did not change back into the Union outfit in the parking lot and drove away with the Dispensary outfit on. Could he have stopped somewhere on the side of the road to change for whatever reason, and at that point he was carjacked/attacked?

I do feel like a carjacking is the most likely scenario at this point. Someone watching from the dispensary or maybe just random for the car.
 
I'm also confused on the wardrobe changing, especially because early that morning he had what looked like dress clothes, then a casual outfit, and then at some point, took the casual outfit off. Did he have to meet with someone that morning where he wanted to look dressed up, and then after that was over, wanted to be more comfortable? That makes sense to me, but then why change again at some point? Was he maybe going to walk or do some sort of exercise after the dispensary, which is why he put on more casual clothes, but knew he'd need to change again for something later? He must not have been planning to go back to his home to change, since the clothes were found in the car.
 
Just started following this case, I always worry about college students and them disappearing. I hope that he didn't think he was in trouble with his teacher, or was struggling with his grades. It seems many possibilities are still on the table. But I do worry about self harm.
 
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