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

[scriabina]

"was recovered near the south bank of the Illinois River approximately ¼ mile east of the Illinois Rt. 251 Bridge."
Not a fast-moving river, especially this section, and likely the body got stuck/hung up near the bank. The skin surface of the body, now maybe 3 days decomposing, is degraded. The maggots bury down, they don't stay where the egg was placed. The body had maggots, so obviously, the eggs hatched there. Life cycle varies with different flies, but continuous egg-laying for 7 days or so, would mean thousands of maggots. And flies aren't the only insects involved.

That sounds plausible.

The reason I asked about maggots was because I wondered if Jelani was murdered somewhere else and his body was left on land. Body decomposed, flies lay their eggs, maggots began feasting, and then the killer(s) decided to move the body and dumped it into the river hoping it would never be found. But when I think about it, I don't think that is likely.

 

[gdeyefaith]

 

[SimplyCass]

Jelani Day - Google My Maps

I've updated my Google Map, adding the border of Peru/LeSalle, the place where JJ's body was found (a quarter-mile east of the IL-251 bridge), and highlighting the area where the wallet was likely found (described as a few streets over on 9th St. in LeSalle).

The Illinois River also flows west. That means...well, if we're going by the theory of self-harm, his body was found near the IL-251 bridge, but he didn't jump from there. Did he jump from the IL-351 bridge? That's even further south than what we were assuming/examining.

 

[rainyday412]

I can’t wrap my head around why he would take a 1 hour drive straight north to end his life. It’s the opposite direction of his drive home, which would be more familiar. Perhaps he had visited starved rock, or driven across the bridge over the illinois river (lesalle) 351…which is memorable. Else it’s an odd place to pick.

also if his organs were ‘liquified’, does toxicology still work?

 

[ForensicToxicologist]

I can’t wrap my head around why he would take a 1 hour drive straight north to end his life. It’s the opposite direction of his drive home, which would be more familiar. Perhaps he had visited starved rock, or driven across the bridge over the illinois river (lesalle) 351…which is memorable. Else it’s an odd place to pick.

also if his organs were ‘liquified’, does toxicology still work?

Depends what they could distinguish and get to for a sample. If everything is completely liquified, we’d have a hard time getting a usable sample although there are ways of performing extractions. Typically when heavy decomp is involved we’d go for a sample of vitreous humor since it is the most stable, but unfortunately in JD case his eyes were missing. That said, I’m not sure of the involved LE’s protocols or lab capabilities.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Illinois State grad student Jelani Day celebrated at hometown service - Illinois Newsroom

 

[ChatteringBirds]

DBM

 

[scriabina]

I can’t wrap my head around why he would take a 1 hour drive straight north to end his life. It’s the opposite direction of his drive home, which would be more familiar. Perhaps he had visited starved rock, or driven across the bridge over the illinois river (lesalle) 351…which is memorable. Else it’s an odd place to pick.

Hypothetically: If this is a suicide, he may have been really distressed. Wanted to get away from his sadness, just escape, so his initial instinct was to drive away from home, away from school. Just drive and go somewhere new. Get away from anyplace familiar. A fresh restart. But when he got to Peru, which was an unfamiliar place for him by all accounts, his problems hadn't gone anywhere. He was still depressed. His mind was still swirling with suicidal thoughts. He felt trapped. There was no escape. He couldn't take it for another second. He saw the river, he saw the bridge: he saw freedom.

That being said, I still feel foul play is just as likely.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

My heart goes out to Jelani's family.
Let's please remember while discussing his case to be sensitive that his family may someday read here. IMO.

I feel something was definitely going on in Jelani's life that he was struggling very hard with, because he missed class and an important meeting and, unless it hasn't been mentioned, didn't contact his director with a reason.

If he had to suddenly leave to meet someone, I assume he would have contacted his director, perhaps claimed illness, not just left his instructor and a patient waiting for him.

So it's not the case that things were fine and then he just met up with the wrong person, IMO.
Something wasn't okay before he left for the dispensary.
What do you all think?

So what was happening...He doesn't seem to have been depressed, though I know it can be well-hidden, but I wonder if something else was happening with his mental well-being, such as anxiety (which can escalate!) or severe burn-out (which I do think could happen at the start of a semester; he would have worked so hard to get there.)

The world clearly lost an amazing person. I'm very sorry for his loved-ones.

 

[scriabina]

If he had to suddenly leave to meet someone, I assume he would have contacted his director, perhaps claimed illness, not just left. So things weren't fine and then he just met up with the wrong person, IMO. Something wasn't okay before he left for the dispensary.
What do you all think?

It's so hard to speculate based on the missed meeting because 1) It's never been confirmed that the meeting was scheduled for that same day (Tuesday), just implied in one article; and 2) Assuming the meeting WAS for Tuesday, the time of the meeting wasn't released, so we don't know if it was scheduled for before or after 9am, i.e., before or after he changed his clothes and went to the dispensary. I think most have assumed the meeting must have been in the early morning and that's why he was dressed up at the student union ~7:30am, but gosh, it's so frustrating that that info hasn't been released. I am trying to figure out what reason there would be to hide that info from the public? It seems like such basic essential info.

If the meeting was scheduled for ~8-9am and he was seen on video after that time moving freely at the dispensary, there's no reason why he couldn't have texted his professor and notified her that he wouldn't be in attendance, UNLESS he was experiencing some sort of mental health crisis. I don't see him just blowing off the meeting. Even if some mysterious person contacted him and compelled him to go to the dispensary at the last minute, a responsible student like Jelani would have contacted his professor. So why didn't he?

Another basic and potentially critical piece of info not released is his history with marijuana and the cannabis dispensary. Was it out of character for him to go there? Was he a regular marijuana user? When did he usually buy marijuana? Was this part of a regular routine or a new behavior? I know I've asked this before -- sorry to beat a dead horse -- but the dearth of basic info available in this case is so strange. I think that's part of the reason why it isn't getting as much attention in the media as other missing person cases. There's just not much info to go on.

 

[rkendmar]

It's so hard to speculate based on the missed meeting because 1) It's never been confirmed that the meeting was scheduled for that same day (Tuesday), just implied in one article; and 2) Assuming the meeting WAS for Tuesday, the time of the meeting wasn't released, so we don't know if it was scheduled for before or after 9am, i.e., before or after he changed his clothes and went to the dispensary. I think most have assumed the meeting must have been in the early morning and that's why he was dressed up at the student union ~7:30am, but gosh, it's so frustrating that that info hasn't been released. I am trying to figure out what reason there would be to hide that info from the public? It seems like such basic essential info.

If the meeting was scheduled for ~8-9am and he was seen on video after that time moving freely at the dispensary, there's no reason why he couldn't have texted his professor and notified her that he wouldn't be in attendance, UNLESS he was experiencing some sort of mental health crisis. I don't see him just blowing off the meeting. Even if some mysterious person contacted him and compelled him to go to the dispensary at the last minute, a responsible student like Jelani would have contacted his professor. So why didn't he?

Another basic and potentially critical piece of info not released is his history with marijuana and the cannabis dispensary. Was it out of character for him to go there? Was he a regular marijuana user? When did he usually buy marijuana? Was this part of a regular routine or a new behavior? I know I've asked this before -- sorry to beat a dead horse -- but the dearth of basic info available in this case is so strange. I think that's part of the reason why it isn't getting as much attention in the media as other missing person cases. There's just not much info to go on.

The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit has been working on Jelani's case and I'm sure they know the answers to some of your questions. It is doubtful they will share any of this information publicly.

 

[scriabina]

The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit has been working on Jelani's case and I'm sure they know the answers to some of your questions. It is doubtful they will share any of this information publicly.

I'm just wondering how it would compromise the integrity of the investigation to come out and say for example, "Jelani was last seen at the dispensary at 9:15am. He missed a meeting with his professor scheduled for that same morning at 8:30am." What do they gain from keeping that info private? So weird.

 

[rkendmar]

I'm just wondering how it would compromise the integrity of the investigation to come out and say for example, "Jelani was last seen at the dispensary at 9:15am. He missed a meeting with his professor scheduled for that same morning at 8:30am." What do they gain from keeping that info private? So weird.

IIRC, the FBI never shares information publicly in an ongoing case.
We found out that the FBI was investigating the possibility of self harm from the Day's attorney, not from the FBI directly.

"Now, his mother is angry that instead of tracking down suspects, the FBI is looking at Jelani's case as a potential suicide."
Jelani Day case: Family upset FBI looking at 25-year-old's death as possible suicide

BBM

 

[scriabina]

IIRC, the FBI never shares information publicly in an ongoing case.

Right, but FBI wasn't involved from the beginning, and basic timeline info was never released from the local police departments.

 

[BeckyF]

Right, but FBI wasn't involved from the beginning, and basic timeline info was never released from the local police departments.

That’s correct. It has also not been stated where his wallet was found, who found it, who turned it into police.

 

[MimosaMornings]

It's so hard to speculate based on the missed meeting because 1) It's never been confirmed that the meeting was scheduled for that same day (Tuesday), just implied in one article; and 2) Assuming the meeting WAS for Tuesday, the time of the meeting wasn't released, so we don't know if it was scheduled for before or after 9am, i.e., before or after he changed his clothes and went to the dispensary. I think most have assumed the meeting must have been in the early morning and that's why he was dressed up at the student union ~7:30am, but gosh, it's so frustrating that that info hasn't been released. I am trying to figure out what reason there would be to hide that info from the public? It seems like such basic essential info.

If the meeting was scheduled for ~8-9am and he was seen on video after that time moving freely at the dispensary, there's no reason why he couldn't have texted his professor and notified her that he wouldn't be in attendance, UNLESS he was experiencing some sort of mental health crisis. I don't see him just blowing off the meeting. Even if some mysterious person contacted him and compelled him to go to the dispensary at the last minute, a responsible student like Jelani would have contacted his professor. So why didn't he?

Another basic and potentially critical piece of info not released is his history with marijuana and the cannabis dispensary. Was it out of character for him to go there? Was he a regular marijuana user? When did he usually buy marijuana? Was this part of a regular routine or a new behavior? I know I've asked this before -- sorry to beat a dead horse -- but the dearth of basic info available in this case is so strange. I think that's part of the reason why it isn't getting as much attention in the media as other missing person cases. There's just not much info to go on.

I have not seen anyone speaking about him in msm from his social group plus he’s not visible on social media like TikTok or other sites. There’s just nothing. No former employer or fellow coworkers being interviewed. Nothing even from his neighbors or others in the apartment complex. Not even the property manager. We know very little about him.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Jelani Day - Google My Maps

[RSBM for focus]

Did he jump from the IL-351 bridge? That's even further south than what we were assuming/examining.

Thank you so much. This is extremely helpful. Had wondered in which direction the river flowed.

So according to this article from last Friday:
By Shaw Local News Network
October 08, 2021 at 6:32 pm CDT
“Jelani Day’s family organized a balloon release Friday afternoon at Lock 14 along the Illinois and Michigan Canal in La Salle — Day’s last known location.

Day’s mother Carmen Bolden Day said at the balloon release her son was found parked almost 3 miles from the Lock 16 location near the Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru.

‘There’s no way my son parked three miles away from here, then drove down here, and put himself in this water,’ Bolden Day said.

[SBM]

Day’s vehicle was found Aug. 26 concealed in a wooded area near the Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru. Other items, such as his wallet and an ISU lanyard, also have been reported found in the La Salle-Peru area.“ (bolded and italicized by me)
Balloons released in La Salle for Jelani Day

After reading the article, went looking for Lock 14 in Google Maps, and found it curious that it’s right next to the IL-351 bridge.

Google Maps

As far as this being Jelani’s “last known location,” I don’t believe I’ve ever heard this before. Google Maps describes Lock 14 as a “tourist attraction.” I wonder if there are security cameras in the area, one of them caught Jelani, and that was the “tip that brought [the authorities] to the Illinois River where his body was found.” Plausible, IMO, but I don’t know.

I am completely heartbroken for Jelani, his mom and the rest of the family. Hugs.

 

[Seattle1]

From JJD's fraternity:

BROTHER, YOU’RE ON MY MIND
Every year, more than 40 million Americans struggle with mental illness. African American men are as likely as anyone else to have mental illness, but they are less likely to get help.

Depression and other mental illness can be deadly if left untreated. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among African Americans 15 to 24 years old.

Untreated mental illness can also make African American men more vulnerable to substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and homicide.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and NIMHD have launched Brother, You’re on My Mind: Changing the National Dialogue Regarding Mental Health Among African American Men, an initiative to help start conversations about mental health.

Brother You’re on my Mind – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

 

[Seattle1]

Coroner: Body Found In LaSalle County Is Jelani Day

9/24/21

[..]

Bloomington Police public information officer John Fermon said during a virtual news conference the cause of Day’s death is still unknown. He did not say whether police had any persons of interest in the case.

“We can all agree that it was very suspicious, just unlike him,” Fermon said. “It was one of those things, was it foul play or not?”

Fermon said the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t determined whether it is a homicide investigation at this point. The sheriff’s office has not responded to a request for comment.

Day's case has received extensive coverage in central Illinois, and recently went national when Day's mother protested that her son's death was not receiving enough resources compared to another missing person case that drew national attention.

The FBI is now listed among the agencies investigating the matter. Fermon said he didn’t have a specific date when the FBI was brought in, but he indicated many people in the community pushed for more information on the case.

“Jelani was such a great person and had so many great friends that people were reaching out wanting to help,” he said.

Fermon did not discuss evidence in the case, but he confirmed police received a tip that brought them to the Illinois River where his body was found.

“Imagine searching an entire city is difficult, but we got some information to give us that second search,” he said, adding he hopes Thursday's identification can provide some closure for the family.

“I couldn’t put myself in their shoes. It was just tough,” Fermon said. “I’d want to know the answers, good or bad, to start the grieving process, so I think it’s good in that aspect.”

Fermon said he understands the Day family’s frustration that the case didn’t get much attention at first.

“A lot of our high-risk missing persons just here in the city don’t get the attention (they) deserve either,” Fermon said. “I’m happy this got out there. We’ll take the criticism.”

Fermon could not address the reasons why it took nearly three weeks for a positive identification, but he indicated there is a backlog at the Illinois State Police crime lab. The State Police Division of Forensic Services has declined to comment, citing its policy on open cases.

 

[CHEL]

Statement from Jelani's mother.

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