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

[Seattle1]

Family members speak out about missing Danville man

Sept 8, 2021

The Danville community is holding out hope that Day is still alive.

The 25-year-old was last seen on August 24 in Bloomington.

His car was found two days later, but Day was nowhere to be found.

[..]

Ed Butler said he spoke with him just days before he went missing.

"Had a real good talk with him. We sat down and talked, and I was going to have him be my youth director and chairperson in my NAACP, and he was really enthused about it," said the Danville NAACP President.

The Butlers say he was turning out to be a a great community leader, and that he always wanted to help his community and hometown.

 

[Seattle1]

Excuse me if I missed this but where did you get this information that he worked at New Directions Treatment center?

Jelani worked at a "family advocacy organization" after graduating from Alabama A&M.

"Day was raised in Danville, and was well known throughout town as a man who would make the world a better place.

"It is tough when you find out someone you beloved coworker, a beloved son of Danville, Illinois, is now gone," said Kris Bell, a friend and former co-worker of Day.

After Day graduated from Alabama A&M, the two worked together at a family advocacy organization to help others with parenting and anger management."

Family and friends of Jelani Day pushing for justice

BBM

^^bbm

From KB's description, I think this is the family advocacy organization (treatment center). I hope the FBI Behavioral Unit interviewed KB -- it would be good to know if they also helped Jelani re. deferred sentence and license suspension.

New Directions

 

[Seattle1]

Danville gathers to remember Jelani Day

10/9/2021

The four-hour-long service was held in the auditorium of Danville High School, where Day graduated in 2014. He would continue on with his education, graduating in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communicative sciences and disorders from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala., and was pursuing a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at Illinois State University in Normal. His goal was to earn a doctorate.

Many college friends and associates called Day an inspiration to others on campus. To honor his memory, representatives from the National Alumni Association of Alabama A&M University, 100 Black Men of Greater Huntsville, Black Speech-Language Pathology Association, and Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the House Arrest 2 dance team, both of which Day was a member at A&M, presented Day’s family with resolutions and declarations.

[..]

One poignant story was told by Paul DeArmond, a childhood classmate of Day’s since kindergarten.

“He was always nice to me. He went to college to help people like me,” DeArmond said. “He wanted to become a speech therapist because of me.”

[..]

“He was the loudest, and he would argue with you up and down,” she said.

Day’s skillful debating and role as a protector for his siblings and cousins were characteristics many family members mentioned during the service.

“Jelani was my protector, but Jelani made me tough, Jelani made me strong because he said he might not always be around,” his younger sister, Zena Day, said tearfully. “I want to say thank you to Jelani for being a great brother and for making me laugh the hardest.”

[..]

After telling a story about how Day would find older sister Dacara Bolden’s journals and diaries no matter where she hid them, Bolden read aloud her journal entry from the night before in which she said she missed her brother’s bear hugs and Facetime calls.

“I feel lost, heartbroken, and that I have failed you,” Bolden said. “You always wanted to protect me, but I always wanted to protect you, and I’m so sorry this one time I couldn’t.”

 

[MimosaMornings]

It was cited up-thread that the money for Aunt Ruby wasn't a loan but his deposit for an upcoming Thanksgiving celebration.

The requests for money from parents and siblings did not sound like loans.

In the link below (interview with Illinois Public Radio), JD's mom referred to Jelani as her "bill collector child" because of his frequent calls per day. She also says he was her "richest broke child" that could stretch out funds for nice vacations. Mom recounts how persistent he was when he wanted money -- calling her (or his dad) every two hours until they would relent. And if he failed with his parents, he would then ask his siblings for money. The most recent example cited was requesting money to spend a month in Jamaica.

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

Every two hours? A month in Jamaica?

I’ve got ear plugs in a lot at work, I’ll try to find time when I’m off to listen to the video.
Thanks!

 

[LotusPawprint]

I am going to take a guess that jelani was the family support specialist at New Directions Treatmemt Center. The job for that opening was posted in 2019, and then posted again in June 2021.p (see Facebook page). My guess is that this was his position. It was originally posted as working with families and childrem when I believe addiction is involved. On a side note, if this case were a homicide (IMO it’s likely suicide), he would have met some interesting characters in this job. I also find it interesting he was buying legal drugs at the dispensary after working with addicted parents…it seems a little odd to me.

I am a little confused why the family hasn’t mentioned all of his tickets, suspended license issues etc, especially since his last ticket was a few days before he disappeared. I think it’s important for knowing where he has been, and his frame of mind. And if he didn’t visit his family that prior weekend, who was he visiting?

also, wasn’t it just a phone call on 8/23, or was it actually a visit?

Legally buying a legalized (in his state) substance.
Would it have been different if he had a few drinks or was taking prescription medication?


Since they are of the mind that something happened to him, his family probably isn't mentioning speeding tickets because they don't think it's relevant.

I think they are very protective of defending his character and memory -- understandable, why wouldn't they be. Hope they know that he is no less beloved and valued, even if he had traffic infractions or smoked marijuana, or even hypothetically had anxiety or something along those lines. And they can understand that in a case with so many unknowns, their honesty in filling in all of the blanks could be helpful.

 

[rainyday412]

Legally buying a legalized (in his state) substance.
Would it have been different if he had a few drinks or was taking prescription medication?


Since they are of the mind that something happened to him, his family probably isn't mentioning speeding tickets because they don't think it's relevant.

I think they are very protective of defending his character and memory -- understandable, why wouldn't they be. Hope they know that he is no less beloved and valued, even if he had traffic infractions or smoked marijuana, or even hypothetically had anxiety or something along those lines. And they can understand that in a case with so many unknowns, their honesty in filling in all of the blanks could be helpful.

Legally buying a legalized (in his state) substance.
Would it have been different if he had a few drinks or was taking prescription medication?


Since they are of the mind that something happened to him, his family probably isn't mentioning speeding tickets because they don't think it's relevant.

I think they are very protective of defending his character and memory -- understandable, why wouldn't they be. Hope they know that he is no less beloved and valued, even if he had traffic infractions or smoked marijuana, or even hypothetically had anxiety or something along those lines. And they can understand that in a case with so many unknowns, their honesty in filling in all of the blanks could be helpful.

i think the point is that to figure out what could have caused his death, we need to know more than just the good. We need to know the bad. For instance, with the maurra Murray case, we knew she had been in car accidents, we knew she had been drinking, we knew she packed up her room. With this case, we only know the ‘perfect’ things going on in his life. We need to understand the struggles too in order to get a valid picture of what was going on in his mind.

however if it comes across negatively on this forum, I can certainly stop sleuthing!

 

[Seattle1]

Coroner identifies body found in Illinois River as Alabama A&M alum Jelani Day

9/21/2021

“He’s very personable. Jelani is just lively. He loved to have fun, he loved to talk. He loved to debate. Jelani has been articulate ever since he was a little bitty boy, which is one of the reasons why he chose to be a speech pathologist,” said Jelani’s mother Carmen Bolden Day.

[..]

She wrote him a recommendation letter that helped him get into Illinois State.

“I got a call from Jelani this summer and he was so excited. He said, ‘Dr. Billings, I made it! I got into a graduate program and I wanted you to know.’ And I was very proud of Jelani. And I said, ‘you make us proud, Jelani, you can do anything
you put your mind to.’ And that’s the last time I talked to him.

[..]

Dr. Billings read this statement from a former classmate:

He had a smile and a laugh that would make all of us smile and laugh. He treated everyone with respect and would always talk about how much he loved his mom and how beautiful she was. I am truly saddened. I am truly saddened. Our condolences just extend to his mother, Carmen Bolden Day and his family. I just cannot imagine.

 

[Seattle1]

i think the point is that to figure out what could have caused his death, we need to know more than just the good. We need to know the bad.

I couldn't agree more and have dedicated much time to this case trying to reveal the true, real, Jelani and find the answers needed to assess both his mindset and risk profile leading up to August 24 when he abruptly, abandoned his class schedule, appointments, and drove away without telling a soul.

IMO, it's only going to be by answering these questions that we can even get close to determining if Jelani entered the Illinois River in an act of violence, or if he was a victim of suicide.

 

[Seattle1]

Protest to call on FBI investigation into disappearance of Alabama A&M University graduate Jelani Day

9/23/2021

The last time his family spoke to him was August 23.

A protest that has been planned for Saturday at the Uptown Circle in Normal, Illinois, was requested by Day’s family to demand the FBI get involved with the investigation.

Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has said it’s not like him to disappear. She said he was attending ISU to get his Master’s degree in speech pathology. She also said he had several appointments scheduled for the day he went missing.

 

[Seattle1]

Jelani Day: Mystery Deepens After ISU Grad Student Found Dead With No Organs, Jawbone ‘Sawed Out’

10/13/21

Day failed to show up for classes at ISU on August 24, where he was studying to become a doctor, and never returned for any subsequent classes. His family made several unsuccessful attempts to find him, police said. Their calls to Day went straight to voicemail each time.

“I call him my ‘bill collector child,’” Day’s mother, Carmen, told Dateline. “Because he just calls me and calls me, nonstop, several times a day. So to not hear from him in a week is very unlike him. Something’s not right.”

Authorities announced in September that a body was found along the south bank of the Illinois River. Weeks later, a LaSalle County coroner identified the body as Day.

So far, there has been no cause or manner of death announced, but police are treating the case as a “death investigation.” Day’s family and their attorney said it’s been weeks without answers.

[..]

Meanwhile, the FBI Behavioral Unit started an investigation into the case, and the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

ETA: Please disregard the headline above by "Crimeonline" per AP Fact Check
Found Deceased - IL - Jelani 'JJ' Day, 25, ISU grad student, missed class, Bloomington, 23 Aug 2021

 

[Seattle1]

Family of Jelani Day, state lawmaker want Peru police to hand death investigation over to FBI

10/22/21

The Peru Police Department is handling the investigation, but Illinois State Representative Kam Buckner wants that to change.

He wrote a letter last week to the police chief asking him to hand over the entire investigation to the Illinois State Police or the FBI.

There were two autopsies done on the Illinois State University graduate student. According to the family, both had different information on the state of Day's body.

Buckner's letter addresses that, saying the investigation has "included some unsettling discrepancies and inconsistencies," and being a multi-county investigation, "rises to the level that specialized resources, skills and attention are needed to move forward."

"18 days from the day his body was found in order for it to be identified. Even with dental records. Now lets juxtapose that against a similar case … the case of Brian Laundrie. The FBI was a part of that investigation and led that investigation and they found his remains on Wednesday of this week and yesterday on Thursday of this week they were able to identify who he was based on his dental records. That's a one-day period versus an 18-day period," Buckner said.

[..]

There will be a march by the Day family outside of the Peru Police Department to demand they hand over the case.

 

[mewmew]

Every two hours? A month in Jamaica?

I’ve got ear plugs in a lot at work, I’ll try to find time when I’m off to listen to the video.
Thanks!

Jelani Day: Mystery Deepens After ISU Grad Student Found Dead With No Organs, Jawbone ‘Sawed Out’

10/13/21

Day failed to show up for classes at ISU on August 24, where he was studying to become a doctor, and never returned for any subsequent classes. His family made several unsuccessful attempts to find him, police said. Their calls to Day went straight to voicemail each time.

“I call him my ‘bill collector child,’” Day’s mother, Carmen, told Dateline. “Because he just calls me and calls me, nonstop, several times a day. So to not hear from him in a week is very unlike him. Something’s not right.”

Authorities announced in September that a body was found along the south bank of the Illinois River. Weeks later, a LaSalle County coroner identified the body as Day.

So far, there has been no cause or manner of death announced, but police are treating the case as a “death investigation.” Day’s family and their attorney said it’s been weeks without answers.

[..]

Meanwhile, the FBI Behavioral Unit started an investigation into the case, and the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

ETA: Please disregard the headline above by "Crimeonline" per AP Fact Check
Found Deceased - IL - Jelani 'JJ' Day, 25, ISU grad student, missed class, Bloomington, 23 Aug 2021

In regards to the quotes about calling several times a day and requesting money for a month in Jamaica….

Oof. I’m sorry, but this really sounds like me when I am either manic or drinking. I’ve never requested money from my family, BUT I’ve had obsessive ideas of spending a month in interesting locales, like the Galápagos Islands I don’t want to diminish Jalani‘s character or reputation. I don’t know him and don’t ever want to assume that I knew anything happening in his brain. He was obviously a smart young man. I graduated summa *advertiser censored* laude from college with a 3.94. Unfortunately, being “smart” doesn’t preclude you from having troubles with mental health and/or substance abuse. (MOO - I don’t want to wrongly imply that he struggled with either, just sharing that it isn’t that uncommon. It also could still be foul play. Just sharing my own opinion/experience!)

 

[scriabina]

For those who haven't listened to the radio interview with Jelani's mom, I transcribed a couple relevant excerpts.

Jelani loved to travel. He was very active; he was in a different organization where he made a lot of friends, so even this past summer, Jelani would call me. I got the richest broke kids in the world. My kids know how to travel on a budget to some very nice places and they enjoy themselves and Jelani, he lives his best life all the time. Jelani would call me, he’d be like, “Mama, I’m going to Jamaica.” - 'When?' He didn’t tell me when he was going. I’d be like, 'Where are you gonna get the money from?' J- 'Well, I was gonna ask you, then I’m imma call daddy, then imma call [name], then imma call [name],' so he’s gonna get all the money he needed to travel for a month. So I be like 'I’m not gonna give you the money' and he’s like 'yes you will.' So I continued to tell him no, and I’d be at work, and every break Jelani would get, he would call me and I answered the phone… 'Mom, did you think about that money?' I be like 'Jelani I'll call you back.' -'No mom, don’t hang up!' I’d hang up. Not two hours later he’d call me back. 'Hey mom! Did you think about that?' I hang up on him. Jelani would call me like 6, 7 times, that’s why I’d call Jelani my bill collector child, cause Jelani would call me like he's a bill collector, until I give him the YES or until I tell him I’m sending it to you right now…Then he'd go 'oh mom, you are the best. Thank you so much mom, I love you mom.' He was very persistent. He would tell his siblings all the time, 'Y'all, I need tell y'all a lesson on how to get money from mom and dad.'

Another excerpt:

He was the loudest, he’d call me in the morning like ‘HELLO HELLO HELLO!’ and I’d say ‘Jelani, stop screaming in my phone!’ -'OK, mom, what you doing? -‘Jelani you know I’m getting ready for work.’ - ‘OK, I just wanted to hear your voice. I’ll call you later.’

 

[Seattle1]

For those who haven't listened to the radio interview with Jelani's mom, I transcribed a couple relevant excerpts.

Jelani loved to travel. He was very active; he was in a different organization where he made a lot of friends, so even this past summer, Jelani would call me. I got the richest broke kids in the world. My kids know how to travel on a budget to some very nice places and they enjoy themselves and Jelani, he lives his best life all the time. Jelani would call me, he’d be like, “Mama, I’m going to Jamaica.” - 'When?' He didn’t tell me when he was going. I’d be like, 'Where are you gonna get the money from?' J- 'Well, I was gonna ask you, then I’m imma call daddy, then imma call [name], then imma call [name],' so he’s gonna get all the money he needed to travel for a month. So I be like 'I’m not gonna give you the money' and he’s like 'yes you will.' So I continued to tell him no, and I’d be at work, and every break Jelani would get, he would call me and I answered the phone… 'Mom, did you think about that money?' I be like 'Jelani I'll call you back.' -'No mom, don’t hang up!' I’d hang up. Not two hours later he’d call me back. 'Hey mom! Did you think about that?' I hang up on him. Jelani would call me like 6, 7 times, that’s why I’d call Jelani my bill collector child, cause Jelani would call me like he's a bill collector, until I give him the YES or until I tell him I’m sending it to you right now…Then he'd go 'oh mom, you are the best. Thank you so much mom, I love you mom.' He was very persistent. He would tell his siblings all the time, 'Y'all, I need tell y'all a lesson on how to get money from mom and dad.'

Another excerpt:

He was the loudest, he’d call me in the morning like ‘HELLO HELLO HELLO!’ and I’d say ‘Jelani, stop screaming in my phone!’ -'OK, mom, what you doing? -‘Jelani you know I’m getting ready for work.’ - ‘OK, I just wanted to hear your voice. I’ll call you later.’

Thank you @scriabina for transcribing this very valuable insight about JD. I really appreciated the host and how he got Mrs. D to share stories from the heart -the real Jelani.

The last CNN YT was also revealing but for some reason, the transcription option on CNN YT is not an option.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

He treated everyone with respect

Quote RSBM.
"He treated everyone with respect."
I just love that.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

As far as finances, so he'd ask family for financial gifts to travel; he wasn't completely living within his means. I assume he had student loans, maybe even a lot of loans to help pay for undergrad and/ or grad school (?) I am wondering if he felt stress from
financial pressures, even though any student loans wouldn't be due for any payment yet (I assume.)

 

[rainyday412]

As far as finances, so he'd ask family for financial gifts to travel; he wasn't completely living within his means. I assume he had student loans, maybe even a lot of loans to help pay for undergrad and/ or grad school (?) I am wondering if he felt stress from
financial pressures, even though any student loans wouldn't be due for any payment yet (I assume.)

Since I work in a Grant funded world, I would guess he was making low 40s at the most. And with his suspended license issues, his car insurance premium would have been astronomical. He would have been having a lot of financial pressures IMO unless he was living with family at the time.

With the begging, something seems ‘off’.

 

[LotusPawprint]

PERU — The Peru police chief said he's requesting that the FBI take the lead in investigating Illinois State University grad student's Jelani Day’s disappearance and death.

“There have been several calls made to the FBI and also a written request email to them as recently as early this week,” Chief Robert Pyszka said Friday morning. “The FBI is assisting on this case, but will not take over the lead of this investigation. They will assist us in any possible way they can, but they will not take over the lead in this case.”

Pyszka said he made that request on behalf of the joint task force as a response to the Day family's requests.

“The family numerous times asked us to pass this investigation off, and we have attempted to do such,” Pyszka said.

In a statement sent to The Pantagraph, the FBI field office in Chicago said it's always willing to help at the request of local law enforcement. It added that the FBI is in touch with the Peru Police Department to provide resources as needed.


The FBI field office declined to answer whether it had declined Pyszka's request to take charge of investigation, and cited a U.S. Department of Justice policy that prevents it from commenting on active investigations.

Illinois State Police, the Bloomington and Peru police departments, LaSalle County's sheriff's and coroner’s offices, and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit are part of the joint task force that's investigating the death.



Peru police chief: FBI asked to take over Jelani Day case

 

[rkendmar]

PERU — The Peru police chief said he's requesting that the FBI take the lead in investigating Illinois State University grad student's Jelani Day’s disappearance and death.

“There have been several calls made to the FBI and also a written request email to them as recently as early this week,” Chief Robert Pyszka said Friday morning. “The FBI is assisting on this case, but will not take over the lead of this investigation. They will assist us in any possible way they can, but they will not take over the lead in this case.”

Pyszka said he made that request on behalf of the joint task force as a response to the Day family's requests.

“The family numerous times asked us to pass this investigation off, and we have attempted to do such,” Pyszka said.

In a statement sent to The Pantagraph, the FBI field office in Chicago said it's always willing to help at the request of local law enforcement. It added that the FBI is in touch with the Peru Police Department to provide resources as needed.


The FBI field office declined to answer whether it had declined Pyszka's request to take charge of investigation, and cited a U.S. Department of Justice policy that prevents it from commenting on active investigations.

Illinois State Police, the Bloomington and Peru police departments, LaSalle County's sheriff's and coroner’s offices, and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit are part of the joint task force that's investigating the death.
Peru police chief: FBI asked to take over Jelani Day case

Is the FBI is declining to take over the case because they are sure it is not a homicide?

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Is the FBI is declining to take over the case because they are sure it is not a homicide?

That is probably what the evidence is telling them, IMO .