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

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inmyhumbleopinion said:
Jelani’s NamUs profile:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

“Circumstances of Disappearance:
Jelani Day is a resident of Bloomington, IL, who was in a graduate program at Illinois State University when he went missing. His family contacted police on Wednesday, 08/25/2021, reporting that they had last spoken with him in the evening hours of Monday, 08/23/2021. Further, Jelani's instructors at ISU reported that he had missed class on Tuesday, 08/24/2021, and described this as abnormal for him. Jelani's last known location was at Beyond Hello, a cannabis dispensary in Bloomington, IL, on Tuesday, 08/24/21, at about 9:15 AM. On Thursday afternoon, 08/26/2021, at about 4:20 PM, Jelani's white 2010 Chrysler 300 was located in a wooded area south of 300 Walnut, Peru, IL. The license plates had been removed from the vehicle. Jelani was not located in the area.”
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Thank you for the timeline. I was getting confused. Concerned about the plate removal. If he left the car on his own, why remove the plate, if this was self harm in some form, the plate wouldn't matter, He loved his Grandfather who he got the car from so I can't see leaving it for "whenever" someone comes across it. I think he met up after the pot store and wherever he was going next. I hope any friends who may know what he is up to will step up. This young man needs to be found. IMO
 
Some thoughts...

The "dispensary clothes" being in the car (as in, he changed clothes after leaving) would suggest that, if there was foul play, it wasn't at the dispensary, but off-site somewhere (speculation).

However, it was reported that his phone last pinged at the dispensary (link). So (speculation)...his phone was then turned off? But he was there in the morning, and had class later, so there seems very little chance the phone was out of battery.

It also wouldn't make sense for someone to take the car an hour away and then leave it in the area they did. The YMCA is pretty close to the road, and though the time the report came in hasn't been stated, it seems that the car was spotted quite quickly. I remember the Toni Sharpless case, someone anonymously wrote a letter to the P.I saying they were paid $5000 to drive the car to a chop shop and was allowed to keep the plates...

IDK. I agree with Jelani's mother, this doesn't seem like the M.O of someone who's having a mental break or going off-grid. But foul play seems bizarre now too...taking everything that's been said so far.
 
SimplyCass said:
Some thoughts...

The "dispensary clothes" being in the car (as in, he changed clothes after leaving) would suggest that, if there was foul play, it wasn't at the dispensary, but off-site somewhere (speculation).

However, it was reported that his phone last pinged at the dispensary (link). So (speculation)...his phone was then turned off? But he was there in the morning, and had class later, so there seems very little chance the phone was out of battery.

It also wouldn't make sense for someone to take the car an hour away and then leave it in the area they did. The YMCA is pretty close to the road, and though the time the report came in hasn't been stated, it seems that the car was spotted quite quickly. I remember the Toni Sharpless case, someone anonymously wrote a letter to the P.I saying they were paid $5000 to drive the car to a chop shop and was allowed to keep the plates...

IDK. I agree with Jelani's mother, this doesn't seem like the M.O of someone who's having a mental break or going off-grid. But foul play seems bizarre now too...taking everything that's been said so far.
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unless whomever drove the car took it someplace close enough to get home. I have read but can't confirm there are not a lot of dispensary stores in that area. IMO
 
The Peru Police Department asked the community to look at security cameras from Tuesday, Aug. 24 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and from Wednesday, Aug. 25 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. for a Black man walking along Airport/Chartres Streets and/or a white Chrysler 300 with a black roof.

Peru Police continue to ask for public’s help locating missing ISU student Jelani Day | CIProud.com

I'm curious why they specified 7-7 on those days. Is it just because after those times it's dark and would be hard to see anything?
 
It's been over a week since Jelani's car was discovered and taken to be processed.

The Find Jelani community inundated Apple, trying to get them to contact his mom and give her information and access to his iPhone information -- according to posts Apple did reach out but still waiting to see if they follow through.

Today, law enforcement is conducting a search near where his car was located and the Find Jelani community is canvassing an area looking for surveillance footage.

Let today bring a lead, some clarity, an answer, ...Jelani himself, safe and alive.
 
Question: If he was planning on walking away, wouldn't it make more sense to leave his car on campus and walk away? By moving the car to where it was found, it makes it appear that something bad happened to him.
 
LotusPawprint said:
Thank you for the local perspectives. Very helpful.

I was thinking along the same lines as what you talked about when it comes to dumping the car in that particular spot.

There are clearly more ideal areas to leave it if one wanted to truly conceal it, and not too far away. Like you suggested, did someone want it found? Who would want it found?-- not a criminal who has done Jelani harm. So Jelani himself. Then what would be happening with him? Why else would the car be left there.. Whoever had it may have panicked and had to abandon it rushed and sloppily.

As for the marijuana... I feel like as a graduate student going to school to help people, and going to buy marijuana legally at a dispensary, it seems unlikely that he would do anything but use it for himself.

Also, someone else mentioned upthread that dispensaries, having large amounts of cash on hand, can be targets for robbery. I agree and so I think it would be an odd choice for someone to target a customer as opposed to hitting the dispensary itself.

Maybe someone wanted a car and that's why he was targeted, if he was?


I am really hoping that he walked away for some reason, even though it is completely out of character according to those who know him. Maybe the stress of school or some other issue has him overwhelmed. I like that scenario best because it has him safe somewhere.
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Still could be a really dumb criminal. From some place else.

We're getting a lot of "from somewhere else" crime in the counties surrounding Los Angeles and Riverside. SF Bay Area is seeing the same sort of thing.

While no one would go to a dispensary to resell marijuana, people do follow customers coming out of dispensaries and rob them of their purchase. However, one would think that the car would have been caught on cameras in other places? I think we need a map here (university, home, dispensary and where the car was found).

If Jelani did kind of randomly abandon his car (he wasn't a local, right?) is he one of the increasingly common "voluntarily" missing? Grad school is like hell, IMO. A self-made hell. Meetings with profs are common but almost never fun or good (from the student's pov). So much pressure.

bykerladi said:
Question: If he was planning on walking away, wouldn't it make more sense to leave his car on campus and walk away? By moving the car to where it was found, it makes it appear that something bad happened to him.
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I agree - but if you're planning to really run away, maybe that's a narrative that you think makes sense - for deeply personal reasons?
 
GuyfromCanada said:
Day started his graduate program this summer after being accepted into the highly selective Communication Sciences and Disorders’ Speech Pathology Program.

UPDATE: Bloomington Police seeking information on missing student Jelani Day
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Oh wow - yes, that's a super competitive program to get into (all Speech Pathology programs are so competitive - it takes a really special skillset and some kind of inner aptitude that most people do not have, IMO).

This is so sad.
 
MimosaMornings said:
Favorite hangouts?
Places he frequented?
Employment?
(Wondering how he’s supporting himself)
JMO
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Financial aid, most likely. The stipends are significant, enough to afford rent and spending money. Might be scholarship plus financial aid/scholarship. Scholarships can be significant as well.

I worry that one of his last known acts was to give away money, though (for his mother's rent? to her aunt?) He wouldn't have had a lot leftover. Cannabis is also not cheap.

License plates were removed from the vehicle. That's not good. Someone following him from the dispensary remains a main theory for me - needed to ditch the car, wasn't local, probably had an accomplice or two. Wanted to delay identification of car (not good).
 
Anyone remember Christian Aguilar?
This reminded me of him! His friend murdered him! Ditched the car buried Christian in a shallow grave!
Very sad case!

Was someone waiting in the car when he went to the dispensary maybe?
Changed clothes. Was he going to work or to see someone?
Hope he’s found!
 
10ofRods said:
Financial aid, most likely. The stipends are significant, enough to afford rent and spending money. Might be scholarship plus financial aid/scholarship. Scholarships can be significant as well.

I worry that one of his last known acts was to give away money, though (for his mother's rent? to her aunt?) He wouldn't have had a lot leftover. Cannabis is also not cheap.

License plates were removed from the vehicle. That's not good. Someone following him from the dispensary remains a main theory for me - needed to ditch the car, wasn't local, probably had an accomplice or two. Wanted to delay identification of car (not good).
Click to expand...

Was he in a Masters or PhD program? As a current college student looking at grad schools, I can tell you that almost across the board PhD offers stipends and jobs as TA/RA while Masters do not. The general rule is: For PhD, they pay you to go to school. For Masters, you pay them. There’s no stipends although sometimes a job as a TA/RA or financial aid (student loans) are available.
 
10ofRods said:
Still could be a really dumb criminal. From some place else.

We're getting a lot of "from somewhere else" crime in the counties surrounding Los Angeles and Riverside. SF Bay Area is seeing the same sort of thing.

While no one would go to a dispensary to resell marijuana, people do follow customers coming out of dispensaries and rob them of their purchase. However, one would think that the car would have been caught on cameras in other places? I think we need a map here (university, home, dispensary and where the car was found).

If Jelani did kind of randomly abandon his car (he wasn't a local, right?) is he one of the increasingly common "voluntarily" missing? Grad school is like hell, IMO. A self-made hell. Meetings with profs are common but almost never fun or good (from the student's pov). So much pressure.
Click to expand...

Jelani Day - Google My Maps

I created a map showing the student center, the dispensary, and the approximate place where the car was found, as well as a layer for driving directions from the dispensary to that spot. I also listed Danville, as his hometown. The location of his off-campus housing hasn't yet been reported.

Grad school had JUST started, if my info is correct. 8/24 would have only been his third class and it runs until December, so it's not like a compressed summer or winter session (those can be highly stressful). However, it is strange that he was seen at the student center to meet his professor but skipped.

ForensicToxicologist said:
Was he in a Masters or PhD program? As a current college student looking at grad schools, I can tell you that almost across the board PhD offers stipends and jobs as TA/RA while Masters do not. The general rule is: For PhD, they pay you to go to school. For Masters, you pay them. There’s no stipends although sometimes a job as a TA/RA or financial aid (student loans) are available.
Click to expand...

It's a master's program.

10ofRods said:
Financial aid, most likely. The stipends are significant, enough to afford rent and spending money. Might be scholarship plus financial aid/scholarship. Scholarships can be significant as well.

I worry that one of his last known acts was to give away money, though (for his mother's rent? to her aunt?) He wouldn't have had a lot leftover. Cannabis is also not cheap.

License plates were removed from the vehicle. That's not good. Someone following him from the dispensary remains a main theory for me - needed to ditch the car, wasn't local, probably had an accomplice or two. Wanted to delay identification of car (not good).
Click to expand...

I think it's inaccurate to say he gave away money. He transferred money to his mother's account to pay his aunt, though the specific purpose wasn't stated. The exact quote reported: "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," [CBW] said. (link)
 
Unidentified body found in Illinois River at Peru Saturday

"It's not clear if a body found Saturday along the Illinois River is that of Jelani Day. The La Salle County Sheriff's Office says an autopsy is planned for Sunday. But, the Coroner cautions that identification may take days....perhaps, even weeks.

Sheriff Adam Diss said a search team found the body about 9:45am Saturday in the Illinois River, east of the Route 251 bridge along the river bank. At least eight agencies searched in La Salle and outside Peru Saturday.


Twenty-five-year-old Jelani Day was first reported missing by family and a college instructor on August 25. His clothing and vehicle were found abandoned last Thursday near the Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru. Investigation continues by La Salle County Sheriff and Coroner's Offices, Peru and Bloomington Police."

The only other person missing, that I can think of offhand, is a woman from Ottawa and she's been missing well over a year.
 
ForensicToxicologist said:
Was he in a Masters or PhD program? As a current college student looking at grad schools, I can tell you that almost across the board PhD offers stipends and jobs as TA/RA while Masters do not. The general rule is: For PhD, they pay you to go to school. For Masters, you pay them. There’s no stipends although sometimes a job as a TA/RA or financial aid (student loans) are available.
Click to expand...
It looks like ISU has only a Masters program in Speech Language Pathology but they offer graduate assistantships along with tuition wavers.
Speech Language Pathology Masters | Illinois State University
 
StacyMarie83 said:
Unidentified body found in Illinois River at Peru Saturday

"It's not clear if a body found Saturday along the Illinois River is that of Jelani Day. The La Salle County Sheriff's Office says an autopsy is planned for Sunday. But, the Coroner cautions that identification may take days....perhaps, even weeks.

Sheriff Adam Diss said a search team found the body about 9:45am Saturday in the Illinois River, east of the Route 251 bridge along the river bank. At least eight agencies searched in La Salle and outside Peru Saturday.


Twenty-five-year-old Jelani Day was first reported missing by family and a college instructor on August 25. His clothing and vehicle were found abandoned last Thursday near the Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru. Investigation continues by La Salle County Sheriff and Coroner's Offices, Peru and Bloomington Police."

The only other person missing, that I can think of offhand, is a woman from Ottawa and she's been missing well over a year.
Click to expand...

This is only a few minutes away from where his car was found.

The road where family was looking for home surveillance footage is in the opposite direction.

Very sad for whoever this is and for their family, but hoping it's not Jelani.


:(
 
I hope not either. It may very well be someone who is not local, or missing locally. A search team did find them though, wondering what lead them down there, or if it was just an obvious place to check?

LotusPawprint said:
This is only a few minutes away from where his car was found.

The road where family was looking for home surveillance footage is in the opposite direction.

Very sad for whoever this is and for their family, but hoping it's not Jelani.


:(
Click to expand...
 
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