NY - Wendy Jerome, 14, raped and killed, Rochester, 22 Nov 1984 *Arrest in 2020*

[dotr]

Hi Mrs. Jerome,

I'm from Rochester and lived near you on Iroquois Street from 1979 to 1985. I've thought about Wendy many times because I walked across the park the night before she was killed. Also and more significantly, I was attacked on Greeley street at age 14 in 1981; got away somehow but police came etc. When I saw the 2014 article, which my sister forwarded to me, I called the prosecutor in Wendy's case to tell her about it, but they seemed focused on DNA, which is understandable. Always thought it was the same person. If the case still isn't solved, maybe something I remember could help. If you want to know more send me a private message.

Welcome to Ws Pmm.3319!
Delighted that you have joined here and are willing if necessary, to provide whatever information you can to LE.

 

[Jojocas]

Lengthy article with lots of detail, includes video.
rbbm

December 16, 2014
Mother won't give up on decades-old cold case

"Marlene Jerome doesn't cry much anymore.

There were tears when an officer came to her Denver Street door on Thanksgiving night in 1984 and told her that her daughter had been raped and killed, left lying near a Webster Avenue school a couple blocks from her home.

There have been some tears looking through a box full of her daughter's items — the ones that her late husband didn't throw away in an effort to help Marlene move on — her Smurfs, her miniature Care Bears, her diary.

There were tears at birthdays — Wendy was born Nov. 1 and she would have turned 42 this month.

But for the most part, she keeps the tears at bay. Marlene has trained herself not to get overly emotional, she explains, for a day she is sure will come.

Wendy Jerome was 14 when she was raped and beaten to death Nov. 22, 1984. She was found lying in an alcove of Schools 33 and 11 by a man who said he found her body as he was walking by that evening.

As the years have come and gone, Wendy has become a cold case — never closed or dismissed by Rochester Police Department homicide investigators, but inevitably pushed deeper into a filing cabinet by newer murders"

This case has haunted me all my life! I just turned 10 yrs, I lived in the neighborhood and I went to 33 school at the time. My sister went to school with Wendy and it was just to close to home in many ways! The article read that the police collected very good evidence, but there was so much evidence left behind. First of all , The crime happened right in front of the kindergarten doors and I don't remember if I went up there to see the scene after it happened or when going back to school. But I saw clumps of her hair left, dried blood left, crime tape, chalk...it was horrible! how could they even open school after that? They should of at least closed school grounds for a few days after that holiday. And at the time there was also an apartment building right there on the other side of the scene which is no longer there now, but u mean to tell me no one heard anything that close ..literally right outside their windows! And actually this profile does not fit an African American male, if you ask me it was probably a white male pedophile. I hope someday her mother can get closer and Wendy can have the justice she deserves! I Never knew Wendy, but I will Never forget her!

 

[Jojocas]

Welcome to Ws Pmm.3319!
Delighted that you have joined here and are willing if necessary, to provide whatever information you can to LE.

Was it a white Man that attacked you? In those days it just seemed like they fit the profile more so, growing up in Rochester around the different neighborhoods all over the city, it was my experience and memory that in that decade it was a very common crime amongst White Men. The 80's were just full of those kind of crimes spilling over from the 70's. Days of the pedophiles! They are still out there no doubt..just not as exposed and common as it once was, I feel like they have mastered their evil craft and become more secluded as the generations grow. If any of that makes any sense! Now you see cases where the victim is being held for years, Wendy was a Scorpio, like myself as an adult she would of killed the killer!!

 

[dotr]

Was it a white Man that attacked you? In those days it just seemed like they fit the profile more so, growing up in Rochester around the different neighborhoods all over the city, it was my experience and memory that in that decade it was a very common crime amongst White Men. The 80's were just full of those kind of crimes spilling over from the 70's. Days of the pedophiles! They are still out there no doubt..just not as exposed and common as it once was, I feel like they have mastered their evil craft and become more secluded as the generations grow. If any of that makes any sense! Now you see cases where the victim is being held for years, Wendy was a Scorpio, like myself as an adult she would of killed the killer!!

Welcome to Ws Jojocas!
Also curious if the person who attacked poster Pmm URL="NY - NY - Wendy Jerome, 14, Rochester, 22 Nov 1984"]
was a white male or not, it does seem like a crime one might be more likely to associate with a white pedophile at that time, imo, speculation.

 

[iulia]

Rochester police hope "familial DNA" testing — a process that can locate relatives with similar genetic profiles — can help solve the 1984 Thanksgiving day rape and fatal beating of a 14-year-old girl.
[...]
Police learned last week that the state crime lab will use DNA from the crime scene for familial DNA testing. With that process, a DNA sample is compared to those in criminal data bases to see whether there is a relative.

Earlier testing of the DNA did not find a specific match of an individual in the criminal databases.

"It's a long shot that there is (a relative) in the system," said Investigator John Brennan, who is working with Venosa on the case. "But obviously we want a chance."

How 'familial DNA' testing could help solve 36-year-old cold case murder of teen

 

[Tubal]

DNA leads to arrest in NY cold case murder of girl, 14

 

[Rocky1]

I am Wendy's Mom and would like to say that as of recent the Rochester Police are still using updated systems for testing and retesting things from that night. I personally have waited many years to have some closure and no one is giving up yet for the answers we seek. I urge anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers, as there is still a reward for a conviction. Or, contact the Rochester Police Dept. with any thing they can follow up on. Thank you ever so much

I hope you can find peace. 36 years is a long time. I wish you the best.

 

[dotr]

Beauty..
Police: Arrest made in Wendy Jerome cold case from 1984

Photo: News10NBC. Wendy Jerome

''Police arrested Timothy Williams, 56, on Sept. 9 in the case of 14-year-old Wendy Jerome. The Rochester native, who was living in Melbourne, Florida at the time of his arrest, has been charged with her rape and murder. He was arraigned Friday morning and will be extradited to New York.''

''In November 2019, News10NBC’s Nikki Rudd reported in Inside the Evidence that investigators have kept the suspect's DNA found from Jerome's underwear. Back then officers said they knew the suspect was an African American male.

At the time, investigators were hoping a familial DNA search would provide a lead. This way, the DNA could be submitted to the state crime lab to see if any offenders in the state data bank could be related to the suspect.''

With today's technology, police were able to match the DNA to a family member, leading them to Williams who would have been 20-years-old at the time of the crime.

"I never thought I would see this day and now it's here," Jerome's mother, Marlene said Friday during a news conference. "I just wish my husband had been alive to see this. He passed away in 2011, and I know he's up there with her."

And the beast..imo.

Timothy Williams
Brevard County Sheriff's Office

 

[Betty P]

Beauty..
Police: Arrest made in Wendy Jerome cold case from 1984

Photo: News10NBC. Wendy Jerome

''Police arrested Timothy Williams, 56, on Sept. 9 in the case of 14-year-old Wendy Jerome. The Rochester native, who was living in Melbourne, Florida at the time of his arrest, has been charged with her rape and murder. He was arraigned Friday morning and will be extradited to New York.''

''In November 2019, News10NBC’s Nikki Rudd reported in Inside the Evidence that investigators have kept the suspect's DNA found from Jerome's underwear. Back then officers said they knew the suspect was an African American male.

At the time, investigators were hoping a familial DNA search would provide a lead. This way, the DNA could be submitted to the state crime lab to see if any offenders in the state data bank could be related to the suspect.''

With today's technology, police were able to match the DNA to a family member, leading them to Williams who would have been 20-years-old at the time of the crime.

"I never thought I would see this day and now it's here," Jerome's mother, Marlene said Friday during a news conference. "I just wish my husband had been alive to see this. He passed away in 2011, and I know he's up there with her."

And the beast..imo.

Timothy Williams
Brevard County Sheriff's Office

I wonder when he moved to Brevard Co, FL? There are so many unsolved murders of young women in that area from the 1980s.

RIP Wendy. I'm glad her mother has found some measure of peace.

 

[MissLaura]

I got chills reading this story today. I'm glad they finally got the . It boils my blood that he won't be charged with rape because of the SOL laws (according to what I read). May Wendy rest in peace.

 

[dotr]

I wonder when he moved to Brevard Co, FL? There are so many unsolved murders of young women in that area from the 1980s.

RIP Wendy. I'm glad her mother has found some measure of peace.

He moved shortly after the murder, but has gone back and forth between Rochester and Florida.
rbbm.
‘We Finally Did It’: Police Arrest Man Who Allegedly Murdered 14-Year-Old Girl in 1984 Cold Case
''The defendant was 20 years old and lived in Jerome’s neighborhood at the time of the crime; shortly thereafter he moved to Florida, Umbrino said. Williams has been back and forth between Rochester and Florida a “couple” of times in the years since, the police captain said. He did not know the victim, nor did the victim or her family know him, Umbrino said.

Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Williams remains the Brevard County Jail in Florida as an out of state fugitive. There was a waiver of extradition filed Thursday. He has no attorney of record. A hearing is set for September 25.''

 

[dotr]

DNA leads to arrest in NY cold case murder of girl, 14

Welcome to Ws Tubal, thanks so much for posting this very important link!

 

[Betty P]

I am Wendy's Mom and would like to say that as of recent the Rochester Police are still using updated systems for testing and retesting things from that night. I personally have waited many years to have some closure and no one is giving up yet for the answers we seek. I urge anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers, as there is still a reward for a conviction. Or, contact the Rochester Police Dept. with any thing they can follow up on. Thank you ever so much

Hello Marlene,

It was so heartwarming to see you at the press conference. We're all so grateful that you finally have the answers you've been seeking about Wendy's killer. Warm hugs to you from all of us and strength for the days ahead as Wendy's killer is brought to justice. Bless you.

 

[Betty P]

He moved shortly after the murder, but has gone back and forth between Rochester and Florida.
rbbm.
‘We Finally Did It’: Police Arrest Man Who Allegedly Murdered 14-Year-Old Girl in 1984 Cold Case
''The defendant was 20 years old and lived in Jerome’s neighborhood at the time of the crime; shortly thereafter he moved to Florida, Umbrino said. Williams has been back and forth between Rochester and Florida a “couple” of times in the years since, the police captain said. He did not know the victim, nor did the victim or her family know him, Umbrino said.

Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Williams remains the Brevard County Jail in Florida as an out of state fugitive. There was a waiver of extradition filed Thursday. He has no attorney of record. A hearing is set for September 25.''

Thanks, dotr! I saw in another news video one of the women reporters was asking the same question - if he was only 20 when he killed Wendy, could there be others? I hope they get some answers. What a frightening person do commit such a horrific, violent act on a helpless young girl. He certainly had severe problems if he was doing this by age 20.

I suppose he could have victims in Rochester or Florida or anywhere in between. Sounds like he moved around some. There will probably be a lot of detectives wanting to talk to him.

 

[dotr]

I am Wendy's Mom and would like to say that as of recent the Rochester Police are still using updated systems for testing and retesting things from that night. I personally have waited many years to have some closure and no one is giving up yet for the answers we seek. I urge anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers, as there is still a reward for a conviction. Or, contact the Rochester Police Dept. with any thing they can follow up on. Thank you ever so much

Better late than never, although the arrest must be both a source of relief and pain for you, but truly hoping eventually you can heal and be comforted with good memories of your darling, beloved daughter.
Sending you a big hug!

Primo GIF

 

[Niner]

Saw this case in the DNA thread - and will be following this one!

Justice for Wendy!!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Saw this case in the DNA thread - and will be following this one!

Justice for Wendy!!

Found some info for you....
Case: 05-2020-CF-041609-AXXX-XX

BECA Splash

Court Date 09/25/2020
Court Time 01:15 PM
Event Description CAL:CONTROL FUGITIVE WARRANT
Court Room Description BREVARD CO DETENTION CENTER
Judge Name KATHRYN C JACOBUS

 

[PayrollNerd]

I wonder when he moved to Brevard Co, FL? There are so many unsolved murders of young women in that area from the 1980s.

RIP Wendy. I'm glad her mother has found some measure of peace.

This crossed my mind too. I lived in Brevard County 1979 to 1987 too.

 

[MaryG12]

36 Years Later, Police Arrest Suspect in Rape and Killing of a 14-Year-Old

Umbrino said Williams had not been linked to any other crimes. He offered no other details about the man, other than to say he had traveled between Rochester and Florida over the years and was unemployed.
............................................

Oh boy.....

I wonder if LE will try to link him with any other similar cases?

Am glad Wendy and her family finally has justice.

 

[CastlesBurning]

The Murder of Wendy Jerome: Arrest Made in Cold Case Rape and Killing of 14-Year-Old Rochester Girl

Teen Was Killed in 1984 While Delivering Birthday Card to Friend — and Suspect Was Just Arrested