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

[Suglo]

@Suglo - any updates yet in court site? TIA!

Looks like you found updates. Their court site doesn’t give any info on criminal proceedings

 

[Niner]

Looks like you found updates. Their court site doesn’t give any info on criminal proceedings

Thank you for checking it out!

 

[Niner]

Any news on this case? I'm just finding stuff from earlier.... TIA!

 

[iulia]

Motions Hearing in the Case of People v. Timothy Williams

On Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Julie Hahn argued before Monroe County Supreme Court Judge Daniel Doyle that the names and information of the family members used to identify Williams should not be released to the public.
[...]
Williams's attorney, Joshua Stubbe, argued that his team has the right to know the information on the family used for DNA identification. He said it is part of Williams’s right to present a defense.

Judge Doyle said he will make a decision later Tuesday.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Motions Hearing in the Case of People v. Timothy Williams

On Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Julie Hahn argued before Monroe County Supreme Court Judge Daniel Doyle that the names and information of the family members used to identify Williams should not be released to the public.
[...]
Williams's attorney, Joshua Stubbe, argued that his team has the right to know the information on the family used for DNA identification. He said it is part of Williams’s right to present a defense.

Judge Doyle said he will make a decision later Tuesday.

Well that’s kinda odd. Get on Ancestry, see who has their DNA linked to a public tree and this dude in it. Problem solved. It may not be one particular person who did their DNA. It could be a multitude of relatives who’ve uploaded to one of the free public sites. Why pick on the people who are innocently doing their genealogy?

 

[iulia]

Well that’s kinda odd. Get on Ancestry, see who has their DNA linked to a public tree and this dude in it. Problem solved. It may not be one particular person who did their DNA. It could be a multitude of relatives who’ve uploaded to one of the free public sites. Why pick on the people who are innocently doing their genealogy?

Yeah, I found it odd too. I wonder how knowing what relative(s) DNA were used could help with his defense?

 

[PayrollNerd]

Yeah, I found it odd too. I wonder how knowing what relative(s) DNA were used could help with his defense?

I’d be afraid he’d put a hit out on whomever he deemed responsible!

 

[CrimeAway]

My understanding is that this suspect, was found through leads garnered from a familial DNA search of state department of justice DNA samples, and not as a result of a genealogical DNA hit from open-source platforms such as GEDmatch.

 

[dotr]

October 13, 2020 rbbm.
Trial date set for man accused of killing 14-year-old Wendy Jerome in 1984
''He was in court Tuesday for what the district attorney’s office says was mostly scheduling purposes.''

Timothy Williams

File video, News10NBC
''Williams is due back in court for a motion argument on Dec. 22, for hearings on March 9, 2021 and for trial on June 7, 2021.''

 

[LadyL]

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.

I know this is an old post but I'd be interested to know if the suspect matches the description of Williams, now that he's been arrested.

 

[oviedo]

Man accused of 1984 murder of Wendy Jerome pleads not guilty

October 2, 2020

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The Florida man arrested for the murder of a 14-year-old girl from Rochester back in 1984 pleaded not guilty in Monroe County Court Friday morning.

Authorities arrested Timothy Williams last month, nearly 36 years after the crime, while he was living in Florida.

Investigators say he killed Wendy Jerome on Thanksgiving Day in 1984. News10NBC’s Nikki Rudd has been following the case in the exclusive Inside the Evidence series.

Ultimately, Rochester Police say familial DNA testing is what led them to suspect Williams. It all started with DNA samples RPD sent to the State Police Crime Lab.

So very glad they preserved that evidence properly
JMO

 

[PayrollNerd]

My understanding is that this suspect, was found through leads garnered from a familial DNA search of state department of justice DNA samples, and not as a result of a genealogical DNA hit from open-source platforms such as GEDmatch.

Meaning another family member has a criminal history and it was matched via CODIS? Or maybe via the missing veteran program? I’m not clear what you’re referring to. Please forgive my ignorance.

 

[CrimeAway]

Yes, I mean that another family member (I am assuming) had a criminal record, and a partial match was found (according to the press conference) from the NY State DNA database. They had previously been unable to find a direct match through CODIS.
I have not read up on the different state/federal/national laws recently, but I recall that different jurisdictions have different laws on how and when DNA can be taken from a suspect, and in some places, for what crimes. For example, I believe in certain countries, DNA can be taken if one is arrested for certain crimes, but in other places, it might only be permitted to be taken on the conviction of someone for a violent crime

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, Dec. 22nd:
*Motions Hearing (@ am ET) – NY – Wendy Jerome (14) (Nov. 22, 1984, raped & severely beaten to death, found later that night lying in an alcove of Schools 33 & 11 at Webster Ave. a couple of blocks from her home) - *Timothy Lee Williams (20 @ time of crime/56) arrested & charged (9/9/20), indicted (9/28/20) & arraigned (10/2/20) with 2 counts of 2nd degree murder & intention. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
DNA familial search/Williams became a suspect after the New York state crime lab uploaded DNA from the crime scene to a database & came up with profiles of relatives.
Trial is set to begin on 6/7/21.
9/9/20 Update: arrested at his home in Melbourne, Florida Wednesday 9/9/20. He was jailed & arraigned 9/11/20 & waived extradition to New York. He remains the Brevard County Jail in Florida as an out of state fugitive. No action as to bond. There was a waiver of extradition filed Thursday, 9/10/20. Was extradited to Rochester on Friday, 9/18/20. He has no attorney of record. A arraignment hearing is set for September 19.
9/19/20 Update: Plead not guilty. And will be held without bond. Next preliminary hearing on 9/24/20 @ 2pm. 9/24/20 Update: Arraignment hearing on 10/2/20. 10/2/20 Update: Assistant District Attorney Julie Hahn argued before Monroe County Supreme Court Judge Daniel Doyle that the names & information of the family members used to identify Williams should not be released to the public. Williams's attorney, Joshua Stubbe, argued that his team has the right to know the information on the family used for DNA identification. He said it is part of Williams’s right to present a defense. Judge Doyle said he will make a decision later Tuesday. Williams is due back in court for a motion argument on Dec. 22, and hearings on March 9, 2021 & for trial on June 7, 2021. Williams plead not guilty.

 

[Niner]

@dotr - you seem to find current articles - any updates on his motion hearing?

TIA!

and a

all!

 

[dotr]

@dotr - you seem to find current articles - any updates on his motion hearing?

TIA!

and a

all!

No fresh articles so far, will keep eyes open.. (waiting for Santa, Merry Christmas!)

 

[CastlesBurning]

10 Cold Cases That Saw Big Breaks in 2020

 

[dotr]

10 Cold Cases That Saw Big Breaks in 2020

Thanks for the link, rbbm.
''Victim: Wendy Jerome, 14, was raped and murdered.
Date of Crime: Nov. 22, 1984
Suspect: Timothy Williams
Location: Rochester
Details of Case: Wendy was last seen on Thanksgiving in 1984. She had left the house that night to deliver a birthday card to a friend who lived nearby, and was supposed to be home by curfew about an hour later, The New York Times reported.

Barely three hours later, her body was found behind a school just a quarter-mile from her house. She had been raped and beaten to death.

Then in September, investigators announced that by using familial DNA, an arrest had been made in the teen's killing. Timothy Williams was arrested at his home in Melbourne, Florida on Sept. 9 and charged with murder, officials said.

No other details about Williams were released, except that he and Wendy lived near each other at the time of her killing, but did not know each other.

Williams, now 56, was arraigned and is awaiting extradition to New York. He is being held in Monroe County Jail. He has pleaded not guilty, his attorney, Donald Thompson, told Inside Edition Digital.

His next virtual hearing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2021 at 10 a.m. His trail date is set for June 7, 2020.''

 

[Niner]

Okay - I don't know "how" I skipped posting this back on Monday.... I'll do it anyway to keep the case correct!

Monday, January 4, 2021:
*Virtual Hearing (@ 10am ET) – NY – Wendy Jerome (14) (Nov. 22, 1984, raped & severely beaten to death, found later that night lying in an alcove of Schools 33 & 11 at Webster Ave. a couple of blocks from her home) - *Timothy Lee Williams (20 @ time of crime/56) arrested & charged (9/9/20), indicted (9/28/20) & arraigned (10/2/20) with 2 counts of 2nd degree murder & intention. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
DNA familial search/Williams became a suspect after the New York state crime lab uploaded DNA from the crime scene to a database and came up with profiles of relatives.
Trial is set to begin on 6/7/21.
Court info from 9/9/20 thru 9/24/20 reference post #74 here:
NY - Wendy Jerome, 14, raped and killed, Rochester, 22 Nov 1984 *Arrest in 2020*
10/2/20 Update: Assistant District Attorney Julie Hahn argued before Monroe County Supreme Court Judge Daniel Doyle that the names & information of the family members used to identify Williams should not be released to the public. Williams's attorney, Joshua Stubbe, argued that his team has the right to know the information on the family used for DNA identification. He said it is part of Williams’s right to present a defense. Judge Doyle said he will make a decision later Tuesday. Williams is due back in court for a motion argument on Dec. 22, for hearings on March 9, 2021 and for trial on June 7, 2021. Williams plead not guilty.
12/22/20 Update: No info on hearing. Next virtual hearing on 1/4/21.

 

[Niner]

and @dotr - any news on his last hearing? I'm getting very old articles over here...

TIA!