A brief overview in the Michelle Martinko murder trial update Feb 13, 2020 with information taken from various newspapers. Jury selection: nine women and six men were selected from a pool of over 100 potential jurors. Three will serve as alternates. The State: represented by the following prosecutors: First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks […]
Cold Case News
Michelle Martinko Murder Trial
The Michelle Martinko murder trial started today with jury selections. Two important rulings to note: 1: Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover ruled that the prosecution may use the DNA evidence obtained from a discarded straw. Police got that straw after Burns left it behind in a Manchester (Iowa) restaurant. Remember that Burns’ DNA was […]
Conviction in 2006 Juan Cuevas murder
In May 2019, John Blocker was convicted in the 2006 Juan Cuevas murder for of felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, robbery, burglary and three counts of kidnapping. Blocker faced first-degree murder but the jury opted for aggravated manslaughter instead. A fingerprint and DNA tied Blocker to the crime scene. This fingerprint matched Blocker in the national […]
Barbara Mendez trial update
UPDATE April 30, 2019: Robin Mendez was found guilty. Marathon County Circuit Judge Jill Falstad determined that Mendez did have a motive to kill his wife, explaining that he feared the discovery of his sexual abuse of then minor Jodi (Lesert) Rolloff. Judge Falstad said that the “court finds the two inmates’ information credible.” The […]
Moira “Holly” Branagan murdered 40 years ago
Moira “Holly” Branagan (Dec 8, 1962 – March 28, 1979) was murdered 40 years ago today. In 2014, it looked like the 1979 case was breaking open. However, Det. Thomas Galloway, in charge of the investigation, did not release any information except for this: “I have developed a suspect, but we’re not ready to move […]
Robert Boulin: Second Investigating Judge appointed
One Investigating Judge was already appointed to the case of Robert Boulin, who was Minister of labor under Valéry Giscard d’Estain. The request Boulin was found dead in 1979 under suspicious circumstances. Boulin’s daughter Fabienne has long pressed for a second investigating judge to be appointed to investigate her father’s death. The request for a […]
Arrest in 1993 Sophie Sergie murder
On Feb 15, 2019 Alaska State Troopers made an arrest in the 1993 murder of Sophie Sergie. “Steven H. Downs, 44, of Auburn, Maine, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder in the death of 20-year-old Sergie, the state troopers said in a news conference in Anchorage Friday. Downs was employed as a […]
Sentence in 1986 Jennifer Bastian murder
Robert D. Washburn was sentenced to 27 years in prison after he pled guilty to the 1986 first-degree murder of Jennifer Marie Bastian (13) in Tacoma, Washington. Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Martin gave him a 320-month sentence: a month for every year the Bastian family was robbed of their beloved. Washburn must serve a minimum […]
Guilty plea expected in 1986 Bastian murder
The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office reports that Robert Dwane Washburn’s attorney asked for an appointment to change his client’s plea. “The expectation would be that Washburn changes his plea to guilty on January 25 at 1:30 pm.” No details about a plea agreement are known but Washburn will not face the death penalty if he is […]
Michelle Martinko: background information
Jerry Lynn Burns is facing first-degree murder charges for the Dec 20, 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko. He is held at the Linn County Jail (Iowa). Burns Burns has his own company Advanced Coating Concepts in Delaware County, Iowa. It is a powder-coating shop but they are also a Hustler turf equipment dealer. Burns was […]