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 […]
Michelle Martinko
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 […]
Arrest in 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko
Michelle Martinko was found dead on Dec. 20, 1979. She was repeatedly stabbed most notably in her face and chest. Police discovered her body in the family Buick in the parking lot of the Westdale Mall, Cedar rapids, Iowa. Police said there was no sign of a sexual assault, but she had wounds that indicated […]
Suspect composite in case of Michelle Martinko
The Cedar Rapids Police Department can now show the public the suspect composite in the cold case of Michelle Martinko (18) who was murdered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Dec. 19, 1979. Michelle Martinko was found dead around 4am on Dec. 20, 1979. She was repeatedly stabbed most notably in her face and chest. Police […]
Remembering Michelle Martinko
Remembering Michelle Martinko who was found murdered around 4am on December 20, 1979 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The police discovered her body in the parking lot of the Westdale Mall. The Kennedy High School senior had been stabbed to death in the family Buick. Michelle Martinko was repeatedly stabbed most notably in her face and […]
Help the Cedar Rapids Police
Help the Cedar Rapids Police to get in touch with an anonymous person who contacted the Linn County Crime Stoppers about Michelle Martinko‘s cold case. The Public Safety Communications Coordinator Greg M. Buelow contacted me with the following message: “The Cedar Rapids Police Department is requesting additional assistance from a Linn County Crime Stoppers tipster who provided investigators […]
Case of the Month: Michelle Martinko
Case of the Month: Michelle Martinko was found murdered around 4am on December 20, 1979 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Police discovered her body in the parking lot of the Westdale Mall. The Kennedy High School senior (18) had been stabbed to death in the family Buick. Michelle’s murder remains ever present for her family members.“I […]