OTTAWA, Ill. A 39-year-old man was found dead Thursday night in the Illinois River after apparently driving a car into it. Marion van Dijk/Stuff. Jelani Day went missing on Aug. 24. Day's motherpushed for national attention on the case, appearing on national television networks and news shows. He's a productive citizen. The LaSalle County coroner's office said while the body was determined to be a man's body, it remained unidentified as of Wednesday. DUPO, Ill. A suspect was found dead hours after shooting and killing one man and seriously injuring a police ANTIOCH, Ill. (WLS) -- An Antioch man whose body was found in the Des Plaines River died from drowning, the Lake County Coroner's Office said Wednesday. The Illinois State Police will take over the investigation into what led a Wheaton man to be found dead over the weekend in the Illinois River near Starved His family and friends are foremost in our thoughts during this difficult time and we extend our deepest condolences. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). His body has been identified, but police are still investigating how and why he died. "Our hearts are broken," Day's family said in a statement. Bolden said she doesnt think her son ran away and believes someone may have hurt her son. He didnt have any kind of pressures that would make him want to escape from life," she said. Authorities on Sept. 23 said his body was found in the Illinois River. On Sept. 4, a search team found the body of a man floating near the south bank of the Illinois River about a quarter-mile east of the Illinois Route 251 Bridge. OTTAWA, Ill. A 39-year-old man was found dead Thursday night in the Illinois River after apparently driving a car into it. BLOOMINGTON A change.org petition asking for state and federal authorities to investigate the death of Illinois State University graduate st. Catch up with us. "We ask that you continue to pray for our family during what will be very hard days ahead. Bolden said her son was inspired to go down this career path after seeing a friend struggle. "What's obvious is none of us are holding up well at all," Davis said. Jelani was just an awesome man. JelaniDay, 25, was last seen the morning of Aug. 24 walking into the Beyond/Hello store in Bloomington. The morning prior, Day was captured on surveillance video going into a dispensary in Bloomington. A 71-year-old man reported missing over the weekend was found dead in Somo Lake on Monday afternoon. Throughout these 30 days, our very first concern was finding Jelani, and now we need to find out#WhatHappenedToJelaniDay. "He joined his graduate program this summer and his impact on the campus community was immediate he is remembered as kind, intelligent, and caring," Kinzy said in the message. We have been in communication with the Bloomington Police Department over the last several weeks on the case, she said. Quincy Police, Quincy Fire and Adams County Ambulance were dispatched to 12th and Park Place at 5:23 p.m. Sunday in reference to a motor vehicle accident involving a pickup truck and a motorcycle. Officials on Thursday said abody found in theIllinois Rivernear Peru isDay. Jelani Day (Family photo) After finding his car, authorities searched the area for Day with dogs and drones. Updated: 12:23 PM CST February 27, 2023. MUNSTER, Ind. He was a bone marrow match for his dad. The Rev. Additional searches in the Peru area didnt find Day. I want them to give my son the same attention, and it makes me mad because this young white girl is getting that attention and my young Black son is not.". "None of this makes sense. A crash reconstruction team from the Illinois State Police responded to assist. Police said they did an extensive search in the area with K-9 dogs, ground personnel and drones for several days. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. As the agency confirmed the recovery of the man's body, it said toxicology testing will be undertaken in an attempt to learn how Day died. The Illinois State University graduate student had been missing since Aug. 24; the cause and circumstances of his death are being investigated. An Atlanta woman was released from custody Friday on methamphetamine charges. Day, an Illinois State University graduate student, disappeared after he was seen at a Bloomington marijuana dispensary on Aug. 24, police said. Were not too proud to reach out for help, he said. Police are continuing to investigate a shots fired call in Bloomington. He will never be forgotten, Dr. Jelani J.J. Day, mother Carmen Bolden Day said at the event. In a Facebook post, Days mother, Carmen Bolden Day, wrote, There are no words to clearly communicate our devastation. "He's just always alive for the party. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or pjones@cityblm.org. They want the public's help to find out what happened to Jelani Day, and are asking anyone with any information to contact police. MUNSTER, Ind. He also asked the public to make sure they're supportive and empathetic on social media, as Day's family is going through the grieving process. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. My auntie didn't sleep well last night, his siblings didn't, my grandmother didn't, none of us did. "It kind of touched the hearts of everybody in America," Fermon said of the case. More than likely it helped.. Bloomington police Officer John Fermon during a press conference discusses the search forJelani Day, the Illinois State University student wh. Missing 26-year-old found dead in Brazos River by his father. "So I do feel as if there was someone involved.". Identification of Day's body comes after weeks of uncertainty and dread, as his family and friends waited to hear from the coroner who was in turn waiting for results from the state police crime lab. Michael J. Lewis, 25, of Granite City, Ill., was found dead Saturday (June 19) in the Big River at Rockford Beach in House Springs after being reported missing two days earlier, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. Youre not going to forget his name because Im not going to let you, Carmen Bolden Day said on Saturday. Two days later, police found his car in the woods 60 miles away in Peru, Illinois. Illinois State University President Terri Kinzy sent a message to students Thursday extending condolences to Day's friends and family, adding that the community would be planning a celebration of his life soon. The drivers identity was not immediately disclosed in a Thursday press release. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. The manner of death was listed as undetermined by the office on Jan. 22. The white Chrysler 300 was spotted in "a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA," police said. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Grant Bissell said a fisherman found the Jose Molina-Portillo, 43, was recovered from the river near The search for Jelani "J.J." Day is officially over, as the coroner's office in LaSalle County, Ill., identified a body found in a river as Day's. RELATED: Gabby Petito captured headlines when she went missing; do people of color get the same treatment? Denison was a digital content producer for WCIA-TV in Champaign and a reporter for The Commercial-News in Danville. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, LaSalle County Coroners Officials said a male body was found on Sept. 4. The graduate student went missing in late August, and on Sept. 24, a body found in the Illinois River was identified as Day's. Illinois State University students at the Bone Student Center on Thursday walk past a poster seeking the whereabouts of Jelani Day. Bloomington Police Department, Illinois State University Police Department, Peru Police Department, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, LaSalle County Sheriffs and Coroners Office, LaSalle County States Attorneys Office, LaSalle Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Springfield Division and the Illinois State Police were all involved in the investigation. The family of Diego Barra, 32, recognized his remains due to a tattoo that was visible, Daniela Millatruz, the law You have permission to edit this article. The Vilas County Sheriffs A cause of death is pending further investigation and toxicology testing, officials said. God bless those khakis! Teri Maddox has been a reporter for 37 years, joining the Belleville News-Democrat in 1990. Around 4:15 a.m., Munster police responded to 101-45th An investigative autopsy was scheduled for Sunday. An expert river rescue team has been trying to preserve the boat in which the bodies of a man and dog were found near Wolverhampton. ", This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Body of missing graduate student Jelani Day founds in Illinois River, 43 missing persons cases the FBI needs help solving, But they're having the wrong conversation, experts say, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. Jelani Days identity was confirmed through DNA and dental records, the LaSalle County coroners office said. And that's all I'm asking for," Carmen Bolden Day said. Day's relatives had previously submitted DNA samples to aid the search. Hallie Bezner, attorney for Days family, also told The Pantagraph: I think that people read between the lines to try to have some conspiracy that doesn't exist.". Information regarding Jelani's disappearance can be emailed/texted to Beliveaups@yahoo.com 618-223-0044 (C) The family is offering a $25,000+ cash reward. On Sept. 4, another search recovered male remains floating near the south bank of the Illinois River, approximately a quarter-mile east of the Illinois Rte. PEORIA Peoria police are investigating what happened to a person they found dead near the Illinois River early Sunday morning. Sheriffs deputies and Waukegan Police responded to the business and confirmed the child found was the abducted 2-year-old boy. WebPolice on Monday afternoon identified a man found dead in the Arkansas River Sunday evening near downtown. A spokesperson for the FBI's Springfield office said they have been in communication with Bloomington police "for several weeks," but declined to comment further on their involvement. Investigators said they were able to identify Day's remains through forensic dental identification and DNA testing. Based on what the Peru Police Department found in his vehicle, Illinois State Police conducted an extensive K9 search along with drone aerial searches by Peru Fire and Utica Fire and ground search teams from Peru, Utica and Oglesby. Fermon said some information would not be released, though "we try to release all the information that can be helpful in locating the missing person without ruining the investigation down the road.". A toxicology test is also pending. Police, family and friends continue to search for Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day after he went missing last week. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Boys basketball: Check out the Section 9 tournament brackets, Family of victim speak out on fatal stabbing incident at Santa Rosa high school, $30M plan would transform Newtons old Maytag plant into hotel and apartment complex. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Carmen Bolden Day received the Profile in Courage Award during the Rainbow PUSH Coalitions virtual presentation. Fermon said Thursday the department is glad when more media organizations start to spread information on missing person cases. Michael J. Lewis. Day's cousin, Eriel Davis, said he came to visit family and friends in Chicago just two days before he went missing. Jelani Day dead: Body found in Illinois river weeks ago identified as missing college student. Bloomington Police Officer John Fermon in September speaks during a press conference about the identification of Jelani Day. The young man's disappearance was strange, but not unusual. CIProud reports that authorities announced a body was found Saturday along the south bank of the Illinois River. By Mick Zawislak. LaSalle County Coroner Richard Ploch had said the identification could take many days or several weeks. Our hearts are broken. 251 Bridge," was identified Thursday as Day, a 25-year-old reported missing in late August. Mollie Mansfield; Published: 7:31 ET, Sep 24 2021; Updated: 17:34 ET, Sep 24 2021; Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day was last seen 29 days ago. One was an air ball., Go big or go home. A 71-year-old man reported missing over the weekend was found dead in Somo Lake on Monday afternoon. The LaSalle County Sheriff's Office announced this afternoon a person of interest sought by Peru Police has been cleared by investigators and is not a suspect in the case. The department is still working to determine if foul play was involved. Our hearts are broken.We ask that you continue to pray for our family during what will be very hard days ahead. Jesse Jackson. "They're going to remember Jelani's name forever.. Day was last seen on Aug. 24 on campus at Illinois State University and at a marijuana dispensary in Bloomington, a small central Illinois city about 130 miles southwest of Chicago. Several people gathered. The office said at the time its investigation into the identity was "separate" from the investigation into Day's disappearance, though they did not elaborate. Today, the LaSalle County coroner positively identified the body as Day using DNA testing and comparison. Jesse Jackson told The Pantagraph he expects as many as 1,000 people to attend a Friday march in Bloomington-Normal for Jelani Day, whose mysterious death has stirred national attention. The Oneida County Dive Team also assisted at the scene. His mother spoke to the I-Team Wednesday, desperate for answers. State police had no additional information about Warmerdams death and asked anyone with information to contact them at 815-224-1171, ext. Web95.9 The Rivers Mexico Madness Rules; General Contest Rules; Facebook; Twitter; Instagram; YouTube; View Playlist History / national news. The LaSalle County Coroner announced that 63-year-old Donald Lee Renz was found Friday, April 9, at Allen Park in LaSalle County in the Illinois River. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Missing Illinois State University student Jelani Day's body has been found, the LaSalle County Coroner's Office said Thursday. A memorial planned by an ISU student for 4 p.m. Saturday at Uptown Circle had initially been framed as a protest, calling for the FBI to be involved in the case. According to data posted to Illinois State Polices website, the Division of Forensic Services had listed a backlog of 3,745 uncompleted biology tasks as of Aug. 31. At this moment there are more questions than answers surrounding Jelanis disappearance and death, and that is where we will focus our energy, the post read. A toxicology test is also pending. A Tenino man who was found dead in the Toutle River has been identified, the Cowlitz County Coroners Office announced late Friday. His cause of death is unknown, police said, but is under investigation. 251 bridge. The body of Andrew Hintt, 31, was found Sunday evening along with the bodies of his sons Benjamin and Sebastian Hintt. Autopsy Report Reveals Disturbing Police discovered the body hide caption. The 25-year-old was reported missing on August 25 after he didn't show up to class in Bloomington, Ill., for several days. - An Illinois man was found dead on a street in northwest Indiana early Monday morning. All rights reserved. As part of the 32nd annual Rev. He can be reached at (309) 820-3238 and bdenison@pantagraph.com. Two days later, police found his car in a wooded area in Peru, about 60 miles north of Bloomington. A Tenino man who was found dead in the Toutle River has been identified, the Cowlitz County Coroners Office announced late Friday. His family is asking for the public's help to find out what happened to him. Advertisement Meanwhile, Jelani remains missing. You can cancel at any time. OTTAWA, Ill. A 39-year-old man was found dead Thursday night in the Illinois River after apparently driving a car into it. Brendan Denison is our breaking news reporter. A body found floating in the Illinois River was identified as Illinois State University graduate student Jelani "JJ" Day, authorities said Thursday. Window on the World. The McLean County Sheriffs office said it continues to search for a second suspect in the alleged theft. "Together, we mourn his loss. "I couldn't put myself in their shoes. Here's what we know. Throughout the weeks, Day's family had been vocal, pleading for help to find the 25-year-old Black student who was studying to get his masters degree in speech pathology. The play is the Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance's first in-person production in 18 months. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. "His dad actually has cancer and Jelani is the bone marrow match for his dad, and he would never abandon his father like that," she said Wednesday when speaking with ABC7 Eyewitness News. A family set to be interviewed for our series 'The Missing' to spread awareness about their loved one, 26 When the students body turned up in the river on Sept. 4, he was identified using dental records and DNA, according to cops. PETERSBURG, Ill. (WAND) - A man whose body was found in the Sangamon River Thursday was reported missing in December, authorities said. Antioch man facing drug, weapons charges after SWAT team raid. Jelani Day went missing on Aug. 24. His dad has cancer and Jelani would always come here and visit him, sit with him, pray with him, talk with him. Jesse Jackson to lead Jelani Day march in Bloomington-Normal, Peru police chief: All Jelani Day case files given to FBI, Watch now: ISU student calls for answers in Jelani Day case, 'The implications are not true,' Jelani Day's family says after autopsy release, Watch now: Jelani Day's mother honored by Rainbow PUSH Coalition during King celebration, Timeline of missing Illinois State student Jelani Day, Protestors to call for FBI investigation into Jelani Day case, Illinois police seeking tips on missing ISU graduate student, ISU's 'Waiting for Lefty' highlights labor, human rights, Watch now: Communities heartbroken by news of Jelani Day's death, District 87 expels second Bloomington freshman after fight, Home, vehicle hit after shots fired in Bloomington, Bond set for man accused of stealing golf cart near Lake Bloomington, Listen Now: Central Illinois reporters breakdown Jelani Day case; homecoming festivities, Watch now: Oxygen Network to air program on Bloomington murder case, Watch now: Campus remains shaken after death of Illinois State University student Jelani Day. 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