Cedar Rapids Police announce arrest in Michelle Martinko cold case murder

The Gazette

Dec. 19, 2018 6:15 pm, Updated: Dec. 20, 2018 9:30 am

The Cedar Rapids Police Department have arrested Jerry Lynn Burns, 64, of Manchester for the murder of Michelle Martinko after matching blood samples to blood found in the vehicle after the murder.

Last year police used the DNA from the scene to create a composite image of the suspect.

Burns has been found with first-degree murder.

Burns will make his first appearance at Linn County District Court on Thursday morning. He is currently being held in the Linn County Jail.

Previous Coverage

Read more about the case here

Michelle Martinko was killed 39 years ago, but investigators aren't giving up finding who did it

CEDAR RAPIDS - It has been nearly 39 years since 18-year-old Michelle Marie Martinko was found stabbed to death in the parking lot of Westdale Mall, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department still is looking for answers.

Nearly 39 years since 18-year-old Michelle Marie Martinko was found stabbed to death in the parking lot of Westdale Mall, the Cedar Rapids Police Department has announced that they will reveal a 'major development' in the case.

Martinko, a Kennedy High School senior, was found dead in her family's 1972 Buick Electra on Dec. 20, 1979, after being reported missing by her parents. Investigators said there were no signs of robbery or sexual assault, but she had wounds that indicated she fought her attacker.

Police are set to hold a press conference at 7:00 p.m. tonight. You can watch the press conference as it ensues live at this article on thegazette.com.

Michelle Martinko was murdered in 1979, she is burried at Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids, Wed. Dec. 15, 2004.

Michelle Martinko