Judge Fae Hoover will take early retirement next month after serving 20 years on the bench and 34 years overall in the legal profession. She says 20 years is “long enough” on the bench and she is ready to step aside for the next generation.
The biggest “enemy” of a cold case is time. It it affects memories, evidence and paper reports. But time also can bring breakthroughs by way of new technology that wasn’t available when someone was killed and murders went unsolved. In a continuing series, The Gazette will revisit some of those unsolved cases in Cedar Rapids and Linn County. Investigators will share their insights and new information gathered over the years, and victims’ families will share memories of their loved ones.
The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a Manchester man’s murder conviction of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko, who was fatally stabbed in her car parked outside Westdale Mall in 1979. The court ruled Jerry Burns voluntarily left his DNA on a drinking straw police found in the trash of a restaurant. No warrant was needed.
Lawyers for a Manchester man who was convicted of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979 argued Friday during his appeal that his conviction should be overturned because police didn’t have a warrant when it retrieved his DNA from a straw in the trash.
On Dec. 19, 1979, 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in the parking lot of Westdale Mall. For nearly 40 years, Cedar Rapids police searched for her killer. DNA evidence provided the breakthrough needed to close the case.
CEDAR RAPIDS – Convicted killer Jerry Burns, who fatally stabbed 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979, has hired a Chicago-area lawyer …
Dateline NBC on Monday night will be airing their episode about the 1979 murder of Michelle Martinko, with interviews of …
CEDAR RAPIDS – The Martinko family lived without answers for 39 Christmases. ‘Shock, anguish and horror” permeated the family them …
On Friday, Jerry Burns of Manchester was sentenced to life without parole in the death of Michelle Martinko. The video on this page …
The investigation into Michelle Martinko’s murder will be featured at 9 p.m. Sunday in the cable TV series ‘On the …
CEDAR RAPIDS — After waiting five months, Michelle Martinko’s family and friends on Friday finally will see a Manchester man …
CEDAR RAPIDS – A judge has again reset the sentencing for a Manchester man convicted in February of fatally stabbing …
CEDAR RAPIDS – Sentencing for a Manchester man convicted last month for killing 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979 has been …
CEDAR RAPIDS – A Manchester man, convicted last month for the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979, will …
CEDAR RAPIDS – He didn’t start out thinking he was going to solve a cold case murder that haunted Cedar …
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