GUILTY MI - Janna Kelly, 60, Grand Rapids, 4 Dec 2007

http://woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7458210

5 Dec 07

Police are asking for your help in finding a missing Grand Rapids woman.

Janna Kelly, 60, was last seen Tuesday night.

She is a white female, 5'4" tall, weighs 140 pounds and has blonde hair.

Police are also looking for her 2006 white Acura car with Michigan license plate 4GMQ28.

You can call police or Silent Observer is you know her whereabouts.

no pic at link

http://www.wwmt.com/news/police_1345331___article.html/kelly_rapids.html

Just before 3 p.m., the daughter of 60-year-old Janna Kelly called the police, saying her mother was missing, as was her car.

Police are especially concerned because Kelly's purse turned up later in the day on the city's Southeast side, far from where Kelly lives. Police are not disclosing exactly where the purse was found at this time, and don't know where Kelly was last seen.

more at link

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/12/police_call_womans_disappearan.html

A daughter of Janna Lee Kelly last spoke to her about 6:30 p.m. and then was unable to locate her Wednesday.

Kelly did not report for work Wednesday. Authorities were contacted about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday about the missing woman.

Authorities later received a call from a person who found Kelly's purse, but investigators would not disclose where it was located.

"We're unsure what exactly is missing at this point, but there are still items in it," Lt. Scott Weitzel said. "The detectives put it together and it appears suspicious."

more at link; may need to enter zip code to access this article

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-39/1197038876100920.xml&coll=6

7 Dec 07

Less than a mile from where co-workers found the purse of a missing woman, police discovered her abandoned car Thursday and were combing it for clues to her disappearance.

Jana Kelly, 60, hasn't been seen or heard from since about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Her failure to arrive at work Wednesday raised suspicions among fellow insurance-agency workers, who alerted police.

Kelly's 2006 Acura was found along Louise Street SE, near Ottawa Hills High School, about 10 p.m. Thursday, Grand Rapids police Lt. Paul Warwick said.

more at link

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7488045&nav=0Rcdd3M2

13 Dec 07

Investigators took a break from searching for missing Grand Rapids woman Janna Kelly in Ottawa County on Thursday.

Authorities conducted an active search on Wednesday.

and

Authorities told 24 Hour News 8 they received a strong tip and a search began around 9 a.m. Wednesday near New Holland Street and 136th Avenue in Ottawa County's Holland Township.

Officers from the Grand Rapids Police Department, Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, and county search and rescue volunteers scoured the area. They even used a helicopter at one point during the search, which covered a six to 10 square mile area.

But investigators did not find any new clues. They planned to resume the search Thursday morning, but then decided not to.

more at link

pic

Two months after the disappearance of Grand Rapids businesswoman Janna Kelly, police say tips have run dry. Police hold out hope she is alive, but "certainly, we have to be realistic, and look at the possibility foul play is involved," Capt. Jeffrey Hertel said Tuesday. Kelly, 60, co-owner of Burr & Co. insurance agency, failed to show for work Dec. 5. Her personal items and car turned up in the area of her Southeast Side home within a day. Police in mid-December searched a wooded area in Ottawa County's Olive Township after records showed her cell phone possibly connecting with a tower there the night she disappeared.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-40/1202309119213510.xml&coll=6

Here is a facebook account her niece started for her:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6990099071

Please Help Find My Aunt


Janna Kelly has been missing since Tuesday night, December 4. The paper describes her as a business woman but she's a lot more then that. She's a friend, an aunt, a sister, and a mom. We haven't given up the search and we don't want any of you to either. I'm asking you, especially those living in the Grand Rapids area, to take a few extra minutes to think or search anywhere you think she might be. We are hopeful she is still alive in which case she must be inside a building. If you know of any vacant buildings, please check or let me know so we can check. Please, if you have any information, call Silent Observer at

616-774-2345

. I also want to encourage you to invite more people to increase awareness. Most of all, we are asking for your prayers. We are confused and our hearts are weary. We still have hope that she will come home safely and we are praying for answers. Please, help find my aunt.

P.S. My aunt is the bomb.

trutscha@msu.edu

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Dunno why the format is messed up in the cut and paste.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-40/1202741121297380.xml&coll=6

11 Feb 08

In tough times, Dana Kelly turned to her mother, Janna Kelly.

Now, she has turned to other family members, police and prayer in a search for her mother, who disappeared Dec. 4 -- sometime after she left her insurance agency.

"My mom and I are very close," Dana Kelly said. "It goes beyond she's just my mom. She's my best friend."

Her family has organized a vigil from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in Kentwood Community Church, 1200 60th St. SE, west of Kalamazoo Avenue.

Dana Kelly said her mother would not just leave on her own, but she remained hopeful that her mother was somewhere safe.

"As far as we know, there's no evidence or information to indicate she's not alive," she said. "We have to hope and pray that's true, and they can find her."

She asked anyone with information to contact police at 456-3604 or Silent Observer at 774-2345.

Janna Kelly, co-owner of Burr & Co. insurance agency, didn't show up for work Dec. 5. Her personal items were found that day near a Burton Street SE car wash. Her purse and wallet were intact. Her car turned up a mile away Dec. 6.

A $10,000 reward is available for details that help Kelly return safely to her family, or for the arrest of a suspect if her disappearance is found to be a crime.

13 Feb--Vigil Held

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/grmetro_article.aspx?storyid=87604

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-40/1205414140300810.xml&coll=6

13 March 08

The Silent Observer reward for information leading to the whereabouts of local businesswoman Janna Kelly has grown to $26,000, making it one of the largest rewards in the local tip line's history.

more at link

I read this in the online Grand Rapids Press obits this morning. Instead of a memorial service, it sounds like there is a regular funeral. Did they find Janna Lee Kelly? Unless they did, I don't see how a funeral can be held this soon. Anyone know? Thanks for any info. I've been following this from Texas as I am a former W. Michigan resident.


Janna Lee KellyJanna Lee Kelly (Neil), aged 60, of Grand Rapids, passed away in early December. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alexander and Geraldine Neil. She is survived by her daughter, Dana Lynn and fiancé, Jim Isola and grandchildren, James and Victoria. Also her brothers, Wyatt (Jeanne) Neil, Bill (Brigitte) Neil; sister, Lori (Jim) Trutsch; nieces and nephews, Jon (Heather) Neil, Jennifer (Micah) Stanton, Kirsten (Tony) Bonnema, April (Dave) Gross, Blake (Jennifer) Trutsch, Amanda Trutsch; great nieces and nephews; and a special love, Earl Lynn. Janna graduated from Caledonia High School in 1965 and attended Ferris State University. She has been in the insurance business for 32 years, and was currently vice-president of Burr & Company Insurance Agency. She was past president of Altrusa, and past president of the West Michigan Association of Insurance Agents. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18 at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home in Caledonia (616 E. Main Street). Funeral services for Janna will be Wednesday at 1:00 at Peace Reformed Church, 6950 Cherry Valley Ave., Caledonia. Interment Lakeside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the American Red Cross or a charity of one's choice. Condolences may be sent on line to www.mkdfuneralhome.com. Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf

I just found this while doing a search on whether the body had been found. Now we have to hope they can find the murderer. I am posting the link. How sad, but glad the family has some of the many unknown answers now.
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=89210

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Three years after Janna Kelly went missing, friends are hoping a $50,000 reward will help solve the mystery of who abducted and ultimately killed the 60-year-old Grand Rapids woman

a little more here

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=142821

Is this the only thread covering this case? If so, I wonder why it has received such little interest. Any responses would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

misterGwriter said:

Is this the only thread covering this case? If so, I wonder why it has received such little interest. Any responses would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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From the few links I find in the thread that still work, it sure sounds as if authorities released very little information about this case. (There may be other, more informative links out there, though -- I haven't searched.)

Some more recent information:

Janna Kelly case: 5 years later

Reward still offered for information in case

...Bennett said he feels like investigators are close to a resolution. He said one small nugget of information or short phone conversation with the right person could make the difference.



"People have heard that before, and we preach that frequently it is just that one little piece of information that it is going to take to turn this case," he said. ...

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read more at: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/Janna-Kelly-case-5-years-later

Janna Kelly's family stays resolved

'Somebody knows something'

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read more at: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kent_county/who-killed-janna-kelly

You are correct. Police have not released much information about the case. As such, the lack of recent activity isn't surprising. However, the little interest displayed from the date Ms. Kelly was reported missing until her body was recovered is surprising to me. But that's just me.

I wonder what LE's reasoning is for not releasing much information related to the case. I first heard about this case last spring. There hasn't been any new information released or any developments to speak of in almost a year.

Thanks for the links. I don't know how Detective Bennett feels like investigators are close to a resolution without any possible suspects. Even if LE doesn't want to release the name of a potential suspect to the public, they will at least indicate that they have a suspect or a person of interest but are withholding their name. No indication has been provided that they have any possible suspects in this case.

Also, the investigation cannot be close to a resolution if you are 'hoping' for a the right nugget of information or short phone call with the right person.

misterGwriter said:

You are correct. Police have not released much information about the case. As such, the lack of recent activity isn't surprising. However, the little interest displayed from the date Ms. Kelly was reported missing until her body was recovered is surprising to me. But that's just me.

I wonder what LE's reasoning is for not releasing much information related to the case. I first heard about this case last spring. There hasn't been any new information released or any developments to speak of in almost a year.

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One of the older articles linked some time back in the thread stated that a cause of death had not been released. Do you know: Is that still the case?

The manner of death was ruled a homicide but they have not released the actual cause of death. I also have not seen anything released about the recovery of her cell phone or car keys.

There was a search conducted in December of 2007 after Ms. Kelly disappeared a few miles away from where her body was actually discovered, and the news articles state that it was based on a 'credible tip'. Although I can't locate the article now, I remember reading one that said they conducted the search because of a ping on her cell phone. It would be helpful to know if her cell phone was recovered and if her car keys were in her abandoned car. It would also be helpful to know if the tip that triggered the search was a result of a cell phone ping or an actual tip from an individual.

Last spring after I first heard about this case, I decided to drive to where Ms. Kelly's body was discovered. I also plotted the most logical route from where her body was discovered to the car wash in Grand Rapids. After observing the area and retracing the most likely route, I have developed a theory based on the available evidence and facts.

Background: Pierce Street is a dirt road off of Southbound US 31. Although I had driven past it several times previously, I didn't even notice it was there. Even in my attempt to find it, I overshot the road. It is very rural. There is a blueberry farm and some residences. Also, there is no clear-cut route from Pierce Street to the car wash in Grand Rapids.

It is safe to assume that the individual or individuals responsible had been on Pierce Street before. It is also safe to assume that they had driven from Pierce Street to Grand Rapids before. There was a vacant home on the land where Ms. Kelly's body was disposed of. They would have had to also know that it was vacant for the past several months.

Based on this information, I believe that the individual or individuals responsible lived in Grand Rapids and worked on the blueberry farm during 2007. Such an individual would have had ties to Grand Rapids, known the route from GR to Pierce Street, known that the home on the land had been vacant for several months and would have known the land well enough to dispose of the body.

I believe Ms. Kelly went to the car wash the night she disappeared. The individual(s) likely were there as well, or parked close by. The individual(s) likely intended to rob her. Whether or not they intended to murder her is unknown. If not, perhaps there was a struggle. In the end, the assailant(s) took whatever cash she had on her, disposed of her belongings at the car wash and drove to Pierce Street to dispose of her body. I would imagine they used her car to do it since her phone was probably still in her car and it was reported that there was a ping near where her body was found. The assailant(s) then drove back to GR, abandoned her car a block or two from the car wash, and walked back to get their own vehicle.

The fact that no suspect has been named is consistent with the nature of this scenario. Random crimes are harder to solve. If my theory is correct, I would look at employment records for 2007. I would look for anyone who had a Grand Rapids address. If the employer doesn't have the records anymore, look at IRS data for anyone who had a W2 issued with a GR address under their Employer Identification Number for 2007. I would start with individuals whose address was closest to the car wash and move out from there.

Another alternate theory is that the person or persons responsible lived near Pierce Street. The main reason I don't buy this scenario as much is because it is more likely for an assailant to dispose of a body further away from where you are living instead of bringing it closer to home. Also, it is less likely for someone who lived on Pierce Street to be in Grand Rapids the night Ms. Kelly disappeared.

Arrest made in 2007 murder of Janna Kelly
April 28, 2015, 12:39 pm

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An arrest has been made in the 2007 murder of Janna Kelly, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.

Robin Lynn Root, 52, an acquaintance of Kelly, was arraigned Tuesday morning in Ottawa County on an open murder charge in Kelly’s death. She was arrested Monday night in Kent County.

Root’s arrest comes after a cold case team began a more intense review of Kelly’s cold case in 2014. In that review, a number of people were re-interviewed, according to Capt. Mark Bennett with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.

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