Found Deceased IL - Jelani 'JJ' Day, 25, ISU grad student, missed class, Bloomington, 23 Aug 2021

[Gloomy Bear]

Bloomington Police continue search for leads in finding Jelani Day | WCIA.com

It says,

"Day’s car was found on August 26 in Peru, IL. On September 5, search teams found a body in the Illinois River in that same city. The LaSalle County coroner said the body was a man; however, investigators said at this time that case is separate from Day’s. The coroner stated identifying the body could take days or weeks.

Investigators are continuing to search through tips and evidence to find leads. If you have any information about this, call Bloomington Police."

 

[SimplyCass]

I hate being the one to say it but many of those who do self harm will completely turn off their phones so NOT to be tracked.

JJ turning off the phone himself/voluntarily would make the most sense and has the fewest assumptions (Occam's razor). However, it seems extremely odd/weird that LE then found his car in a wooded area (but not really that far off the road) with an attempt to conceal (especially with the plates removed)? And the car is about a mile away from the river? This case is so confusing.

 

[carbuff]

I can see the possibility for JJ intending self-harm, and trying to arrange matters so he wouldn't be found by anyone who knew him, but I really can't imagine why he would have taken the plates off the car in that case.

 

[scriabina]

I can see the possibility for JJ intending self-harm, and trying to arrange matters so he wouldn't be found by anyone who knew him, but I really can't imagine why he would have taken the plates off the car in that case.

I suspect foul play is more likely, but...

...if he had abandoned his car and ran off voluntarily, I suppose a random person could have come across the car and stolen the plates. Not too likely, but possible.

 

[Razz]

I can see the possibility for JJ intending self-harm, and trying to arrange matters so he wouldn't be found by anyone who knew him, but I really can't imagine why he would have taken the plates off the car in that case.

Maybe to make it harder to be tracked?

 

[carbuff]

Maybe to make it harder to be tracked?

Possibly. Or he wanted to make it look like foul play. I dunno. It's all so inexplicable.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ill. Graduate Student, 25, Who Wants to be a Doctor, Is Missing as Family Pleads for Public's Help

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

The only reason I'm not sure that its him is because his family isn't saying its him. I would think if it was likely that it was him they would say so.

I agree, but a lot of times families can be in denial. Also, whatever caused the death of the person found in the river may have left them unrecognizable and dna would have to be obtained.

 

[SimplyCass]

Jelani Day's Mother Says Case Not Getting The Attention It Deserves

[Mother] said she can’t help but feel a “lack of enthusiasm” around her son’s case. Her frustration stems in part from delays in identifying the body found in the Illinois River on Sept. 4.

One thing that hasn't been discussed much is the state of the car. All LE has said that the shirt/hat were found in there. Things to ask/consider: was JJ the last one to drive the car? Are the mirrors/seat position in JJ's preferred position? Did they recover car keys? is there any scent, DNA, or other evidence that might suggest that someone other than JJ drove it last?

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Jelani Day's Mother Says Case Not Getting The Attention It Deserves

[Mother] said she can’t help but feel a “lack of enthusiasm” around her son’s case. Her frustration stems in part from delays in identifying the body found in the Illinois River on Sept. 4.

One thing that hasn't been discussed much is the state of the car. All LE has said that the shirt/hat were found in there. Things to ask/consider: was JJ the last one to drive the car? Are the mirrors/seat position in JJ's preferred position? Did they recover car keys? is there any scent, DNA, or other evidence that might suggest that someone other than JJ drove it last?

This is very well stated, IMO:
“Bolden Day said in pointing out the differences between Day and Petito’s cases, she isn’t arguing that Petito deserves less, but that Day deserves more. As a mother, Bolden Day said, she understands what Petito’s family is going through and would never minimize their pain.

‘But do you not see us? Do you not see me? Do you not see my son?’

‘He is loved,’ Bolden Day said. ‘He is wanted. He is important.’”

As far as “the state lab [not having] the chemical that is needed to process the DNA,” what kind of BS is that? I mean, c’mon, seriously. It has been well over two weeks since the body was found. I want to know where this came from (State Police Division of Forensic Services declined to comment citing its policy on open cases although the question has nothing to do with Jelani’s case specifically … duh).

 

[Moonsie]

Call it a hunch but damn. This has shades of the Alan White case in Dallas.

moo.

 

[carbuff]

Call it a hunch but damn. This has shades of the Alan White case in Dallas.

moo.

Not familiar with that case. Can you give us a short summary of the similarities?

 

[minneolo]

Not familiar with that case. Can you give us a short summary of the similarities?

My own short summary on the Alan White case:

Alan White was reported missing by his husband when he didn’t return home after an early morning gym session. He was last seen on video at a gas station near home in Dallas (though not the one that would make the most sense given the location of gym and home). His Porche was found days later several miles away in an area where dumping a stolen car would not be too out of place. Months later his remains were found in a wooded area about 1-2 miles from the location the car was found. It’s been months and no COD has been released.

Sleuthers on his thread seem to be split between two possible theories: self-harm, and foul play. I myself am leaning towards foul play but the case is curious and it’s hard to theorize possible motive. A sad case where the lack of information from police is baffling.

 

[dotr]

Ill. Graduate Student, 25, Who Wants to be a Doctor, Is Missing as Family Pleads for Public's Help

Jelani Day
| Credit: Bloomington Police Department
''On Tuesday, Aug. 24, Day was seen on surveillance footage entering a store called Beyond/Hello in Bloomington at around 9:12 a.m. In images obtained by police and shared in the report, Day is seen wearing a blue Detroit Lions baseball hat, a black graphic T-shirt, white shorts and black shoes.

While Day's whereabouts are unknown, police believe they have located his vehicle.''

Jelani Day
| Credit: Bloomington Police Department
''Day's fraternity is also encouraging search efforts.

"Help us bring. Bro Jelani Day ('18 NE) home safe. If you have any information or have seen Jelani please contact BFD Dispatch 309-820-8888 or contact Det. Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or pjones@cityblm.org," the organization tweeted.''

 

[Unsolved]

This is very well stated, IMO:
“Bolden Day said in pointing out the differences between Day and Petito’s cases, she isn’t arguing that Petito deserves less, but that Day deserves more. As a mother, Bolden Day said, she understands what Petito’s family is going through and would never minimize their pain.

‘But do you not see us? Do you not see me? Do you not see my son?’

‘He is loved,’ Bolden Day said. ‘He is wanted. He is important.’”

<snipped>

I have noticed many of the same type of comments today on various missing persons threads where anguished families are begging for more exposure like GP's case received. It's heartbreaking to think that your loved one is lost AND forgotten.

WS shows over 18,000+ views for Jelani's thread and I hope that his loved ones know that his case is very important to all of us here. We do care, very much.

 

[carbuff]

My own short summary on the Alan White case:

Alan White was reported missing by his husband when he didn’t return home after an early morning gym session. He was last seen on video at a gas station near home in Dallas (though not the one that would make the most sense given the location of gym and home). His Porche was found days later several miles away in an area where dumping a stolen car would not be too out of place. Months later his remains were found in a wooded area about 1-2 miles from the location the car was found. It’s been months and no COD has been released.

Sleuthers on his thread seem to be split between two possible theories: self-harm, and foul play. I myself am leaning towards foul play but the case is curious and it’s hard to theorize possible motive. A sad case where the lack of information from police is baffling.

Thanks. That really does seem quite similar, and equally ambiguous.

Was AW a person of color, by any chance?

Also interesting that both cases start after an early morning outing.

 

[minneolo]

Thanks. That really does seem quite similar, and equally ambiguous.

Was AW a person of color, by any chance?

Also interesting that both cases start after an early morning outing.

No, a white man in his 50s - a successful business consultant

 

[Gloomy Bear]

I saw a bunch of students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (a different school about an hour away) are going to try to hand out flyers with Jelani's info on it to spread the word. I'm glad it seems this story is picking up a little traction. His family deserves some answers.

 

[ElectrifyingMojo]

I feel so bad for Jelani's family -- it's been 3 weeks since LE found an unidentified body in the Illinois River and the coroner hasn't released any new info.

 

[Razz]

Actually, I've noticed more national exposure recently for J. I suspect the location of the car and where the unidentified body was found are making it less likely for the news to get fully involved.

I will say however, they should know by now if the body is J's or someone else's.
Chances are if it is him, they won't be able to determine if it was foul play.