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

[GuyfromCanada]

Bloomington, IL - The Bloomington Police Department is seeking help from the public in locating a missing person.

Missing is Jelani J.J. Day, 25, of Bloomington, Illinois and is a graduate student at Illinois State University (ISU). Day was reported missing on 8/25/2021 under UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES by his family and an ISU faculty member.

Day's family last spoke to Day on the evening of 8/23/2021. They made attempts to locate him but were unsuccessful. Day also had not shown up to class the past several days.

Day is reported to be a black male, 25 years old, 6'02'', 180 pounds, short black hair, brown eyes, with some facial hair. Day is known to operate a white, 2010 Chrysler 300 (Illinois registration #CH74067).

Note: The photos were released with the consent of the missing persons family.

Anyone who has contact with Jelani Day is asked to contact the Bloomington Police Department at (309) 820-8888. If anyone has information about Day is also asked to contact Detective Paul Jones at 309-434-2548 or Pjones@cityblm.org

Missing Person: Jelani Day

Police ask for help to find missing ISU graduate student

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Police said Day’s family last spoke to him on Monday evening. They tried to contact him later but there was no response.

Bloomington Police needs help finding missing ISU student | WCIA.com

 

[oviedo]

College and the fall - missing students are so heartbreaking for the family - I hope he’s found safe

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Oh no, Jelani's car has been found. This doesn't sound good.

Around 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, Peru police officers found his vehicle concealed in a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA.

ISU student missing for days, vehicle found in wooded area

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Press Release

Public Assistance Requested

Peru Police Department

For Immediate Release Friday August 27, 2021 8:05 am

Media Contacts:

Chief Douglas P. Bernabei or Deputy Chief Robert Pyszka

Case Detectives:

Detective Commander Dennis Hocking 223-2151 extension 2804

Detective Brad Jones 223-2151 extension 2816

At 4:20pm Thursday August 26, 2021, officers of the Peru Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle in the wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA and due north of the intersection of 12th Street and Westclox Avenue. When officers arrived, a vehicle was located concealed in the wooded area. Upon a search of law enforcement computerized files, it was determined the vehicle was a vehicle of interest in a missing person case out of Bloomington, Illinois.

The vehicle was one belonging to Mr. Jelani J. Day, age 25 of Bloomington, Illinois. According to Bloomington Police Mr. Day is a graduate student at Illinois State University with family from Danville, Illinois. Jelani has been missing for several days in unexplained suspicious circumstances. Jelani is described as a male black, 25 year of age, 6 feet, two inches tall, 180 pounds with short black hair, brown eyes, and some facial hair.

Based on the findings by PPD officers when recovering the vehicle, a command post was established and an extensive K-9 search by Illinois State Police, drone aerial searches by Peru Fire and Utica Fire drones as well as a ground search by teams from Peru, Utica, and Oglesby Fire Departments. Peru Police were also assisted by detectives from Bloomington Police and State’s Attorney Todd Martin.

Early this morning the vehicle was removed and transported to a secure facility pending further processing.

Bloomington and Peru detectives are asking the assistance from Illinois Valley residents that may have seen the vehicle or Jelani or any else operating the vehicle in the area since sometime this past Monday.

Jelani is depicted in the attached photos and the vehicle is a white 2010 Chrysler 300 4 door. It may have had license plates of CH74067 on the vehicle when travelling in the Illinois Valley. It is also possible there were no plates on the vehicle.

Anyone with information can call Peru Police Detective Commander Dennis Hocking 223-2151 extension 2804 or Detective Brad Jones 223-2151 extension 2816.

Chief Douglas Bernabei.

Log into Facebook

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Bloomington Police released a picture late Friday afternoon of missing ISU graduate student Jelani Day taken about 7:20 a.m. Tuesday at Bone Student Center.

Police also released two photographs of Day's car, found late Thursday afternoon hidden in a wooded area in the LaSalle County city of Peru.

The picture of Day shows him wearing a blue button up collared dress shirt, black pants, black belt, black dress shoes, and a blue face covering.

UPDATE: Police distribute more photos in search for missing ISU grad student

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Bloomington and Peru detectives are asking the assistance from central Illinois residents who may have seen the vehicle or Jelani, or any else operating the vehicle in the area this week, especially between 7 a.m. Tuesday and 4:20 p.m. Thursday.

“We continue to assist Bloomington Police in the investigation,” said ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff. “We strongly urge anyone with information to contact Bloomington PD.”

Day is a graduate student in ISU’s speech pathology program. He has family in Danville.

“Jelani is such a sweet and respectful man,” said Communications Sciences and Disorders Director of Clinical Experiences Cara Boester. “The cohort and the entire CSD family are concerned and want to see him safe.”

ISU Grad Student Missing Under 'Unexplained Suspicious Circumstances'

 

[GuyfromCanada]

An Illinois State University faculty member was the first one to sound the alarm on graduate student Jelani "J.J." Day's disappearance.

Director of Clinical Education Cara Boester said she texted Day Monday night about his coursework, but that's the last she heard from him.

"He was actually suppose to come see me the next morning," Boester said.

More at ISU faculty member, who reported Jelani Day's disappearance, says it's 'unlike him'

 

[imstilla.grandma]

City of Peru PD Facebook:
Log into Facebook

 

[AmandaSkis]

An Illinois State University faculty member was the first one to sound the alarm on graduate student Jelani "J.J." Day's disappearance.

Director of Clinical Education Cara Boester said she texted Day Monday night about his coursework, but that's the last she heard from him.

"He was actually suppose to come see me the next morning," Boester said.

More at ISU faculty member, who reported Jelani Day's disappearance, says it's 'unlike him'

I wonder why they were supposed to meet about his coursework. Waiting for him after a class? That’s a high level of involvement with a student, which is great.

 

[LoveyG]

I wonder why they were supposed to meet about his coursework. Waiting for him after a class? That’s a high level of involvement with a student, which is great.

I think she felt or knew something was going on and she needed to keep a close eye on him.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Mother of missing graduate student asks for community’s support to locate son | WCIA.com

 

[GuyfromCanada]

AUG 30

Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff said camera footage picked up Day leaving the Bone Student Center parking lot on ISU’s campus early Tuesday morning.

“Right now, it is really is a mystery. We have no reason to believe that criminal behavior was involved. We just aren’t sure what happened. I’ve talked to his mother, his mother’s very concerned; his siblings are very concerned about him. There’s no indication of any mental health issues, so it’s really just kind of a mystery. And it’s unfortunate because he certainly sounded like he had a very bring promising future.”

ISU Police Chief: Police are "looking at cell phone data" in missing ISU student case

 

[MntnHiker]

This is somewhat local to me.

The car in the woods, especially being described as concealed, is VERY concerning IMO. I don't have a good feeling about this.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

New info, Jelani went to a cannabis dispensary on the morning of Aug 24 after leaving ISU.

Police said they've obtained surveillance video, and are now releasing still photos from that video, of Day entering Beyond/Hello, a cannabis dispensary at 1515 North Veterans Parkway.

The video shows Day at the store Tuesday, August 24, at 9:12 a.m. Earlier, police released surveillance photos of Day at ISU's Bone Student Center that same morning about 7:20 a.m.

Bloomington Police release more photos of missing ISU graduate student

 

[SpringDonut77]

I'm an alum of ISU. I wonder why he was on campus so early that AM (seen at the Bone Student Center) only to leave campus to go to the dispensary, but it was also stated that he was supposed to be meeting with a faculty member that morning on campus?

 

[MntnHiker]

New photo released of missing ISU student, police still looking for answers | CIProud.com

"This clothing was found in his vehicle days later, meaning he will not be wearing it now."

So the clothes from the dispensary photos was found in the car. So he had one outfit on in the student center pic, a different outfit on a couple hours later in the dispensary pic, and then THOSE clothes are not on him when the vehicle is abandoned.

 

[SimplyCass]

Marijuana Dispensaries

Illinois was the 11th state to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

The business as a whole is kind of...dangerous? Banks typically won't do business with them (since it's still illegal at the federal level) so they often are all-cash and thus are occasionally targeted by criminals (to the point where some are armed/carry).

 

[GuyfromCanada]

I wonder if Jelani was buying weed for personal use or if he wanted to sell it to make a quick buck? If the latter, maybe something happened during the sale?

 

[LotusPawprint]

Bloomington and Peru detectives are asking the assistance from central Illinois residents who may have seen the vehicle or Jelani, or any else operating the vehicle in the area this week, especially between 7 a.m. Tuesday and 4:20 p.m. Thursday.

<rsbm>

ISU Grad Student Missing Under 'Unexplained Suspicious Circumstances'

Going off of the circumstances surrounding the vehicle... The location where it was left raises so many questions. Over an hour away. Somewhat concealed but not well enough. Whoever left the car there (Jelani or someone else) would've needed another person to pick them up, unless they lived close to that drop spot. That location seems like it should have significance to whomever left it there.

Sounds like whoever had the car did not ditch it on Tuesday, the day he went missing. Maybe the person who found it walks by there daily and didn't see it earlier. So someone may have had it for 48+ hours (?). Driving it? Cleaning it?