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

[Hope32]

His family lives in Danville IL which is about 80 miles from Bloomington/Normal IL, so it's possible he knew some people in the area before moving for grad school... Also, I'm estimating he graduated from college in 2018 judging from his track & field stats at Alabama A&M (see attached screenshot), so he may have moved back home or nearby after graduation. Could have established relationships...

Side note: I find it surprising that in the screenshot from Alabama A&M he's listed at 5'8 for track and field (as an 18-yr-old freshman), but 6'2 on the missing poster. That's a big difference! Most do not grow substantially at that age.

No they don't, but at the same time doing some sports and keeping at a certain weight may have delayed him. Maybe he was slouching when the freshman year number was taken, but he could have just been a late bloomer. Boys on average stop at 18 per say. It can also be that the missing is a guesstimate or what he told people he was.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

WHY? It does not seem clear that this is not him. Am I wrong?

Identification of body make take weeks

 

[swanniee11]

breaks my heart that a back log of identifying him or whomever this person is , is taking so long.

 

[scriabina]

only the shirt and hat seen in the dispensary CCTV were in the car.

"At this point, all I know is that my son has on a pair of shorts and his tennis shoes," [mother] said.

"Because his hat and his T-shirt were still in his car that he had on from the last place that we know that he was at," she added.
(source)

If someone harmed Jelani, I wonder if they deliberately removed the T-shirt and hat since those clothing items would aid in ID'ing a body.

It was hot & humid in Bloomington on the day Jelani went missing and the week or so thereafter. A body in this heat would decompose quickly. The clothing might be the only way to tentatively ID the body while awaiting DNA tests.

Now the family will have to wait weeks for this body in Illinois River to be identified, giving any potential killer(s) additional time to cover their tracks.

 

[OnMars]

Timeline:

Monday Aug 23:

• Spoke on phone with mother. Texted CB regarding coursework that evening.

Tuesday Aug 24:

• 7:20am shown on security video from ISU's Bone Student Center wearing "a blue button-up collared dress shirt, black pants, a black belt, black dress shoes, and a blue face covering." Unknown what purpose he had there. Only possible morning class available to him started at 9am, but he was in Bloomington at that time. Potentially had a meeting with a professor, but no reports of such.
• 9:12am shown on security video in a cannabis dispensary at 1515 North Veterans Parkway in Bloomington wearing "silver or white shorts, a black Jimi Hendrix Band T-shirt with a unique logo, black shoes with white soles, and a Detroit Lions baseball hat." Dispensary is 2.8 miles from ISU Bone Student Center.
• 1pm: Missed class.

Wednesday Aug 25:

• Morning/12pm: Missed meeting and/or practicum with supervisor/professor CB.
• 1pm: Missed class again.
• CB contacted police who contacted Jelani's family. Family reports him missing.

Thursday Aug 26:

• Jelani's car (white Chrysler 300) with no license plate was located in a wooded area of Peru, Illinois -- south of the Illinois Valley YMCA and north of the intersection of 12th Street and Westclox Avenue -- about 63 miles north from the dispensary where he was last seen.
  
• Clothes he had worn to cannabis dispensary were located in the trunk of his abandoned vehicle.

Saturday Sept 4

• Body found on the south bank of the Illinois River near the Route 251 Bridge
• "An autopsy was performed on Sunday and showed that the body is male."
• "The coroner's office says identification could take several weeks due to the condition of the body."
  
• At this point, there has been no confirmation that the body is related to Jelani's case.
• Coincidentally, the body was found ~1 mile away from where Jelani's car was abandoned.

Timeline:

Monday Aug 23:

• Spoke on phone with mother. Texted CB regarding coursework that evening.

Tuesday Aug 24:

• 7:20am shown on security video from ISU's Bone Student Center wearing "a blue button-up collared dress shirt, black pants, a black belt, black dress shoes, and a blue face covering." Unknown what purpose he had there. Only possible morning class available to him started at 9am, but he was in Bloomington at that time. Potentially had a meeting with a professor, but no reports of such.
• 9:12am shown on security video in a cannabis dispensary at 1515 North Veterans Parkway in Bloomington wearing "silver or white shorts, a black Jimi Hendrix Band T-shirt with a unique logo, black shoes with white soles, and a Detroit Lions baseball hat." Dispensary is 2.8 miles from ISU Bone Student Center.
• 1pm: Missed class.

Wednesday Aug 25:

• Morning/12pm: Missed meeting and/or practicum with supervisor/professor CB.
• 1pm: Missed class again.
• CB contacted police who contacted Jelani's family. Family reports him missing.

Thursday Aug 26:

• Jelani's car (white Chrysler 300) with no license plate was located in a wooded area of Peru, Illinois -- south of the Illinois Valley YMCA and north of the intersection of 12th Street and Westclox Avenue -- about 63 miles north from the dispensary where he was last seen.
  
• Clothes he had worn to cannabis dispensary were located in the trunk of his abandoned vehicle.

Saturday Sept 4

• Body found on the south bank of the Illinois River near the Route 251 Bridge
• "An autopsy was performed on Sunday and showed that the body is male."
• "The coroner's office says identification could take several weeks due to the condition of the body."
  
• At this point, there has been no confirmation that the body is related to Jelani's case.
• Coincidentally, the body was found ~1 mile away from where Jelani's car was abandoned.

 

[OnMars]

• If he was seen at the student center(Bloomington) sometime before 9am wearing dress cloths; then a little after 10am, he's seen at the marijuana shop(Bloomington) wearing a different set of street cloths; That would mean he stopped somewhere and changed his cloths in between the time of going from the student center to the marijuana shop.
• He missed his class at 1pm
• His car was found the next day in the town of Peru, about 50 minutes away from Bloomington and the street cloths he was wearing at the marijuana shop were inside the car.
• He had to change his own cloths after leaving the student center and before going to the marijuana shop. The cloths he had on in the marijuana shop were in the car when it was found. Therefore, at some point after leaving the marijuana shop, he changed back into the dress cloths, most likely because he intended on wearing the dress cloths to his class at 1pm. The question is, "where did he change his cloths."
• Reasonable/Logical Scenario- He's at the student center early in the morning. After doing whatever he did at the student center, he had some time to waste before his class at 1pm. So he changes his cloths then goes to the marijuana shop. After leaving the marijuana shop, he goes somewhere to smoke, relax, and change back into his dress/school cloths before heading to class at 1pm. Somehow during that time, we know he changed back into his dress cloths, but he never did make it to class. So wherever he went to change his cloths and pass time is where he went missing. He changed back into his dress cloths because he planned on going to class at 1pm. The cloths he had on at the marijuana shop were in the abandoned car. Places he might have went after the marijuana shop could be anywhere like local remote areas, nearby parks, friends houses, or any other dipped off areas in between, and around both the school and marijuana shop.
• The fact that he changed in the first place is indication that he's meticulous in that aspect and it's highly unlikely someone else changed his cloths after something happened to him. Therefore, after leaving the marijuana shop, he went somewhere, he changed his cloths intending to go back to class and thats where he goes missing.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Agreed.

A few things come to mind, and I hate to even think it, a hate crime?
Or enemies (which doesn't seem like his reported personality)

He has a beautiful smile so dental records would identify him. Unless that wasn't an option.

 

[Gobstopper]

• If he was seen at the student center(Bloomington) sometime before 9am wearing dress cloths; then a little after 10am, he's seen at the marijuana shop(Bloomington) wearing a different set of street cloths; That would mean he stopped somewhere and changed his cloths in between the time of going from the student center to the marijuana shop.
• He missed his class at 1pm
• His car was found the next day in the town of Peru, about 50 minutes away from Bloomington and the street cloths he was wearing at the marijuana shop were inside the car.
• He had to change his own cloths after leaving the student center and before going to the marijuana shop. The cloths he had on in the marijuana shop were in the car when it was found. Therefore, at some point after leaving the marijuana shop, he changed back into the dress cloths, most likely because he intended on wearing the dress cloths to his class at 1pm. The question is, "where did he change his cloths."
• Reasonable/Logical Scenario- He's at the student center early in the morning. After doing whatever he did at the student center, he had some time to waste before his class at 1pm. So he changes his cloths then goes to the marijuana shop. After leaving the marijuana shop, he goes somewhere to smoke, relax, and change back into his dress/school cloths before heading to class at 1pm. Somehow during that time, we know he changed back into his dress cloths, but he never did make it to class. So wherever he went to change his cloths and pass time is where he went missing. He changed back into his dress cloths because he planned on going to class at 1pm. The cloths he had on at the marijuana shop were in the abandoned car. Places he might have went after the marijuana shop could be anywhere like local remote areas, nearby parks, friends houses, or any other dipped off areas in between, and around both the school and marijuana shop.
• The fact that he changed in the first place is indication that he's meticulous in that aspect and it's highly unlikely someone else changed his cloths after something happened to him. Therefore, after leaving the marijuana shop, he went somewhere, he changed his cloths intending to go back to class and thats where he goes missing.

I thought just the shirt and hat were found in the car and he was wearing the shirt and shoes according to a quote from his mother in the article above. He wasn't wearing the dress clothes when he went missing. He probably stopped at home and changed his clothes and the dress clothes were found at his apartment. MOO

 

[Gloomy Bear]

Peru, IL is very close to Starved Rock State Park. Beautiful place. But it makes me nervous. Murders, accidents, and suicides do happen there every so often (as is the case with virtually every state/national park). The Illinois River runs through it. I wonder if they've done a search there away from the walking paths. I just have a bad feeling about this case. Jelani seems like such an intelligent young man with a loving family and on his way to success. I don't think he'd disappear unless something bad happened to him.

 

[OnMars]

I thought just the shirt and hat were found in the car and he was wearing the shirt and shoes according to a quote from his mother in the article above. He wasn't wearing the dress clothes when he went missing. He probably stopped at home and changed his clothes and the dress clothes were found at his apartment. MOO

 

[OnMars]

This is a screenshot of a flyer going around which was also included in a video of his mother. All it says is that these cloths were found in his car on the 26th. It doesn't specify hat, shoes, shirt, etc. One of the first flyers circulating didn't even mention the dispensary or cloths he wore to the dispensary at the dispensary this came to light days after he was reported missing. The flyers initially only mentioned the long sleeve blue shirts, dress pants, (dress cloths) which he wore to the student center in the early morning on the 24th. According to people checking the college schedules, they say he missed class at 1pm on the 24th and on the 25th. The counselor reported him missing after missing they're scheduled meeting and class at 1pm yet again on the 25th. No information online is consistent, and the family has published bare minimum as far as I can see, pertaining to info that could help put a solid timeline together. Nobody has actually laid out simple clear timeline outside of random people guessing and now theres too much hearsay. I got bits and pieces from all over and chose what seemed logically plausible or facts which could be verified like class schedules. From what I've seen, his family is mostly talking about what kind of person he is, rather than giving any information that could help solve the case. I understand its good to know the what type of person to understand their mindset, but we already know he was a good student and person. We need to know things like habits and routines etc etc. Something is off here, and it was not his doing. But about him changing his cloths, if he changed at home, why were cloths found in his car, he either didn't change at home, or he planned on changing elsewhere later perhaps. The flyers say he was last seen wearing were a long sleeve blue shirt, dress pants, (dress cloths he wore to the student center in the morning on the 24th), and other flyers show him at the dispensary later wearing street cloths, therefore he changed his cloths between being at the student center and dispensary and again if the street cloths were found in his car after we know for a fact he had them on. So since theres no mention of his dress cloths being found, not at his apartment or in his car, or at least not that I've seen. Maybe I missed that but since I haven't seen it, I'm going off these two sets of clothing until his dress cloths are found.

 

[OnMars]

Since nothing has been said about his dress cloths being found, I assumed, he changed back into those planning to be back at school at 1pm.

 

[scriabina]

No information online is consistent, and the family has published bare minimum as far as I can see, pertaining to info that could help put a solid timeline together. Nobody has actually laid out simple clear timeline outside of random people guessing...From what I've seen, his family is mostly talking about what kind of person he is, rather than giving any information that could help solve the case...We need to know things like habits and routines etc etc.

I completely agree. The paucity of concrete information makes it very difficult to sleuth this case -- even basic facts are missing like:

1. what day/time was his meeting with the professor?
2. where were his dress clothes found (if at all)?
3. was it routine for him to visit the marijuana dispensary?
4. did Jelani use other drugs? any illicit drugs?
5. who was the last person to speak with Jelani and what was his disposition at that time?

Jelani's family held an event today to raise money for Jelani. It was just a few miles from my residence. I thought about attending but figured I might as well just donate to their and continue my social distancing. I doubt I would have learned the answers to the questions above and I didn't want to pry, but maybe I should have attended and tried? I don't know. *sigh*

 

[MntnHiker]

IMO the question really is where he went after the dispensary. That's the last time he was known to be somewhere and he never made it to class that afternoon, so I believe something happened in that stretch of almost 4 hours.

I could see him switching to casual clothes if he wanted to go to the dispensary, buy cannabis and perhaps smoke. He probably didn't want his dress clothes to wear to class to smell like weed. OK so that explains the change of clothes. So where would he go to smoke? Back home? Drive his car somewhere? Let's say he went to smoke out in nature somewhere, and just changed clothes right there by the car back into dress clothes because he planned to head back to class. Then did something nefarious happen there?

This is all just supposition, of course. I can make the changing of clothes make sense, but we really just need to know where he was during that time frame. I'm curious if LE have any ideas on that.

 

[scriabina]

Incidentally, there was a carjacking on Aug 29 just 2 miles from the cannabis shop where JJ was last seen. The victim was shot in the leg but survived. Two of the three assailants were arrested the next day. I haven't been able to find many details into that case, but I suspect the victim (an Uber driver) was shot and just left at the scene while the carjackers fled. That doesn't fit the MO of Jelani's case, since you'd think Jelani would have been found by now if his assailants just shot him and ran, but you never know. Perhaps just a coincidence and I'm sure the police have looked into it... and maybe they've already ruled out those teenagers (only 17 and 18 yrs old), but something to consider.

 

[Gloomy Bear]

IMO the question really is where he went after the dispensary. That's the last time he was known to be somewhere and he never made it to class that afternoon, so I believe something happened in that stretch of almost 4 hours.

I could see him switching to casual clothes if he wanted to go to the dispensary, buy cannabis and perhaps smoke. He probably didn't want his dress clothes to wear to class to smell like weed. OK so that explains the change of clothes. So where would he go to smoke? Back home? Drive his car somewhere? Let's say he went to smoke out in nature somewhere, and just changed clothes right there by the car back into dress clothes because he planned to head back to class. Then did something nefarious happen there?

This is all just supposition, of course. I can make the changing of clothes make sense, but we really just need to know where he was during that time frame. I'm curious if LE have any ideas on that.

His mom claims that, according to police, his last cell phone ping was at the dispensary. That's why they were doing a search outside of the dispensary for his wallet, keys, phone, etc. We....don't know if he left the dispensary voluntarily, but if he did, what happened to his phone?

Family continues search for missing ISU student Jelani Day | CIProud.com

 

[swedeheart]

 

[Hmadeit]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but to me it seems like he changed clothes because he didn't want to smell like weed? He had the school meeting and probably wanted to smoke before to cool his nerves.

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

Unfortunately I think that the body found in the river is most likely Jelanie because the river is so close to where his vehicle was abandoned.

 

[Vanguardian]

Unfortunately I think that the body found in the river is most likely Jelanie because the river is so close to where his vehicle was abandoned.

Without a doubt. Sadly, when I first heard of a male body being found, and in such close proximity of where his car was found, I felt it was probably him. Highly unlikely to be just a coincidence.