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

[carbuff]

Yeah, that was what I thought, too.

 

[Razz]

How was the car found and who found it? Because wasn't it hidden? Fishermen?

 

[bykerladi]

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.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

How was the car found and who found it? Because wasn't it hidden? Fishermen?

“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.

[SBM]” (BBM)
https://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=26877&t=637660155823357885

Looking on Google Maps, it appears to be a mostly residential area, IMO, so maybe one of the neighbors called the authorities after seeing an unfamiliar vehicle without plates sitting in the woods. Alternatively, perhaps someone working at the Y could have reached out to them as well.
Google Maps

 

[StacyMarie83]

No, it was found barely in the woods (a residential area, with patches of woodsy areas is the best way to describe it. Not near water). I have still not seen a MSM post with who found it, locally we heard it was a random local who saw it there for awhile and alerted authorities MOO IMO

It has been quiet here (Peru) about Jelani. It makes me so sad. I'm hoping they are just analyzing security cams from the area to at least find out who put the car there, I personally don't think it was Jelani. The last thing we heard was LE asking for footage from Chartres and Airport Road (they are essentially the same road, just named different after you cross 11th street. The road runs north from where his car was found.)

There are flyers up randomly, but not even gossip for this small area is happening. I'm very surprised.

How was the car found and who found it? Because wasn't it hidden? Fishermen?

 

[Razz]

“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.

[SBM]” (BBM)
https://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=26877&t=637660155823357885

Looking on Google Maps, it appears to be a mostly residential area, IMO, so maybe one of the neighbors called the authorities after seeing an unfamiliar vehicle without plates sitting in the woods. Alternatively, perhaps someone working at the Y could have reached out to them as well.
Google Maps

Thank you for the Google Map. The body was found on the south Bank of the Illinois River. If you enlarge the map, the River appears to be fairly close. But why on the bank?

 

[HolographicOne]

Thank you for the Google Map. The body was found on the south Bank of the Illinois River. If you enlarge the map, the River appears to be fairly close. But why on the bank?

Living near the banks of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and all that has happened in and along them in the past; it's not uncommon for the river levels to rise and fall leaving behind what was once floating down.
Logs, trees, fishing jugs, channel buoys, and unfortunately 'remains' too.

 

[SimplyCass]

Thank you for the Google Map. The body was found on the south Bank of the Illinois River. If you enlarge the map, the River appears to be fairly close. But why on the bank?

It seems like a typical area for a body to wash up. Is the south bank a particularly odd area/impossible?

Earlier I posted that Google Maps shows it's about a mile from [the wooded area where the car was found] to the Illinois River. To consider self harm, I don't think it makes sense for him to park the car so far away and then walk 20 or so minutes to the river. MOO.

I know in real life, things sometimes don't seem to logically follow or make complete sense (unlike a fictional story). That being said, I still haven't figured out what to make of the report that JJ's phone hasn't pinged out of the dispensary area. If say there was an attempted robbery or carjacking, his phone would still ping, unless it was completely turned off (somehow). No report of anyone having located JJ's iPhone. Slight jump to assume it wasn't found in the car, like in other recent MP cases. Where is the phone? Why did it not ping outside that area?

 

[Kellz]

Missing out of Blooming Illinois. Last seen on 8/24/21

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The existing thread is here

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

 

[scriabina]

I still haven't figured out what to make of the report that JJ's phone hasn't pinged out of the dispensary area. If say there was an attempted robbery or carjacking, his phone would still ping, unless it was completely turned off (somehow). No report of anyone having located JJ's iPhone. Slight jump to assume it wasn't found in the car, like in other recent MP cases. Where is the phone? Why did it not ping outside that area?

That area is somewhat rural. There may not be enough cell phone towers to accurately triangulate his movements, assuming the cell phone wasn't turned off.
According to the St Louis University Public Law Review, Vol 23/no 2/p 491, "The more urban and populated areas have more cell towers to accommodate the traffic, while rural areas have far fewer towers, covering much more distance—potentially even thirty miles."

 

[swedeheart]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1004437203654548

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1004437203654548

Heartbreaking

 

[Razz]

It seems like a typical area for a body to wash up. Is the south bank a particularly odd area/impossible?

Earlier I posted that Google Maps shows it's about a mile from [the wooded area where the car was found] to the Illinois River. To consider self harm, I don't think it makes sense for him to park the car so far away and then walk 20 or so minutes to the river. MOO.

I know in real life, things sometimes don't seem to logically follow or make complete sense (unlike a fictional story). That being said, I still haven't figured out what to make of the report that JJ's phone hasn't pinged out of the dispensary area. If say there was an attempted robbery or carjacking, his phone would still ping, unless it was completely turned off (somehow). No report of anyone having located JJ's iPhone. Slight jump to assume it wasn't found in the car, like in other recent MP cases. Where is the phone? Why did it not ping outside that area?

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.

 

[Messy2016]

I wonder if he changed clothes because he went to the gym? Not sure why he didn’t show up to meet his professor since was on campus though. If he went to the gym in between his first sighting and the second, I wonder if he was by himself? In his hand as he entered the dispensary, is that a phone or car keys? Didn’t his mom say they are on a red lanyard? I don’t see any but if it’s a phone then it looks small for the new iPhone, no? If it’s the phone, is it possible that someone is in the car waiting for him? I saw there is a crunch gym nearby...wonder if it has been checked?
Sorry just throwing some thoughts out there that I haven’t seen mentioned yet....
Also if his hat and shirt were found, why no pants or the shorts or shoes?
Another thought after looking for the Starbucks on campus...they seems to be two but one stands out by being right next to the gym and the building he potentially had to meet his professor and has classes at.
See attached picture

correction...although I still think he could have visited a gym, I didn’t notice he was seen at the student center which houses the second Starbucks not near the on campus gym
Still, in the picture on campus you can clearly see his red lanyard...

 

[Gloomy Bear]

That area is somewhat rural. There may not be enough cell phone towers to accurately triangulate his movements, assuming the cell phone wasn't turned off.
According to the St Louis University Public Law Review, Vol 23/no 2/p 491, "The more urban and populated areas have more cell towers to accommodate the traffic, while rural areas have far fewer towers, covering much more distance—potentially even thirty miles."

The cities around Bloomington I'd say are somewhat rural, but I wouldn't call Bloomington itself rural. It has a population of 78,000+ people, it's a college town (ISU that Jelani attended, a fairly big university with over 20,000 students), and has an amtrak stop. There should be more than a single cell tower in the vicinity.

 

[carbuff]

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've seen families go all ways with respect to unconfirmed remains. (These are subjective impressions, not actual numbers--just my memory of cases I've followed.) Many times they'll press harder on the search, saying it's just rumor and that they'll keep looking until it's confirmed. Others mention the possibility that remains have been found and they're waiting. And most often, they're silent, like this.

So it's hard to tell just from that.

 

[Silver_produce0]

I may have missed it in the thread but is there any connection to Peru? It just seems odd to leave the car there, if that was his choice. I know it’s not always a rational mind that is making these decisions but it just seems totally out of the blue. That’s why I can’t lean towards self harm.

It just seems like someone ditch the car. If they were being more careful they could’ve left it at the parking lot of a park or the baseball field around the corner.

 

[ForensicToxicologist]

IF this were a normal, everyday scenario (obviously it’s not), hearing a description of his “dispensary outfit” and that his hat and shirt were then left in the car would make me think he decided to go for a run. Many men will take those off to run outside. I’ve often wondered this. Not necessarily that he drove to Peru to run, but that at some point he left those behind to go for a run and then something happened. I’m also curious to know if the dispensary purchase was found in the vehicle.

 

[scriabina]

I’m also curious to know if the dispensary purchase was found in the vehicle.

...or found anywhere! If it is also missing, that strongly suggests robbery. It seems LE is keeping quiet a lot of info they surely have. They probably have an idea of what happened and are working behind the scenes to gather evidence for an arrest.

Surely the body found on Sept 4 will be identified soon. It has been more than 2 weeks now.