Cedar Rapids, Iowa was a safe place to raise a family in 1979.  People trusted their neighbors, left their doors unlocked, and kids played outside until the streetlights came on.  But all of that would change on December 19th, 1979 when 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was brutally stabbed to death.  For 39 years the case would remain unsolved until genetic genealogy helped solve the mystery of who killed Michelle.

Was it the scorned ex-boyfriend or a random stranger? 

Listen to her story now!

Want to potentially help solve a cold case? 

Load your DNA profile to GEDMatch.com for free today!

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Episode Sources:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104050435/michelle_marie-martinko

https://www.kcrg.com/2021/01/21/jerry-burns-hires-making-a-murderer-lawyer-to-appeal-michelle-martinko-conviction/

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/remains-found-near-manchester-confirmed-to-be-brian-burns-a-decade-after-he-disappeared

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/brian-burns-went-missing-a-decade-ago-now-human-remains-have-been-found-near-his-manchester-home#

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ia-supreme-court/2195342.html

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2023/03/31/iowa-supreme-court-michelle-martinko-jerry-burns-dna-conviction/70064243007/

https://play.aetv.com/shows/killer-cases/season-1/episode-7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTHzQa2wrbY

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/michelle-martinko-murder-evidence-photos/3/

https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/michelle-martinkos-sister-decades-of-heartache-before-hope/

https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/dateline-unforgettable-what-happened-michelle-martinko

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2023/03/31/iowa-supreme-court-michelle-martinko-jerry-burns-dna-conviction/70064243007/

https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/prominent-iowa-city-lawyer-to-defend-jerry-burns-in-martinko-case/

https://play.aetv.com/shows/killer-cases/season-1/episode-7

https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/13-dna-technology-leads-to-break-in-michelle-martinko-case-the-gazette-top-stories-2018/

https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/meet-the-man-who-was-on-a-mission-to-solve-the-michelle-martinko-murder/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Michelle_Martinko

https://www.thegazette.com/crime-courts/court-upholds-murder-conviction-of-manchester-man-who-killed-michelle-martinko/

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2023/03/31/iowa-supreme-court-michelle-martinko-jerry-burns-dna-conviction/70064243007/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michelle-martinko-murder-victim-solve-cold-case-40-years-later/

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2019/12/19/jerry-burns-michelle-martinko-accused-1979-iowa-killing/2702680001/

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/burns-trial-day-one-friends-recall-last-night-they-saw-michelle-martinko-alive

https://littlevillagemag.com/michelle-martinko-murder-trial/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Michelle_Martinko#:~:text=A%20DNA%20profile%20was%20developed,solely%20off%20the%20DNA%20sample.

https://onlinedegrees.uwf.edu/articles/the-history-of-dna/

https://vocal.media/criminal/40-year-old-murder-mystery-of-michelle-martinko-solved