Black And Missing

Jelani Day’s cause of death revealed

LaSalle County Coroner has revealed Jelani Day’s cause of death — weeks after his body was discovered and identified by officials.

Published

3 years ago

October 26, 2021

Unheard Voices Staff

Jelani Day

Authorities have revealed Jelani Day’s cause of death — weeks after his body was discovered and identified by officials.

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Jelani Day’s cause of death

On Monday, official Richard Ploch of LaSalle County Coroner’s office announced that the 25-year-old Illinois State University graduate student — who was reported missing August 25 after he didn’t show up to class for several days — died from drowning.

Although Jelani Day’s cause of death has been revealed, the Coroner said “the manner in which Mr. Day went into the Illinois River is currently unknown.”

Authorities also said that “there was no evidence of any (pre-death) injury, such as manual strangulation, an assault or altercation, sharp, blunt, or gunshot injury, infection, tumor, natural disease, congenital abnormality, or significant drug intoxication.”

Last Seen

Jelani Day’s family last spoke to the aspiring doctor on August 23.

His last known location was at a cannabis dispensary on August 24. Day was also seen on his college campus that same day.

On August 26, Day’s vehicle was located in Peru, Illinois, with no license plates in a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA and north of the intersection of 12th Street and Westclox Avenue.

Body Found

Days later on September 4, a male body was recovered floating near the south bank of the Illinois River, approximately a quarter mile east of the Illinois Route 251 bridge.

Later that month on September 23, the coroner determined that the body belonged to Day, using dental records and DNA testing and comparison to confirm.

Jelani Day’s cause of death : unusual

Bloomington Police Officer John Fermon told People that Day’s case “was unusual… from a police standpoint.”

Jelani Day

“Usually when we have missing persons or runaways there is usually a story behind why they ran away,” he said. “They might have had marital issues or they just wanted to get away. He was close with his family. He was attending ISU. There wasn’t an underlying explanation as to why he went missing.”

Fermon continued, “Usually there is an underlying reason why they go missing and there wasn’t for Jelani. He just went missing and that is why we are trying to determine the circumstances around him going missing.”

Justice

Family and friends continue to seek justice in Jelani Day’s disappearance and death.

His fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, created an online petition demanding that federal as well as state authorities take over the investigation from the Bloomington Police Department.

Jelani Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has long suspected foul play.

Mrs. Day told ABC News earlier this month that she wants investigators “to use their tools and their resources so that we can find out what happened to Jelani, because he did not disappear into thin air.”

She also told “Good Morning America” last month, “Somebody knows something, somebody’s seen something, and I need somebody to say something.”

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Related Topics:Illinois Jelani Day missing persons

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Unheard Voices Staff

Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a local Black newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to now broaden into a recognized Black online media outlet. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.

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Black And Missing

Update: Missing 12-year-old Maryland girl found

Tayzha Alona Warren, of Pikesville Md., disappeared June 20.

Published

4 months ago

June 26, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Baltimore County police announced they’ve found missing 12-year-old Tayzha Alona Warren.

Tayzha, of Pikesville Md., disappeared June 20.

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What happened to Tayzha Alona Warren?

Tayzha’s mother told WBALT 11 News that the girl’s family has been doing everything manageable to find her, saying they believe she possibly met an older person online and communicated with him until she disappeared.

According to Tayzha’s family, her friends mentioned a man in his 20s, but so far, no one has been able to give any more details.

Tayzha is described as 4 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 117 pounds and she has short brown hair and brown eyes.

Investigation

Tayzha’s family and the community had put up flyers in hopes someone has answers.

The Black and Missing Foundation posted information on its website. Under the circumstances of this disappearance, the group said it suspects Tayzha is trying to travel to Pennsylvania to meet an unidentified man and that she was last seen wearing red sparkling Crocs. Information about Tayzha was also posted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Baltimore County police said an investigation into Tayzha’s disappearance is ongoing.

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Download the app on Google Play or ITunes.
----------------------------------------------------------
Unheard Voices Magazine is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

Black And Missing

Navy vet Jarvis McIntyre, 26, reportedly found dead in Texas after telling 911 he was running from someone

Jarvis McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 — and he was heard in a 911 call saying he was being chased by a “racist.”

Published

5 months ago

June 17, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Jarvis McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 — and he was overheard in a 911 calling someone chasing him a “racist.”

Javis McIntyre (Photo : Facebook)

The body of Navy veteran Jarvis McIntyre has been reportedly found in a Texas park after he was reported missing two weeks ago.

McIntyre, 26, was reportedly last seen running in John James Park on June 8 and he was heard in a 911 call saying he was being chased by a “racist”, his mother told local outlet KENS5.

McIntyre’s mother, Monikki Williams Tippet, told the outlet that a body found days later at the San Antonio park had tattoos resembling those on her missing son.

Tippet says she and her family believes someone hurt her son because he was Black and gay.

“I want answers now. I want this person found,” she said, adding that her son “didn’t deserve this. They took my baby’s life for no reason.”

McIntyre is from St. Louis, Texas and had flown to San Antonio to visit his two sisters during his birthday weekend.

He was supposed to return home on Sunday 9 June, but he tragically never made it home.

The family said they want the San Antonio Police Department to do more to help find the person responsible.

“They are treating this like a murder case,” Tippet said. “It is being treated like a murder case.”

Anyone who knows any information about this case is asked to contact the San Antonio Police Department at (210) 207-7660.

Note: This article was updated June 21, to reflect new revelations in the case and McIntyre’s body has been confirmed as the body found in the park.

Black And Missing

Marine from Massachusetts goes missing off coast in Puerto Rico

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

Published

7 months ago

April 7, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Natasha Castillo-Vargas and Corporal Samuel Muturi Wanjiru (Photo Source: GoFundMe)

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

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Missing details for Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru

Corporal Samuel Wanjiru, 26, of Worcester, Mass., was swept away by ocean currents while being in the water at La Pared beach in Luquillo.

The Coast Guard launched helicopters and aircraft to look for Wanjiru, but those search efforts were unsuccessful. The active search was called off on April 1.

At the time of his disappearance, Wanjiru was vacationing with his partner of five years, Natasha Castillo-Vargas.

Castillo-Vargas, her father, and Wanjiru’s mother are still in Puerto Rico, returning to the beach daily where Wanjiru went missing, continuing to look for him.

GoFundMe

She has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with expenses and search efforts while they remain in Puerto Rico.

“Samuel’s mother and I are trying to get as much resources and help as we can because we will not give up hope in finding our Samuel. Please, anything anyone can help with would be most appreciated.”

In addition to donations, the family asks the public for prayers and love during this “devastating and heart aching time.”

“We are firm believers in God as Samuel is too and we have faith that he will be found. Thank you for your support!”