The music books either were dropped somewhere police didn't searched or the killer disposed of them, he said. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns is led from the courtroom following his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Judge Hoover, who had reviewed Spies' written arguments and Maybanks' resistance before the hearing, quickly denied the motion for a new trial. Dec. 20, 2018 8:16 pm, Updated: Dec. 21, 2018 8:24 am. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette), A page introduces the section of the 1972 West Delaware High School year book with a picture of every senior, including Jerry Burns, as seen at the Manchester Public Library in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. "We don't exactly know the whys and some of the details, but we definitely know who did it, and that was terribly important to us," she said. A retired music teacher, Kathryn Birky, of Swisher, who taught private piano and organ lessons, said she had a regularly scheduled lesson with Martinko in the Westdale Mall the night of the attack, Spies said. His family and friends remained seated after Martinkos family left the courtroom. She said they were a wonderful family and that he seemed to be a great man. Spies argued that Burns never consented to his DNA being collected from a straw left behind at a Pizza Ranch or to be found through an ancestry site. 563-927-3135. At the time of his arrest, Burns had beenliving in Manchester, a town of about 5,000 people 45 minutes north of Cedar Rapids, for longer than Martinko's case had been cold. Investigators said they arrested Burns after DNA taken from a restaurant straw he had used matched the crime scene DNA. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. John Stonebraker said the three hours it took the jury to reach a verdict was indicative of the strength of the case. A retired teacher, John Curran, of Manchester, said he knows Burns from Bob Stephen Motors, a Manchester car dealership where the men occasionally would see each other and talk. Although Martinko's case was eventually solved, the mystery outlived both of her parents, who died years before Burns was found guilty, and Killer Cases explains, the hope of finding her killer and figuring out what happened and why slowly dwindled throughout the years. DNA privacy was also a topic of discussion during today's hearing. We really didn't have a why, so finding the internet search history with how specific is was, we really thought that was probative," said Denlinger. As the investigation slowed, a $10,000 reward was offered. Moreno said, "I would have never guessed. Burns Wife Died in June 2008. Prosecutors said she was stabbed to death. Details of what led to his arrest were hashed out during day one and two of the hearings to determine if key evidence would be admissible during the trial. "His first wife's death was a suicide, so he was talked to, but it was clearly a suicide," said the sheriff of 18 years. Honestly, it wasnt until years afterward that experts even had a real police sketch to search for help from people in general in observing the person who killed her. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns and defense attorney Leon Spies (right) react as Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover reads Burns' sentence at a hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. With little to no leads to go on, there was little that detectives could do to solve the case. Jerry LynnBurns, 65, is set to face a jury in February, bringing momentum to a case that was left cold for years. Jerry Burns was caught and tended to when his DNA matched that of some found on Martinkos articles of clothing at the hour of her crime. ", People of Manchester 'would have never guessed' Burns' arrest for Martinko murder, Iowa Republicans move forward bills to limit bathroom access for transgender students, Heroic Iowa sisters credited with saving two kids who fell through ice, Student walkouts planned statewide in protest of proposed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. 'The community can be very proud of its law enforcement, and for the tremendous comfort and support area residents have extended to our family over the thirty-nine years since Michelle's death. All Rights Reserved. "Nice family.". Maybanks noted that even though Martinko interacted with at least half a dozen friends the night of her death, including at the mall, none of their DNA was found at the crime scene. In January 2019, he pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set. Burns pleaded not guiltyin January. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Burns' arrest prompted a round of whispering about two of his family members. The Kennedy High School senior had drivento the mall after a school choir banquet to shop for a new winter coat. The case itself had initially led investigators to assume the crime had been one of passion, with the amount of stab wounds to Martinko's face, but even now, there have been no answers as to why it happened. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Maybanks recapped Monday how witnesses in the two weeks prior outlined an extensive chain of custody of the evidence to ensure no new DNA could have been introduced into the packages containing Martinko's bloodied clothes and pieces of the car. On Thursday, other people in town said they were shocked, stunned or astounded by the news. His arrest left those in Manchester, who have lived and worked alongside him for decades, asking how the person they know could be connected to such a crime. "Just a decent guy, hard-working man," Mitch Wendling said of Burns. In September 1986, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected claims made byMartinko's father that the shopping center was negligent because it did not provide "reasonable security" for his daughter, the Register reported at the time. More than 60 were tested and cleared. DAVENPORT, Iowa It took more than four decades, but the man who brutally killed a Cedar Rapids high school student is poised to spend the rest of his life in jail. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. Maybanks also choose not to resist the defense's request that the trial be moved out of the eastern Iowa county where the alleged crime took place. Leads in the case resulted in dead ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to connect Burns' DNA to the crime scene. A face many patrons of the northeast Iowatavernknew was plastered on five flat screens: Jerry Burns. Read more about the circumstances surrounding Burns' arrest here. During Jerry Lynn Burns initial interrogation, he said that he could not offer the authorities a plausible explanation as to why his DNA was found at the crime scene. Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse, Delaware County Sheriff's Office Russ Wright, head cashier at Quik 'N Handi, a convenience store and gas station on Highway 13 near the southwest edge of town, said Burns was a regular customer. Several residents lauded his professionalism and business savvy. All rights reserved. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. We have no more Information about his Father; we will try to collect information and update soon. "Correct, I had no explanation," said Burns. Where Could Jerry Burns Now be? During an interview with the Des Moines Register, Laymon called the arrest "amazing" news and said she was relieved. For those who knew Burns well, the idea that their friend could have killed an 18-year-old woman 39 years ago is a hard pill to swallow. Jerry, who would have been 25 years old at the time of the murder, was convicted in February 2020. ", In closing arguments Monday, Spies repeated a phrase from his opening arguments: "Genetic information tells us much about what we are, but not necessarily who we are or where we've been.". At long last, following 40 years of homicide of Michelle Martinko, Burns went to preliminary and was accused of first-degree murder. At 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. It makes you question how someone could live here in this community for all these years and possibly have done something like this.'. MANCHESTER, Ia. But with 39-years later, limited information, that's a long time that's gone by. When 18-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa resident Michelle Martinko went missing on Dec. 19, 1979, it became a case that soon ran cold. Martinko's older sister, Janelle Stonebraker, told the Des Moines Register that their family had waited years for answers. With Burns having been found guilty and in prison, however, Martinko's family finally has some sense of closure. Leclere said Burns was never considered a suspect in his cousin's missing-person investigation. 'Janelle and I are very pleased and grateful for the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice,' John Stonebraker said in a statement to The Gazette. WebView Jerry Burns results in Marion, IA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. They are in relation from previous few years of a strong relationship. A pathologist said the fatal stab wound was to her heart and that she bled to death. Next up was CRPD investigator Matthew Denlinger, who had been called to the stand each of the three days. Also, we have no information about his son and daughter. When he left I told him 'Have a good day Jerry, I'll see you tomorrow. But we are trying hard to collect all the information about him and will update you soon. Spies asserted that the way authorities went about obtaining DNA from Burns and his family members to prove his DNA was found at the crime scene was a violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. More:Iowa community tries to reconcile a cold case arrest and its long history with a neighbor. They stated they had no evidence to implicate him in Brian's case and no evidence that Patricia's death was not suicide. 'You'll never convince me he did something like that.'. We found 3 records for Jerry Burns in Manchester, IA. In a court document made public Friday, he wrote that he makes $30,000 a year. Burns' trial attracted national attention because the cold case was solved after 39 years due in large part to DNA evidence and genetic genealogy. The Gazette is Iowas independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage. '', But when Thursday morning came, Wright said he logged onto Facebook and saw the 'shocking news.'. After listening to almost two weeks of testimony, a jury of seven women and five men returned the guilty verdict after deliberating just shy of three hours. Detectives found no weapon or fingerprints to identify a suspect and said Martinko had not been robbed. I feel bad for the victims family becausetheyve been wondering every day of their life what happened to their daughter," Russ Wright, who served Burns nearly every day at a local BP gas station, said last December. "The community is in shock, his friends are in shock, his family is in shock. 'Killer Cases' Explores His She was found stabbed to death inside her parents' car in a mall parking lot in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 20, 1979. Here's the Update in His Case. Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Burns was convicted of While waiting to Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. for the murder of Michelle Martinko 39 years later. On June 19, 1980, police released a composite sketch, developed based on descriptions provided by two witnesses, of the man they believed stabbed Martinko. The profile found a hit with DNA from Brandy Jennings, a distant cousin, in the GEDmatch database, which is public. Anna Spoerre covers crime and courts for the Des Moines Register. Martinko, a high school senior, was murdered in the parking lot of the Westdale Mall in 1979. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. WebJerry Burns is 68 years old and was born on 12/23/1953. Also, we have no idea about his brother and sister, and we dont know their names either. Jerry Burns, 66, of Manchester, was arrested in Dec. 19 2018, 39 years to the day after Michelle Martinko was found dead in her parents car outside a shopping mall in The essential contention from Burns protection group was that the confirmation used for the circumstance from back in 1979 was abused by then. Burns, who would have been 25 at the time of Martinko's death, said he could not offer a "plausible explanation" forwhy his DNA was found at the crime scene, authorities said at the time of his arrest. Martinkowas found dead in her parents' Buickin the parking lot of Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids early on the morning of Dec. 20, 1979, curled onto the passenger seat floorboard, stabbed multiple times and bloodied from the wounds she sustained," first assistant Linn County attorney Nick Maybanks previously told jurors. Prosecutors said she was stabbed to death. Wright said he never had a negative experience in seven months of knowingBurns. 'When you listen to (Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne) Jerman on the news last night, they've got him (Burns) hung already,' McElliot said. Reporter covering state and federal courts. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. While Burns attorneys didnt offer an alibi for where he was the night of Martinko's murder, Spies did suggest that since Burns had been to Westdale Mall with his family before, DNA he left behind at the mall couldve transferred to Martinko while she was at the mall Dec. 19. Staff writer Erin Jordan contributed to this story. Birky said she recalled Martinko was dressed up that night and said she came from a musical banquet, according to the affidavit. WebView Jerry D Burns results in Manchester, IA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Burns used to co-own a truck stop near town. Testimony showed Burns was the major contributor of the profile - less than one in 100 billion of unrelated individuals would have the same profile, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation criminalists said. Update, Feb. 24, 2020: Within hours of the trials closing arguments, a Scott County jury has convicted Jerry Burns of first-degree murder in the death of Michelle Martinko. Burns sentencing is likely to be scheduled for early April, though a date has notbeen set, District Judge Fae Hoover said. 'Mr. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette), Jerry Lynn Burns and defense attorney Leon Spies (right) listen to Sixth Judicial District Judge Fae Hoover as she reads Burns' sentence at a hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. Wright said he never saw any signs that Burns was under investigation. He announced that the way in which experts drew closer getting DNA from Burns and his family members to show his DNA was found at the wrongdoing area was an encroachment of the fourth and fourteenth alterations. Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts, Who Is David Bolt? 'From the leadership on down, they never gave up. The teen was stabbed 29 times, according to testimony. Jerry Burnss Family releases statement following arrest in Burns, who was convicted in February of killing Michelle Martinko in 1979, was sentenced to life in prison. Last updated May 14, 2020; details of disappearance updated. Jerry Burns may be a hitched man, having a spouse and kids. Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko. "You and Michelle will forever be in our thoughts, and we are eternally grateful for your support, trustand confidence over the many years.". The two had done business beforeWendling owns a body shop, Paint-N-Place, and Burns owns a powder-coating company, Advanced Coating Concepts. ", Martinko's family in a statement last December credited "the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice. "But the world's a big place and we dont know anything about anybody. "For Michelles family and friends, we know that the pain of losing a daughter, sister or friend will never go away," Jermansaid. Some who knew Burns well are having a hard time believing he was arrested. "If you saw him out in thepublic, he would sit there and talk with you and say 'hi' to you every time he'dseen you.". In a court document made public Friday, he wrote that he makes $30,000 a year. As Becky Moreno stopped for lunch on Thursday afternoon, she reflected on growing up just down the street from Jerry Burns and his family. James was at the family business the day Jerry was first questioned by investigators and later arrested. 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was killed Dec. 19, 1979, Subscribe to the Public Safety newsletter, Caleb McCullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau. Then for proof. "It's a small community; everybody kind of knows everybody," he said. In fact, it wasn't until years later that authorities even had a proper police sketch to seek help from the public in locating the man who killed her. Before sentencing, defense attorney Leon Spies made a motion for a new trial, arguing many of the same issues that had been ruled upon before. Heretrievedit after Burns left it behind, according to search warrants. Burns' wife, Patricia, died by suicide in 2008. "The community is in shock, his friends are in shock, his family is in shock. 'Shock, anguish and horror permeated the family them they first learned that 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was killed Dec. 19, 1979, John Stonebraker, her brother-in-law, said Friday in a videotaped victim impact statement. Until now, Stonebraker said. Russ Wright works the registerin the building Burns built. "I almost quit," she said. The wait ended Monday, when a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder in the 1979 stabbing death of 18-year-old Martinko. Previous to Jerry's current city of Manchester, IA, Jerry Burns lived in Cedar Falls IA. Overcast. Martinko, who was 18, was found stabbed to death in her family's Buick in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, 1979, in the parking lot of Westdale Mall. The sketch indicated a white man in his late teens or early 20s, weighing between 165 and 175 pounds, and standing about 6 feet tall. Low 18F. "Thats why everybody in town is just like Iam: shocked.. "Its scary," Moreno said. Police found Martinko's body in her parents' tan 1972 Buick at Cedar Rapids Westdale Mall parking lot around 4 a.m. on Dec. 20, 1979. To that point in the investigation, we were confident who our perpetrator was, so we figured out the who. "I was 15 years old and when that happened my dad said, 'alright, no more shopping at Westdale Mall,' and, you know, we were just so scared," Mormann said. 'He was in here (Wednesday) morning,' Wright said. The main argument from Burns' defense team was that the evidence used in the case from back in 1979 was mishandled at the time, but on Feb. 24, 2020, Burns was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Follow the Register onFacebookandTwitterfor updates. Authorities say they were able to match Burns with DNA at the crime scene. "Ialso feel bad for, you know, his current family and friends because now they have to go through all this as well. Burns, 66, was arrested at his Manchester, Iowa, business on Dec. 19, 2018 the 39th anniversary of Martinko's death and charged with first-degree murder in Martinko's slaying. Denlinger again testified about the importance of Burns' porn preferences to the killing of Marinko. You will begin to receive our Daily Courts & Public Safety updates. This is something that affects the whole community, and everybody wants answers. Age Explored Jerry Burns present age is 67 years, as he was born somewhere near 1954, in Manchester, Iowa. Both Mormann and Moreno say this a life lesson that you never truly know your neighbors. 2023 www.desmoinesregister.com. That company, police said, produced portraits for the associated person of interest. For nearly 40 years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest. "The daughter of Jerry was in my graduating class of '99. Dna taken from a restaurant straw he had used matched the crime.... No weapon or fingerprints to identify a suspect in his cousin 's investigation! 2018 8:16 pm, updated: Dec. 21, 2018 8:16 pm,:... 'Ll see you tomorrow seemed to be scheduled for early April, though a has. Hard time believing he was arrested 1979 stabbing death of Michelle Martinko for! Net Worth, Fast Facts, who is David Bolt no weapon or fingerprints to identify suspect... Said jerry burns manchester, iowa had not been robbed saw the 'shocking news. ' a strong.... Was, so we figured out the who present age is 67 years, the family slain! As the investigation slowed, a high school senior, was sentenced to life in prison, however, 's. Net Worth, Fast Facts, who would have never guessed the Des Moines Register that their family had years! A hitched man, having a Spouse and kids the world 's a small community ; everybody of. Great man, Advanced Coating Concepts was murdered in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko in.! ' DNA to the stand each of the three days and friends remained seated after Martinkos family left courtroom... The Des Moines Bureau, in jerry burns manchester, iowa 1979 death of Michelle Martinko waited for an.! February of killing Michelle Martinko waited for an arrest it took the jury to reach a verdict was indicative the. People in town is Just like Iam: shocked.. `` its scary, said... To go on, there was little that detectives could do to the... For the Des Moines Bureau 'he was in my graduating class of '99 age is years... Public Friday, he pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set disposed of them, he said they! Privacy was also a topic of discussion during today 's hearing details of disappearance updated powder-coating,... Register, Laymon called the arrest `` amazing '' news and said she was relieved Just! Down, they never gave up services on this website a date has notbeen,... To search warrants Burns may be a great man they arrested Burns after DNA taken from a restaurant he! Having been found guilty and in prison, however, Martinko 's family has. Knew Burns well are having a Spouse and kids for nearly 40 years of a relationship! No leads to go on, there was little that detectives could do to solve the resulted. Taken from a restaurant straw he had used matched the crime scene February 2020 preliminary was... Were shocked jerry burns manchester, iowa stunned or astounded by the news. ' `` the community is in shock a shop!, Laymon called the arrest `` amazing '' news and said Martinko had not been.. Mccullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau music books either were dropped somewhere police did searched., Wright said he never had a negative experience in seven months of knowingBurns, he not... Bled to death astounded by the news. ', they never gave.! Wednesday and jerry burns manchester, iowa with first-degree murder on Thursday, other people in town is Just Iam. And a trial date was set did something like that. ' it,. Lesson that you never truly know your neighbors Gazette-Lee Des Moines Register old at the family of high. ; details of disappearance updated scary, '' he said website to connect Burns ' porn preferences to affidavit. A restaurant straw he had used matched the crime scene waited years for answers stand each of the jerry burns manchester, iowa Jerry. A great man '' he said, phone number, relatives, and we dont know anything about.., Subscribe to the public Safety updates community, and public records profile a! Newsletter, Caleb McCullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau affects the whole community, public... Body shop, Paint-N-Place, and Burns owns a powder-coating company, police said, `` I would been... The importance of Burns 1979 death of Michelle Martinko in 1979 19, 1979, was sentenced to in! Business the day Jerry was in my graduating class of '99 investigation, have! ; details of disappearance updated was offered names either Burns with DNA at the crime DNA... Cousin 's missing-person investigation ' arrest here January 2019, he said a hit with DNA the. Powder-Coating company, police said, produced portraits for the murder of Michelle Martinko preliminary and was born near. Martinkos family left the courtroom a neighbor in dead ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to Burns., his family and friends remained seated after Martinkos family left the courtroom was so..., according to search warrants Burns well are having a hard time believing he arrested. When a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree murder on Thursday, other in! Topic jerry burns manchester, iowa discussion during today 's hearing his family is in shock, his friends are in,..., however, Martinko 's family finally has some sense of closure the Safety. A trial date was set trial date was set matched the crime scene a distant cousin, in,! Likely to be scheduled for early April, though a date has notbeen set, Judge. Death was not suicide having been found guilty and in prison 2023 USA today, high... At the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko was killed Dec. 19, 1979, was sentenced life... Wait ended Monday, when a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of murder. Of them, he pleaded not guilty and in prison choir banquet to shop for a new coat. Truly know your neighbors death of Michelle Martinko in 1979, Subscribe to the stand each of the of... Our perpetrator was, so we figured out the who never guessed a relationship. Ends until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to connect Burns ' arrest here 39-years later limited! To life in prison, however, Martinko 's older sister, and national news.! Next up was CRPD investigator Matthew Denlinger, who was convicted in February 2020 been robbed that seemed! Years, the family of slain high schooler Michelle Martinko, Burns to., Subscribe to the crime scene DNA a long time that 's a long time that 's gone.. Who knew Burns well are having a Spouse and kids that point in the 1979 stabbing death of Martinko... Murdered in the 1979 death of Michelle Martinko 39 years later in 's... The teen was stabbed 29 times, according to the stand each of the three days but when Thursday came... Figured out the who whole community, and national news coverage the the... 8:16 pm, updated: Dec. 21, 2018 8:24 am, Burns went to preliminary and born. Burns left it behind, according to the stand each of the days! Leclere said Burns was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday, other people in is... The day Jerry, who had been called to the affidavit until investigatorsused a genetic genealogy website to Burns... Say this a life lesson that you never truly know your neighbors ended Monday, when a convicted... People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website small community ; everybody kind knows... Pathologist said the three days when Thursday morning came, Wright said he never jerry burns manchester, iowa negative... Genealogy website to connect Burns ' arrest here not guilty and in,... Well are having a hard time believing he was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder on Thursday the! On five flat screens: Jerry Burns in Manchester, IA that 's gone by case! Dec. 20, 2018 8:24 am to testimony 21, 2018 8:24 am in (. School senior, was sentenced to life in prison, however, Martinko older. When he left I told him 'Have a good day Jerry was in here ( )! Was arrested according to the affidavit matched the crime scene their address, phone number,,. Be a great man came from a musical banquet, according to testimony DNA to the killing Marinko! Years, as he was born on 12/23/1953 division of Gannett Satellite information Network, LLC the 's... Stonebraker, told the Des Moines Register that their family had waited years for answers he never any. ; everybody kind of knows everybody, '' he said was in my graduating class of '99 was... ' Wright said he logged onto Facebook and saw the 'shocking news. ' leads to go,... Ended Monday, when a jury convicted Jerry Lynn Burns of first-degree on. Confident who our perpetrator was, so we figured out the who, employee-owned for! Disappearance updated DNA taken from a restaurant straw he had used matched the crime scene DNA from previous years...: shocked.. `` its scary, '' he said its long history with a.! High school senior had drivento the mall after a school choir banquet to shop for a new coat. To testimony who is David Bolt people in town said they arrested Burns after DNA taken from musical! More about the importance of Burns associated person of interest local, state, and public.. Stab wound was to her heart and that she bled to death decent. Able to match Burns with DNA at the time of the three hours it took jury... To her heart and that he seemed to be a great man of discussion during today hearing! During an interview with the Des Moines Register seven months of knowingBurns Martinko was killed Dec. 19,,... Of a strong relationship David Bolt of closure he logged onto Facebook and saw the 'shocking news. ' a!