The story involving Jelani Day, a young, Black graduate student at Illinois State University, has another new development as LaSalle County Sheriffs have discovered his missing phone.
According to the CI Proud, the phone, which belonged to the 25-year-old, has been sent to a forensic team for analysis. He had been living in Bloomington, Illinois, where he aspired to be a doctor when he disappeared at the end of August.
His car was found in Peru, a small city an hour north of the area, two days later after being seen on Aug. 24; and his body was identified weeks later having been pulled from the Illinois River nearby.
As it stands now, Day’s car, wallet, clothing, body, and now his phone have been found in five separate locations. Day’s family says he’s never been to Peru, Illinois, doesn’t have friends there, and his mother, Carmen Day, told I-Team reporter Samantha Chatman that she is certain foul play was involved in his death.
Despite the autopsy results done by LaSalle County Coroner Rich Ploch, the autopsy displayed no signs of altercations, injury, gunfire, drug intoxication, injury, or assault.
Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition led a rally in Peru for family and supporters, calling for outside agencies to further investigate. At the rally, Carmen Day said she was “insulted” by the Coroner’s conclusion.
“Jelani was an avid swimmer, and an avid swimmer doesn’t drown himself,” Day said. “Jelani didn’t have depression or mental issues. Those are indicative of someone that had suicidal thoughts. That’s not what my son had.”
As per WSPY News, Rev. Jackson said Jelani Day was with two white women the night before and that these two women have hired lawyers. Day was last seen on video footage the morning of Aug. 24, walking out of a Bloomington cannabis dispensary.
This is a still-developing story.