# DNA Solves Teen Girl's Brutal Christmas Mall Murder

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/dna-solves-teen-girl-s-brutal-christmas-mall-murder
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/dna-solves-teen-girl-s-brutal-christmas-mall-murder.md
Podcast: [Forensic Files Unsealed](https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771)
Published: 2026-07-28T18:21:40+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/dna-solves-teen-girl-s-brutal-christmas-mall-murder--73219427
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73219427/a_pizza_ranch_straw_caught_a_killer.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/episodes/dna-solves-teen-girl-s-brutal-christmas-mall-murder
Duration seconds: 2068

## Resource

This episode details the resolution of the 1979 cold case murder of Michelle Martinko, a teenager found stabbed to death in a Cedar Rapids mall parking lot. For nearly four decades, investigators struggled without eyewitnesses or a clear motive, until genetic genealogy eventually linked the crime to a man named Jerry Burns. Detectives narrowed the search down to three brothers before using covertly collected DNA from a discarded straw to confirm Burns as the killer. Despite his defense team’s arguments regarding innocent DNA transfer, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder based on forensic evidence and his lack of a firm denial during police questioning. The case concluded with a life sentence without parole, providing long-awaited answers to a community and family haunted by the brutal crime. This narrative highlights how modern forensic breakthroughs can bridge the gap between historical tragedies and contemporary justice. This episode includes AI-generated content.

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## Transcript

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