FBI Offering $10K for New Leads in Death of Jelani Day

News

By Alyssa Wilson Published: December 14, 2021

FBI Offering $10K for New Leads in Death of Jelani Day

After being reported missing on August 25, Jelani Day's body was identified on September 23. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now calling on the FBI to investigate his death.

In Summary

It's been more than 100 days since Jelani Day's body was found near the Illinois River and now a reward is being offered for information about his death.

The FBI is offering a reward for information about the disappearance and death of Jelani Day.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, $10,000 is being offered in hopes of getting more information to better understand the circumstances surrounding his death. This includes a coordinated social media campaign to identify new leads.

Day was last seen on the campus of Illinois State University on Aug. 24. He was reported missing the following day and police say his car was found in Peru, Illinois, as agencies began searching for him. A little more than a week later, on Sept. 4, a male body was found near the “south bank of the Illinois River,” but it wasn’t identified as Day until Sept. 23.

Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, is also offering a $25,000 reward for information. She maintains that her son did not take his own life, BNC previously reported.

The reward for new information comes after several high-profile leaders called for the FBI to get involved in the investigation. Illinois Representative Bobby Rush wrote a letter to the FBI and Attorney General Merrick Garland on Oct. 26, calling for a federal investigation.

On Dec. 3, 100 days after Day’s body was found, Ben Crump, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Day’s family held a press conference, also calling for a federal investigation.

The Peru Police Department released the following statement:

“The Peru Police Department and the Jelani Day Joint Task Force, continue to coordinate efforts, follow previously identified leads and seek new information regarding the circumstance surrounding Jelani Day’s tragic death. We are dedicated to following the evidence to determine what really happened that day and urge the public to reach out if they have new information regarding this case. There is no further information at this time.”

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