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Survivor continues to heal decades after her family s prom night murder
More than three decades after the 1989 murders of her mother, stepfather and two sisters, Jessi Toronjo shares her emotional journey from a scared child to a woman intent on maintaining justice for her family. 2021 Jul 03
This story previously aired on August 15, 2020.
Jessi Toronjo was just 9 years old when she returned from a sleepover at a friend s house to find out her mother, stepfather and two sisters were murdered in their Lakeville, Indiana, home. Police immediately suspected Jessica s stepbrother Jeff Pelley, but it would take 13 years to arrest him. The motive? Prosecutors say the then-17-year-old Pelley wiped out his family in anger at not being able to drive to his prom. Pelley was ultimately convicted, but the case continues to wind its way through the courts.
Healing continues decades after family s prom night murders Jim Axelrod
This story previously aired on August 15, 2020.
Jessi Toronjo was just 9 years old when she returned from a sleepover at a friend s house to find out her mother, stepfather and two sisters were murdered in their Lakeville, Indiana, home. Police immediately suspected Jessica s stepbrother Jeff Pelley, but it would take 13 years to arrest him. The motive? Prosecutors say the then-17-year-old Pelley wiped out his family in anger at not being able to drive to his prom. Pelley was ultimately convicted, but the case continues to wind its way through the courts.
Murdered for the perfect prom: New podcast details how 17-year-old slaughtered his pastor father, his stepmother and two young stepsisters in 1989 because he was banned from driving to the dance
Pastor Bob Pelley, his wife Dawn, and her daughters, Janel, eight, and Jolene, six, were found murdered at their home on April 30, 1989 in rural Lakeville, Indiana
Churchgoers went to the parsonage after Pastor Bob did not show up for service
Investigators suspected Bob s son, Jeff Pelley, then 17, who the pastor had grounded and would not allow to attend his prom s before and after events
Prosecutors contend this was Jeff s motive for shooting his father, and then he killed his stepmom and stepsisters in order to leave no witnesses to his crime