Authorities believe that Jeff Pelley killed his family after an argument over the prom, and the case continues to evolve in courts even in 2020. Thank you for bringing them to our attention at this time. As the car pulled up to Jessica Pelley’s Lakeville, Ind., home to drop off the 9-year-old after a sleepover, the girl couldn’t believe what she was seeing: reams of yellow crime-scene tape and a line of police vehicles in the driveway. After her family was murdered, Toronjo moved to Michigan to live with her grandfather. “I’ve learned that I do have DID, which is dissociative identity disorder, and I am part Jessica and part Jessi. A photograph of his body laying in the house, the manner in which it was laying … led me to believe that the shooter came out of Jeff's bedroom.". “It was isolating me and hurting me.”. Much-admired pastor Robert L. Pelley was found slain in his home. You don't think anything greater than that when you're that young. Jessi Toronjo is the subject of a new book about her family's mass murder at the hands of her stepbrother Jeff (left). How brainwashed would kids have to be to help kill their own mother? The following day he visited an amusement park with friends, even as the bodies were being discovered by the pastor’s congregation. He is currently sentenced to 40 years for each murder, for a total of 160 years.

Jeff, the son of Robert Pelley, is now 34 and has been living in Florida with his wife.

But police, still working on the case, put together an elaborate timeline of Jeff's whereabouts that they believed put him and him alone at the murder scene. As his defense team prepared for trial they quickly became aware that not all leads were followed in the investigation of the Pelley's deaths. “As a child, I was known as ‘Jessica Pelley.’ When I was nine, I went to a sleepover at a friend’s house for the weekend. March 2019 - Nearly 30 years later and we are still waiting for some sense of closure. Jeff’s sister Jacqueline and stepsister Jessica were not home at the time. Jeff, the son of Robert Pelley, is now 34 and has been living in Florida with his wife. “Jeff hated me,” said Jessi.
At one point in 2009, after her stepbrother’s appeal seemed to be successful, Toronjo was taken to the hospital after taking “a bottle of pills” and trying to kill herself, she told 48 Hours. When she first met her husband, it wasn’t love at first sight for her, though, it was for Tyson, she said. Murder of 17-year-old Jessica Witt by killer boyfriend William Patrick Alexander. ", "They just said that they were gone," she said.

But the case against Jeff was so weak that two district attorneys over two decades refused to prosecute. Meanwhile, Jeff moved to Florida. And my life. Jeff, who claimed innocence, was sentenced to 160 years in prison and is serving time at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Terre Haute, Ind. There was tension in the house between the two families. The book’s description highlights Toronjo’s trauma. "He told me he had a strange feeling something bad happened at home," Darla said. Will Tisdale, a church elder, walked to the pastor's home and tried to look in the windows, but the shades were uncharacteristically drawn, and the doors were locked. And there was another photograph the jurors found significant, of a gun rack in the parent's bedroom.

Authorities believe that Jeff Pelley killed his family after an argument over the prom, and the case continues to evolve in courts even in 2020. This story has been shared 179,220 times. "20/20" gathered the jurors together to talk about the trial and the limited circumstantial case. June 8, 2007 — -- It was 1989, a festive spring weekend in rural Lakeville, Ind., for 17-year-old Jeff Pelley, a minister's son who was taking his first love, Darla Adams, to the prom. Dawn Pelley had three girls, the two youngest who were murdered, and 9-year-old Jessie, who returned home from a sleepover at a friend's house. Pelley was right. "Like in church, we couldn't talk at all. Over a decade after the murder of her family, Pelley’s stepbrother, Robert Jeff Pelley, was arrested and charged with four counts of murder. February 2012 - I just wanted to take a minute to respond to a few emails that we have received lately regarding the status of Jeff's case. She admitted herself to the hospital to get some help. "He told me he had a strange feeling something bad happened at home," Darla said. July 2016 - I never dreamed the process would take this long. Jeff Pelley (center) with sister Jacqueline and private investigator Scott Campbell, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.

And downstairs in the basement, the pastor's wife, Dawn, her two daughters, 8-year-old Janel and 6-year-old Jolene, were also shot at close range. It made Jeff their one and only suspect, and gave them Jeff's possible motive: to go to the prom and save face in front of his high school sweetheart. According to one juror, "What stood out for me was a picture of Rev. Authorities believe that Jeff Pelley killed his family after an argument over the prom, and the case continues to evolve in courts even in 2020. As Jessi recalled, it was a largely happy existence, apart from the brooding presence of Jeff, who bullied her. "So I really don't know what was the guiding force behind them to charge him, but they did." August 14, 2008 - The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer of the case. “But the murders were a forbidden subject and nobody talked to me about them.”. While I was away, my entire family was murdered.”. “And I just didn’t want that anymore.”. The case was reopened four years ago, and after a six-day trial which included nearly 40 witnesses, jurors returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for 34 hours. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. “It was the stuff nightmares are made of.”.


Eventually, two men went over to the parsonage, where a grisly scene awaited them. Initially it was assumed that Bob had turned the gun on himself ­after slaughtering his family. If you have information about this crime that you would like to pass on to us or you are wondering if your previous statement ever made it to the defense lawyers please email us. Reverend Bob Pelley; his wife, Dawn; and two of their daughters, eight-year-old Janel and six-year-old Jolene; were found dead in the basement of their Lakeville home. Ex-NFL star advising Trevor Lawrence to burn Jets in worst way, Thundercat’s quarantine has been mostly MMA training, Wayne Shorter and therapy, A pregnant Rose Leslie gets cozy before new film ‘Death on the Nile’, Fran Drescher on her new Lifetime holiday movie and sunny Malibu home, Ryan Seacrest Misses ‘Live With Kelly and Ryan’ While Awaiting Results of COVID-19 Test, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Fort Hood says Vanessa Guillen died 'in line of duty', affords family benefits, Texas man wanted for shooting ex-girlfriend as she drove with new boyfriend, Archeologists discover remains during search for Tulsa race massacre victims, Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée sues Saudi crown prince in US court over his murder, Charlamagne tha God: I understand why black voters are drawn to Trump, 'Struggling' bar owner in Biden ad is actually wealthy 'angel investor', Biden: Sen. Johnson should be 'ashamed' for alleged corruption probe, Obama urges voters to turn out for Joe Biden in new video ad, Miami police officer in hot water for voting in uniform with pro-Trump mask, Nordstrom price matches best-selling items from Net-a-Porter, This celebrity It-bag brand is 25 percent off in Net-a-Porter's sale, Cole Haan takes up to 60 percent off sitewide for The Great Fall Sale, Wayfair takes up to 60 percent off furniture, Christmas decor and more for Holiday Sale, Be prepared for any emergency with this 20% off survival bag, Officer Arik Matson home after gunshot to the head, Susan Sarandon says Cher stole her role in 'The Witches of Eastwick'. Hear her heartbreaking side of the story in her journey to reconnect with her friend, tonight at 10/9c. All information will be properly investigated. 179,220, This story has been shared 72,700 times. “Maybe you finally found out why you weren’t at the house that night,” he said. Remember, you are about to email the third surviving child from the Pelley household, who just like the other two went away for a weekend with no family or home to come back to. ", According to Jessie, it was hard to be a child of a preacher and to "act perfect.".


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