Silence broken on 30th anniversary of the Lakeville Pelley murders

What memories do you have of being 9 years old?

For Jessi Toronjo, that’s when her mother, two sisters and stepfather were murdered so her grounded stepbrother could go to prom.

Jessi Toronjo used to be known as Jessica Pelley.

“I just couldn't even process that," she said. "I just cried and cried and cried for days, because how can a 9-year-old process that? I mean, I had just seen my family on Friday, and they're telling me they're gone.”

Jessi was staying at a friend’s house in April of 1989 when her home in Lakeville became a crime scene. Five shotgun blasts killed four people — Jessi’s stepfather, Rev. Bob Pelley; Jessi’s mom, Dawn; and Jessi’s two sisters, 8-year-old Janel and 6-year-old Jolene.

Only now is Jessi ready to break her silence.

“I mean, I was shocked because my sisters didn’t deserve that, my mom didn’t deserve that, his dad didn’t deserve that just to go to prom,” Jessi said.

More than a dozen years passed before Jeff Pelley was charged with the killings. His motive? He was 17 years old at the time, he was grounded, and he wanted to attend prom and after-prom activities that included dinner, a dance, bowling and a trip to Great America.

In a new book entitled “I Am Jessica: A Survivor’s Powerful Story of Healing and Hope,” Jessi says before she knew Jeff Pelley as a cold-blooded killer, she knew him as a bully.

“When we first moved in with him in Florida, we went camping in the backyard, and all the sudden the zipper opened up and this figure came in with a ski mask and pulled me out of the tent and then threatened to throw me in the pool that we had,” Jessi explained. “So, they sat me down on the counter and pulled off the ski mask, and it was Jeff."

Jessi says she hit emotional rock bottom about three years ago, but she is now under the care of a psychologist and in a better place.

Jessi is married with two children and lives and works with young children in Midland, Michigan.

Jessi has come to gain a new appreciation for why her life was spared so many years ago.

“I’m here to help people," she said. "I realize that now that the story is all the way out there.”

Jessi said she never dealt with her emotions, she just “bushed it down and pretended like it wasn’t my life.”

Her advice is to get help if you feel like you need it.

“Don’t be embarrassed, just do it. Get help, talk to somebody, a friend, a parent, and it doesn't matter what age you are,” she said.

Jeff Pelley continues to serve a 160-year sentence for his crimes.

Jessi will hold a book signing at the Mishawaka Barnes and Noble on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m.

The book was written by Toronjo’s cousin Jamie Collins.