Mother of Jordan "Manny" Collins Jr. hoping for justice for her son
The mother of a Twin Cities teenager allegedly murdered by his father spoke outside the Governor's Mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota, Friday afternoon.
The remains of 16-year-old Jordan "Manny" Collins Jr. were found in an Elk River, Minnesota, landfill on June 28. On Wednesday, his father, Jordan Dupree Collins Sr., was charged with second-degree murder.
"I'm hoping my son gets the justice he deserves," Ashley Berry, mother of Collins Jr., said during Friday's news conference.
She added that there was "a lot" she couldn't say due to the ongoing investigation, and thanked the community and law enforcement for their efforts to find Collins Jr.
"He wasn't perfect. He did make teenage mistakes, but he was great," Berry said when describing her son. "I know every mother wants to say this about their child, but he was great. He had a very old soul, and I hate to even say 'had.' As I can see, he touched a lot of people that don't even know him."
One activist said during the news conference that "no human being deserves to be disposed of."
Collins Jr. was living with his father in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, when other family members lost contact with him in early May, according to court documents. The boy's blood was found inside his father's apartment, investigators said. Surveillance video of the dumpster behind Collins Sr.'s apartment led them to the landfill where the boy was found.
The elder Collins is in custody, with bail set at $3 million unconditional or $2 million with conditions. Prosecutors allege he was planning to leave Minnesota, and said they will pursue an aggravated charge. The defense is seeking an accelerated trial.
The boy's great-grandmother Mary Berry told WCCO she was suspicious of the boy's father as soon as he disappeared.
"I was glad that they arrested him because Manny needs justice," Mary Berry said. "He didn't deserve that, no kid deserves that."
Note: The video above originally aired July 9, 2025.
