Homicide Suspect Who Fled Pennsylvania Jail Captured
Warren County, Pennsylvania – Michael Burham, a 34-year-old homicide suspect who managed to escape from a jail in northwestern Pennsylvania earlier this month, has been captured without incident. After more than a week on the run, Burham was apprehended in a wooded area near Warren on Saturday, according to officials.
The Pennsylvania State Police expressed their gratitude to all the partner agencies and the community for their assistance and support in capturing the fugitive, as stated in a tweet on their official account. Burham’s capture came after residents in Warren County’s Conowingo Township reported a suspicious individual to the state police tip line. A married couple, responding to their dog’s barking, encountered Burham near the back of their property. Acting promptly, the property owner recognized the escapee and immediately contacted law enforcement while Burham fled into the woods.
Authorities, aided by police dogs, tracked Burham through the woods and took him into custody shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday. Footage from the arrest shows a disheveled Burham wearing a light-colored T-shirt and pants, surrounded by nearly a dozen officers in camouflaged gear.
Burham’s escape from the Warren County jail on July 6 involved using bed sheets to climb on exercise equipment, going through a window, and then descending using a rope made from jail bedding. He had been held on a $1 million bail and faces charges of kidnapping, burglary, and other offenses.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt of Chautauqua County, New York, identified Burham as the prime suspect in the killing of Kala Hodgkin, 34, and an associated arson in Jamestown, New York, in May. Authorities also accused him of abducting an elderly couple in Pennsylvania while attempting to evade capture before his arrest in South Carolina. Although New York officials are investigating the killing and arson, they opted to let Pennsylvania handle the initial prosecution.
Law enforcement agencies launched an extensive search for Burham, involving more than 200 state, federal, and local officers. Up to $22,000 in reward money was offered for information leading to his capture. Investigators believed that Burham had set up small stockpiles or campsites in the area, which they suspected were associated with him.
Burham’s capture puts an end to a week-long manhunt and provides relief to law enforcement who were concerned about the potential harm he could have caused to citizens or officers. The escapee is expected to be transferred to another location after his brief stay at the Warren County Jail, where an isolation cell was being prepared for him.
Stay tuned for further updates on Michael Burham’s case as the investigation continues.
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