The fugitive suspect involved in a homicide case, who used bed sheets to escape from a jail in northwestern Pennsylvania earlier this month, has reportedly been apprehended. Michael Burham, aged 34, was captured on Saturday without any trouble in a wooded area near Warren, as reported by CNN.
A county official from Warren stated to CNN that preparations are underway to place the escapee in an isolation cell at Warren County Jail, but they do not plan to detain him beyond Sunday. It remains uncertain where Burham will be transferred after that.
Burham executed his escape from Warren County jail on the evening of July 6 by utilizing exercise equipment to climb, going through a window, and descending using a rope made from bedding materials, as confirmed by authorities. He had been held on $1 million bail and faced charges of kidnapping, burglary, and other offenses.
Lt. Col. George Bivens, the deputy commissioner of Operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, previously expressed belief that Burham, who possessed self-taught survival skills and received military reserve training, was present in the area. Investigators discovered several “small stockpiles or campsites” that they believe were associated with him.
Over 200 state, federal, and local officers participated in the search for Burham, with officials announcing rewards of up to $22,000.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt from Chautauqua County, New York, stated in June that Burham was the primary suspect in the killing of Kala Hodgkin, aged 34, on May 11, along with a related arson incident in Jamestown, New York. Additionally, authorities accused him of abducting an elderly couple in Pennsylvania while attempting to evade capture before being arrested in South Carolina. New York officials decided to allow Pennsylvania to handle the initial prosecution while they investigate the killing and arson case.
