Michael Charles Burham (Warren County, Pennsylvania and Berkley County South Carolina)
Law enforcement authorities in the Northeast are continuing their search for a man suspected of committing a spate of violent crimes in multiple states who has been on the run for nearly a week after allegedly escaping from a Pennsylvania prison.
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 cash reward for information leading to the capture of Michael Charles Burham, the 34-year-old man who they say escaped from Warren County Prison — about 11 miles from the state’s northern border with New York — late Thursday evening using a makeshift rope made from multiple bed sheets tied together.
In Warren County, Burham has been formally charged with numerous felonies, including two counts each of kidnapping and aggravated assault, as well as one count each of burglary, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, and criminal trespass. He was also charged with 15 misdemeanor counts, court records show. Burham also has a warrant out for his arrest in New York in a rape case and is the primary suspect in a homicide case, police said.
Prison officials on Friday morning discovered that Burham had somehow escaped from the Warren County Prison. They say he was last seen at about 11:20 p.m. Thursday evening wearing an orange and white striped jumpsuit along with a denim jacket that reads “Warren County Jail” across the back and a pair of Crocs, however, it is believed likely that he would have changed clothes by now.
During a Monday press conference, Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said that about 150 individuals from 15 law enforcement agencies have been involved in the search for Burham, who they believe has remained “in the general area” of Warren County since his escape.
“We are pushing him hard. You know, I’ve talked about the resources that are committed. We continue to ramp that up,” Bivens said. “We continue to make sure that we are putting pressure on him and we won’t know until we capture him just how close we are. We will capture him.”
Bivens also said investigators believe that someone has been providing Burham with assistance, though he did not go into detail as to how he was being helped.
“We are prepared to prosecute anyone who does offer him assistance,” Bivens said.
Burham is a “self-taught survivalist” with military reserve experience whom authorities say has previously prepared to “conceal himself in the woods.” Bivens previously said that searches of the area have turned up small campsites or “stockpiles” which they believe were used by Burham, who Bivens said is considered “very dangerous.” The stockpiles contained supplies that Bivens said would help Burham “stay in a wooded area” for an extended period of time.
As previously reported by Law&Crime, Warren County Public Information Officer Cecile Stelter said that Burham was able to escape the detention facility by climbing on top of some of the prison’s exercise equipment, leaving the prison yard through a metal grate in the roof, then using a makeshift rope comprised of several bed sheets tied to lower himself to the ground. He then fled into the woods on foot.
Burham has not been formally charged, but is the main suspect in the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Kala Hodgkin, who on March 13 was gunned down inside of her home located on William Street in Jamestown, New York. After the shooting, authorities allege that Burham intentionally set fire to a car owned by another woman.
After a warrant was issued for his arrest in the Hodgkin’s shooting, Burham on May 20 is accused of trying to evade authorities by allegedly kidnapping an elderly couple in Warren County, Pennsylvania, at gunpoint. He then allegedly used their car to drive down to Charleston, South Carolina. Law enforcement authorities were able to locate the couple unharmed and took Burham into custody a few days later after a homeowner spotted him prowling around in their backyard.
Anyone who may have information or a tip that could lead to Burham’s arrest is being urged to call 911 or contact Pennsylvania State Police Warren, 814-728-3600.
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