JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK: A murder suspect has reportedly escaped from a Pennsylvania jail near the New York state line. Hours later, a couple in Western New York reported returning home to discover their dog dead and some male apparel missing from their bedroom. "It's not a coincidence," according to Lauraine Peterson, the burglary victim who spoke to Fox News on Monday, July 10, because the prisoner Michael Burham, 34, had already visited her area.
On May 11, 2023, after Burham allegedly shot and killed Kala Hodgkin in Jamestown, New York, Peterson and her boyfriend Harold Lobb reportedly spotted a weird light coming from their neighbor's house even though they knew the owner was away, she stated. When the police came, they discovered shattered windows, but the victim said that whoever was inside had already left after charging a cell phone.
Who is Michael Burham?
Police showed up again on Friday about 12 hours after Michael Burham, 34, scaled down a rope fashioned of bedsheets to escape the Warren County Jail, sparking an interstate manhunt. He was being imprisoned on suspicion of rape, murder, and charges relating to kidnapping in New York. He was arrested on May 25 in South Carolina and was moved to New York before being transferred to Warren County, Pennsylvania, on June 19. The suspect is referred to as a "self-taught survivalist with military training." According to the police, he should be treated as dangerous and armed.
'Our clothes are missing and our dog is killed'
Peterson, a nurse, lamented that "our clothes are missing and our dog is killed." She claimed that while the couple's firearms were safely kept within their safe, food was missing from the freezer. At a news conference on Monday, Pennsylvania State Police Lt Col George Bivens stated that investigators had looked into several burglaries in Warren County and surrounding regions, including in New York across the border, but had not discovered any "direct" connections to Burham's whereabouts. Jamestown, New York, is about 20 miles from the jail. The missing clothing, according to Peterson, included a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a blue hooded sweatshirt with her boyfriend's company name, "Lobbs Automotive," and a car logo printed across the back.
'I'm sure the dog went after him'
Burham, according to the police, was last seen on Friday sporting an orange "crocs-style" shoe and jail jumpsuit over a denim jacket. Peterson and Lobb adopted the rescue dog two years ago, she claimed. The puppy could hardly walk and weighed only 2.5 pounds. The dog, which they named "Sweetpea," had developed into a very protective guard dog of their home, barking at bears, bobcats, and other wildlife that strayed close to the property, according to Peterson. "She really was blossoming into quite the little personality," Peterson stated. "I'm sure the dog went after him."
Burham may still be in the area, and Pennsylvania State Police are requesting anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to phone 814-728-3600 or 911. The US Marshals Service and Warren County Crime Stoppers are offering a total prize of $9,500 for information.
