Cumberland man scheduled for plea hearing on charges he killed Ellicott City couple; also charged in Allegany murder

Dan Belson, Howard County Times, Columbia, Md.
Updated ·2 min read

Feb. 24—Howard County prosecutors agree that a Cumberland man accused of killing his estranged half brother and sister-in-law in Ellicott City is not criminally responsible for the murders, according to a plea deal offered Thursday.

Jeffrey Burnham, who is also charged with killing an 83-year-old woman in Allegany County, will have a chance to accept the state's offer to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder at a March 28 hearing.

Prosecutors have accepted the evaluation of a state psychiatrist that found Burnham was not criminally responsible, Maryland's version of an insanity plea, a spokesperson for the Howard County State's Attorney said Friday.

Authorities say Burnham first stabbed his mother's friend, 83-year-old Rebecca Reynolds, to death at her home in Cumberland in September 2021, then stole her car. Police say he then headed for Howard County, where his half brother, Brian Robinette, 58, lived with his wife, Kelly Sue, 57.

Burnham arrived at their Kerger Road home in Ellicott City with a gun and shot the couple dead, according to police. Investigators said in charging papers that Burnham told an unnamed person his half brother was "killing people" with COVID-19 vaccines, as he worked as a pharmacist.

An 18-hour police search for Burnham followed the homicides, and he was captured outside a motel in Davis, West Virginia. Police said he flagged down a firefighter and reported he "had been forced to kill three people."

In Howard County, Burnham is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, as well as vehicle theft and firearms charges. He also is charged with first-degree murder and vehicle theft in Allegany County.

Burnham's neighbors and family said his mental health had been deteriorating before the killings. When he was extradited to Maryland, his public defender immediately requested an evaluation to determine whether he was competent to stand trial. He was initially found not competent, but eventually ruled to be competent in October last year.

After Burnham was found competent to stand trial, he pleaded not criminally responsible, Maryland's version of an insanity plea. While competency refers to a defendant's ability to assist in their own defense and understand the circumstances and roles of the court, a plea of not criminally responsible means the defense can argue Burnham either didn't understand the criminality of his actions or could not modify his behavior to what the law required.

Burnham is currently scheduled for a jury trial on his Allegany County charges starting April 3, with another trial immediately following in Howard County.

Baltimore Sun reporter Lee O. Sanderlin contributed to this article.