Police: Recently-released doorbell video showed another individual, not Burham
WARREN, Pa. — Doorbell video footage that authorities believed showed escaped homicide suspect Michael C. Burham walking in an area south of the city of Warren has been debunked as showing someone else, a top Pennsylvania State Police official said in a daily update Saturday, nine days after Burham broke out of the Warren County Prison.
"We actually had someone come forward to assist us with identifying the person that it likely is," said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state police's deputy commissioner of operations. "And while we can't say 100%, I no longer believe that that video is likely Burham."
The video, which police released Friday, showed a person walking slowly with a limp around 5 a.m. on an unspecified date several days ago. The person did not appear to be wearing a prison uniform.
Bivens said authorities received several tips that are still being vetted but added that police can say "with relative certainty, that thanks to the public response from that area, the individual depicted in that video is not Burham."
Bivens said police still have a a "strong reason" to believe Burham remains in the general area and is likely becoming "more desperate" to acquire items needed to survive.
He advised the public to pay attention to small items they might find missing, such as a tarp, a blanket, clothing items, lighters or matches or food from their camp sites, storage sheds and garages.
"During the past 24 hours, we have received several tips in and around the Warren area that have resulted in wooded searches, dog tracks or clearing of structures," Bivens said. "At least one was promising but none have been conclusive at this point."
Burham, 34, escaped from the Warren County Prison at about 11:20 p.m. on July 6.
Bivens said state police still believe Burham is in the woods around Warren, a city of about 9,200 people on the edge of the 514,209-acre Allegheny National Forest. State police said the search has extended into the forest, and that investigators continue to probe whether Burham has had help from others as he stays on the run.
Bivens reiterated on Saturday that state police consider Burham to be armed and dangerous and able to survive in the outdoors for an extended period of time.
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Police: Escapee Burham was not shown in recent doorbell video
