Possible drone flew near Warren County Prison prior to Michael Burham escape. Are they linked?

WARREN, Pa. ― As the search for escaped inmate Michael C. Burham stretches into its seventh day Thursday, police are investigating reports that a drone may have been flying near the Warren County Prison just prior to Burham's escape on July 6.

At a news conference Wednesday in Warren, Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, said reports of the drone came from multiple interviews of people who say they heard a drone immediately adjacent to the county prison just prior to Burham's escape. Bivens said he did not personally conduct the interviews and could not confirm whether any of the individuals saw the drone. He added that no surveillance footage captured the drone.

"We just need to know more about it," Bivens said. "I'm not a big believer in coincidences but what I would tell you is just prior to the escape there was a drone flying in that area. It could be that there is a perfectly innocent and reasonable explanation. It could also be that it was somehow connected to his escape, and we intend to find out more about that."

Bivens said anyone with information about the drone operator or the nature or duration of the flight should immediately contact the state police command post at 717-265-9650.

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'Additional concerns' that Burham is armed

Bivens said state, federal and local police agencies continue to comb Warren County and areas of the nearby Allegheny National Forest for Burham, the 34-year-old homicide suspect and kidnapping defendant whom authorities described as a "self-taught survivalist with military training."

Bivens said authorities continue to receive calls and tips from northwestern Pennsylvania, western New York and adjacent states, and that possible sightings and stockpiles of items are being investigated with DNA testing.

"DNA can be extracted from nearly anything that a person touches or comes into contact with," he said.

Bivens declined to provide a description of the items found or the location of the possible sightings but added that authorities believe the stockpiles were "likely put there" by Burham and that investigators are "convinced that Burham remains in this general area."

Bivens added that recent findings and investigative leads have caused him to have "additional concerns" that Burham may be armed. He declined to elaborate on those concerns.

Bivens also said authorities are actively interviewing possible accomplices of Burham.

Reward offered in search for Burham

State police urge those with information on Burham to call the state police command post at 717-265-9650. The public can also call the state police barracks in Warren at 814-728-3600.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $7,500 for information that helps lead to Burham's capture. Warren County Crime Stoppers is offering another $2,000. Bivens said Tuesday Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers has added an additional $10,000 for a total reward of $19,500.

Burham is accused of escaping by climbing on a pullup exercise machine in the prison recreation yard, getting on to a roof and then sliding off the prison roof with a rope made of bedsheets tied together, as the Erie Times-News has reported.

Burham is from Russell, near Warren, and is still believed to be in the area of Warren County, east of Erie County. State police said searchers are using police dogs, drones and helicopters.

Among other accusations, Burham is wanted in connection with the May 11 fatal shooting of Kala Hodgkin, 34, of Jamestown, in Chautauqua County, New York, north of Warren. Though he has yet to be charged in that case, Burham is a "prime suspect" in the killing, the U.S. Marshals Service said. At the time of Hodgkin's death, Burham was wanted a charge that he had raped her, according to court records.

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A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Possible drone flew near Warren jail prior to Michael Burham escape