Michael Burham

Pennsylvania State Police investigators are seeking information from the public about a drone flight around the Warren County Courthouse that allegedly occurred around the same time that Michael Burham escaped from the jail.

Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations with the Pennsylvania State Police, said during a Wednesday briefing that investigators are looking for more information from the public on the drone operator and the nature or duration of the flight.

Information regarding the flight was gleaned from interviews conducted as part of the search.

Bivens acknowledged that the flight could have a “perfectly innocent” explanation but that’s not yet clear. “We intend to find out more about that,” he said. “There aren’t any cameras that picked it up.”

The level of concern that Burham is armed has also increased. “We have additional information that we have gleaned recently that causes me to have additional concerns that he may have been armed,” Bivens said.

That determination is “based on findings and investigative leads” and evinces “even more concern than I did a few days ago” that Burham is armed.

Bivens specifically asked residents to continue to review camera footage they may have as investigators still believe Burham is in the general area.

“The whole picture is what I base it on,” he said. “Can I guarantee it 100 percent, no.”

Burham is the prime suspect in the May 11 shooting death of 34-year-old Kala Hodgkin inside her William Street home in Jamestown. Afterward, the former Chautauqua County resident is accused of setting fire to another woman’s car in Jamestown.

More than a week after Hodgkin’s death, Burham allegedly kidnapped a Warren County couple from their Sheffield home at gunpoint. Using their vehicle, he drove the pair to South Carolina.

The couple was found safe, and Burham was eventually taken into custody after eluding police for days by running through the woods. In June, he was extradited back to New York state where he went before a federal judge in Buffalo.

Burham had been moved to Warren County on June 19.

Bivens also said Wednesday that possible accomplices are being interviewed but offered no additional details, saying that police will “prosecute … to the fullest extent of the law” anyone assisting Burham.

Officers have discovered campsites and stockpiles in recent days believed to be connected to Burham.

Bivens said those stockpiles were likely placed by Burham. That opens the door to potential DNA samples.

Bivens explained some items have been tested for DNA and the results for other items are pending. He said that additional items believed connected have been discovered in the last 24 hours.

“DNA can be extracted from nearly anything that a person touches or comes into contact with,” he explained. “We look at any item we believe he may have handled or had direct contact with.”

“We’ve had a number of sightings,” he added. “It is difficult at this time to say whether it is 100 percent confirmed.” Some of the sightings are believed to be accurate while others are awaiting test results. “In many cases we’re relying on eyewitness descriptions” and whatever other evidence can be collected.

Bivens devoted a substantial portion of Wednesday’s session to discussing the general direction of the search and its operations.

He said investigators continue “a very aggressive search” and have “cleared a lot of areas. I truly believe we get closer and closer to capturing him.”

He acknowledged the monetary cost of the investigation but said that’s not driving the effort’s scope. “All of this is driven by the needs of the investigation,” Bivens said. “If I needed more people they would be here today.”

The cost, he detailed, is spread out over a number of agencies and is not incurring the significant overtime if the State Police were acting alone.

The search is structured in a “sustainable” way from a fiscal capacity and they are “conducting it in a way that allows us to get where we need to be” — capturing Burham.

As sightings and discoveries continue, Bivens said — but did not elaborate — that they know what times of day Burham is most active.

The command post number to report tips is (717) 265-9650 and a nearly $20,000 reward remains in place for information leading to Burham’s apprehension.

The message to the community remained the same Wednesday.

“Continue your vigilance,” Bivens said. “Do the things we’ve asked you to do.”

He said camera footage is “tremendously valuable” and asked residents to review that on a regular basis.

Guidance continues to take precautions – lock cars, homes and outbuildings and secure items that may be helpful to Burham.

Additional steps to protect the public could be implemented if investigators were convinced Burham was in a certain area but Bivens said “(we) have not identified a specific threat to a very specific geographic area.”

He remains confident that the search is headed in the right direction.

“I, personally, have been doing this a lot of years. I believe we’re on the right track here,” he said. “Our people are pretty tenacious.”

And if Burham is able to see the national media coverage, Bivens is good with that.

“I hope he does,” he said. “I hope he’s very uncomfortable out there where he’s at (and) how hard we’ll push him.”